History of the Philly Cheesesteak

Pat or Geno’s? That’s a pretty common question those new to Philly ask. Everyone’s heard of the Philly Cheesesteak, a “hoagie” (or a sub for those not from the Northeast) made with chipped steak and traditionally topped with Cheez Whiz, a yellow, gooey cheese that comes out of a spray can. Nowadays, there are thousands of variations on the famous Philly cheesesteak, including those with fancy cheese toppings like Gruyere and Brie and those that utilize additional toppings like mushrooms and roasted peppers. Pat and Geno’s both offer great cheesesteaks, and both restaurants definitely have their supporters. But when and why did this rivalry begin? Most would be surprised to find out that this competition actually stems from argument over who added Cheez Whiz to their sandwiches first, not who invented the cheesesteak or, shockingly, which tastes better.

The tale goes like this. On a dark, rainy night (the kind we’re all too familiar with) in the 1930s, Pat Olivieri, a South Philadelphian hot dog vendor, ran out of sausages and decided to put some frozen steak bits on his grill instead. The delightful smell is said to have lured in a cab driver, who happily ate all the steak that Olivieri had to offer in a warm, grilled bun. Soon, word of this delicious grilled spare-rib steak spread, and the steak sandwich became even more popular than the hot dogs. By popular demand, Olivieri decided to open a store selling his sandwiches on 9th and Passyunk, which became the now-famous Pat’s King of Steaks. Some say that Olivieri was the first to start putting cheese on top of his steak sandwiches (as early as the 1940s), but others disagree.

The fiercest opponent of this claim is Joe Vento, the owner of Geno’s Steaks and Olivieri’s most worthy competitor. Geno’s, located on the north corner of 9th and Passyunk, opened in 1966. Apparently, the name was born when Vento saw the name “Gino” painted near the back of his shop and changed the “I” to an “E” to make it more unique. Vento has stated to this day that it was his idea to put these cheese on the steak sandwich, and that – surprise! – Olivieri stole his creation.

It’s been over 40 years since the two shops opened and no one has conclusively solved the cheese mystery. With that being said, there are some pretty obvious differences between the two. Cheesesteaks from Pat’s tend to have coarser, larger chunks of steak, while those from Geno’s are smaller and cut more finely. If you’re looking for lots of cheese, though, skip these two classics and try out John’s Roast Pork in South Philadelphia.

–Tina Hsu