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Rubbing elbows with celebrities is big time for the Average Joe and Josephine, but at local sandwich shops, it’s commonplace. A-listers, sports figures and politicians regularly sidle up to the counters at places made famous for perfecting Philadelphia’s iconic sandwich: the cheesesteak.
"When people come from out of town, they want to see where it all started, where it all began," Frank Olivieri Jr., 43, great-nephew of Pat’s King of Steaks founder Pat Olivieri, said.
The 71-year-old eatery at 1237 E. Passyunk Ave. has gone head-to-head with cross-corner rival Geno’s Steaks since the competitor moved in at 1219 S. Ninth St. in 1966. The juxtaposition makes them a popular tourist haunt — but not the only ones. Several other sanwich shops have captured nods from travel guides, garnered awards, landed movie cameos and appeared on national television.
The Olivieri family claims to have invented the cheesesteak in ’30 when Pat decided to change his lunch routine, piling steak and onions on a roll. A customer asked Pat to make him one and — after a bite — the superstar sandwich was born. According to Frank, it’s the same recipe that’s kept customers numbering in the thousands coming back year after year.
Although many of what he calls "upper-end steak shops" in the area use the same cut of meat — rib eye — and get their bread from the same bakery, he said it’s the equipment and preparation that makes each place distinct.
Across the street, Geno Vento, 37, will tell you the same thing.
"People from all over the world come here for it," he said of the cheesesteak. "It’s a Philly tradition, something you really can’t get anywhere else."
For a business constantly in the spotlight, staying on your toes is paramount, Vento said.
"You really don’t know who’s going to stop in," he said.
Singers Justin Timberlake and Michael Bubl�, actor Matt Dillon and, most recently, Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani have all come by for a bite.
Geno’s itself has its own claim to fame having been featured on the Food Network’s "City Favorites" and "Late Night Favorites." Travelers from Canada, California and even as far away as Germany and Scotland have seen these shows, he said, and brought empty bellies to his orange counter to see what all the hype is about.
Away from the neon, Tony Luke’s, with two locations at 26 and 39 Oregon Ave., earned best-in-the-city bragging rights from Bobby Flay, host of Food Network’s "Throwdown with Bobby Flay." The famous chef chose the restaurant as a worthy adversary for his "Battle of the Cheesesteaks" episode.
Luke, who opened in ’92 alongside his father and brother, said since the show aired last year, business has been up.
"It’s a great sandwich," the former resident of Eighth and McClellan streets said of his cheesesteak on a crispy roll. "There’s so much notoriety now. The rest of the world is catching up to what Philly knew all along."
Among the eatery’s slew of awards is a spot among the Golden Dishes of 1998 in GQ magazine and a permanent place in Philadelphia magazine’s Best of Philly Hall of Fame. Luke is set to spread his name even further, with a replica of his restaurant featured in M. Night Shyamalan’s next film "The Happening," and several more eateries in negotiations to open in Miami and Las Vegas. At the Oregon Avenue spot, Luke said he’s seen visitors from Puerto Rico, Houston, Los Angeles and Atlanta take in his fare, but he remains modest.
"It’s like vanilla and chocolate ice cream. It’s not that one is better, it’s what you like. Everybody has their favorite cheesesteak place," Luke said. "That’s what the cheesesteak evokes in Philadelphia: this great passion and debate."
Recently, a new face arrived on the super-sandwich circuit when Jerry D’Addesi, owner of Vesuvio Restaurant and Bar, 736 S. Eighth St., appeared on "Today" as winner of "America’s Favorite Sandwich" for his BLT cheesesteak — a filet version of the classic. D’Addesi, 37, who runs the restaurant with brother and roommate, Michael, 33, lives above the establishment that claimed 13,000 of the more than 42,000 votes cast on the morning show’s Web site.
"After the cameras were turned off, not only did they have a piece of the sandwich, but then asked for more," he said of his TV debut Sept. 27, where the brothers and chef Michael Cheek claimed the trophy and recreated the sandwich.
But the bright lights and lofty title were not enough to uproot these hometown boys.
"I think any time you have a situation where you’re on national TV, it’s for the benefit of the restaurant," he said. "But we’re proud of the area. We don’t live on the Main Line, or live in New Jersey and come in. We’re proud of our neighbors, and proud of being here."
John Bucci Jr., third-generation owner of John’s Roast Pork, 14 Snyder Ave., also has had his share of accolades with nods from Gourmet and Details magazines for his pork sandwich. Even the gourmands praised his creations when the James Beard Foundation Award for Culinary Excellence was presented to the establishment in 2006, a recognition, Bucci said, came as a surprise.
"I am super-proud of this place," the 41-year-old said. "It’s grown from this place where my dad made a living to a place that people talk about all over."
For many, these creations taste just like home — and if you can’t get them while away, bring them where ever you are.
Cheltenham native "Smitty" and Lower Merion native Mitch Goldman opened South Street Steaks in Westwood Village, Calif., in ’00. Almost-baked bread from Amoroso’s Bakery, 845 S. 55th St., is trucked in monthly and Philadelphia sports memorabilia and headshots of Philly’s famous folks adorn the walls.
Smitty said many visitors are Philly transplants and all swear by the steak that’s been rated excellent by Zagat. When people ask why he brought the cheesesteak west of the Mississippi, he beams, "Because I’m a Philadelphian and I need my cheesesteak. It wasn’t about making the money, it’s about getting a slice of home."
