Where to find the best Philly cheesesteaks in Philadelphia

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When a fire shut down the iconic Jim’s on South Street in 2022, Philadelphians immediately said their prayers for a comeback. Now that not one, but two Jim’s Steaks are re-opened (check out Jim’s West on N 62nd St, too), cheesesteak fans can finally rejoice. Whiz wit is the sandwich that made Jim’s world famous, alongside its two-level black-and-white building that has now been revived as part art museum showcasing Isaiah Zagar’s lost mosaics (creator of the famed landmark, Philadelphia Magic Gardens)

Beloved by Roxborough natives and the greater cheesesteak cognoscenti alike, Dalessandro’s Steaks is a stalwart of Philly’s northwestern neighborhoods. (Fans of Chubby’s, directly across Henry Avenue from Delly’s, will be quick to let you know their spot is beloved, too.) The big distinction here, outside the nicely stocked fridge filled with craft beer: These grill jockeys chop up their ribeye to a much finer consistency than most shops—with excellent results. Might sound trivial to a non-native, but this is the type of detail that makes or breaks lifelong cheesesteak loyalties.

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If you ask a South Philly local to direct you to a solid steak and their instructions feature any combination of the phrases “near Ikea,” “line out the door,” or “anthropomorphized pig in a bib,” they’re trying to get you to John’s. A Delaware riverfront institution since 1930, John Bucci Jr.'s operation preps each of its steaks—12 hefty ounces of meat stuffed into chewy Carangi rolls—to order, so waits are a little longer than at some of his turn-and-burn counterparts. It’s worth it. Use the time wisely and familiarize yourself with the roast pork, the local specialty John’s is actually named after—it’s a juicy, garlicky triumph with bitter broccoli rabe and gooey provolone. As for whether to order one of these or a steak? Always. Get. Both.

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Long lines, phones ringing off the hook, notable celebrity fans—it’s all part of Angelo’s much-earned cult following. Owner Danny DiGiampietro takes sandwich making seriously which means everything is made fresh daily in-house and taste-tested for quality control, daily. Their cheesesteak comes with your choice of Cooper Sharp, American, Provolone, Cheese Whiz, or Long Hot Whiz on a seeded long roll and juicy curls of black pepper-spiced beef. Know before you go: it’s cash only and take-out only.

Fishtown’s finest cheesesteak can be found at the always-humming corner of Girard and Frankford avenues, where longtime steak man Joe Groh has set up a ’50s-style soda shop that speaks fluent meat. An offshoot of Groh’s original Torresdale location, this shop also accommodates vegetarians (with meatless faux steaks), gluten avoiders (with GF rolls) and milkshake fanatics (try the black-and-white).

It’s mostly known as an East African restaurant and low-key neighborhood bar, but West Philly mainstay Gojjo is also the site of some inspired cheesesteak-centric cultural synergy. In addition to traditional Ethiopian fare (kitfo, shiro wot, several types of tibs), they do steaks—including one done up in berbere, the fiery crimson spice blend essential to Ethiopian cuisine. The place fits right into the fabric of Cedar Park, a diverse and slightly left-of-center neighborhood in a diverse and slightly left-of-center city.

While East Passyunk Avenue gets gobs of attention for its ever-growing culinary scene, West Passyunk, the portion of the thoroughfare on the opposite side of Broad Street, is no slouch. Westsiders will gladly direct you to Philip’s, the sandwich shop with the outdoor standing counter that always seems to be feeding someone each time you drive by. What they lack in name recognition and grease-stained pomp and circumstance, they make up for in simple, solid steaks, including only-at-Phil’s signatures like the “Old Fashioned,” dressed with grilled tomatoes and long hots. Don’t forget that it’s cash only.

Packed with school kids and history-geek tourists by day and wacky partiers by night, Old City can be a bit of a bear to handle regardless of what your watch reads. Mercifully, Sonny’s is there for you at most hours. This remarkably friendly restaurant—no totalitarian ordering rules here, just tell ‘em what you want—does its steaks right, tossing fresh-sliced ribeye on the requisite griddle-crisped Amoroso’s roll with whatever toppings you choose. They do this well, and they do this fast, and on weekend nights, they do this until 3 in the morning, when we need this life-saving service the most.

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Despite the simplicity behind a cheesesteak recipe—beef, cheese, onions, bread—getting the mix of ingredients perfectly is no easy feat. At Del Rossi’s, they took that challenge on by consulting bread experts on how to make house-baked rolls strong enough to hold hefty amounts of soft, flavorful meat while also being crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. So it’s no surprise that their best-seller is pasture-raised, hormone-free, hand-cut rib-eye steak with Cooper Sharp American and onions.

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Cleavers regularly finds its way onto lists of Philadelphia’s best cheesesteaks. For good reason. Not only is their classic version sensational, but it hasn’t been afraid to reimagine the cheesesteak in a variety of different ways, too, with The Block, Papa’s Favorite, and Effin’ Hot all just as satisfying.