The Generals Grant and Lee of the Philly cheese steak civil war

On the left is Geno's Steaks, housed at the corner of Ninth Street and Passyunk Avenue in Philadelphia. It's one half of what's called the mecca of cheese steaks, and it's not even the better half. While it may be bathed in glitzy neon lights with walls adorned with autographed photos of celebrity visitors, its fiercest competitor sits just a french fry's throw away in the form of Pat's King of Steaks (on the right). Pat's, in all of its unassuming, Coca-Cola branded, opposite-of-Geno's glory, is considered by many to be the better of the two cheesesteakeries. Not by a landslide, just better.

Both are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and both offer simple menus anchored, of course, by the cheesesteak "wit" or "witout" onions. Word to hungry out-of-towners: Though you may have your choice of fancy-schmancy cheeses, Cheese Whiz is the only true way to adorn a cheesesteak. In fact, some say John Kerry single-steakedly lost the 2004 presidential election during a campaign trail stop at Pat's (he got that part right) by ordering his meal with swiss cheese.

Another word: You can't leave Ninth and Passyunk without trying both. You just can't. Unless you're spending more than one day in Philly or your commute is less than an hour, you have to walk the 150 feet and order up another steak. You might not be hungry, but you have to do it -- or risk pissing off your stomach and second-guessing your decision the whole way home.