From its place as the signing of the Declaration of Independence to one of the first race riots of the Civil Rights Era, Philadelphia is a city steeped in history. Another significant part of Philadelphia is its love for the local specialty—the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich.
While in Philadelphia, I had the chance to check out what the hype was.
To satiate my desire for an authentic Philly Cheesesteak, I stopped by Sonny’s Famous Steaks, located near Betsy Ross House on Market Street. On their website, they claim to serve the best cheesesteaks in Philly.
Inside, the decor and menu tells of a simpler time. They even have an old butcher cutter in the front prominently on display.
There’s nothing complicated here. You basically decide what kind of cheese sandwich you want and if you want onions or not.
In local tradition, you’re generally expected to know what you want when you reach the order taker. You say how many sandwiches you want, if you want cheese, and if you want onions with it. For cheese, a local specialty is “wiz” which is Cheese Whiz.
Of course, I had to go with a cheese steak sandwich with wiz. I ordered a side of fries to balance out my meal a little more (since I went without onions).
Without a doubt, it was one of the best cheesesteak sandwiches that I’ve had. Everything from how tender the ribeye was to the texture of the bread was just right. As I’m writing about this now, I’m thinking about how nice it would be to munch on one of these sandwiches again.
So good!
If you’re near Independence Hall and don’t mind eating sandwiches that are mostly meat, don’t forget to stop by. Your tastebuds will thank you.