Best of Philly

Best Cheesesteak

2022 Best Cheesesteak More People Should Be Talking About

Jaxx Steaks

When Delco native and Cheesesteak Adventure purveyor Jim Pappas bit his way through his 1,000th different cheese-steak earlier this year during a live Fox 29 broadcast, he also announced his favorite: the traditional cheesesteak at this 3rd and Wharton spot, known as Charlie’s Roast Pork until a July name change. And we can’t argue with him — seeded Carangi roll, melted provolone throughout, juicy meat that just won’t quit. Open since July 2019, Jaxx tastes like it’s been a part of our lives for decades. Read More »

1301 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA Website

2021 Best Cheesesteaks

Delco Steaks

We know we’re about to start a major Philly-vs.-Delco conflict by bestowing this coveted title on a joint that’s not only in Delco but is named after the goddamned place. But we just call ’em as we taste ’em. Since March 2020, people have been jamming the phone lines on a nightly basis for the Delco, a decadent two-foot-long masterful monstrosity of pulled prime rib eye packed into a seeded roll from South Philly’s Carangi Baking Company. They’re so popular that the shop had to find an additional rib-eye provider after the Chambersburg farm it was buying from couldn’t keep up with the orders. Read More »

2567 West Chester Pike, Broomall, PA Website

2021 Best Vegetarian Cheeseteak

Shroomwit at Frizwit

The meatless cheesesteak — treated as an afterthought in most Philly steak shops — is given the reverence it deserves at Frizwit in Pennsport. The mushrooms are local (from Mycopolitan, a mushroom farm that supplies some of the city’s finest chefs) and the cheese is made with local Abundantly Good cheddar (a do-good cheese that benefits Philabundance), and along with some onions, it’s all stuffed into a hoagie roll baked by Merzbacher’s in Germantown. Most importantly, the shroomwit eats like its meaty counterpart: unabashedly greasy, impossibly cheesy, and as junky and delicious as it ought to be. Read More »

100 East Morris Street, Philadelphia, PA Website

2019 Best Cheesesteak

Salmon Cheesesteak at Sister Muhammad’s Kitchen

As Philly’s Muslim population grew, so did the popularity of the salmon cheesesteak. It’s become essential to any aficionado’s checklist. Start here. Read More »

4441 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA | 215-621-7250 | Website

2018 Best Twist on a Cheesesteak

Gojjo

Instead of a late-night trip to Pat’s or Geno’s, head to this Ethiopian bar – open till 2 a.m. – where they transform Philly’s iconic sandwich with spicy berbere seasoning for a hybrid delicacy. Read More »

4540 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA | 215-386-1444 | Website

2015 Best Cheesesteak

Philly’s Finest Sambonis

These Northeast Philly buddies, who debuted their food truck on the Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race, have dreamed up a new model of cheesesteak: They hollow out the roll so each bite is light on bread, heavy on beef, cheese and fried onions, and much less of a dribbly mess. Read More »

Various locations; follow @SamboniBoys

2014 Best Cheesesteak

Spot Gourmet Burgers, Steaks & Pork

Steve, Jim, Pat and Geno pretty much do one thing: steaks. But Josh Kim, from the confines of a food cart the size of a shoebox, whips up everything from burgers to lobster rolls. And yet his cheese-steak is still a cut above, thanks to slices of hand-cut sirloin that are seasoned well and layered with onions that have some bite. Read More »

| 484-620-6901 | Website

2012 Best Cheesesteak

Tony Luke’s

Readers’ Choice: It was a fight to the finish, as the Philip’s folks worked hard to get out the vote among their devotees. (The even called our office. Often.) But in the end, stalwart Tony Luke’s walked away with Best Cheesesteak honors. Read More »

39 East Oregon Avenue, Philadelphia, PA | 215-551-5725 | Website

2013 Best Cheesesteak

Pittsburgh Cheesesteak at American Sardine Bar

Stacks of seasoned quality beef piled to the rafters with coleslaw and salt-and-pepper fries, all atop a crusty hoagie roll: This behemoth has us saying nice things about the Burgh and a cheesesteak for the first time in longer than we can remember. Read More »

1800 Federal Street, Philadelphia, PA | 215-334-2337 | Website

2011 Best Cheesesteak

Mama’s Pizzeria

Don't let the whole "pizzeria" thing or the bizarre clown motif inside throw you. First, everyone knows that clowns love cheesesteaks. Second, the Mama's crew uses sandwich-artist magic to ensure that every bite of their fat sandwiches contains juicy steak (natch), the house cheese blend and onion in ideal proportions. Read More »

426 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA | 610-664-4757 | Website