When news surfaced about the Cheesesteak Pretzel, there was really no doubt we had to cover it. This is a Philadelphia-based sandwich blog after all, and a sandwich-like creation capturing and combining the essence of two of Philly’s most iconic foods is a completely undeniable force. The Cheesesteak Pretzel is the creation of the Philly (Soft) Pretzel Factory (PPF). A franchised company that began with humble beginnings in Northeast Philadelphia just 12 years ago, but today has well over 100 stores that stretch the length of the east coast from upper New York down to Georgia.

I met with Marty Ferrill, VP of Operations at the corporate headquarters in Mayfair and he gave me a bit of insight to the company’s origins and its owners Dan DiZio and Len Lehman. DiZio and Lehman started the first Philly Soft Pretzel Factory on Frankford Ave., in the base of the building where headquarters is currently located. The business model was simple back then, their intention was to provide fresh baked pretzels for delivery like other companies at the time. The walk-in availability of pretzels in a retail environment that has become their mainstay was only a secondary consideration. Though, after the first full day and consistently long lines of people waiting for their fresh baked, hand-twisted pretzels, the business model had to adapt.

The first franchise didn’t actually open up until 2004. The business prior to then focused on the products and the overall company vision while pushing forward with the established vision of fresh pretzels available just about any time of day. From 2004 onward however, the company experienced exponential growth until about two years ago when they decided to once again focus on products and the company itself. That’s about the time when PPF started experimenting with various sandwich-like creations. For lack of a better comparison, they’re essentially Hot Pocket-like. The notable difference would be the fact that PPF uses the same exact pretzel recipe we’ve all come to love and enjoy.

Billed as “As Philly As It Gets” the Cheesesteak Pretzel was the clear winner after trial runs of other less successful/interesting sandwich varieties (turkey and cheese, ham and cheese). The Cheesesteak Pretzel debuted on May 17, with a free giveaway day on May 24. Thousands were given out among the 100+ locations, with over 800 alone in under 3 hours at the corporate store. The novelty of the item is surely enough to entice people to try the item, but its existence as a decent lunch offering will probably get folks to try it again and again.

As stated, it starts out using the exact pretzel recipe, though unsalted. And within, it contains some lightly seasoned beef and American cheese. The total product weighs in at 5.5oz and makes for a great lunch meal. It’d be easy to eat two and still be under what some cheesesteak shops have for their portions. Nutrition-wise they stand at a decent, approximate 340 calories and 8 grams of fat per Cheesesteak Pretzel. The cheesesteak pretzels are available now at every PPF and priced between $3-$3.50 each, though many stores have a 2 for $5 special. We’d recommend adding some ketchup to the inside of the cheesesteak pretzel, but we wouldn’t mind a squirt of mustard on the outside as well.

After the initial success of the Cheesesteak Pretzel, PPF is on its way to considering other stuffed pretzel varieties and even the potential for breakfast-sandwich inspired ones. With an entry into quick, satisfying sandwich-like offerings such as this one, PPF has proven itself to be a capable contender in quick and affordable lunch bites.

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R2L is serving up some of the city’s most inspired and delicious sandwiches from their perch high above the city in Liberty Two – a location that happens to overlook South Philadelphia.  The symbolism is not lost on the menu, as Chef/Owner Daniel Stern has created food that “walks the fine line between traditional and modern, where the old school things that people grew up on also grow up.”  Old school sandwiches like cheese-steaks, burgers, lobster rolls and the Reuben are transformed by Stern into unbelievably decadent, yet unpretentious finger-foods.

We started with cocktail Reubens.  Stern had to get this one perfect, as he is a believer that there ”probably hasn’t been a better sandwich invented.” House-brined corned beef, fresh-made sauerkraut, Gruyere cheese and a stone ground mustard are wrapped in a pocket of homemade rye dough, grilled and baked.  The crunchy, tangy and savory delight is served on a plate dressed with celery-root ketchup based thousand island dressing and stone ground Dijon. “Eat it with your hands” – the Chef insists.  Our complaint was that we didn’t have 700 of these little treasures lined up to knock down.

The venison cheesesteaks draw inspirations both from South Philly and Stern’s days as executive chef of Le Bec Fin.  The cheesesteak has grown into a seriously sophisticated sandwich here, as venison loin, sauteed wild-mushrooms and carmelized onions with a reduced venison jus is served inside an Amoroso roll, cut bite-sized to force you to savor the richness of this masterpiece.  The Amoroso roll and Fontina fondue “whiz” that the morsels rest upon both ground us in this dish’s roots, while the old-world preparation of the venison brings the flavors sky-high.

The lobster roll, inspired by the chef’s visits to the coast, is lip-curlingly delicious and has us inventing adjectives. Tail, claw and knuckle-meat is dressed with a smooth and light, yet rich home-made lavender mayonnaise. The finely diced blanched celery balances well texturally with the hunks of lobster, and the home-made potato roll brings a very homey property to the sweet and savory sandwich.

The Chef has imparted his decadent signature on the classic cheeseburger, and to do so spent weeks experimenting to get his meat proportions perfect.  We love when a chef aims for “optimal fat and flavor content” when selecting what to grind – and this burger, with aged cheddar and smokey bacon, can’t help but make you giggle like a school girl.  Both the mind and taste buds are absolutely tickled by the unsweetened donut that it’s served on, as well as by the fermented mushroom-ketchup that the chef created after “researching the various forgotten ketchups that stopped being made when people started relying on the grocery store for their condiments.”  This burger is legit.  To paraphrase MC Hammer, this burger is R2L2Q.

R2L is open from Monday through Wednesday 5pm to 1am and until 1:30 Thursday through Saturday, serving food until 10 and 11 respectively, and offers a full menu fit for the exclusive and inviting cocktail-party ambiance that the decor and highrise view suggests.   While we came for the sandwiches, we wouldn’t mind spending an evening here, eating the finger food, sampling the well-crafted cocktails and moving on to the full menu.

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R2L
37th Floor of Two Liberty Place
50 S. 16th Street – Philadelphia, PA (Google Map)
(215) 564-5337

Tomorrow, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation is hitting the road to share Philadelphia’s favorite sandwich, the cheesesteak with the people of Manhattan. To kick off Game 1 of the World Series, GPTMC will land at Shorty’s, a cheesesteak shop and sports bar, and will be handing out 500-750 free cheesesteaks to hungry New Yorkers.

The With Love World Series party starts at 4:00pm, with free Shorty-sized cheesesteaks for all until game time. Then, fans are encouraged to stick around and watch the game on Shorty’s five televisions, while GPTMC hands out a variety of With Love, Philadelphia XOXO prizes, one of which is a $100 gift certificate to any Garces Restaurant Group restaurant if the Phillies hit a homerun.

Manhattan-based Phillies fans, come out to perform your civic duty, and claim a free sandwich. Yankees fans, we know you love cheesesteaks too, and you’re more than welcome to come; you just might want to leave that A-Rod jersey at home.

Shorty’s
576 9th Avenue – New York, NY 10036 (Google Map)

[Via: Philadelphia Inquirer]

For John Bucci Jr. (“John John” to his friends) making sandwiches isn’t just a job, it’s a lifelong family tradition. But a recent battle with leukemia came close to ending it all. Thankfully, with the help and support from relatives, customers, and a successful bone marrow transplant, Bucci is back at the grill, building up his health, a few days at a time.

Dominic Bucci opened John’s Roast Pork in 1930, a tiny shack on the corner of Snyder and Weccacoe that pumped out juicy pork and meatball sandwiches to the workers from the surrounding factories. The shop was eventually handed down to John Bucci Sr. who ran it night and day with his wife Vonda. The menu slowly expanded to include breakfast sandwiches and cheesesteaks, which Bucci was never really fond of making, they were added due to customer demand.

After the passing of John Bucci Sr. in 1991, both John Jr. and his mother took over the business, using the same exact family recipe, and pouring love and attention to detail into every sandwich. The combination of seasonings and exact method of cooking the pork is so secretive that only John, his mother, and niece know it. Not even John’s wife Vickie, or Vince Long, the shop’s manager have been told, something that they aren’t visibly bothered by, it’s just that special.

The roast pork starts as a 25 pound Hatfield picnic shoulder that is butchered and butterflied, then rubbed with the family’s secret recipe consisting of only fresh, never dried herbs. Roasted in the luncheonette’s oven for four hours, the drippings are collected for use in gravy. When finished, the meat rests overnight and is sliced fresh every morning on a deli slicer. It is then simmered in the saporous jus, waiting to be served to customers, piping hot. The recommended way to eat a roast pork according to the Buccis is with aged provolone, hot peppers, and onions. Those who prefer greens on their sandwich, won’t find broccoli rabe on the menu. Vonda believes it’s way too bitter and overpowers the flavors of the pork; look for sauteed spinach instead, it’s garlicky sweetness, is more complimentary to the meat.

When John Jr. returned to the shop after leaving St. Joe’s, he focused on developing a bigger and better cheesesteak. “The roast pork sandwich is our bread and butter, but Philly is known for the cheesesteak, so we had to make ours the best one” says Bucci. And that he did, winning numerous awards including being named number one by Craig LaBan and Glen Macnow, the sandwich has also received accolades from Esquire, Gourmet, and even the prestigious James Beard Foundation.

With a strong focus on quality, John uses rich, sliced sirloin, a whole twelve ounces per sandwich. Chopped onions are laid on the grill first, the meat on top to prevent it from burning and drying out, also allowing the aromas and juices from the onions to permeate the beef. Bucci makes a point to leave the meat alone as it cooks, “It’s already dead, if you keep whacking it with the spatulas, it’s only going to dry out.” Evidence of Bucci’s love for cheese lies in every sandwich, as the aged provolone, or American is laid on thick, five slices in all. You won’t find a can of whiz here, both John and his mother despise the artificial stuff. The most popular steak is the traditional, provolone and fried onions, but John recommends trying the Milano with roasted tomatoes, garlic and provolone or the bruschetta steak, which you are sure not to find elsewhere.

The prodigious sandwiches coming off the grill need bread that can act as a strong foundation, while staying soft, and tender to the bite. Bucci swears by Carangi Baking Company, explaining that these are the only rolls he trusts to sop up the meat’s juices, while staying fully intact. The weather plays a big factor in the bread order, Bucci is dead on at figuring out how many customers will arrive whether it’s rain, shine or snow, but when the bread runs out, the doors are closed for the day. An oft voiced complaint is about the hours at John’s, the grill is turned off at 2:30 and the family leaves at 3:00 on the dot. Your best bet is to head on over right before or after the lunch rush, or send someone down to pick up a bunch for the office.

With emotion pouring through his voice, John recalls how thankful he is for his family and the many customers that wrote him letters while in the hospital. Recovering slowly, but surely, he hopes to return full-time to the grill in six to eight weeks and continue his family’s legacy. A new lease on life has breathed an air of exuberance into John John’s demeanor. The once jokingly dubbed “Pork Nazi” vows to never scream or yell in the shop again. We can only imagine that the man upstairs must really love sandwiches.

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John’s Roast Pork
14 Snyder Avenue – Philadelphia, PA 19148 (Google Map)

Have you ever wanted your own custom sandwich creation featured on the menu at an iconic sandwich shop? Us too! Campo’s Deli is helping make our dream come true by introducing the Name Your Own Cheesesteak Contest. One lucky winner will have their cheesesteak featured on the menu at the flagship Campo’s location in Old City for an entire month, plus 10% of all sales benefit Helen’s Hope breast cancer foundation.

To enter, e-mail your dream cheesesteak (pick the bread, cheese, and topping) with a creative name to CamposPHL@gmail.com. Contest updates and entry coverage can be found on their Twitter, @CamposPHL.

Here are both Unbreaded co-founders submissions:

Jeff: The Fun Guy – chopped ribeye with sauteed mushrooms, gruyere and truffle oil
Ben: The Brekkie – chopped ribeye, aged cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, and over-easy egg

Send your submission over and let us know what it is in the comments!

What We’re Eating takes a quick look at sandwiches the Unbreaded team can’t get enough of.

In the sea of food vendors that dot Philadelphia’s streets, there are a few that strive to stand out. Realizing the ever growing popularity of these street vendors, Mikey D. decided it was time to grab the bull by the horns. Using his experience from 14 years in the restaurant industry, (most recently as a manager for Tony Luke’s) and a mission to serve fresh, easily accessible food, Mikey D. opened his namesake cart almost five months ago. What sets him apart from the other guys? To start, the bread: every morning Mikey D. picks up fresh baked, seeded hoagie rolls from Sarcone’s Bakery in the Italian Market. All of the sandwich toppings are made from scratch; breaded chicken cutlet, grilled marinated chicken breasts, and rib eye steak that Mikey D. slices himself before opening for business.

This dedication to quality has paid off for Mikey D.’s Grill, as a steady flow of customers are served through breakfast and late lunch hours. Regulars come by daily for the cheesesteak and chicken cutlet parmesan, but the Chicken Niko is the biggest seller. An impressive portion of grilled chicken breasts are cooked in balsamic vinegar, chopped with prosciutto, topped with melted provolone, and stuffed inside a soft hoagie roll. There’s also a grilled chicken with white wine, provolone and choice of broccoli rabe or spinach that’s a huge hit. The sandwiches can be messy but are well worth it, especially for the price, grab yourself a knife and save half for dinner.

Being situated on Drexel University’s campus has inspired Mikey D. to instill all of his food knowledge into his employee, Arturo, who he calls his student. “I’m inspired by these Drexel students, I never had the opportunity to go to college, and I want to provide them with good quality, delicious food while they’re away from home” he says. Even more important is his view on customer service, “My food can be great, and I think it’s the best, but if you don’t treat the customer like a friend, don’t expect them to come back ever.” Mikey D. doesn’t need to worry, with sandwiches like these, we’ll be back again and again.

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Mikey D.’s Grill
33rd Street and Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Google Map)

According to a recent article in the New York Times Magazine, the sandwich is the most popular meal in America, at both lunch and dinner. (Just one of the reasons why America is awesome.)

There’s no doubt that Philadelphia has a deeply rooted sandwich history. The Philadelphia Inquirer highlights two of the reasons for that trend: the cheesesteak and the hoagie.  Hoagies, Hoagies, Hoagies and Steaks & Cheesesteaks are featured collections of the Inquirer’s sandwich reporting over the years. Some interesting tidbits include an investigation into the history of the hoagie, a look at the ever growing popularity of seeded rolls, and Craig LaBan’s cheesesteak project, where he recruited four high school students to find the perfect sandwich (they crowned John’s Roast Pork the victor).

We’re glad to see that Philly.com has offered the growing number of sandwich enthusiasts a look inside their archives of hoagie and cheesesteak reporting.

Hoagies, Hoagies, Hoagies [Philly.com]
Steaks & Cheesesteaks [Philly.com]

Imagine the smile on my face when Frank Maimone, owner of Rustica in Northern Liberties told me, “The thing about pizza is it’s really just a glorified sandwich.” Take a glance at the 18 or so specialty pies on the menu and you’ll realize that they are open faced translations of classic sandwiches and entrees (like the bacon, egg and cheese pizza or the kielbasa, kraut and mustard pizza.) Sandwiches are almost always a second thought at a good pizza shop, including Rustica, where seven out of ten customers order slices and whole pies. Still, Maimone doesn’t see sandwiches as second-rate citizens, and the creative combinations he’s come up with are all the proof we need.

This story begins with the rolls; hoagie in character, baguette in flavor, and dotted with sesame seeds, they were specially created for Rustica and are provided by Leonardo’s Italian Bakery. Maimone drew on his lifetime of experience in the food industry to craft the menu, along with his grandmother’s meatball recipe, and some recommendations from the staff. Although the sandwich’s personalities may be quirky, Maimone believes in simple ingredients, fresh produce that is sourced locally as well as meats and cheeses from Claudio’s on 9th Street. Of the thirty-plus sandwiches(!) offered, we tasted some of the top sellers.

The Bella embodies all that a summer sandwich should be: turkey and provolone is topped with zesty, fresh pico de gallo and an entire sliced avocado. The Italian is based on some of Maimone’s favorites, and packed full of genoa, capicola and prosciutto to fulfill his mantra that “your jaw should hurt” after working on a good hoagie. Many chopped, grilled chicken sandwiches adorn the menu, but the Enrico Soavé is the crown jewel of them all with garlic-kissed, slightly crunchy broccoli rabe, roasted red peppers and provolone cheese. We were thoroughly impressed with Rustica’s special cheesesteak the Tartufo, a combination of finely chopped ribeye, truffle cream, and caramelized onions which packed a new and inviting flavor.

Lines form and phones ring off the hook at Rustica during lunch and dinner for good reason, the restaurant has been serving delicious, exciting food in a friendly atmosphere for over eight years. Prices haven’t changed in some time, and Maimone doesn’t skimp on the food he serves, despite rising food costs. It’s a way of doing business that has brought regulars and new customers back again and again.

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Rustica
903 N. 2nd Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)

For those who want some greasy sandwiches with their exercise, check out Carolyn Wyman’s cycling tour of South Philadelphia’s most beloved cheesesteak shops.  The ride is a personal tour led by Wyman, author of The Great Philly Cheesesteak Book.  The ride is free, but $2 bites of sandwiches will be available at each stop, as well as autographed copies of the book.

For a sampling of the historical context and backstories you’ll get along the way, check out this excerpt from the book about Jim’s Steaks.

The Great Philly Cheesesteak Book is available at Amazon and join Carolyn Wyman on Saturday, July 11th for a ride through sandwich history, beginning at noon at Sonny’s Famous Steaks.

[Read more: Cheesesteak Bicycle Ride]

Submitted by Unbreaded reader Shao Z. Have a sandwich you love? Submit it to us and we’ll post it on the site.

We saw Shao talking about a lobster cheesesteak on Twitter and were dying to know more! Here’s what she has to say:

I never actually intended to make this when I first bought all the ingredients. I was actually planning to make a lobster roll from a recipe I saw in the July issue of Gourmet magazine. After I made the lobster roll, I had extra lobster meat and bread left. The lobster meat wasn’t enough to make another roll so I decided to make a cheesesteak sandwich.

It’s really important to get use thin slices of beef. Since my friend’s parents own a lunch truck and serve cheesesteaks on their menu, I was lucky to get really nice thin slices of rib eyes. Also, the New England hot dog rolls worked really well in these sandwiches. They were not too big and not too small. As for the cheese sauce, it’s a very basic easy one. I use a mixture of white cheddar and a little bit of parmesan because that was what I had in my refrigerator at the moment.

Hit the jump for the full recipe!

Lobster Cheesesteak Sandwich

Ingredients:

Thin slices of rib eye
Lobster meat
New England style rolls
Butter
Garlic
Paprika

For the Cheese Sauce
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of flour
1/2 cup of milk
1 cup shredded cheese
Nutmeg (optional)

Directions

Make the cheese sauce first.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan and then stir in the flour.
Combine the butter and flour mixture well and stir constantly. Do not let the roux get darken. This will take about 2 minutes.

After that, slowly add in your milk and whisk the mixture thoroughly.
Turn down the heat to a medium low flame and stir often.
Once it starts thickening and slighly boiling, add the cheese and stir until it is melted.

Season with salt and pepper, grate a very little amount of nutmeg if you have any around.

For the steak sandwich, start off by toasting the New England roll in garlic butter first.

To make garlic butter, melt butter and a few smashed gloves of garlic in a pan for a few minutes on low heat.

Once the butter is done, spread it both inside and out side of the roll. Toast it in a pan until it browns.

In the same pan, add in your thin slices of rib eye. When that’s done, set it aside.

To assemble, first drizzle some cheese sauce on your roll. Place the beef on top of that and follow by chunks of cooked lobster meat. Drizzle more cheese sauce on top and sprinkle with a little bit of paprika.