The city of Philadelphia is filled with different cuisines and restaurants in each part of the city, but is mostly known for its cheesesteaks. The sandwich was created in the city and coined the iconic Philly Cheesesteak name.
There are hundreds of restaurants in the city who make and sell cheesesteaks. To frequent customers and locals of the area, a famous name is Pat’s King of Steaks. This shop is known as the original sellers and they have gained many rivalries over the years.
Pat’s has been a family owned and operated system since its startup. The company is still holding on to original recipes and quality. They have become the most well-known cheesesteak spot in the city.
The company started in 1930 with the original owner, Pat Olivieri, in Reading Terminal Market. Pat Olivieri created the cheesesteak when he cooked up meat on his hot dog grill and ate it on an Italian roll. The sandwich was noticed by a cab driver who insisted on getting one for lunch.
The restaurant is now owned by the founder’s great-nephew, Frank Olivieri Jr..
Oilvieri said, “As some years passed by, one of our employees got tired of eating sandwiches with and without onions and put some cheese on it, and that was the invention of the cheesesteak sandwich. And then, in 1957 my dad found Kraft Cheese Whiz and started putting that on a sandwich as opposed to melting the cheese on the grill, and Kraft Cheese Whiz became our signature sandwich.”
The original cheesesteak consists of steak, cheese which can be American, provolone, or cheese whiz, and occasionally fried onions.
Olivieri said, “The original real Philly cheesesteak is on the roll like we serve now. It’s ribeye, It has to be ribeye. It should not be top round or bottom round or sirloin or some other stuff. It’s ribeye. Ribeye, onions, and bread. Then, the authentic cheese, you know American, provolone, and cheese whiz, cheese whiz being in Philadelphia the most popular. It’s the quality of all of that, the quality of the bread, the quality of the meat.”
After being around for 94 years, Pat’s King of Steaks gained competition. Places like Jim’s, Angelo’s, Tony Luke’s, and neighbors of Pat’s, Geno’s, have also made a name for their companies for locals. To this day, Pat’s is still the icon for the original steak sandwich.
Olivieri said, “So we were here before there was any such competition at all. Our first competition came in 1939 which was Jim’s Steaks. So the reason that you’re asking, the reason is because we were the first. We invented the cheesesteak.”
Although many different steak shops and pizzerias have come into the area and surrounding locations, Pat’s still remains the king of steaks. They still remain with their original recipe and quality.
Olivieri said, “We still abide by the original recipe, which is sliced ribeye meat, onions, and freshly baked bread that’s delivered several times a day. I still hold the same way of running my business as my family and my predecessors. Our sandwiches are still made exactly the same way as they were in 1930.”
Pat’s King of Steaks is located at 1237 E Passyunk Ave in Philadelphia. You can still find some of the original photos and the stories of their history at their website, Pat’s King of Steaks® Since 1930 (patskingofsteaks.com).
