There is a new array of cheesesteak shops that have sprung up in the Philadelphia region over the last four years, offering new takes on this old favorite, writes Matthew Korfhage for northjersey.com.

Curly’s Comfort Foods in Levittown is among them, and the Bucks County eatery recently ranked among the top ten spots that make the best new steaks.

The owner, Michael Sarian, first put a one-pound cheesesteak on his menu as a joke, after he had gotten access to a supply of premium ribeye.

“It was a gimmick,” said the longtime comfort-food cook. “But people liked them.”

At the peak of the pandemic, he started giving out cheesesteaks for free to employees at local businesses in need. The steak caught on from there, especially on social media. The then-formed Cheesesteak Gurus Facebook Group has now grown to over 80,000 members.

There was a good reason for the popularity. Sarian uses a technique where he layers meat, then cheese, then more meat, and then cheese again. This distributes everything evenly and results in a lovely substance that is somehow both meat and cheese at once.

Read more about Curly’s Comfort Foods at northjersey.com.

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