There is a reason Phamous Phil’s has won a myriad of awards for its food.
Not only are the meats cooked low and slow with a variety of fruit woods with a special blend of seasonings, everything is made
fresh to order, said co-owner Robin Schmidt. And many items are homemade, including all their sauces, soups, chilies and desserts like
their homemade bread pudding with a Jack Daniels honey glaze.
And the home cooking extends to the little things like the eatery’s own homemade tea and lemonade, served in Mason jars.
Those are only some of the reasons customers who try Phamous Phil’s keep coming back for more, said owners Phil Jr. and Robin Schmidt.
“We like to go there once a week,” said Donna Olsen of Pennsburg. “My husband loves the pulled chicken platter and my daughter always gets their pulled pork and mac and cheese. That mac and cheese is creamy and homemade; just wonderful. I love the prime rib, it’s the best I ever had. Their sides are all fresh and homemade.”
The couple and their staff have garnered Philly Magazine’s “Best of Philly” award in 2011, along with 2012’s “Best of the Main Line” and three years running as “Best of Montgomery County” and “Best of Phoenixville.”
The Gilbertsville residents want customers to know their high-quality meats, from Leidy’s in Souderton, Burt’s of Gilbertsville and Clemens of Norristown, as well as attention to detail set them apart from their competitors. And they want everyone who steps foot in their restaurant to have a true down-south experience.
“At Phamous Phil’s we want people to be on Tennessee time – to come in and relax with family and friends,” Robin Schmidt explained. “This isn’t fast food; it’s good food made to order.”
The couple opened up their first restaurant in Collegeville in 2010 after Phil Schmidt was laid off his job of 15 years. Compliments of both a mom and dad who liked to cook – his dad served as a chef in the US Marine Corps – as well as hobby of smoking meats with friends in the 90’s, the younger Schmidt went on to realize his flair for creating mouth-watering flavors.
And he has gone on to dream up gourmet sauces that have gotten the attention of box stores like Whole Foods, Wegmans and Lowe’s who have asked to put them on their shelves. The three offerings on the tables at Phamous Phil’s (all their meat is served naked), Inphamous, Zesty Carolina Honey Mustard and Jacked Up, all placed in the top 23 at a recent Kansas City American Royal Sauce Contest amid 1,100 entries.
Phamous Phil is currently working on a root beer mesquite sauce for chicken and a steak grilling sauce.
With a well-established eatery in Collegeville, the Schmidts opened up their Red Hill facility at the Main Street Inn in February. They held a grand opening last month.
“We want people to give us a chance,” said Robin Schmidt. “We are more than just BBQ. We offer a blackened catfish that is popular, rotisserie chicken, gluten-free crab cakes and meatloaf, and other dishes like scallops wrapped in bacon and steamed clams.
“My vision for this place is to have it open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week and to see it busy like the Country Fox was in its heyday.”
Phamous Phil’s is open for breakfast from 8-12 on Saturdays and Sundays, and the dining room is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday 11-8 and Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11-9. They feature a full bar with a variety of drink specials.
The restaurant offers takeout and delivery, off-premises catering and online ordering. They offer coupons and specials through their email list and on Facebook. For more information, visit their website at www.phamousphilsbbq.com.