Hillsboro Tuesday Night Market

 Of course, the cheesesteak was created and perfected in Philadelphia, PA as a regional food favorite. But the cheesesteak has a nearly century-long history and has seen lots of changes as its popularity expanded across the United States and around the world.

The original cheesesteak was credited to Pat and Harry Olivieri, two brothers who ran a hot dog stand near South Philadelphia’s Italian Market.  Legend has it that in the 1930s, the brothers wanted to offer new sandwiches. Their new item was grilled beef and onions in a toasted roll. The OG sandwich didn’t actually have cheese! Once the sandwich gained popularity, a manager at the Olivieri’s Ridge Ave. location added provolone to the sandwich in the 1940s. And thus, the cheesesteak was born.

Cheesesteaks caught on like wildfire, and in the 1960s Geno’s opened directly across the street from Pat’s.  The two businesses have been in friendly competition ever since!  In the decades that have followed, Philadelphia has seen new restaurants offer unique twists on the cheesesteak.  From John’s Roast Pork,  - which features cheesesteaks, roast pork sandwiches, chicken cutlets, and more -  to Max’s Steaks in North Philadelphia where you can get a cheesesteak as long as your arm. These restaurants, and plenty others, have developed their own twists on the original formula and have produced generations of die-hard fans.

The roll holds it all together.

Meat, cheese, and toppings are important parts of a cheesesteak, but we can’t forget what holds it all together…the roll.  Many Philly restaurants swear by Amoroso’s hearth-baked rolls for their cheesesteaks. This Philly-based bakery has been operating in Philadelphia since 1915 and has sold their rolls across the United States.  Amoroso’s rolls are famous for their crunchy, firm exterior with soft bread inside – perfect for keeping the cheesesteak intact and absorbing flavor when you take your first bite.  Other bakeries, like Merzbacher’s and Cacia’s Bakery, also supply rolls for restaurants and home chefs.

How have cheesesteaks changed over time?

As the cheesesteak has evolved, new ingredients have been added. The original cheesesteak featured grilled onions, which add zingy sweetness to the grilled steak.  Now, lots of cheesesteaks come with grilled bell peppers and mushrooms to round out the flavor (although… peppers and mushrooms weren’t part of Pat’s original recipe).  Lots of restaurants offer pickled cherry peppers on the side, or hot peppers cooked into the steak for spice lovers.

"Wit wiz"

Although Pat’s original recipe used provolone cheese, the classic cheesesteak cheese has evolved over time.  Many locations, including Geno’s, use Cheez Whiz to make their cheesesteaks, while other use melted American cheese. Pat’s transitioned to Cheez Whiz in the 1950s.  In a 1985 interview, Frank Olivieri (nephew of Pat Olivieri) claimed that he used Cheez Whiz for the same reason that millions of parents used it for their kids’ lunches – it was fast. Although provolone helps keep the meat together, Cheez Whiz saturates the roll to give you a super satisfying, drippy-messy-delicious experience. If you’re visiting Philadelphia, the classic cheesesteak is best ordered “wiz wit”, for a cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and grilled onions. Now, Cheez Whiz is the overwhelming favorite at Pat’s and Geno’s!