5 Spots Putting Manayunk on the Cheesesteak Map

Welcome to Cheesesteak 2.0. A new era of Philly’s iconic sandwich is upon us, and to celebrate, we’re taking a look at the movers and makers redefining the genre. Go here to dig in to our full coverage.

For decades, the cheesesteak has been synonymous with South Philly. Today? The finest collection of steaks in the city is a bit farther northwest.

1. Union Tap House

4801 Umbria Street
Wings are typically the draw here, but don’t skip the steak, which the menu accurately describes as “no clever name, just straight up chopped ribeye mixed with the perfect amount of cooper sharp cheese.” Yes, please.

2. Sorrentino’s

4361 Cresson Street
No website. Busted screen door. Tucked under the R6 — sorry, the Manayunk/Norristown — tracks. Sorrentino’s has been churning out steaks for more than 40 years. Just remember to bring cash.

3. Bar Jawn

4247 Main Street
Bring a friend. Bar Jawn packs a monstrous amount of shaved ribeye into their house-made rolls, more than enough to share. It doesn’t hurt that they have a full bar, either.

4. The Rook

4001 Cresson Street
One of the rare new-wave spots that still use Sarcone’s (delicious) rolls. You can take the sandwich out of South Philly, but you can’t take the South Philly out of the sandwich.

5. Sunshine Sandwich Shop

5154 Ridge Avenue
The signature steak at Sunshine, tucked inside Lucky’s Trading Co., comes doused in Cooper Sharp cheese sauce and nestled into a garlic-buttered Liscio’s seeded roll.

>> Click here to return to Cheeseteak 2.0

Published as “Manayunk: The New Mecca” in the April 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.