Philadelphia, the city of Brotherly Love and home to the cheesesteak, is one of the best places for foodies to come to. I’ve compiled a list of cheesesteak places to check out when you’re in the Philadelphia area. And if you’ve never had a Philly cheesesteak, here are some instructions to help you out on ordering.
1. Jim’s Cheesesteaks
Photo courtesy of jimssteaks.com
Jim’s Steaks has two locations in Philly and one in the suburbs. With the lively staff and the classic feel to it. If you’ve never had a Philly cheesesteak before, this is something you definitely have to try, it’s probably one of the best I’ve ever had. What I love about their cheesesteaks is the roll – on a cheesesteak, the most important thing is the roll and how the cheesesteak is made. I rank this number one because the roll is one of the best and they make the cheesesteak just right.
2. Geno’s Steaks
Photo courtesy of JohnnyCalifornia on Facebook
Geno’s Steaks is one of the “Big Three” cheesesteak places that are constantly in competition with each other. This is a Philly staple simply because of the hype and competition. One specialty that Geno’s offers is their sauteed onions. Another big part of a Philly cheesesteak are the onions – if they’re not prepared right, it’s not a real Philly cheesesteak.
3. John’s Roast Pork
Photo courtesy of johnsroastpork.com
This place is a suggestion by both of my parents and my mom’s coworkers, they all grew up in the Philadelphia area and say this is the best place they’ve ever gotten a cheesesteak. Their menu varies from a bacon cheesesteak to a roast pork sandwich. If you need just a little break from a typical cheesesteak, this is probably one of the places with the most variety.
4. Delco’s Original Steaks & Hoagies
Photo courtesy of delcosoriginalsteak.com
Delco Original was one of the cheesesteaks I had the chance to taste at the Philadelphia Cheesesteak Festival in October, and their normal cheesesteak wasn’t the one that caught my eye. It was their buffalo chicken cheesesteak that I’ve been craving ever since but haven’t had the chance to pick up again.
5. Tony Luke’s
Photo courtesy of tonylukes.com
Tony Luke’s claims to be the “Taste of South Philly.” They are also one of the three big competitors in Philly. This was one I had to try for myself and I wasn’t disappointed. It wasn’t greasy, it was light, but filling. Like I’ve mentioned before, the roll is everything, and Lisco’s is one of the best rolls you’ll ever have. One of my friends had their veggie cheesesteak since he doesn’t eat meat and also said it was one of the best he’s ever had. Tony’s is my second favorite to Jim’s.
6. Steve’s Prince of Steaks
Photo courtesy of Steve’s Prince of Steaks on Facebook
This was the first cheesesteak I’ve ever had with cheese wiz and it pretty much changed the way I viewed a cheesesteak. The only thing about cheese wiz is to make sure you eat the cheesesteak sooner than later because it can get soggy. Not sure if that’s always the way to go, but I’m willing to try it again.
7. The Original Pat’s King of Steaks
Photo courtesy of The Original Pat’s King of Steaks on Facebook
Pat’s is the last of the big three competitors in Philadelphia. This place is directly across from Geno’s, so when you’re there, head to both and compare. Pat’s proclaims to be the inventor of the cheesesteak, and even though their menu is limited, they still offer from the classic cheesesteak to the fish cake. Pat’s was this past year’s winner of the Cheesesteak Festival. Philly foodies decided, now it’s your turn.
When it comes to Philly locals and who they’re favorite cheesesteak is, everyone will tell you something different. The only way that you can figure out which one is the best is if you try it out yourself. I’ve only listed seven but this is just the beginning of what Philly has to offer. The search is on.