Ask a Philadelphian where to get the best cheesesteak and watch what happens to their face.
There is no neutral answer. There is only their answer, defended with the energy of a man discussing his own children. What follows is the map of that argument — the 12 best cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, with addresses, what to order, and honest notes on which ones are worth a detour.
What Makes a Great Philadelphia Cheesesteak
Four things, and only one of them is the meat.
The roll. This is the whole game. A bad roll turns good steak into a wet sandwich. The best shops in Philadelphia bake their own or buy from Sarcone's, Carangi's, Liscio's or Amoroso's. If a place will not tell you where the bread comes from, that tells you something.
The cut and the chop. Ribeye is the standard. Beyond that it is a genuine stylistic split: some shops chop the meat almost to a mince, others leave it in sliced strips. These produce completely different sandwiches and people have firm opinions.
The cheese. Cheez Whiz, American, provolone, or Cooper Sharp. Whiz is the tourist answer and also a legitimate one. Cooper Sharp is what a lot of locals actually order.
How you order it. Cheese first, then onions. "Whiz wit" is Whiz with onions. "Provolone witout" is what it sounds like. Do not overthink it and do not hold up the line.
The Best Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia
1. John's Roast Pork — 14 E. Snyder Avenue, South Philadelphia
Ask serious eaters in Philadelphia and this name comes up first, over and over. A James Beard Award winner, open since 1930, serving cheesesteaks on a crusty hollowed-out Carangi's Bakery seeded roll.
They have a strict no-Whiz policy. They are right.
The catch: John's is a lunch operation and closes in the early afternoon. Turning up at 7pm to find it dark is a rite of passage you can skip by reading this sentence. Get the roast pork too — it is in the name for a reason.
2. Dalessandro's Steaks — 600 Wendover Street, Roxborough
Open since 1960 and Michelin-recognized. Dalessandro's chops the ribeye incredibly fine, almost to a mince, and pairs it with chunky hand-sliced onions. The texture is completely unlike anything at 9th and Passyunk.
It is up in Roxborough, well outside the tourist radius. That is part of why it stayed good.
3. Angelo's Pizzeria — 736 S. 9th Street, Bella Vista
Michelin Bib Gourmand, and the roll is the argument — they bake it in house daily. Finely sliced steak, cheese oozing, Cooper Sharp or Whiz or provolone.
Cash only, takeout only, and there will be a line. All three true, none disqualifying. If you are already eating your way through the Italian Market, this is your stop.
4. Cosmi's Deli — 1501 S. 8th Street, South Philadelphia
A corner deli dating to 1932, using thin-sliced ribeye on Sarcone's bread. Quietly one of the best sandwiches in the city, and one of the few places on this list where you can also get a vegan version.
5. Steve's Prince of Steaks — 7200 Bustleton Avenue, Northeast Philadelphia
Founded 1980. Steve's cuts the ribeye into thick eighth-inch slabs rather than chopping or shaving it, which puts it at the opposite end of the spectrum from Dalessandro's. If you have only had chopped cheesesteaks, this will recalibrate you.
6. Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop — 1 W. Girard Avenue, Fishtown
Since 1949, with a vintage soda fountain attached. Get a milkshake with it. It is the natural stop if you are eating your way through Fishtown.
7. Pat's King of Steaks — 1237 E. Passyunk Avenue, East Passyunk
The origin story. Pat Olivieri is credited with inventing the steak sandwich here in 1930. Open 24 hours. The meat is chopped.
Is it the best in Philadelphia? No. Should you go once? Yes — standing at that intersection at 1am is a real Philadelphia experience, and you cannot hold a position in the argument without having eaten at both.
8. Geno's Steaks — 1219 S. 9th Street, East Passyunk
Directly across the street from Pat's since 1966. Thinly sliced rather than chopped, under enough neon to be visible from orbit.
The sixty-year staring contest between these two is the most famous thing in Philadelphia food. See below for how it actually shakes out.
9. Tony and Nick's Steaks — 39 E. Oregon Avenue, South Philadelphia
Classic thin-sliced ribeye, eaten at picnic tables under the I-95 overpass. The setting is not charming and the sandwich does not need it to be.
10. Del Rossi's Cheesesteak & Pizza Co. — 538 N. 4th Street, Northern Liberties
Michelin Bib Gourmand, hand-cut ribeye. Order the Long Hot Cheesesteak — the spicy peppers are the point and they are not shy.
11. Campo's Philly Cheesesteaks — 214 Market Street, Old City
Operating since 1947, using high-end ribeye on Liscio's rolls. Old City is generally a minefield of mediocre tourist cheesesteaks; Campo's is the reason to be there anyway.
12. Cleavers — 108 S. 18th Street, Rittenhouse Square
The modern entry. High-quality ribeye, a build-your-own menu, and a room you would willingly sit in. Purists roll their eyes. The sandwich is good.
The Great Cheesesteak Debate: Pat's vs Geno's
They have faced each other across the intersection of 9th and Passyunk for sixty years — Pat's since 1930, Geno's since 1966.
The actual difference: Pat's chops the meat. Geno's slices it and leaves it in longer strips. Pat's is open 24 hours. Both move fast and expect you to know your order.
The honest answer: neither is the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia. Nearly every local list, including this one, puts John's Roast Pork, Dalessandro's or Angelo's above both. What Pat's and Geno's have is the rivalry, the neon, and the 1am experience — which are worth something, just not the same thing as the best sandwich.
PlateWalk runs this debate in the app with one rule that changes everything: only verified visits count. You have to have actually checked in at both to vote. No keyboard warriors, no people who saw it in a movie, no one voting for the place their uncle prefers.
That constraint matters more than it sounds. Every other cheesesteak poll in existence is open to anyone with an opinion and a keyboard, which is why they mostly measure name recognition rather than the sandwich. Requiring a check-in at both windows filters the sample down to people who actually did the comparison.
Vote in the Pat's vs Geno's debate →
How to Eat Your Way Through Philadelphia's Cheesesteak Trail
Reading about cheesesteaks is not the same as having an opinion about them. You need at least three in one day, which is a genuinely unwise thing to do to your body and completely worth doing once.
PlateWalk maps The Ultimate Philly Cheesesteak Walk — 4 stops, GPS-guided, so you are not standing on a corner trying to work out which shop is closer. Check in at each stop as you go. Complete the trail and you earn +50 PlatePoints, redeemable for rewards at partner restaurants.
A workable route if you are building your own: John's Roast Pork at lunch, because it closes early. Angelo's next, accepting the line. Then Pat's and Geno's at night, one after the other, so the comparison is fair.
Free on iOS and Android.
For a broader survey, Visit Philadelphia maintains a running cheesesteak guide covering shops across every neighborhood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia?
John's Roast Pork on Snyder Avenue is the most common pick among locals and food writers, and it holds a James Beard Award. Dalessandro's in Roxborough and Angelo's Pizzeria in Bella Vista are the other two names that come up most often.
Is Pat's or Geno's better?
Pat's chops the meat; Geno's slices it. Pat's opened in 1930, Geno's in 1966, and they have sat across the street from each other ever since. Most Philadelphians will tell you neither is the city's best cheesesteak, though the rivalry is worth experiencing once.
How do you order a Philly cheesesteak?
Say the cheese first, then the onions. "Whiz wit" means Cheez Whiz with onions; "provolone witout" means provolone with no onions. American and Cooper Sharp are usually available too.
Where do locals get cheesesteaks in Philadelphia?
John's Roast Pork, Dalessandro's Steaks, Angelo's Pizzeria, Cosmi's Deli and Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop come up most often from people who live here, rather than the 9th and Passyunk tourist corner.
What time does John's Roast Pork close?
John's runs as a lunch business and closes in the early afternoon. Go at lunchtime — arriving for dinner means finding it closed.
Is Angelo's Pizzeria cash only?
Yes. Angelo's Pizzeria in Bella Vista is cash only and takeout only, and there is usually a line.
What cheese goes on a real Philly cheesesteak?
Cheez Whiz, American, provolone and Cooper Sharp are all standard. There is no single correct answer, though Cooper Sharp is what a large share of locals order.
