Living in Philly for over a decade, I used to consider myself a cheesesteak fundamentalist — one who only prefers the traditional version of the iconic dish (made with sliced rib-eye, provolone, and fried onions, on a long hoagie roll).
I hated chicken cheesesteaks because they didn’t have beef. I considered a salmon cheesesteak just a warm fish sandwich by another name. And any other variation of what I believed was an already stellar entree just wasn’t as good as the original. Sure, every so often a brisket cheesesteak would catch my eye — but such tender, smoky beef wasn’t too far off from the typical grilled steak that made the original version irreplaceable.
It wasn’t until I saw a viral reel of an oxtail cheesesteak last year that my staunch conservatism around cheesesteak reinventions evaporated.
Last fall, Josh Moore, known as @JoshEatsPhilly on Instagram, posted a video that garnered over 760,000 views of an oxtail cheesesteak at the new Taste Cheesesteak Bar in Center City. It looked wholesome, filling, and tasty, with audacious loads of meat and colorful peppers showcased under his bright camera light. There was something so bold and enticing about its conception that fascinated me more than previous renditions.
“Most cheesesteaks in the area follow the same formula with only a few alterations,” Moore says. “Typically, it’s beef and cheese with your choice of toppings on a hoagie roll. With Taste Cheesesteak Bar, they take the typical formula, but replace the rib-eye with seasoned oxtail, and pair it with cheese on a hoagie roll.”
To say I was “influenced” was an understatement. That November, I went over to Taste Cheesesteak Bar to try this unique version for myself and was immediately converted. But why? I would argue that it’s all in the meat and spices.
This cheesesteak’s slow-braised and boneless oxtail, which comes from the tail of beef cattle, is more tender than the standard rib-eye often used elsewhere. At Taste Cheesesteak Bar, their oxtail is marinated in a Haitian blend called “epis” (which includes onions, scallions, garlic, parsley, bell peppers, and other spices), then layered with Cooper Sharp cheese (a type of American processed cheese regional to the Philly area), and finally stuffed in a Liscio’s Bakery long roll that perfectly locks in the deep, savory flavors of its components.
“The inspiration for adding the oxtail cheesesteak to Taste’s menu comes from my Caribbean heritage,” says Kevin Dolce, CEO of Hi-Def Hospitality and owner of Taste Cheesesteak Bar. “Growing up, my mother used to prepare delicious oxtails using a special Haitian marinade, which left a lasting impression on me. Noticing the rising popularity of oxtails on social media, I realized that incorporating this flavorful meat into a cheesesteak could create a unique and delicious twist on a classic dish.”
Dolce is right; the rising popularity of oxtail overall might be why the reception around this particular cheesesteak has been so positive. Earlier last year, the now-shuttered restaurant Ummi Dee’s in North Philly presented the first mainstream rollout of the oxtail cheesesteak in the city, which got diners across the area interested in trying it. I never got the chance to eat its version before the abrupt departure, but it planted a seed in the public’s interest. Currently, two spots have the oxtail cheesesteak prominently featured on their menu: Taste Cheesesteak Bar and Reggae Reggae Vibes (whose version is made with shredded oxtail with fried peppers, onions, and cheese for $24) in Northern Liberties. Both are Black-owned restaurants that are serving a trendy dish that some argue might be helping boost the oxtail cheesesteak into the public consciousness.
“Many people within the community want to support local Black-owned businesses, as much as possible,” says Moore. “My hope is that with this growing appreciation of diversity within the Philly food scene, we’ll soon see even more cheesesteaks with inspiration from cultures all over the world.”
That’s what makes the oxtail cheesesteak the best version of the Philly classic — it’s an innovative, cultural twist to something already beloved. By blending traditional Philadelphia fare with Caribbean influences, it embodies the diversity of the city and represents something that doesn’t just taste stellar, but advocates for the greater good of the local food scene. Unlike other attempts to remix the cheesesteak (such as the jerk chicken, birria, and even bulgogi renditions), this dish is something more impressive — culinarily, culturally, and socially.
