Where To Get The Best Philly Cheesesteak

Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of your Philly Cheesesteak experience:

The History

According to local legend, in 1933, Pat was just a guy with a hot dog stand. One day he was grilling up some chopped steak and onions for his own lunch when a cab driver and regular customer inquired about the delicious smell, asked to try the sandwich, and suggested Pat forget about hot dogs and start selling those chopped steak sandwiches. Pat soon took the cabbie’s advice, and by 1940, Pat’s restaurant was open on the same corner in South Philly. A couple decades later, in 1966, Joey Vento decided to make things interesting by opening up his own stand across the street and naming it Geno’s.

While history is fuzzy, many say Geno’s tries to take credit for the cheesesteak by claiming they were the first to add cheese to the sandwiches, but no one really knows what’s fact or fiction at this point.

Where to Go

With hundreds of places offering them up, the next logical question is “where should I go to get a cheesesteak?”

If you want a cheesesteak just for the bucket list or historical experience, then we recommend you join the tourists queuing up outside Pat’s and Geno’s. Just pick the shortest line; or if you’re there with a friend or family, order one from each, split them, and weigh in on the age old question: “Pat’s or Geno’s?”

Both are open 24 hours a day, only have outdoor seating, only accept cash, and require customers to order in code to keep the lines moving (more details below).