Ask a Philadelphian about cheesesteaks outside their hometown, and you will usually get a polite sigh. The bread is wrong, the cheese is wrong, and the whole thing feels like a copy of a copy.
So when a self-described picky Philly native gives a Denver shop a solid thumbs up, people pay attention. The reasons are specific: Liscio rolls shipped in the East Coast tradition, Cheez Whiz on the menu, and cheese laid down on the bread before the meat.
Those details matter to purists, and they turned a skeptic into a fan. This article covers where the shop sits, what makes its sandwiches stand out, what to expect inside, and the practical details you need before you go.
Grab a napkin, because this one gets cheesy.
A Colorado Boulevard Address With East Coast Roots
Denver sits a long way from South Philly, yet one counter on a busy boulevard keeps closing that gap one roll at a time.
Taste of Philly is located at 2432 Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80222, in the United States. The shop is a cheesesteak restaurant first and foremost, built around Philadelphia-style sandwiches.
It describes itself as an East Coast-style sandwich specialist. The menu leans on cheesesteaks and hoagies with all the trimmings, which keeps the focus tight.
The business is part of a local sandwich chain. This Colorado Blvd spot is known among longtime fans as the original location, and some regulars say it is still going strong.
That small detail carries weight. Plenty of folks have been ordering here for 15 to 20 years, which says a lot about staying power in a city full of new lunch options.
The address makes it an easy stop for anyone working or running errands in southeast Denver. Colorado Boulevard is a major route, so the shop is simple to find.
Nothing about the location screams Philadelphia from the outside. The real story starts once the grill gets going and the rolls come out of the bag.
The Liscio Roll Factor
Bread is where most out-of-town cheesesteaks lose the argument. Ask any Philly native, and the roll comes up before the meat does.
Here, the shop uses Liscio rolls. For a Philadelphian, that name means something, since Liscio’s is a well-known bakery brand tied to the region’s sandwich culture.
One picky Philly transplant spotted the Liscio rolls right away, and that detail alone earned instant respect. The verdict was that they are not quite Amoroso, the other famous name, but a close second.
That ranking might sound like a small grumble. In cheesesteak circles, though, a close second to Amoroso is high praise, especially two thousand miles from the Delaware River.
Other fans describe the bread as soft and fresh, or semi soft. One East Coast native said the rolls brought back memories of sub shops back home.
Longtime regulars have also noticed the bread changed at some point over the years. At least one longtime customer actually prefers the newer version.
A good roll is supposed to hold everything together without stealing the show. On Colorado Blvd, the roll seems to be doing its job, and the purists are taking notes.
Whiz on the Menu, Cheese on the Bottom
Few toppings start more friendly arguments than Cheez Whiz. Some people swear by it, and others swear it off.
Taste of Philly offers whiz as an option, and that choice alone makes the place feel more authentic to Philly natives. You do not have to love it, but having it available signals the shop knows the rules.
Cheese wiz pops up more than once in conversations about this spot. Folks who want the classic Philly order can get it without having to explain themselves.
Then there is the build. The crew places the cheese on the bread first, before adding the meat.
That step might look minor to a casual eater. To the picky Philadelphian, it made a huge difference, and it is the kind of habit you only pick up from people who take cheesesteaks seriously.
For anyone who prefers other cheese choices, there is room to customize. One regular ordered the original with extra cheese, mayonnaise, and no onions, and said it was not too greasy and not runny at all.
Whiz or no whiz, the takeaway is the same. The shop respects the details, and the details are what separate a real cheesesteak from a steak sandwich in disguise.
Green Chile and Other Twists
Colorado has its own food loyalties, and green chile sits near the top of the list. So it makes sense that it found its way onto a Philly sandwich here.
The green chile cheesesteak gets a lot of love. One first-timer had never tried green chile on a Philly before and walked away happy.
Jalapeños also come up as a popular add-on. For those who like a little kick, the options go beyond the standard grilled onions.
The menu is not just about classic beef either. The chicken Philly has a loyal following, and one fan who had been craving one for ages called it a really good quality Philly with fresh ingredients.
A Mushroom Philly is on the board too. One late-evening order of it was called a good quality sandwich.
Hoagies round things out, along with options like a club sandwich and a ham and cheese. A group that ordered across the menu said everything was great.
A word of caution comes from one customer who ordered a Reuben and was not pleased. The lesson seems simple: at a Philly steak shop, stick with the steaks and hoagies.
East meets West on these rolls, and it mostly works in everyone’s favor.
Counter Crew Worth Knowing
A late-night rush with one person on duty can go sideways fast. At this shop, it has turned into a story people still talk about.
One customer arrived right before closing and found a single employee running the whole store. He took orders at the counter and cooked everything in the back, all while staying upbeat and welcoming.
That same customer called the sandwich one of the best Philly cheesesteaks they had ever had. Not bad for a solo shift.
Kind employees are a recurring theme. Another young staffer was praised for both customer service and sandwich-making skills during an evening visit.
A friendly young lady behind the counter handled one guest’s substitutions without any fuss. The owner or manager has also been called extremely friendly by a returning fan.
Close to closing time, the team still helped a pair of hungry friends. That kind of flexibility tends to build loyalty.
Not every visit lands perfectly. One order came out with onions after a no-onion request, and a large phone order once went unmade after a mix-up with the automated phone system.
Overall, though, warmth at the counter shows up again and again. The people making the sandwiches seem to be a big part of why folks keep coming back.
Simple Room, No Frills Attached
Nobody comes here for the decor, and the shop does not pretend otherwise.
The dining area is small. Several guests mention it is not really a big place to sit down and eat, though one called it a nice little area with no complaints.
The interior and exterior have been described as pretty rough. The Philly native who praised the rolls admitted to low expectations at first, based on looks alone.
Furniture shows its age, and cleanliness has drawn criticism over the years. Some guests have pointed to sticky floors and dirty walls, and others say the store needs a little TLC.
On the flip side, one group summed it up nicely: the atmosphere is simple, but it works. Plenty of people treat it as a grab-and-go spot anyway.
Music plays over the speakers. Some enjoy the selection, while one guest noted the playlist included explicit songs, so families may want to keep that in mind.
Crowds are not usually a problem. A Saturday lunch was described as quiet, and other folks have walked in to find nobody waiting.
This is a place to eat a sandwich, not to linger over a long meal. Set expectations accordingly and the room does what it needs to do.
What the Longtime Fans Are Saying
Loyalty cuts both ways. The people who have eaten here the longest are often the ones with the strongest opinions.
Some customers have been coming for over 20 years. One of them called the shop the source of the best cheesesteaks in the city for most of that time.
Lately, though, a few veterans have noticed changes. Meat portion is a hot topic, with some saying the filling covered only part of a footlong roll.
Another longtime fan said only one of the last ten orders felt like the old days. Bread ends with no filling and a shift in meat quality were among the concerns.
Rising beef costs are part of the conversation. One loyal customer even said they would gladly pay more to get the same sandwich as before.
Meanwhile, newer fans are still impressed. One driver whose usual Philly spot closed tried this place and said the sandwich was way better than the old favorite.
Flavor gets mixed notes too. One guest wanted more seasoning without condiments, and another found the steak a little salty but closer to Philadelphia than other Denver options.
The overall picture is a shop with a strong core and some inconsistency. It sits at 4.2 stars across more than 500 opinions, which tells its own story.
Hours, Costs, and Getting Your Order
Planning ahead pays off, especially if a cheesesteak craving strikes late in the evening.
Taste of Philly opens at 10:30 AM and closes at 9 PM Monday through Saturday. Sunday hours run from 11 AM to 8 PM.
Costs vary by order. Two sandwiches with drinks and chips came to about $35 for one pair of diners, who counted the price as a plus.
Others feel differently. One customer noted paying around $20 for a footlong with no sides, plus a dollar per condiment.
Sides are sold separately, so budget for them. The fries have fans, with one takeout customer saying they stayed crispy and hot all the way home.
Fried mushrooms are also an option, though one batch was called undercooked.
Speed is a strong point. Food came out super fast for one first-timer, and dine-in orders have reached the table in good time.
Takeout is popular, but large phone orders deserve a confirmation call. One 17-sandwich order was never started after a mix-up, and a longtime fan mentioned calls often go unanswered.
The shop is on Colorado Blvd, so driving is the easy choice. A quick check of the website at tasteofphilly.biz can help before heading over.
A Philly Fix Worth the Detour
So does this Denver shop pass the Philadelphia test? For the picky native who started this conversation, the answer was 4.5 out of 5.
The only thing missing for a perfect score was an Amoroso roll. That is about as close to a full blessing as an out-of-town cheesesteak usually gets.
The things that matter most to purists are here. Liscio rolls, whiz as an option, and cheese laid on the bread first all point to a kitchen that knows its roots.
Colorado touches like green chile give the menu its own personality. The chicken Philly and hoagies give non-steak fans something to grab too.
There are trade-offs. The room is basic, cleanliness has drawn complaints, portions have been uneven lately, and sides cost extra.
Still, friendly counter staff, fast food, and a long history keep people returning. Several first-timers left saying they would definitely be back.
Best fit goes to East Coast transplants missing home, lunch-break regulars, and anyone who cares more about the sandwich than the setting.
Go in with a craving and realistic expectations. Order the classic with whiz, and let the roll do the talking.
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