Dear Philly, you have my absolute favorite — the cheesesteak

On March 24, we celebrate National Cheesesteak Day. The mouth-wateringly delicious sandwich, cheesesteak, is often made from thinly sliced beefsteak with melted cheese on top in a king-sized roll.

When we have a cheesesteak, we often think about Philadelphia. Yes, the cheesesteak was originally from South Philly, and today it developed into a cultural icon of classic sandwiches.

Back in 1930, Pat and Harry Olivieri, the owners of Pat’s King of Steaks and hot dog sellers, grilled beef and put in some onions to make sandwiches for themselves to eat.

However, a nearby taxi driver was very interested in the food, and he asked for the same one as well. From that moment, the rest was history.

The taxi driver quickly fell in love with this delicious sandwich and even told the Olivieris that he should stop selling hot dogs and, instead, start selling this new sandwich.

In the beginning, the Olivieris sold the steak sandwich only at their hot dog stand. Surprisingly, it became very popular within the area. In 1940, the Oliviers opened their own restaurant, Pat’s King of Steak, to continue to sell sandwiches in South Philly.

The diner is still running successfully today. According to the Olivieris, the original sandwich didn’t have cheese inside. A manager named Joe Lorenza was the first one to add cheese and combine the flavor with the beefsteak.

Nowadays, cheesesteak has developed into part of Philly culture. The company Charleys Philly Steaks, located in Columbus, Ohio, was the “World’s Number One Philly Cheesesteak” with over 550 locations in 45 states and 20 countries.

There’s no denying it — celebrate this holiday by eating a tasty cheesesteak to satisfy your taste buds. If you have time and money, go to Philadelphia and visit the cheesesteak homeland. Don’t forget to stop at Pat’s or other restaurants to try out their amazing sandwiches.