Cheesesteak Battle in Philadelphia

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The $10.00 fee covers all expenses that are crucial to the continuation of the meetup group. The fee also covers the planning and preparation that is put into each event. You must RSVP in order to receive the itinerary and all important information for date of event. A detailed itinerary will be e-mailed one week prior to the trip date.

Philadelphia is known as the creator of the Philly Chessesteak. It is also home to dozens of small and large eateries serving this popular meal that has been around for over 80 years. On this excursion, we will dine and compare this famous meal at two popular delis to see who serves the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia, while venturing around different parts of the city.

On this first chessesteak challenge round, our first visit will include Lee’s Deli in West Philadelphia. Lee’s Deli is a popular neighborhood deli in the area serving cheesesteak selections such as mushroom steak, pizza steak, and BBQ bacon steak. Lee’s also has additional menu options such as salads and soups, all day breakfast specials, vegan burgers, and cold sandwiches. Lee’s Deli is cash only. In addition, there is limited seating inside; however, there is a park two blocks away where we can possibly sit and eat.

We will have dessert in another neighborhood of West Philadelphia at a popular afternoon and late-night bakery started by University of Pennsylvania students in 2003. Their popular and delicious menu consists of deluxe cookies, cookie cakes, brownies, and frozen desserts such as Cookie and Brownie A La Mode.

We will walk away our caloric intakes by strolling through South Philadelphia and end our excursion at Pat’s Kings of Steaks, a famous Philadelphia eatery that is known as the originator of the first cheesesteak and has been serving them since 1930. Geno’s Steaks has outdoor seating, but may possibly be busy when we arrive.

Important Note: In addition to Pat’s Steaks, Geno’s Steaks is across the street from Pat’s Steaks and is a known rival of Pat’s. They are said to be the first deli to have added cheese to the Philly Cheesesteak. Any member who wishes to taste Geno’s Steaks as an alternative to Pat’s steaks is welcome. If it rains during this outing, we will choose another dining option in place of the first restaurant.

*A detailed itinerary will be emailed one week before the date of the trip.

*When we return from Philadelphia, don’t forget to post a comment telling which deli you think has the best chessesteak in this challenge!

Important Information

-We will meet at Union Station at 7:45AM. The exact meeting point at Union Station will be given in an e-mail one week before the date of the trip.

-We will be traveling to Philadelphia through the MegaBus service. Tickets can be purchased online at www.megabus.com (http://www.megabus.com/) ($20 - $40 average for round trip).

-When entering website, schedule bus trip for 8:35AM - 12:15PM (Depart to Philadelphia), and schedule the return trip for 8:00PM - 11:00PM (Return to DC). The date of the trip is Saturday, May 23, 2015. Please be sure to enter information correctly, as MegaBus does not refund tickets; however, they will allow you to reschedule trip 24 hours prior to the scheduled trip date.

-Union Station is located at 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, DC. Union Station is also Metro accessible on the Red Line at the Union Station Metro Station. Parking at Union Station is available at their parking garage; however, the maximum cost is $22.00 for one day parking.

-Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns.

See you there!