March 24, 2023 – Whether ordering “wit” or “witout”, Philadelphian’s have no shortage of options when it comes to chowing down on a cheesesteak. In honor of National Cheesesteak Day on Friday, March 24, we have curated a list of stellar steaks from some of the best spots in the city, including CO-OP Restaurant & Bar, multiple locales within East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District, Gaul & Co. Malt House, Joseph’s Pizza Parlor, MilkBoy, Red Owl Tavern, and Square 1682.
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CO-OP Restaurant & Bar, an open air-restaurant at the crossroads of University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, fires up an elevated and aptly named CO-OP Cheesesteak ($20) which is stacked with ribeye steak, caramelized onions, and cheese sauce stuffed in a classic toasted long roll served with CO-OP’s Fancy Fries dusted in a special spice blend. Guests can indulge in CO-OP’s Cheesesteak during weekday lunch until 2 pm.
Hours of operation: Monday through Sunday, 7am – 2pm, 4 –10pm; Brunch Saturday and Sunday 7am — 2pm; Bar menu only Sunday through Tuesday, 4 – 10pm
CO-OP Restaurant & Bar | 20 S 33rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 | 215.398.1874 | www.coopphilly.com
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East Passyunk Business Improvement District (EPABID), home to more than 160 independently owned shops and restaurants, hosts two legendary cheesesteak destinations, Geno’s Steaks and Pat’s King of Steaks, as well as Triangle Tavern, where folks can find a cheesesteak that’s ideal for any vegans.
Geno’s Steaks and Pat’s King of Steaks are two of the most popular cheesesteak spots in Philadelphia. Geno’s Steaks is a family-owned business, founded by Joey Vento in 1966, and is now run by Joey’s son, Geno. It also has a satellite location at super-venue Xfinity Live! where fans can enjoy the classic sandwich while cheering on their favorite teams. Pat’s King of Steaks is also family-owned: it was founded by Pat Olivieri in 1930 and is still owned and operated by the Olivieri family today. Tourists can enjoy a classic Philly cheesesteak at both restaurants at any time of day – as both are open 24/7.
Alternatively, just a few short blocks south, Triangle Tavern offers a crowd-pleasing Vegan Cheesesteak ($12), perfect for any foodie looking to participate in National Cheesesteak Day. Triangle Tavern is open 12pm – 2am Monday through Friday, and 11am – 2am Saturday and Sunday.
Click here for a full list of restaurants, bars, retailers, services, and more along East Passyunk Avenue.
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Gaul & Co. Malt House, the neighborhood gastropub known for good food, booze, and people, is home of the acclaimed “Wit-or-Witowski” Kielbasa Cheesesteak. This award-winning riff on the classic sandwich was featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” and pays homage to the Port Richmond neighborhood’s Polish immigrant roots. The “Wit-or-Witowski” ($14.50) is comprised of locally sourced chipped kielbasa, caramelized onions, cooper sharp cheese sauce, served on a long roll, with the option to make it a “Good Day” with the addition of egg and fried mozzarella (for an additional $3), and is available at both Malt House locations.
Additionally, Malt House Port Richmond is teaming up with The Samboners Show, a group of sandwich connoisseurs from the Philadelphia area known for Instagram and podcast success via streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple, for Samboners Live Podcast on Friday, March 24 from 3 – 7PM. Walk ins are welcome, and fans of both The Samboners Show and the Port Richmond fan-favorite locale can expect a host of boozy libations, swag as giveaways, DJ spinning vinyl, and of course – plenty of cheesesteak goodness.
Hours of operation: Monday through Wednesday, 11am – 12am, Thursday and Friday, 11am – 2am, and Saturday and Sunday, 9am – 2am
Gaul & Co Malt House Port Richmond | 2619 E Indiana Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134 | 215.423.7878 | www.gaulandco.com
Gaul & Co Malt House Rockledge | 704 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge, PA 19046 | 215.935.6443 | www.gaulandco.com
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Joseph’s Pizza Parlor, Fox Chase’s legendary pizzeria and bar serving high-quality hand-tossed pies, cheesesteaks, and more since 1966, has a host of cheesesteaks on offer utilizing USDA prime grade beef sourced from B&M Philly Steaks, the longest continually run Philly steak company in the country, lending an extra layer of quality and local tradition. All Joseph’s Pizza Parlor cheesesteaks are served on a hyper locally-sourced seeded or unseeded roll with a cherry pepper & pickle on the side, and fried onions available by request. Varieties include:
- Cheesesteak ($13.5) – American, Wiz, or Provolone
- Chicken Cheesesteak ($13.5) – American, Wiz, or Provolone
- Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak ($14) – Blue Cheese or Ranch
- Pizza Steak ($14) – Mozzarella, Marinara
- Cheesesteak Hoagie ($14.50) – Lettuce, Tomato, Raw Onion
Hours of operation: Monday through Thursday, 11am – 9pm, Friday 11am – 10pm, Saturday 11:30am – 10pm, Sunday 12 – 8pm
Joseph’s Pizza Parlor | 7947 Oxford Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19111 | 215.722.7000 | www.josephspizzaparlor.com
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MilkBoy, the iconic Philadelphia-born brand known for booze, bites, and music, is the perfect place to celebrate National Cheesesteak Day for diners of diverse diets, thanks to the selection of steaks at both their Chestnut Street and South Street locations. Guests can indulge in MilkBoy’s traditional Philly Cheesesteak ($15.95), made with premium La Frieda ribeye beef, sharp American Cheese, Tommy sauce, and fried onions, on a Liscio’s seeded Italian roll, or branch out with the Chicken Cheesesteak ($13.95) dressed with long hots aioli, fried onions, and sharp provolone on a Liscio’s signature hoagie roll. For those looking to avoid meat altogether, the Cauliflower Cheesesteak ($12.95) features garlic aioli, grilled wild mushrooms, fried onions, and Yards BeerWhiz.
Hours of Operation at MilkBoy Chestnut Street: Monday through Friday 7am – 2am; Saturday & Sunday 11am – 2am
Hours of Operation at MilkBoy South Street: Sunday through Tuesday 11am – 12am; Wednesday through Saturday 11am – 1am
MilkBoy Chestnut Street | 1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19107 | milkboy.tv/chestnut-street
MilkBoy South Street | 401 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 | milkboy.tv/southstreet
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Red Owl Tavern, the modern American tavern located on Independence Mall, has an elevated but traditional Philly Cheesesteak ($21) available for brunch, lunch, and midday meal service. Lovingly crafted with Cooper Sharp American Cheese and topped with fried onions, this steak comes with with a choice of fries (upgrade to cheese fries for +$5) or salad. Diners can also opt to add avocado and/or bacon (+$5 each) for a little extra oomph.
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday 7:30 – 10:45am (breakfast); Monday through Friday 11:30am – 4:30pm (lunch); Monday and Tuesday 4:30 – 9pm, Thursday and Friday 4:30 – 10pm, Saturday 5 – 10pm (dinner); and Saturday 8am – 4pm and Sunday 8am – 3pm (weekend brunch).
Red Owl Tavern | 433 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA | 215.923.2267 | www.redowltavern.com/
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Square 1682, the modern American upbeat kitchen located on the ground level of the Kimpton Hotel Palomar, has their own take on a traditional, but elevated, cheesesteak that’s perfect for a lunch out while shopping in Rittenhouse Square. Their Philly Cheesesteak ($16) is made with fried onions and Cooper Sharp on an Amoroso roll, and comes with a choice of fries or simple salad.
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday 8 – 11am (breakfast); Monday through Thursday 11:30am – 2pm, Friday 11:30am – 3pm (lunch); Tuesday through Thursday 5 – 10pm, Friday and Saturday 5 – 11pm (dinner); Friday and Saturday 3 – 5pm (mid-day menu); Saturday 9am – 3pm, Sunday 9am – 2pm (brunch).
Square 1682 | 121 S 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 | 215.563.5008 | https://square1682.com
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– Tristan Kim