Cheesesteak is a Philadelphia treasure and America’s best sandwiches. Although the handheld device only came to fruition a century ago in the 1930s, it is as ingrained in the culture of the City of Brotherly Love as history and sports.

As the story goes, brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri, who ran a hot dog stand at the Italian Market in South Philadelphia, were the first to invent the legendary recipe. The couple wanted to offer their customers something new and came up with a clever combination of grilled beef and onions on toast. You heard right; The first Philly cheesesteak has no cheese.

You’ll now find all kinds of cheese sprinkled over the sub; or even Cheez Whiz, which some swear is the best and stickiest choice. Chicken cheesesteak, pizza cheesesteak, and other variations of Philly have also emerged that include extra toppings such as spicy peppers, fresh vegetables, or seasonings. But no matter how it’s made, the fact remains that tributes to the sandwich can be found all over the country. I already tried cheesesteak at many quick-service sandwich chainsThis time I am tasting the sandwich in suitable restaurant chains.

I visited four popular food chains to try their own takes on the classic Philly handheld. Here’s how each chain is ranked in descending order, starting with my least favorite to best.

IHOP

Nutrition: (Per 1 Sandwich)
Calorie: 840
Oil: 48 g (Saturated Fat: 19 g)
Sodium: 2,230 mg
carbohydrates: 56 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 48 grams

International… Philly cheesesteak house? pancake forward chain In some places on the menu, you can also find a version of the actually popular meat hoagie that moves away from breakfast and falls under the craft sandwiches category. It’s known as the Philly Cheese Steak Stacker and is filled with grilled sirloin steak, onions, and melted American cheese on a grilled roll. The meal cost me $13.29 and came with a choice of fries, onion rings, fresh seasonal fruit, a side salad, or two buttermilk pancakes; What a great combination! I went the safe route with an order of classic fries.

Appearance: Delivered on a faded roll that looks store-bought; There isn’t a ton of grilling done here. The meat inside was chopped so fine it was almost minced, and it was also a bit dark for my liking. Cooked onions were also sprinkled throughout, and all the melted American cheese was hidden at the bottom of the sandwich.

Taste: Low expectations, low satisfaction; That’s the story of this sandwich. I wasn’t expecting much from the Philly cheesesteak breakfast chain, and that’s what I got. Beautiful and definitely edible. But the soft white roll might be the best thing about it, and definitely the most distinctive. Salty, dry and a little burnt, the steak is more like beef jerky than anything else, and the onions are wilted and shriveled from boiling.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

American cheese didn’t make much of a difference. But what did it was a surprise seasoning not mentioned in the sub’s description. The smoky mayonnaise-based sauce seeped into every corner, simultaneously catching me off guard and unbalancing the sandwich. I think the only stackers I’ll order from IHOP again will be made up of flapjacks and not flavorful (or rather tasteless) ingredients.

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BJ’s Brewing Company

Nutrition: (Per 1 French Fries Sandwich)
Calorie: 1,040
Oil: 51 g (Saturated Fat: 17 g)
Sodium: 3,785mg
carbohydrates: 90 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 57g

BJ’s Brewing Company definitely serves the most expensive Philly cheesesteak; That’s for sure. The $17.59 price point really made me wonder what kind of cows were used to make the sandwich’s slow-roasted, sliced ​​sirloin. I was hoping that complementary ingredients like American cheese, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and green peppers would help make the dish worthwhile. This and its accompanying side. I opted for the fries, but I also appreciated the longer list of free alternatives the chain offers, such as side salads, grits, or a baked potato.

Appearance: The first thing I noticed was the crusty bread, before spotting thin pieces of meat a suspicious shade of light brown. This hoagie isn’t as tightly packed as others, but you can clearly see the bright green peppers, onions, and orange cheese oozing out.

Taste: Actually the roll was a little too crunchy and dry. However, the sandwich overall wasn’t completely devoid of moisture; although it does not contain condiments. Although it tasted closer to a thick steak than steak (probably due to the slow-roasted cooking method), the beef was juicy and tender, filling each bite with just enough umami. Cheese was also quite scarce, as were the mushrooms. However, the onions and peppers were plentiful and delicious. I just wish they had been cooked a little longer so they would have become a little softer and less crunchy. Overall, it’s a hearty and satisfying sandwich, but still not worth the high price tag.

The 7 Best Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, According to Chefs

Twin Peaks

Nutrition: (Per 1 Sandwich)
Calorie: 1,200
Oil: 80 g (Saturated Fat: 27 g)
Sodium: 2.350 mg
carbohydrates: 69 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 7 g)
Protein: 51g

Twin Peaks It serves classic American fare similar to Applebee’s or TGI Fridays, only with a rugged mountain twist. So it’s not too surprising that the chain offers Philly cheesesteaks alongside wing platters, burgers, flatbreads and other snacks. The East Coast-style sub is made with thinly sliced ​​sirloin, provolone cheese, peppers, caramelized onions, mushrooms, mayonnaise, and Italian seasoning (with some wild card ingredients). It comes with french fries for $12.99, but I was able to upgrade to sweet potato fries at no extra cost. Let’s say you’re feeling a little more adventurous. In this case, the sports bar also features a Texas-style cheesesteak with thinly sliced ​​ribeye topped with queso, peppers, pico de gallo, and jalapeños, also on a hoagie roll.

Appearance: The real deal. Even though I’ve visited the city many times, I’ve never ordered an authentic Philly cheesesteak from one of Philidelphia’s most established and respected sandwich joints. But this is how I imagine it would look. Thin slices of steak are rolled up with green peppers and onions, all covered in a layer of melted feta cheese and bent nonchalantly over a long, pre-rolled roll.

Taste: It’s every bit as good as it looks. The razor-thin sliced ​​meat reminds me of gyro meat, which is made with beef instead of lamb or pork, similar to what I’ve been served at Jersey Mike’s before. However, despite its papery nature, it never feels drying and there is enough to go around, making it a satisfying sub nonetheless. The veggies add a wonderful charred flavor from the grill and are tender enough without becoming slimy. A mixture of both provolone cheese and just a small dollop of mayonnaise adds a smooth creamy coating to the entire sandwich. It’s also neutralized by the toasty, airy bread that envelops everything. The Italian seasoning – or mostly just oregano, depending on my palate – seemed like an ad hoc addition and one I would probably skip. But it doesn’t affect the overall flavor profile much.

I Tried the 6-Chain Cheesesteak Sandwich and It Was Perfect From the Winner Bread to the Pickles

Rust Bucket

Nutrition: (Per 1 Sandwich)
Calorie: 1,330
Oil: 69 g (Saturated Fat: 35 g)
Sodium: 2,390 mg
carbohydrates: 84 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 10 g)
Protein: 89g

Compared to the rest, Rust Bucket It’s a small chain with only 19 locations in total. However, since Ohio’s birthplace and primary service territory lies adjacent to Pennsylvania, the home of the Philly cheesesteak, I had high hopes for its take on the classic. At the tavern-style restaurant, the cheesesteak looks a little like this: shaved ribeye with green and red peppers, caramelized onions, mushrooms and melted provolone cheese. Served with fries or another option such as coleslaw, sticky rice or mash, the meal costs $15.29.

Appearance: Definitely smothered in provolone cheese. Other than the bright red peppers sticking out like a sore thumb, I could barely make out any ingredients hidden underneath. After some effort to fold the edges, it started to take on a sandwich shape, even though it was the smallest sandwich in the package.

Taste: I didn’t think anything could top Twin Peaks, but Rusty Bucket’s comment convinced me at the last second. Small but mighty, with an incredible amount of cheese leading the charge in terms of flavor, everything underneath is just as good, if not better.

Well-seasoned, high-quality meat of course pairs best with grilled onions prepared almost the same way Chipotle does in its fajita mix. Including both green and red peppers seemed overkill to me at first, but it ended up being one of my highlights. They complement each other and contribute to varying flavor notes, with more bitterness emanating from the green and sweetness from the red; perfect mix. Throw in some spicy fries with a special dipping sauce and it’s game over.

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