The Cheesesteaks Philly Can’t Get Enough of in 2026

While the national press likes to talk about that other rivalry (see below), real Philadelphians know the true across-the-street friendly cheesesteak feud is between Roxborough’s Dalessandro's Steaks en Chubby's Steaks.

Dalessandro’s — the Michelin-recognized Henry Avenue shop — has slung massive cheesesteaks with finely chopped ribeye and extra-chunky, hand-sliced sautéed onions at their shop since 1960.

Then in 1987, Chubby’s opened just 100 feet across the street, now standing toe-to-toe with its Northwest Philly competitor, serving a finer chopped steak — with a signature secret seasoning and easy on the whiz — at a diner counter with full bar and a (usually) shorter wait time.

Bijna iedereen in het land weet van de vriendschappelijke rivaliteit tussen Pat's Koning van de Steaks en Geno's Steaks, gelegen schuin tegenover elkaar aan de zuidpunt van Philly's Italian Market.

The O.G. Pat’s is still owned by the legendary Olivieri family, whose eponymous patriarch invented the first steak sandwich in 1930 (see the intro for more).

Geno’s opened up across the pointed intersection in 1966, slinging thinly sliced rib-eye steak under a cacophony of neon, setting off the iconic rivalry between the open-24/7 crossroads competitors, drawing throngs to East Passyunk voor vlezige smaakwedstrijden.

Open sinds 1947, Campo's Philly Cheesesteaks is een perfecte plek om de ouderwetse sfeer in een ouderwetse omgeving te proeven. Gelegen in het hart van Old City Onder een blauwe, rode en groene luifel ligt het kleine hoekwinkeltje op slechts drie blokken afstand van de Liberty Bell en Independence Hall.

Besides traditional steaks made with high-end ribeye cut against the grain and served on Liscio’s rolls, Campo’s also offers options like the Flyers Ice Steak with cream cheese, the Stockyard with mascarpone spread and the Buffalo-spiced The Heater, along with local brews from Yards Brouwerij.

Bonus: Headed to South Philly for a Phillies game? Don’t miss Campo’s location inside Citizens Bank Park.

Een van de oudste steakrestaurants in de stad, Cosmi's Delicatessenwinkel has the look of a corner market — and the cheesesteak cred of a champ.

Dating back to 1932, this small South Philly stop has garnered praise for both its traditional steaks — with thin-sliced rib eye packed on rolls from famous Sarcone’s Bakery — and a lineup of specialty steaks like the Godfather Cheesesteak, Buffalo Chicken or spicy Diavolo, or the vegan cheesesteak.

And don’t miss Cosmi’s highly-regarded broodjes of geroosterd varkensvlees ook.

Opgesplitst in twee winkels, Ishkabibble's I & II — gelegen op slechts 750 voet afstand van elkaar op South Street — not only touts itself as the inventor of the chicken cheesesteak, but it also serves a great traditional steak with beef cut into chunks, rather than shredded or sliced.

Both spots offer the same menu, but the newer location between 5th Street and 6th Street (opened in 2014) offers plentiful seating compared to the circa-1979 walk-up window near 4th Street.

Other menu must-haves include Spanish fries (with hot peppers and onions), sweet potato cheese fries and the original Gremlin, a half-lemonade, half-grape-juice beverage.

Het is terug, en beter dan ooit. Na een verwoestende brand in 2022, Jim's Steaks twee jaar later herrees uit de as en kreeg lovende recensies. De South Street staple — a favorite of many locals — continues to offer the same amazing steaks with quality ribeye grilled to perfection at its open cooking counter, now inside an expanded space.

The remodeled shop offers twice the previous seating, a much-welcomed takeout window (open till 1 a.m. on weekends), skylights and walls now covered with glittering previously hidden Eyes Gallery mosaics by the late Philly artist Isaiah Zagar of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens.

Opgericht in 1949 in Northeast Philly, Joe's Steaks + Frisdrankwinkel’De vintage frisdrankautomaat in Fishtown — opened in 2015 and the sole site since the original’s 2022 closing — offers steaks from a decades-old recipe, alongside handcrafted milkshakes, ice cream sodas, chocolate Cokes and egg creams.

Grab a diner booth, or order from their Girard Avenue takeout window (often with a dozens-deep line on weekends) after a show at Johnny Brenda's of om te genieten aan de bar waar je je eigen eten mee naartoe neemt Garage op de aangrenzende hoeken.

Voor een restaurant met “roast pork” in de naam, biedt deze plek een heerlijke cheesesteak. Hoewel het bekend staat om zijn gelijknamige sandwich, John's geroosterd varkensvlees is perennially ranked among Philly’s top steak spots as well. Its secret weapon is a crusty hollowed-out Carangi’s Bakery seeded roll — and a strict no-whiz policy.

Opened in 1930, the low-slung luncheonette first grew its reputation as a favorite among South Philly dock workers but gained mainstream recognition over the last quarter-century, as well as Philly’s first “America’s Classics” honor from the James Beard Awards in 2006.

Er zijn beroemde cheesesteakwinkels, en er zijn cheesesteakwinkels die beroemd zijn — maar North Philly's Max's Steaks is both. The outlet boasts Hollywood-hakken als decor voor Michael B. Jordans memorabele “jawn” les aan Tessa Thompson in 2015’s Geloofsbelijdenis, de eerste spin-off in de Rocky filmfranchise, evenals een cameo in een aflevering uit 2019 van Dit zijn wij.

That said, even before its on-screen fame, the neon-lit destination was a go-to spot in Nicetown for decades for its massive two-foot-long cheesesteaks, made from 100% sirloin, and the attached Eagle Bar’s killer daiquiris.

Enkele van de beste cheesesteaks van Philly bieden smaken die zijn beïnvloed door de diverse culturen van de stad, zoals in de jaren tachtig geïntroduceerd door Saad's Halal Restaurant, een voormalige foodtruck die zijn deuren opende University City brick-and-mortar shop in 1996.

The all-halal eatery’s traditional treatment is packed with bite-sized steak pieces, melding with American cheese and mayonnaise. But the star is the Chicken Shish Tawook Maroosh Way, a zabiha grilled chicken skewer cheesesteak with sautéed onions, tomatoes, curly parsley, pickle spears and creamy whiz-like garlic sauce on a toasted hoagie roll. Alternatively, check out the fried tilapia Fish Cheesesteak.

Alleen staand op een driehoekig kruispunt, SQ Philip's Steaks is what you’d expect from a South Philly steak joint: a boxy, nostalgic building with a 24-hour walk-up window, fluorescent outdoor lights, a bright red roof and a checkerboard exterior with no seating.

Opened in 1983 by “Suzie Q” (as in SQ), the spot offers neighborhood steaks — including the Old Fashion Steak with provolone, grilled tomato, long hots, onion and oregano — for take-out or to be devoured standing at chest-level metal shelves along the sidewalk. As if you need more convincing, Philip’s is 100% Goedgekeurd door Ed Sheeran.

Name a better duo than a steak sandwich and a ball game. You can also find an outpost inside de Linc.

Now with four locations, Steve's Prins van Steaks was born in 1980 on Bustleton Avenue in Northeast Philly. Owner Steve Iliescu — who named his shop to honor Pat’s King of Steaks — uses thick-cut eighth-inch slabs of sautéed ribeye (much thicker than most), served chewy and mostly unchopped on a long, thin roll drowned in gooey whiz.

The cash-only neon-and-metal Airstream diner offers two service windows, one for steaks and one for sides and beverages (including a killer chocolate soda). Steve’s offers additional outlets along Roosevelt Boulevard and in Langhorne.

Vroeger de oorspronkelijke locatie van het beroemde Tony Luke's uit circa 1992 en nog steeds eigendom van Tony “Luke” Lucidonio Sr. en zijn zoon Nick, het in 2022 omgedoopte Tony en Nick's Steaks continues to serve the same classic cheesesteaks everyone remembers.

The shop offers legendary thin-sliced cooked-to-order ribeye steaks in a variety of styles, including a pizza steak with mild provolone, a cheesesteak hoagie, and the Nicky Luke with ham and mushrooms. The red-and-white checkered takeaway window sits just below an I-95 overpass with a smattering of cozy picnic tables along the covered sidewalk.

Bijna elke inwoner van Philadelphia heeft een vaste plek voor hoagies, pizza's en cheesesteaks. Maar voor veel mensen is dat allemaal één plek: Angelo's Pizzeria South Philly.

The spot’s popular cheesesteaks — piled high with finely sliced steak, oozing cheese and sautéed onions on a housemade roll (along with their top-shelf pizza's met een luchtige korst en verrukkelijke hoagies) — are the reasons for often-long lines down the block.

De Bella Vista shop, located just two blocks off South Street, has been a sandwich mainstay for in-the-know locals since it opened in 2019, but now the world knows its name as a Michelin-honored eatery.

In 2020 openden Anna Marie en Joe Maglio een informeel Italiaans restaurant. Café Carmela in a Northeast Philly shopping center, never intending to be known for cheesesteaks. But after adding their now-signature take (a tribute to two of their favorite steak joints) to their menu during the pandemic, there was no looking back.

The signature Don Cheech’s Steak, named for Joe’s dad, is 12 ounces of thick house-sliced ribeye melded with lots of Cooper Sharp (like at Angelo’s) and fried onions on a seeded Carangi’s roll (like at John’s). A second branch opened in Montco in 2023.

Maak zelf een cheesesteak met Kruisbloemen. De Rittenhouse Square spot — gelanceerd in 2016 door een familie die al meer dan 40 jaar cheesesteaks produceert — biedt een compleet assortiment Maak het je eigen menu of cheesesteak options that includes all the classic ingredients but also out-of-the-box and gourmet toppings like Sriracha aioli, chicken cutlet, blue cheese dressing, sautéed spinach and plum tomatoes.

Or choose from two-dozen house creations, from a BBQ Cheesesteak topped with breaded onion rings to a series of veggie steaks heavy on portobello. Pair it all with a craft draft from their 20-tap self-serve Biertapwand.

According to many experts and regular ol’ fanatics alike, the best cheesesteaks in the ‘burbs might just be found at Delco Steaks, with locations in Broomall, Folsom and Springfield.

Opened in 2020, this Delaware County business — thuisbasis van de jaarlijkse Cheesesteak Bowl en Cheesesteak-trolley food truck — biedt traditionele gerechten en kipgerechten, plus specialiteiten zoals portobello-paddenstoelen en Welshie's Barnyard (met biefstuk, kip en spek), in drie maten: The Delco, Classic Delco en King Delco. Kom 's ochtends langs voor de ontbijtsandwiches, waaronder een cheesesteak en een sandwich met ei.

Geopend in 2012, Del Rossi's Cheesesteak & Pizza Co. has become one of the buzziest steak joints in Philly over the last couple of years.

De smalle Northern Liberties shop just off Spring Garden Street features an expansive menu, including a Long Hot Cheesesteak with the Philly fave spicy peppers and pickle juice, and a Chipotle Cheesesteak of hand-cut ribeye marinated in housemade chipotle sauce.

For lean meat lovers, Del Rossi’s menu features five different chicken cheesesteaks like Chipotle, Buffalo and Long Hot. And before heading out, grab one of their fantastic pizzas to-go.

Een van de snelst groeiende cheesesteakwinkels in de stad heeft een bekende en belangrijke naam in de geschiedenis van Philly cheesesteak. Het origineel West Philly Jim’s Steaks opened in 1939 and remained a staple for eight decades before its 2019 closing.

Then a grand re-opening was celebrated in 2023, with new owners, a new name — Jim's West (not affiliated with Jim’s South Street or Delco’s Jim’s Steaks ) — and a new entry into the cheesesteak wars: a traditional chopped ribeye on an Amoroso’s roll so good that Eater anointed it 2023’s Beste nieuwe gerecht in Philadelphia.

Fans from across the city zoom-zoom down I-95 and Roosevelt Boulevard for just a taste of the beefy, viral, super-stuffed ribeye masterpieces at La Nova Pizza & Steak in Noordoost-Philadelphia.

All the familiar suspects are here: your classic beef and chicken steaks, pizza steaks topped with mozzarella and fresh tomato sauce, and Buffalo chicken cheesesteaks smothered in hot sauce, blue cheese and Cooper Sharp. Cooper Sharp is the standard for the beef and chicken cheesesteaks, but whiz, provolone and mozzarella are on deck if that’s more your jam, plus a handful of other hoagie toppings.

Delicious comfort food is kinda Marlo and Jason Dilks’ thing. The couple behind Slice Pizza and P’unk Burger entered the cheesesteak conversation a few years ago with their South Philly corner spot, Nipotina.  The nostalgic shop delivers an old-school lunch-counter vibe and major Philly flavor with a variety of cheesesteak options.

Check out the Hangover Cure with smashed tater tots, eggs over easy and Sriracha, or The Imposter, a vegan- and vegetarian-friendly sando with portobello and vegan beef and cheese. But the star is the eatery’s classic The Eye, featuring 12 ounces of coarsely chopped ribeye, Cooper Sharp and fried onions on a toasted Liscio’s roll.

Hot tip: The lunch special is available 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and gets you a sandwich and drink for $16 — or a sandwich and a side of fries for $18.

De broederlijke liefde stroomt over bij Oh broeder Philly, one of the city’s newest cheesesteak chains, with locations on Drexel’s Campus in West Philly (opened 2025), on Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philly (opened in 2024), near Temple University on North Broad (geopend in 2022) en de oorspronkelijke locatie uit circa 2019 in Old City op een steenworp afstand van Penn's Landing.

The 100% ribeye steaks are served on fresh-baked Italian rolls (also available seeded or gluten-free), including an intriguing French Onion Cheese Steak with creamy horseradish sauce, caramelized onions and Swiss cheese.

Would you believe us if we told you some of the city’s most satisfying steaks can be found in a Home Depot parking lot? Well, add this steak shack to your list of Philly hidden treasures.

With locations at The Home Depot stores across Philadelphia and beyond, Rocco’s Italian Sausages & Philly Cheese Steaks’ sandwich stands have been dishing out tasty steak sandwiches to on-the-go handymen and in-the-know foodies for years. The menu’s got all the classics — beef, chicken, pizza and Buffalo chesesteaks — plus more creative variations like the Cajun steak, the jerk steak, the teriyaki steak and the honey mustard chicken steak.

Er is een gloednieuwe concurrent op het gebied van cheesesteaks geopend aan South Broad Street. Skinny Joey's Cheesesteaks — van de vaak in het nieuws komende “Skinny Joey” Merlino en zijn partner Joe Perri, nu bekend om The Skinny met Joey Merlino & Lil Snuff podcast — gelanceerd in maart 2025 op een steenworp afstand van de South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

Located inside the boxy red-and-graphite hut formerly home to Ace of Steaks, Skinny Joey’s steaks are grilled and made to be authentic … possibly by the man himself, who invites customers to, “stop and see me, I’ll be behind the grill making steaks.”

Opgericht in 2000, Sonny's beroemde steaks is new-school with a timeless vibe deep in the city’s oldest neighborhood. On any given day, the Old City winkel — onderdeel van een groeiende vriendschappelijke rivaliteit met zijn Market Street-blok neighbors Campo’s Philly Cheesesteaks and Oh Brother Philly (all just 60 yards apart) — is filled with equal parts eager visitors from across the globe and lifelong locals.

Sonny’s uses fresh-sliced angus beef ribeye and your choice of cheese layered inside an Amoroso’s Italian roll (gluten-free by request), and boasts a pressure-free casual ordering experience.

Opgericht in 2023 in de Centrum buurt van Logan Square, Proef Cheesesteak Bar is touted as the first restaurant to serve a menu of cheesesteaks paired with cocktails, even leading owner Kevin Dolce to trademark the term “cheesesteak bar.”

Dolce infuses his Haitian roots into his steaks, incorporating flavorful epis seasoning (with peppers, garlic and herbs) into not only the beef cheesesteak, but also oxtail, jerk chicken and salmon versions (or a veggie Cauliflower Portobello Mushroom option). Pair your fave with a signature drink from the full bar.

It’s like a supergroup, but for cheesesteaks. Behind a partnership of Tommy DiNic’s, Pearl’s Oyster Bar and Angelo’s Pizzeria, Uncle Gus’ Steaks has quickly become the go-to steak stop in Reading Terminal Market since opening in 2025 despite offering just one option: a traditional tasty ribeye with available cheese, onion, peppers and mushroom toppings.

While Gus’ is currently the only cheesesteak specialist at the market, great steaks can also be found at Door George, Molly Malloy's en Down Home Diner, plus alternatieve opnames zoals de Trainwreck bij Beck's Cajun Café en Miller's Twist’Cheesesteak Pretzel van .

Congratulations, scholar: You are now a master’s-level expert on the classic Philadelphia sandwich, but there’s more to cheesesteak than just beef and cheese.

Duik nog dieper in de geschiedenis van de cheesesteak met onze gids voor alternatieve cheesesteaks, een heerlijk verhelderende inleiding tot de lokale plekken waar creatieve variaties op de traditionele sandwich worden geserveerd. Denk aan cheesesteaks gemaakt van ossenstaart of barbecuesalmon, pretzels of empanadas gevuld met biefstuk, en sandwiches die de essentie van de klassieker belichamen – zonder vlees.