My great-grandmother's house is about 3 blocks away, and when I was a kid we'd drive through Philadelphia every couple years and stay with my grandfather, who lived there for most of the 80s. I'd play baseball in the park across from Dalessandro's, and a visit was never complete until the whole family packed into the tiny place and ate a few cheesesteaks.

Living in NYC, I've been dozens of times in the last 10 years, and since the Dalessandro family sold the place things have dipped a bit, I'm sad to say. They also took away some of the original collectibles on the walls.

Chubby's, across the street, makes an awesome and similar sandwich that I prefer these days - it was recommended to me by a client of mine who happens to be from Roxborough. Oh man it's good.

If you're a first-timer at either place, what you want is a cheesesteak with sauce and onions (white American cheese, of course). Then tuck in some crushed hot peppers and you're living the dream.