根據一本1987年費城圖書館公司(Library Company of Philadelphia)出版的展覽目錄以及費城歷史學會(Historical Society of Pennsylvania)表示,費城牛肉起司三明治發源自20世紀初期,「在一小條麵包上添加香煎牛肉、洋蔥和起司」。[4]
費城居民,帕特與哈利(Pat and Harry Olivieri)常被認為是費城牛肉起司三明治的發明者,他們在1930年早期,販售一種碎牛肉夾入義大利麵包做成的三明治。[5][6][7]但實際上仍有爭議,帕特和哈利原本經營一個熱狗攤,某天他們做了一種加碎牛肉和烤洋蔥的新款三明治。確切的故事眾說紛紜,但據其中一種說法,帕特正在吃這個三明治的時候,一個計程車司機剛好路過,而且對這個三明治很有興趣,所以也點了一份。吃過以後,計程車司機建議他們不要再賣熱狗,只賣新的三明治就好了。[6][8]於是位於費城南邊義大利市場附近的熱狗攤,就開始販賣這種牛排三明治。他們生意越來越好,帕特之後就開了名為Pat's King of Steaks的餐廳,至今仍在營業。[9]原本的三明治不含起司;店家表示:最先把波羅伏洛起司加進三明治的人是店址還在瑞吉大道(Ridge Avenue)時,一位名為Joe "Cocky Joe" Lorenza的經理。[10]
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