Cheesesteaks
You won’t find a real Philly cheesesteak anywhere except in Philadelphia and its surrounding region.
Plenty of places throughout the country claim to offer “real” Philly cheesesteaks, but they really don’t. Instead, your steak will come on a sesame seed roll or on sourdough bread, or with mayonnaise and lettuce and tomatoes, or with the kind of green peppers you find in salads. Or it will look right but it won’t taste right. It will taste like a steak sandwich, not a cheesesteak.
Imagine radar waves expanding out in circles, with Philadelphia in the center. The farther from Philly you get, the weaker the signal — and the weaker the cheesesteak. Somewhere, some Philadelphia transplant has probably opened a shop that serves real Philly cheesesteaks, but in my travels I have yet to find that shop.
Here are some of my favorite cheesesteaks…
The Journal’s Top 5
1. Pat’s King of Steaks — 1237 E. Passyunk Ave. (corner of 9th, Wharton and Passyunk) in South Philadelphia, near the Italian Market. The inventor of the cheesesteak. All cheesesteaks in the world, as well as their offshoots, originated here nearly 80 years ago. Pat’s flavorful, chopped-steak cheesesteaks are unsurpassed. And if you look up at the ceiling of the overhang as you wait to order, you’ll see pictures of the many celebrities who have eaten at Pat’s. Visit
2. Dalessandro’s — 600 Wendover St. (corner of Henry Ave. and Wendover, near Ridge Pike) a few blocks up the hill from Manayunk in Roxborough. No Whiz available here, but superb meat and a scrumptious, all-around satisfying cheesesteak. Understated, sometimes underrated, always excellent. Pic
3. Geno’s — All lit up cattycorner from Pat’s, with plenty of pizzazz. Thin strips of steak, very tasty. Even for Pat’s people, there is nothing wrong with loving Geno’s. (Its friendly but outspoken owner, Joey Vento, has polarized some people with his views.) Geno’s has welcomed its share of celebrities too. Visit
4. Jim’s — South Street at 4th (plus three other locations in the Northeast, West Philly and Springfield). Simply delicious. Jim’s is a Philadelphia institution and could be at the top of any list. Visit
5. Steve’s Prince of Steaks — 7200 Bustleton Ave., just off of Cottman, in the Northeast (plus two other locations in the Northeast and Langhorne). In the tradition of Geno’s, and only a few blocks from Jim’s Northeast location, Steve’s offers a top-notch steak and a welcoming atmosphere. Visit
Others receiving my vote: Tony Luke’s, which also has a famously yummy pork sandwich; John’s Roast Pork, which has a cheesesteak threatening to crack the top five; Chink’s, which has a controversial name but a quality steak; and, of course, Rick’s, founded by a Pat’s descendant who got into a flap to keep his shop open. Rick Olivieri, grandson of Pat’s co-founder Pat Olivieri, also was embroiled in a lawsuit with his cousin Frank, the current owner of Pat’s.
As you can see, I’m a Pat’s guy. I prefer chopped steak on my cheesesteak, and to me, nobody beats Pat’s. Plus, when friends come to Philadelphia to visit, I like to take them to the originator of the Philly cheesesteak.
I understand Geno’s people too, because Geno’s offers great steaks and an atmosphere that includes neon. When you sojourn at the cheesesteak holy land in South Philly, where these two cheesesteak giants stand across from one another, you’re either a Pat’s person or a Geno’s person. (“Pat’s is the best and Geno’s is just as good,” the old saying goes.) Both make my top three.
My curveball is Dalessandro’s at No. 2. I probably wouldn’t take out-of-towners there until they’ve sampled several of Philly’s other cheesesteak outlets. But for the experienced cheesesteak connoisseur, Dalessandro’s is the perfect change of pace.
There are lots of great cheesesteak places in Philly that other people may like best. On any given day, virtually any of them could rise to the top of my list. You can’t go wrong with the places I’ve mentioned, and I’m always eager to discover new ones.
What’s your favorite cheesesteak? E-mail me your No. 1, with a few sentences telling why, and I’ll post it on The Journal.
