SQ PHILIPS
PRIDE ON PASSYUNK
SQ Philips is a shining red-and-white beacon of cheesesteak glory located on Passyunk Avenue near I-76. All right - the neighborhood is less than glamorous, but that just makes the first bite taste even better.
The “SQ” stands for Susan “Susie Q” Baldino, a South Philly legend who ran the place with heart, soul, and spatula for nearly four decades – and all while she was raising three sons. Susie Q Baldino was Philly’s cheesesteak queen.
Although she passed in 2019 after a brave fight against breast cancer, her presence is everywhere. Her portrait watches over the counter, the wrappers bear a purple breast cancer ribbon in her honor, and her sons now carry the torch, slinging steaks with the same pride and precision their mom did.
And what steaks they are.
Like Geno’s, Oregon Steaks, and Steve's, SQ Philips goes with bold, unchopped strips of sizzled, well-seasoned beef. The onions are diced, grilled, and generously portioned. The cheese? Take your pick – Whiz, American, Provolone, or even Cooper Sharp if you are feeling fancy. It is all wrapped up in a Corropolese premium seeded roll that will have you wondering why anyone eats anything else.
The setting is a traditional cheesesteak shack – walk-up windows, an old-school condiments bar, buzzing fluorescent lights, metal counters, and a signature red picnic table that has surely witnessed thousands of satisfied grins.
The place embodies everything that is great about Philly cheesesteaks – it is unpretentious, proud, and offers steaks that pack serious flavor.
Susie Q always knew a good, honest, cheesesteak would attract a crowd. Word got out quickly. SQ Philips has earned a Philadelphia magazine Best of Philly nomination and, since 2021, has been the official cheesesteak of the Philadelphia Union.
It even turned heads of the rich and famous. Amber Rose made the trip. So did Ed Sheeran, who liked it so much he jumped behind the counter and started handing out sandwiches like a grinning honorary Baldino.
No true Philly cheesesteak pilgrimage is complete without paying a visit to the red-and-white citadel on Passyunk. You will also find two SQ Philips stands at Lincoln Financial Field, fueling Eagles fans with the same honest eats that Susie Q built her name on.
Long live Susie Q, and long live her legendary steaks.
SQ PHILIPS STEAKS
2234 West Passyunk Avenue
(215) 755-4820
SQ PHILIPS STEAKS
LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD
