Matthew Hughes
Google
When people recommend restaurants, you never know what you're going to get. Sometimes, they're spot on. Other times, you wonder what the heck were they thinking??? Note: Maybe you wonder about my recommendations sometimes.
I am here to definitively tell you, with absolutely certainty, that Grata's has the BEST Philly Cheesesteak in the city. With no disrespect to R&Bs and Hoody's - I really liked their sandwiches - but Grata's, they are the king!
My Philly boy and I visited Grata's for lunch today, and we were greeted outside by Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers flags and a sign that said: I ❤️ Philadelphia PA.
Inside was more Philly memorabilia in a bar setting. Grata's is definitely a bar that serves food, not a restaurant that has a bar.
We ordered three different sandwiches, including the Grata Original [cheeseteak] and the Philly Special [larger cheesesteak].
We also had to try their Italian sub because I was told it would rival the Homeslice Italian Sub that I have been touting as best in the city. And yes, Little Deli and Pizzeria has a good one too, but it's not quite as good.
I went with white American cheese on my Grata's Original. It was melted throughout the sandwich, so that each gooey bite was a perfect blend of steak, onions, peppers, and cheese. The cheesesteaks at Grata's are served on Liscio's rolls ordered directly from Philadelphia. Similar to Amoroso rolls, Liscio's provides that perfect crunch when you take each bite.
My buddy Mike's double meat, double cheese (Provolone and whiz) sandwhich was a beast. See the pictures for the differences between the two. They went big with a ton of ribeye meat on that bad boy. He said this is the new "go-to" place for his hometown-favorite sandwich.
Now for our other choice, we elected to go with Grata's The Big Dom over their Brandywine Gourmet Italian because it added a fourth meat, prosciutto, in addition to the Genoa Salami, prosciuttini ham and capicola, plus Provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and oil with Italian spices.
The Big Dom is served cold, similar to Little Deli's. The difference is that the amount of meat and other fixings on the sub is even more generous. There was a little too much lettuce on it, but once I removed a bit, it was perfect. Normally, Mike and I will add mayo on our Itlalian subs, but we forgot, and despite this omission, the sub was still very moist, and the olive oil and spice blend really shone through.
Overall, it was an exceptional visit to Grata's. Service was perfect. If you're a Philly guy or gal, you will love the place. Go during football season and watch the Eagles defend their title. Not a sports fan, but you love those ribeye sandwiches, run as fast as you can there. They are the real deal!