Guide Note

The cheesesteak is a long, hoagie-style sandwich with thinly sliced, grilled steak, covered with melted cheese. The food was invented in the 1930s in Philadelphia and is considered one of the city's iconic foods, along with soft pretzels and Italian ice.

Fast Facts

1. Invented in the 1930s
2. Often topped with Cheez Whiz and grilled onions
3. Most common cheese: Provolone
4. 2007 Best Cheesesteak Winner: Steve's Prince of Steaks
5. Authentic Philly Cheesesteaks use Amoroso rolls

Though there are minor disputes, most cheesesteak historians credit brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri as creating the steak sandwich in the 1930s. They eventually opened what still operates in south Philadelphia as Pat's King of Steaks. Joe Vento of Geno's Steaks claims to have been the first restauranteur to add cheese to the sandwich. It is unclear when grilled onions were first added.

If in Philadelphia, long lines may precipitate the need for a concise ordering dialect. "With" or "Without" designates the desire for grilled onions. "Whiz" designates Cheez Whiz. For example, instead of saying "I would like one cheesesteak with provolone and grilled onions," one would say "One provo with." If one wanted a steak sandwich with Cheez Whiz plain, one would say "One Whiz without."