Where to Celebrate National Cheesesteak Day

Celebrate National Cheesesteak Day, today, March 24, in the City of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia is synonymous with cheesesteaks and has a rich history with the meat-and-cheese-lovers sandwich to prove it. Take a bite into the city and a cheesesteak just in time for the citywide celebration.

As legend has it, in 1930, South Philadelphia hot-dog vendor Pat Olivieri put beef on the grill, enticing locals and cabdrivers looking for the new steak sandwich. The idea grew into a crusty bun filled with sautéed steak and, voila, Pat’s King of Steaks was established on Passyunk Avenue.

© Kilmermedia | Dreamstime.com

As Pat’s popularity grew, so did its friendly competition with Geno’s Steaks. The establishment opened up shop right across the street in 1966 and claims to be the inventor of the melted cheese portion of the story, but it doesn’t really matter who started what when flavor is involved. Stop by the historic corner, try one of each and let the rivalry continue.

While in South Philly, stop by Tony Luke’s for a cheesesteak and fries. The Philly favorite is famous for its steaks and boasts quite a following of fans. So much so, they opened a shop in Manama, Bahrain, bringing South Philly abroad.

If you want to stray from the classic and try another city favorite, check out Jim’s Steaks on South Street. With multiple locations, the South Street store is easily the most popular, usually funneling a line of hungry patrons at a time.

Pro tip: Order like a local and come prepared. Know what kind of cheese you want and whether or not you want onions. If you want Provolone with onions, ask for “provolone wit” and if you want Cheez Whiz and without onions, order “whiz witout.”

Heading Northeast, try Steve’s Prince of Steaks for a little more variety. You can break the ordering rules here and feel a little less pressure from the line of Philly locals.

The kids will get a kick out of the amusing atmosphere in each shop, have their fill of cheesesteak and fries and you’ll have a fun Saturday exploring the city.