Philadelphia has been renowned for Cheesesteaks for a very long time. For many outsiders, a pit stop at a cheesesteak joint makes or breaks their trip. I am originally from Long Island, NY. New Yorkers take our pizza and bagels quite seriously and I now see that the people of Philly take Cheesesteaks to a new level.
For years I have been coming to Pennsylvania for family trips or softball tournaments. My family is a bunch of foodies, so we make it a point to hit a different cheesesteak place each trip. I have been to countless places, from famous Dalessandros to Sonny’s to Genos and all the little corner shops along the way. There was one place I was missing though, and come to think of it I do not know how I missed out on the royalty. Steve’s Prince of Steaks!
Founded in 1980 by Steve Iliescu, Steve’s Prince of Steaks is now a go to spot in Philly. With five locations there is no reason not to stop at Steve’s. Attending college in the Philly area all the buzz about food revolved around Steve’s, I had to see for myself what all the hype was about. I was introduced into royalty by my best friend Roxy. We decided to take a trip to Steve’s one crisp autumn Sunday. A group of us piled into Roxy’s car to journey to the location and taste the cheesesteaks for ourselves. The group was a mix of locals and outsiders. Outside of the shop was a quaint neon sign lit up the parking lot, entering you see counter seating and a giant window for orders. Upon arrival everyone was trying to influence me to try the Steak the Philly way. Meaning cheese whiz and steak. Simple and plain but indulgent and delicious. I stuck to my roots and opted for a cheesesteak with provolone, lettuce, raw onions and lots and lots of mayo. The store workers along with my friends scoffed at my order. “You’re not in New York anymore Shannon”, chuckled Roxy. I smirked and awaited my order. The steaks came out quick and piping hot. I took my first bite, immediately I was satisfied. The juices from the steak and the melted cheese went together like a perfect symphony. I tried the steak Roxy and my other friends had ordered the classic steak of course. I enjoyed that single bite more than my NY style steak so from now on I will trust the locals’ opinions.
There’s more to this story than just me eating a cheesesteak, because food is not life. Family and friends should be the center of life. Roxy is Steve Iliescu’s granddaughter. Steve’s Prince of Steaks is a family run business. Each chain has a different overseer all somehow related to Steve himself. Having love and affection put into the food makes the quality and atmosphere ten times better than competitors. The Iliescu family is very hard working and proud of the royal line they have built. Roxy hopes to one day oversee one of the joints and continue on her family’s legacy. I am now inducted through Roxy into the line of royalty, I will never taste a NY style cheesesteak again nor will I ever bite a steak from Geno’s again. Steve’s has impacted my heart and my stomach.
Famous neon sign outside of each establishment.
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