Steaks & Sandwiches Month-Week 2

Steak & Hoagie Factory

103 S. Main Street

Doylestown, PA

215-348-2050

While S & H Factory has various locations, Doylestown is the closest store to the Lehigh Valley.  It may not be the warmest ambience or staff, yet this chain has my vote for best Philly Cheesesteak. Yes, with all due respect, it surpasses the overrated Pat’s & Geno’s of South Philly.   Not to mention, you can make up for the ambiance with a stroll through the heart of one of Bucks County’s greatest towns. 

We first discovered S & H factory during our days of living in Lower Bucks County, a suburb of Philadelphia.  In spite of its original store actually being in a suburban Bucks County town, it has a strong Philadelphia influence in the way it presents a cheese steak.  The standard cheese steak includes American cheese but cheese whiz or provolone are available upon request.  My recommendation: stay away from the whiz.  Extras include peppers, mushrooms, etc—wonderful additions to a chicken or regular cheese steak.  Try a Barbeque or buffalo chicken cheesesteak for a gourmet variation.    

S & H Factory gets my vote because the rolls are perfect—soft with a slightly hard exterior. (Their logo: "Our reputation is in a roll" describes their initial goal: to hold a presence in a highly competitive sandwich business by baking a stellar french-style roll on the premises.)  To me, this emphasis on roll, rather than overstuffed with meat, proves satisfying.  Finally, I prefer the finely chopped meat over the strips of meat you’ll receive at many Philly locations such as Pat’s, Geno’s, or Rick’s (located at Reading Terminal Market).

Be sure to order your side of fries.  They’re worthwhile.  If you are not a cheese steak fan, it offers a full menu of hoagies and other sandwiches.  I can’t speak to them, but if they are anything like their steak, they’ll be great.  See the website to view a menu.  The Conveyor Combo and Forklift Feast provide great family value.

Would I return? I wish I could return more often.  But yes, without a doubt—we’ve been known to take the 40 minute trip just for a cheese steak and night out in Doylestown.