There are virtually zero ways to persuade a tortured New York sports fan to head to Philadelphia the day before the Eagles' victory parade. But today, I headed to the City of Brotherly Love to indulge in its greatest cultural contribution: the glorious cheesesteak. My journey took me through NYC subways, Amtrak’s Keystone Service, and SEPTA. Make no mistake—this was a business trip. The cheesesteak content was for me, the train content was for you.
I had been invited by a dear friend, a local Philly resident and sandwich aficionado. Together, we spent the day crisscrossing Philly, sampling the best cheesesteaks it had to offer. The city's cheesesteak culture is steeped in tradition, and we were sure to seek out the tried and true. Our host shared tales of a new wave of practitioners, infusing fresh creativity into the craft with inventive new sandwiches. These were not to be missed.
My trip began at the 72nd St - 2nd Avenue Subway station. A short ride to Herald Square echoed my daily commute of nearly three years. The trip was unremarkable, which is, after all, the goal. A brief walk brought me to Moynihan Train Hall to board Amtrak.
Moynihan Train Hall holds a special place in my heart. It seems acutely aware that it could never recapture the glory of the original Penn Station, instead paying homage while symbolizing America's rail revitalization. Train travel evoked a unique feeling—both nostalgic and optimistic. Airports used to hold that mystique but not anymore. Moynihan still captured those best feelings, holding the promise of a journey ahead. Today was no different; on the other side of this journey was a well-earned, guaranteed stomach ache.
The train pulled away from the station at 9:30 am on the nose, as scheduled, almost as if to spite my pessimism. Having ridden the Northeast Corridor countless times, the trip was a familiar one: slow, halting, and views of industrial wasteland of North Jersey. Both the view and travel speed improved south of New Brunswick. Overall, the trip was enjoyable; the seats were comfortable, the WiFi adequate, providing the perfect atmosphere to write my drivel (please subscribe).
I arrived at Philly’s 30th Street Station in the late morning, 15 minutes late. Philly's station is an imposing neoclassical structure, a testament to the lasting legacy of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company on our nation's rail system. A fitting juxtaposition to Moynihan's new-age art deco interpretation at the start of the journey.
I turned to SEPTA for the final leg. It had been nearly a decade since I last took SEPTA, and while my singular memory was positive, I was unsure what to expect. 30th Street Station at Drexel was a solid reentry point. Seamless tap-to-pay entry, clear and effective signage, numerous train arrival boards all reporting single-minute head ways between arrivals. I was shocked to discover the depths of my SEPTA ignorance when greeted with a subterranean single-car electric trolley. It combined the control and loading time of a bus with the speed of a train. The trolley is a great example that public transportation is best delivered with multimodal methods, it is not a one size fits all solution.
Now joined by our host, we set out to explore Philadelphia and sample all the cheesy goodness it had to offer. We walked whenever possible and took cabs when necessary. While Philadelphia had solid public transportation coverage, there are still parts of this journey and only accessible by car. Philadelphia has dense, varied and interesting neighborhoods with the potential to be a first rate pedestrain-first city. However it has a long way to wrestle control away from the cars.
Now on to the main event. Our first stop was John’s, an institution slinging sandwiches since 1930. The cheesesteak is a classic Philly steak, a no-frills representation of a pure thing. The star of the show was the Roast Pork sandwich: slow-roasted pork, Broccoli Rabe, and shaved provolone—perfectly balanced and incredibly delicious. Our day was off to a great start.
Dont let the name fool you, Angelo’s Pizza of South Philly is a prime example of the new wave of Cheesesteak proprietors. We ordered the whole menu—the classic, classic with extra long hots, and the buffalo chicken. You got to do the basics right and the classic was superb. Angelo’s uses Cooper Sharp cheese, a special blend that is now the new standard cheese selection in many Philly establishments. I am not entirely sure what that means, but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and for good reason. Long hot peppers can be added and are frankly a must if you are up for some heat. Buffalo chicken was great if that was your thing.I prefer a when-in-Rome approach to specialty items but my host insisted.
Last but not least, we visited Jim’s Steaks. This was where I went growing up, and it plays to its strengths: nostalgia, consistency, and a darn good steak. Whiz is a must. A fitting end to a great day.
From an outsider's perspective, one of Philadelphia’s greatest attributes is the city-wide pride. Today was Philadelphia at its best. The Super Bowl excitement is palpable, and the city is primed to party. I am sure tomorrow’s parade will be insane, but I am glad to be going back to New York where we haven't had to worry about the inconvenience of a parade in a while.
The day is coming to a close aboard the Keystone Service home. Despite leaving 5 minutes late we might actually arrive on time. A fitting excuse as any for an abbreviated ending. Today was a day well spent.