We went to South Philadelphia to compare the two most famous cheesesteaks in the world.
As expected of a city famous for a boxing legend, Philadelphia is home to two cheesesteak purveyors — Geno’s and Pat’s — that have been battling it out for the title of best cheesesteak since 1966.
And they are right across the street from each other.
We couldn’t help but notice the drastically contrasting exteriors. Geno’s has flashing lights and neon signs that would be right at home on the Vegas strip, while Pat’s, despite calling itself “Pat’s, King of Steaks,” is a no-frills establishment in a simple, nondescript brick building.
First up was Pat’s. The bread was semisoft and the steak chopped and salted. The Cheez Whiz, which is what makes a traditional cheesesteak what it is, quickly melted and dripped out the back on first bite. It was good, but there was nothing distinctive about it.
Geno’s bread was soft, but not as spongy as Pat’s. The critical differences were that here the onions were sautéed, and the steak a juicy flank, and not chopped up like at Pat’s, making it harder to eat.
So which is better? See for yourself.
Story and editing by Carl Mueller.
Geno’s Steaks, founded Joey Vento, is a Philadelphia restaurant that specializes in making the best cheesesteaks in Philadelphia. Geno’s is located in South Philadelphia at the intersection of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue. For more information, check out the About us page. Follow Geno’s Steaks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!