Rocky, The Liberty Bell, and Will Smith. These are a few of the things I think of when I think about Philadelphia. A mix of ethnicities has brought together some of the best food in the world to Philly. Unfortunately I live on the opposite coast from the city of brotherly love so it’s hard for me to get the one symbol I think of when I hear the name Philadelphia, the cheese steak sandwich.

While in the city only once I couldn’t leave without trying what I’d heard was the best place to get a cheese steak, Pat’s King of steaks. The meat was tender and juicy, speckled with onions and dripping with Cheese Whiz. While I’ve been to many restaurants since that proclaim to serve a cheese steak sandwich, I had yet to find one that could stand up to my Pat’s experience. That is until I found Tat’s Deli in Pioneer Square.

A traditional looking delicatessen sandwich shop, Tat’s usually has a line snaking out the door during lunch hours. Fortunately C and I got there early, so we were able to walk straight to the counter and order without a wait. While you get a back East feel from the store itself, black and white pictures of New York and Philadelphia hanging on the walls, what you don’t get is East Coast attitude. The people behind the counter are friendly no matter if you have a lot of substitutions or if you are sitting down with your food. The staff makes you feel totally welcome.

Today I ordered my favorite, a Whiz wit’. What is that you ask? Well it’s actually a CheeseSteak with (Wit’) onions (8″ $6.75, 12″ $10.75) and what you get is a sandwich stuffed full of tender, thinly sliced grilled beef and the cheese of your choice. Though I chose the traditional Cheese Whiz you can also get Provolone, Swiss, Cheddar, American, Pepper Jack or Mozzarella. All this comes on a crusty Italian roll that stands up to the juices of the meat and an abundance of cheese. The steak is grilled and seasoned to perfection with great hints of Thyme, but not overly so. Mixed with grilled onions and gooey cheese this sandwich is a handful of a mess that you’ll love to bite into. Add to that an order of Old Bay seasoned Fries (Small $1.50, Large $2.50) and you have a meal that will satisfy to the core. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside these fries were dusted (almost overly so) with the spicy tanginess of Old Bay Seasoning. For those who don’t know, Old Bay is typically used on seafood back East. It makes shrimp, lobster and crab boils really stand out. But sprinkle it on some fried potatoes and the flavors really pop.

At Tat’s you can also get a range of other deli sandwiches both hot and cold. Being that it was a little chilly C decided on a Tat’s Grinder (8″ $7.50, 12″ $12.00). A hot sandwich filled with capicolla, pepperham, genoa salami & provolone and garnished with hot & sweet pepper along with LTOM. The Tat’s Grinder can be more than a mouthful. Be careful if you’re not a fan of spicy though as, to some, the peppers can pack a punch.

The quality of the ingredients they use is high and they are sure to give you more food than you can handle. The 8″ sandwiches will satisfy most any appetite with the 12″ being enough for two to share. No matter what you order you are sure to be treated fairly and with respect when you go to Tat’s. For those who miss their delis from back East to those who want to experience what those of from the East coast are talking about when we say cheese steak, Tat’s is the place to go.