Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, Pa - HOLY COW! Cleavers is about to turn the Rittenhouse sandwich game upside down. This spot serves up high-quality cheesesteaks with USDA-approved shaved Ribeye, grilled chicken, breaded chicken cutlets, and vegetarian options!
Cleavers allows you to customize any sandwich or wrap, and they’ve got salads too. Add a boozy milkshake or one of their 60 beers, and you’ve got a meal that will leave your co-workers drooling in envy.
Two siblings run cleavers from the Philadelphia area- Electra and Dimitri Poulimenos and Savva and Ted Bouikidis. The Poulimenos family has expertise working in meat manufacturing with Astra Foods Inc., and the Bouikidis family has been running pizzerias for years- I’m sure you’ve heard of Zesto Pizza with its 3 locations in University City, Roxborough, and Bryn Mawr. They combined their best skills, and soon Cleavers opened its doors to the hungry cheesesteak-deprived crowds of Center City.
Cleavers prides itself on value and high-quality products. The owners know that most cheesesteaks are made with low-quality, frozen ingredients and only want to give their customers the best. Their cheesesteaks are made with USDA-approved shaved ribeye, and they bread their chicken cutlets by hand- you won’t see any frozen pre-made products here. They use New Yorker American cheese and make White Cheddar cheese sauce. Don’t worry; they have Kraft Wiz too. They also have regular and seeded rolls from Abruzzi bakery in Grays Ferry, Philadelphia.
Cleavers may be known for their cheesesteaks, but that is not their only option. They have chicken sandwiches (grilled or breaded), wraps, salads, milkshakes, beer, alcoholic milkshakes, waffle fries, and a Create-Your-Own sandwich/wrap.
Their menu has everything a true cheesesteak lover wants, with shaved USDA Ribeye cheesesteaks topped with eight cheese options. Build your own or try one of their signature creations, such as:
The Block- ribeye steak with sharp provolone, mushrooms, peppers, and fried onions
Papa’s Favorite Steak– ribeye steak, fried onions, shredded mozzarella, and pizza sauce toasted in the oven
Zinger Steak– ribeye steak, house long hots, and sharp provolone
Effin’ Hot Steak– (for those of you who like it spicy hot!) with hot cherry pepper relish, fried onions, American cheese, and Sriracha Aioli
You can get any sandwich on a seeded or regular roll, white or wheat wrap, or, to go gluten-free and cut the carbs, you can get it all in a bowl! Cleaver portions are big enough to satisfy, but if you don’t think a regular cheesesteak will cut it, you can always go for “The Cleaver”- their one lb. cheesesteak is sure to bust a gut.
Their chicken sandwiches are in nice big chunks grilled or sliced breaded cutlets. If you’re looking for a recommendation:
Chicken Parm– chicken, pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, and shredded parmesanBuffalo Chicken- chicken, hot sauce, and blue cheese dressing
Chicken Balsamico- chicken, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and balsamic glaze
Chicken Italiano- chicken, sharp provolone, sauteed spinach, and roasted red peppers
For veggie lovers, the top seller is their “Porto Fresca” with mozzarella, peppers, spinach, and mushrooms. There are tons of side options such as Sweet Potato or Regular Waffle Fries (try them topped with Cheesesteak!), Fried Pickle Spears with Sriracha Aioli, Fried Mozzarella, Zucchini Sticks or Fried Green Beans with Ranch, Onion Rings, and Chicken Fingers. If you’re trying to watch your waistline, the salads are a nice entree-sized portion, the “Steakhouse Salad” has their signature ribeye steak, and the “Chicken Caesar” has loads of fresh grilled chicken on top.
If you have a sweet tooth and any room left in your belly, you’ll go for a shake or soda float. They’ve also got Boozy Milkshakes for the adult crowd.
Jacked Chocolate– chocolate ice cream with Jack Daniel’s Whiskey
Kahlua Coffee– vanilla ice cream with Kahlua Coffee Liquor
Coconilla– vanilla ice cream with Coconut rum
Birthday Surprise– Birthday cake ice cream with vodka
Berry Blast– strawberry ice cream with berry vodka
I loved Jack Daniel’s and Chocolate Shake. Non-alcoholic flavors include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cookies & cream, black and white, and birthday cake.
The Philly Taco, South Street Sushi, The Lorenzo's and Jim's Challenge - Are you searching for the ultimate Philadelphia frank'enfood, look no further, its The Philly Taco. A combination of a Philly cheesesteak and a slice of pizza. The combo gets its origins on South Street, where foodies of all kinds head over to both Jim's Steaks and Lorenzo's Pizza for their steaks and pizza. Just wrap your Jim's steak in your in your Lorenzo slice, and you just made The Philly Taco or South Street Sushi.
South Philadelphia Cheesesteak Guide
- Here in Philly, cheesesteaks are a civic icon, a tourist draw and a cultural obsession. Often imitated around the world, the cheesesteak is rarely duplicated successfully outside of Philadelphia. Here are a few of the best South Philly cheese steak locations.
The Best of Philadelphia's Ginormous Foods - Are you searching for enormous foods in Philly? How about The Whale, a 14-pound bagel leviathan brimming with smoked salmon and whitefish salad at Spread Bagelry or the 9-pound superhero sandwich, a pile-up of bacon, pork, and cheese at Jake's Sandwich Board. Finish things off with the Car 23, a trolley-shaped loaf of French toast stuffed with berries and cream cheese at the Trolley Car Diner.
