With Philly’s first inclusion in the Michelin Guide, the international culinary authority has weighed in on the best cheesesteak in the city. 

In addition to the three city restaurants that were awarded a star for their excellence during Tuesday night’s awards ceremony, another 10 received a Bib Gourmand recognition for offering good meals at a reasonable price — including three of the top spots for cheesesteaks. 

MORE: Three Philly restaurants earn stars in Michelin Guide’s first review of the city’s dining scene

Bib Gourmands don’t single out just one dish, so we can’t confirm whether inspectors were honoring the Philly classic in particular. But diners can rest assured that a bite of chopped meat, melted cheese and perfectly chewy roll from any of these institutions probably won’t be a bad one, either. 

Where to go for the best cheesesteak can vary based on location, nostalgia and topping preferences, so it’s a debate that likely won’t ever be settled. Still, it’s safe to say that getting Michelin’s backing might give you a leg up in heated disputes. 

Here’s who made the cut: 

Del Rossi’s (538 N. 4th St.)

The Northern Liberties pizza and sandwich shop opened in 2012, and current owner Nish Patel took over in 2020. After revamping the dough for its pies, he turned his sights on the sandwich rolls, building an in-house bakery, the Inquirer reported. 

Patel said Wednesday that he hasn’t seen a huge boost in orders yet, but he’s expecting more as the day goes on and into the weekend. He also hopes it will bring more people in-person to the restaurant, as opposed to them ordering from third-party delivery apps. 

“It’s one of the best feelings in the world, the amount of work that goes into doing something like this,” Patel said. “It took years to accomplish what we have done here, and it’s a great feeling for sure.”

He thinks that the Michelin nod will likely add fuel to the fire on the debate about the best cheesesteak in the city, but he’s happy to be a part of the conversation. 

“It’s cool to see people argue about their favorite cheesesteak and have opinions — and have very strong opinions sometimes,” he said. “… It’s good to see our name on these lists, but we’re never going to claim that we’re the best or anything like that. It’s definitely a good representation, and I hope more and more people get recognized in the coming years.” 

Dalessandro’s (600 Wendover St.) 

The iconic Roxborough spot has been a staple in the cheesesteak community for decades, as it first opened back in 1960. In 2009, former street food vendor Steve Kotridis purchased the business with his wife, Margie, and they’ve kept the restaurant up-and-running and in foodies’ good graces ever since.

Its bragging rights include being named one of the best cheesesteak spots in Philadelphia by the U.S. News and World Report and Mashed, and it’s a favorite of the Roots’ Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter. Late-night host Jimmy Fallon also famously served a Dalessandro’s cheesesteak to Ben Simmons the night before the Sixers made him the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft. 

In 2023, Bon Appétit stopped by the storied establishment for a look inside the restaurant’s kitchen. Margie Kotridis said the sandwiches were made with unsalted ribeye meat and that the restaurant received Amoroso’s roll deliveries three times each day to keep up with demand. 

Angelo’s (736 S. 9th St.)

Angelo’s has been a near-constant headline-maker since it first opened in Philadelphia in 2019, taking over the former Sarcone’s Deli location. It’s gotten warm reviews for both its pizzas and cheesesteaks, so much so that diners famously will wait in lines stretching around the block for their grub. 

It’s been a celebrity favorite, as well. Actor and Jenkintown native Bradley Cooper teamed up with owner Danny DiGiampietro to open Danny & Coop’s, a cheesesteak shop, in the East Village in New York City. Phil Rosenthal featured the pizza shop on an episode of “Somebody Feed Phil,” and Barstool’s Dave Portnoy gave it a positive review in 2019. 

The recognition has kept the business growing. Earlier this year, the shop announced it’s planning to open locations in Conshohocken, South Jersey and Wilmington, Delaware.