Twofers for lunchtime shoppers

December 12, 2007|By BECKY BATCHA, batchab@phillynews.com 215-854-5757
(Page 3 of 3)

DiBruno Bros., 1730 Chestnut St. In addition to gift baskets filled with gourmet treats like white truffle oil, DiBruno's Center City store sells cheeseboards, knives and some other kitchenware, including chic Phillyware tea towels ($16.99), pub glasses ($11.99) and tree ornaments ($16.99) decorated with drawings of the Clothespin, the "Rocky" statue, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and other attractions.

This supersized DiBruno's is two stories tall. Housewares are sold on the ground floor and can be rung up at the registers there, along with gourmet cold lunches from the grab-and-go case or panini from the deli. An upscale food court on the second floor is a civilized spot to sit and eat the food you buy downstairs. Its own supercivilized menu includes hot-plated entrées such as escarole and beans ($9) and pine-nut-crusted Ahi tuna ($13).

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Technically, you're not supposed to pay for downstairs gift items at the upstairs food court, but the word "no" doesn't seem to exist in the service-oriented DiBruno staff vocabulary. A friendly cashier with Christmas spirit might be persuaded to bend the rules. *

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