A gobbler at Dolores’ 2Street

The Gobbler has seen some bougie updates in the years. But the offering from Dolores’ 2Street isn’t fancy, and that’s to its credit. It’s built with solid ingredients, on a seeded Sarcone’s roll. Owners Peter Miglino and wife Victoria Rio lean hard into the leftover motif by offering a mostly cold sandwich made with cold cuts: thick slices of oven-roasted turkey and squares of orange-colored cheddar cheese. The little bit of heat (and crunch) comes from the house-made stuffing, carefully crafted by Miglino’s mother, a Philly restaurant veteran.

Adding stuffing to a hoagie shouldn’t work. But this isn’t just any stuffing. This is Maria’s family recipe, which she prepares for almost an entire day so it’s just right. This Gobbler is as inclusive as a big Italian family, marrying the cold cuts and stuffing with a nice tang from a cranberry mayo that doesn’t overpower the palate, rings of raw onion, a confetti of lettuce, small slices of tomato, and a splash of olive oil. It’s a heavyweight sandwich, clocking in at just under a half-pound; you will most definitely need a nap afterward. As Rio compiled my sandwich on a mid-November afternoon, she said I ordered the first Gobbler of the season. They got it right from the jump. Dolores’ 2Street, 1841 S. Second St., 267-519-3212, facebook.com/Dolores2Street

— Tommy Rowan

Turkey-cranberry grilled cheese special at Marathon Grill

By this time next week, most people will likely be in turkey leftover sandwich overload. But right now still I’m pre-gaming for Thanksgiving hard, and I could not resist this seasonally appropriate special at Marathon Grill. It’s essentially a grilled Swiss cheese on excellent sourdough bread, with turkey, cranberry chutney and bacon also tucked inside. That can potentially be an overwhelming mess. But I was impressed by how carefully the sandwich was built, with no particular ingredient overwhelming the others. The grilled bread’s buttery crisp and moist interior hit all the right savory and sweet notes for a preview of the feast to come. It’s served alongside a cup of tomato-basil soup for extra value (I swapped mine out for Marathon’s excellent matzo ball soup), so it’s no surprise it’s been a hit. In fact, Marathon’s regulars love it so much it’s been a “special” since they put it on the menu additions an entire year ago. Marathon Grill, 1839 Spruce St., 215-731-0800, eatmarathon.com

— Craig LaBan

Fish and chips at Pearl & Mary

To quell the anxiety of a visit to the phone store, I found myself at Pearl & Mary, Michael Schulson’s Center City raw bar. My companion dove right into the Savage Blonde and Pink Moon oysters, both from Prince Edward Island. Oysters aren’t my thing, but my soul was soothed by the aroma wafting from the broth of my shrimp dumplings — a perfect small plate on this brisk Sunday morning. But my main highlight was the traditional fish and chips, with an especially succulent piece of cod and a buttery crust with a robust tartar sauce that leaned into its zest. The french fries are thin-cut and extra salty, as they should be. Pearl & Mary, 114 S. 13th St., 215-330-6786; pearlandmary.com

— Henry Savage