Philadelphia, PA - My name is Jim Pappas, and I’ve taken down close to 1,000 different cheesesteaks since beginning my Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure in May 2018. Below are my top 5 cheesesteaks in the city of Philadelphia. If you were expecting my ranking of the top 5 usual cheesesteak suspects, sorry, but that is not how I roll!! I like themes and different categories.
5. Best Not a Cheesesteak Cheesesteak - The Kimchi Bulgogi Cheesesteak
Pastrami & Things - 24 S 18th St. Philadelphia, PA - Do not be led astray by the name of this place and get the Kimchi Bulgogi Cheesesteak. What a great day to be the Cheesesteak guy!! This Cheesesteak has hot sauce on it. I went boldly into this Christmas Eve day and got the hot sauce, and I am glad I did. I did not love the price. I wish this were a bigger Cheesesteak because it was fantastic, and I wanted more. Nice enough, people. Outstanding overall experience.
4. Best Date Cheesesteak - The Rook Manayunk
The Rook Manayunk - 4001 Cresson St. Philadelphia, PA - The Cheesesteak was delicious but hard to score. It comes on a Sarcone's seeded roll. This is probably the best Sarcone roll I have ever had. The meat is fabulous. It had an outstanding amount of cheese, and it melted through everything. The fried onions and mushrooms were heavenly. However, it was small. The end of the Cheesesteak we ate did not have a lot of meat. Did we pick the wrong half of the Cheesesteak? If it needed more meat, then it would have required more cheese. Very hard to score. $13, and it came with delicious french fries. We paid the extra $1.50 for the long hots. They were not very hot. $13 could be considered cheap for a nice place like the Rook Manayunk and excellent ingredients.
3. Best Cheesesteak and Brewery pairing - Frank's Pizza and Wissahickon Brewing Co.
Frank's Pizza - 3600 Fisk Ave. Philadelphia, PA - Frank's is the textbook definition of the corner pizza shop. Nothing fancy, just a perfect cheesesteak at a fair price. The video is from March Cheesesteak Madness, so you meet Frank and two of our cheesesteak judges. - I love eating cheesesteaks at Wissahickon Brewing Company. You can sit inside or out by the train tracks under a tent and feel the whoosh of air as the train goes by. Always a great variety of beers to choose from. I will try to add some pictures from the Wissahickon Brewing company to the extended video at the end of this story.
2. Close to Traditional Cheesesteak - The Prime Rib Cheesesteak
Dagwood's Pub - 4625 Linden Ave. Philadelphia, PA - Dagwood's is a great neighborhood bar/restaurant. Executive Chef Jack McPeak has a great team in the kitchen. There is an excellent team behind the bar. The Prime Rib is sliced and seasoned to near perfection. The roll works for this Cheesesteak. The truffle cheese was a little heavy on my half of the Cheesesteak and a little overbearing. Too much cheese is a good problem. This was a fantastic cheesesteak.
1. My Favorite Traditional Cheesesteak - Jaxx Steaks Taproom
Jaxx Steaks Taproom - 1301 S 3rd St Philadelphia, PA - Stop whatever you're doing and head directly to Jaxx Steaks Taproom. This is not a drill. It is an emergency if you are hungry for a great cheesesteak and tasty beer!! Holy Mackerel!! Eating a cheesesteak at Jaxx Steaks Taproom may be the best thing you can do with clothes on!! Seeded an incredible roll. An outstanding amount of delicious tasty meat. Broccoli Rabe and Provolone seemed to be their thing, so I went with it, and I am glad I did!! Tables, bathroom, and beer boutique slap my face and take me to Jaxx. Great overall experience.
Share Philly Cheesesteaks on Social Media
The Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure - Hi, my name is Jim Pappas, and I have eaten hundreds of different cheesesteaks in the last year. A year ago, on May 16, 2018, I started my Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure to find the ultimate cheesesteak. To see more great cheesesteak places, check out my website at The Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure.
