Try the many great variations on this classic dish in Philly — Photo courtesy of iStock / grandriver
By and large, the most frequently asked question that visitors ask Philly residents is some version of "Where is the best spot for a Philly cheesesteak?" or "What’s better, Pat’s or Geno’s?" The latter being a reference to the friendly rivalry that’s been taking place on the corner of 9th and Passyunk since Geno's opened up across the street from Pat's in 1966.
We’re all more than willing to weigh in, as we too have our favorites, but we’re also likely to recommend a few other restaurants we love because we’re proud of all the foods Philadelphia brings to the table.
To fulfill your cheesesteak craving while experiencing a little more of what Philly has to offer, check out these 10 off-the-beaten-path spots offering cheesesteak-inspired food and drink.
South Philly mac | North Bowl
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North Bowl, in Northern Liberties, offers a retro bowling experience complete with arcade games, pool tables and two full bars. Meanwhile in the lounge, the resident chef offers a variety of culinary treats ranging from salads and tacos to North Bowl’s famous tater tots and mac-n-cheese.
North Bowl pays homage to the Philly cheesesteak with their South Philly mac, cavatappi pasta with cheddar and parmesan, "loaded with thinly sliced steak and sauteed onions" and topped off with crispy onions.
Cheesesteak brochettes | Thirsty Dice
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Philly just got its first board game cafe, and the locals are loving the nostalgic feelings it evokes.
Thirsty Dice, located in the Fairmount neighborhood, has more than 800 board games from which to choose. Their kitchen and bar offer coffee, milkshakes, game-themed cocktails and a variety of snacks meant to fulfill your comfort food cravings, including macaroni and cheese, french bread pizzas, pretzel sticks and corn dogs.
But if Philly nostalgia is what you’re after, check out the cheesesteak brochettes which were created with the goal of offering guests that throwback cheesesteak taste, but in a dish that wouldn’t be too messy for those playing games.
What they ended up with is essentially a cheesesteak kabob topped with a housemade cheese sauce.
Who was voted the best?: Best Cheesesteak in Pennsylvania (10Best Readers' Choice Awards 2016)
Rocky Balboa fries | #GetFried
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The Philadelphia Bourse building opened in 1895 as the country’s first commodities exchange. Over the years, it has served as retail and office space. Despite being conveniently located across the street from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, it has been mostly overlooked by locals and visitors until it reopened as an artisan food hall in November 2018.
#GetFried, one of the Bourse’s options, offers "gourmet topped fries." Get your Philly on with the Rocky Balboa fry basket which begins with your choice of hand cut, seasoned waffle, coated straight cut, or sweet potato fries that are then topped with shredded sirloin, sauteed onions, sweet peppers, mushrooms and melted cheese.
Philly Cheese-Chick | Freebyrd Chicken
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Also in the new food hall at the Bourse is Freebyrd Chicken, offering a unique variety of chicken sandwiches with, according to Freebyrd co-founder Jason Murphy, the "speed and value of your typical quick service operation, approached with all the quality one would get from a full-service restaurant."
This includes using only free range, locally raised chicken, roasting it in house, freshly preparing their sauces each day and sourcing their rolls from local bakeries. Murphy grew up just outside Philly, so when it came time to design their menu, he naturally wanted to find a way to honor the local favorite without attempting to recreate it.
This is how Freebyrd Chicken’s Philly Cheese-Chick was born. This take on the classic begins with slow-roasted pulled chicken and is topped with jalapeno beer cheese and beer mustard braised onions on freshly baked garlic bread.
Cheesesteak egg rolls | Smokin' Betty’s
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Conveniently located in Center City, just a few blocks' walk from City Hall, the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, Smokin' Betty’s offers BBQ and "New American' in a trendy two-story bar and restaurant.
The location is especially popular with local business people and medical staff from nearby Thomas Jefferson University Hospital during happy hour, which features both drink and food specials. Get your cheesesteak fill with their Black Angus beef cheesesteak egg rolls served with a smoked tomato jam.
The Philly panzarotti | Franco’s Place
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Just across the river from Philadelphia, in the small town of Westmont, N.J., is a culinary treasure with a cult following – the panzarotti, a deep-fried pizza dough stuffed mozzarella cheese, sauce and pizza toppings.
While it’s usually recommended that first-timers just go with cheese or pepperoni, those in pursuit of a Philly cheesesteak experience should give "The Philly" panzarotti a try. Unlike a traditional panzarotti, it's filled with just steak, cheese whiz, and – in true Philly cheesesteak fashion – is available "wit" or without fried onions.
Geno’s Wizz | Rim Cafe
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Rim Cafe sits on the corner of 9th and Federal, just a block away from the famous Pat’s and Geno’s. This eclectic little spot offers a one-of-a-kind experience you won’t find anywhere else in the city – possibly the world – and, yet, most who pass by have no idea what they’re missing.
Inside Rim Cafe, founder and Chief Barista Rene Kobeitri serves up handcrafted hot chocolates with a show that would eclipse most any cocktail artist. Stop in and try Geno’s Wizz, "a hot chocolate volcano" drink Rene created with the assistance of his friend, Geno Vento of Geno’s Steaks.
The name for the drink is inspired by Cheese Whiz, the most popular cheese used on cheesesteaks, but the only cheese in the hot chocolate is a ricotta mascarpone.
Cheesesteak bao | Bing Bing Dim Sum
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Just a few blocks further south of Pat’s and Geno’s is the East Passyunk neighborhood, home to some of the city’s top restaurants. At the corner of Passyunk and Morris sits Bing Bing Dim Sum. Bing Bing is not your traditional authentic dim sum place.
In fact, owners Ben and Shawn are upfront about this fact on their website. "What do we, two dudes from Philly, know about 'authentic' Asian cuisine? Nothing…we cook what we like…our food is often informed by tradition, but it's never defined by it."
And nowhere is this sentiment more evident than in their cheesesteak bao. Traditionally, bao is steamed bread filled with meat or vegetables, most often pork, but at Bing Bing, the bao is filled with shredded steak, sharp cheddar, long hots and onions.
Philly steak empanadas | Bar Bombón
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Even those who have gone meatless and dairy free can indulge in cheesesteak-inspired eats while exploring the City of Brotherly Love. Bar Bombón, named one of America’s 50 Best Restaurants for Vegetarians in 2018 by OpenTable, puts a twist on authentic Puerto Rican fare.
The twist being that they are 100% plant based. In addition to offering a great happy hour from 3-6 pm Monday through Friday, they are open 7 days a week for brunch, lunch and dinner. Bar Bombón pays tribute to the Philly cheesesteak with their Philly steak empanadas served with their homemade vegan cheese, corn pico de gallo and spicy ketchup.
Fried egg cheesesteak | Cafe Lift
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Despite both Pat’s and Geno’s being open 24 hours a day, it’s likely you may not want to eat a full-blown cheesesteak for breakfast. If that’s the case, head to Cafe Lift on North 13th Street.
Located on the outskirts of Chinatown, this hip brunch spot offers both sweet and savory breakfast items like cannoli French toast, lemon ricotta pancakes, mushroom frittata, and eggs Benedict, as well as a nice selection of soups, salads and sandwiches for those in the mood for something lunch-y.
But of course, you’ll want to try the fried egg cheesesteak with "shaved ribeye, caramelized onions, mild provolone, and Carter’s spicy mayo topped with an over-easy egg and served on a Philly pretzel bun."