Hometown Hungers: Best Philly Cheesesteaks Outside of Philadelphia

There have been intense rivalries going on in Philadelphia for decades now surrounding one particularly juicy topic: the cheesesteak. The sandwich’s first iteration featuring grilled meat and onions was cooked up by hot-dog vendor Pat Olivieri in 1930. Some years later, cheese came into the equation and an iconic Philly staple was born. The grilled steak and cheese served on a hoagie roll has many variations, with different cheeses (provolone and the processed cheese sauce known as Cheez Whiz being the most common), as well as grilled onions, peppers and mushrooms as standard additions. Though the sandwich is simply referred to as the “cheesesteak” in Philadelphia, its popularity has grown well beyond that city. Check out these Food Network-approved spots across the country serving classic takes on the Philly cheesesteak.

Photo courtesy of Alex Saglimbeni