Clearly Philadelphians are an ingenious bunch, inventing everything from glasses, submarines, double-sided printing and steam power. But Philadelphia's contribution to the world of gastronomy outshines all other inventions. The Philly cheesesteak is not just a sandwich, it is art. But where do you find the best of the best, the real deal, the truly authentic, original, philly cheesesteak? There are two places in Philadelphia that lay greatest claim to the title, “Best Cheesesteak in Philadelphia.” They are located across the street from eachother and both are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This war for the best cheesesteak has been going on between Geno’s and Pat’s for 43 years, and the battle continues to be deadlocked.Pat’s King of Steaks is the undisputed home of the original cheese steak. Invented by Pat and Harry Olivieri near 1930, the “frizzled” steak sandwich was invented, leading to the founding of Pat’s at the corner of 9th street and Passyunk ave. Pat’s eventually started adding cheese to their steak sandwiches, putting their mark on history with the great philly cheese steak. They were originally topped with pizza sauce, and for those interested in following tradition, the real original cheesesteak is the pizza steak. Geno’s is a more recent development, founded by Joe Vento in 1966. Vento must have been audacious, opening up his shop right across the street from the “King,” but ever since there has been a question as to who makes the best cheesesteak. The only tangible difference in preparation between Geno’s and Pat’s greasy creations? Pat’s chops up the meat as it is cooked on the grill with heavy grease, while Geno’s doesn’t cut the meat at all once it hits the grill, instead serving cheesesteaks with long strips of beef. But the difference is always much more than that. Households have been broken, and families divided over Geno’s and Pat’s. In Philadelphia, cheesesteak loyalty runs deep through the generations. Among other competitors seeking the title of best cheesesteak, Leo’s has an edge as being named the best Philly cheesesteak by John Russ, the man behind thebestphillycheesesteaks.com. Leo’s creations are enormous. A large is 18 inches long, piled high with glistening steak and cheese, and only costs $9. Located outside of Philadelphia, Leo’s may not be able to directly compete with Geno’s or Pat’s, but it does make a great sandwich. Another surban contender, Dallessandro’s, has gained recent acclaim for its big meaty sandwiches on perfectly soft rolls. For those loyal to this small eatery in Roxborough, PA, there is no other philly cheesesteak but a Dallessandro cheese steak. For more cheap restaurants in Philadelphia, check out our city guide.Photo credit: flickr cc SauceSupreme