Corleone's

The summer of 2006 was when Phoenix surpassed Philadelphia to become the nation's fifth largest city. Reactions ranged from boasting to bashing as a newcomer to big city status swelled to a larger population than the birthplace of the nation. Phoenix now has more residents than the City of Brotherly Love, but the northeastern city still has a claim on its own unique food and beverage traditions. Yeungling beer can't be found anywhere near Arizona. The various farmer's markets in the Phoenix Metro Area, despite their impressive accomplishments, don't yet match the bounty of the Reading Terminal Market or the Italian Market on 9th Street. If there's one Philly food tradition that has gained some traction in Phoenix, it's the cheesesteak, the signature sandwich of sliced beef and melted cheese on a long roll.

Corleone's is a small, local chain offering Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks. The Tempe location is on Mill Avenue, just a block south of the Mill Avenue / Third Street light rail station, and it's probably the chain's site that comes closest to making a customer feel like he or she might be somewhere in Philadelphia. The restaurant is no Geno's or Pat's with throngs gathered outside on narrow South Philly streets, but its location in a walkable neighborhood give it an urban feel. The space seats only 50 or so, and the seating is tight with stools lined up against a long counter and a few high tables ringing the room. This is not a place to linger for a leisurely meal, but it's comfortable enough if eating on site. The room is full of Philadelphia memorabilia, including photographs of street scenes, the inevitable Rocky poster, and a collection of Pennsylvania license plates over the front door. Late hours until 3 AM on weekends add to the city vibe.

True to its Philly roots, Corleone's offer classic cheesesteaks made with thinly sliced beef ribeye and melted cheese. The classic choice is Cheez Whiz, the processed cheese product delivered to its cult following in large cans, but alternative choices include American cheese, provolone, and mozzarella. After selecting the cheese, the next decision is one of "wit" or "wit'out" -- grilled onions, that is. Peppers and mushrooms are also available for an extra charge. In addition to the classic cheesesteak, over a dozen other sandwiches are offered. Most are variations on the cheesesteak, some accentuating the beef with red sauce or various add-ons, but others feature chicken as an alternative meat. Off the grill, there are some cold sandwiches based on turkey and various deli meats.

Corleone's even caters to vegetarian tastes. In South Philly, the neighborhood's tough image might make a customer think that ordering a meatless sandwich would result in ridicule or worse, but at Corleone's a grilled vegetable sandwich is listed right on the menu and served with no more attitude than any of the other food. It's actually pretty good with all the vegetables that play a supporting role in the meaty sandwiches -- onions, peppers, mushrooms, and spinach -- combined in generous quantities with a choice of cheese. There's also a salad available, but anyone ordering a salad in a cheesesteak place might just deserve a little hazing. All sandwiches come in half or whole sizes, and either choice can be upgraded to a combo with fries and drink included.

The main sides are the fries and onion rings. The latter costs more and is an upgrade on any combo meals, but former is the better choice. Neither tastes handmade, and that's probably not a realistic expectation at a cheesesteak place. Still, the fries have a good texture with no mealiness and are served with just the right sprinkling of salt. The big Heinz ketchup pump is the way to accessorize the fries before sitting down, and it's a nice fix to the aggravation of dealing with recalcitrant ketchup bottles at the table. The rings are good once in a while as an alternative, but lean heavily toward the outer coating without enough distinct onion layer underneath. The best onion rings allow for distinct enjoyment of both the breading and the onion, and Corleone's version doesn't always attain that standard.

Beverages are limited to fountain drinks, iced tea, and bottled water. Dessert is just one item, but it's one that makes perfect sense in context: tastykakes, another Philadelphia favorite. Of course, no Philly cheesesteak place is complete without a little earthy ambience, and the staff seldom fail to deliver. Come to the counter at the right time and you might get to hear a good dirty joke as you pay for your sandwich. All the staff, jesters or not, are consistently helpful and welcoming in their own gruff way, but this is a place that delivers efficiency at the expense of chit-chat. In Philadelphia, Geno's and Pat's are several blocks from the Broad Street Subway. In Tempe, a walk of one short block from the light rail provides a decent rendition of the Philly cheesesteak 2,000 miles from its city of origin.

411 S Mill Ave., Tempe AZ 85281 | Map
(480) 966-8558