Philly Cheesesteak

A Philly cheesesteak is thin-sliced beef griddled with melted provolone and grilled onions, piled into a long roll. It began at a hot dog cart in South Philadelphia in the 1930s, when the vendor griddled beef instead of frankfurters one day and never went back — the sandwich has stayed Philadelphia's own ever since.

What it really is

Beef — ribeye or a similarly well-marbled cut — is sliced thin, sometimes shaved, and griddled hot and fast alongside sliced onion until both are browned and tender. Provolone melts over the pile of meat right on the griddle, sometimes worked in so the cheese runs through the beef rather than sitting on top, before the whole thing gets scooped into a long, crusty roll. Nothing else goes in as standard; peppers, mushrooms and other additions are variations, not the base recipe.

"Wit" or "witout" is the order, not a suggestion. Philadelphia counter shorthand for onions or no onions grew directly out of this sandwich's own ordering ritual, and getting it right is part of ordering one properly.

How it's served

• Hot, straight off the griddle, wrapped in paper.
• In a long roll, cheese and onions worked through the meat rather than layered.
• As a full meal on its own, rarely plated with cutlery.

How to write it on the menu

• Say the cheese — provolone is classic, though some counters use a processed cheese sauce instead.
• Flag the wheat in the roll and the dairy in the cheese.
• Note if peppers or mushrooms are a standard add rather than a special request.