Harlem House: We try UK's 'best' Philly cheesesteak at Sheffield takeaway with perfect 5-star rating

A Sheffield takeaway is making waves for reputedly serving the best Philly cheesesteak this side of the Atlantic.

Harlem House, stranded on a fairly non-descript stretch of Infirmary Road, between the foodie hotspots Kelham Island and Hillsborough, is not much to look at from the outside.

But the magic happening in the kitchen has left food critics and the general public alike drooling and earned it an almost unheard of perfect 5-star rating from the more than 200 Google reviews it has accumulated since opening just over a year ago. Many reviewers have claimed its Philly cheesesteaks are the best in the UK.

The TikTok star munchingakhi, who has nearly 80,000 followers and 3 million likes, declared Harlem House is worth making the drive from Manchester, Birmingham or Derby, as many customers do, and called it his 'go-to' place in Sheffield.

The Star visited the takeaway - which is some 3,500 miles from the US city of Philadelphia, but is actually located in a small Sheffield neighbourhood of the same name - to see what all the fuss is about.

What is a Philly cheesesteak and what is so special about these ones?

For the uninitiated, a Philly cheesesteak is a sandwich made from thinly sliced pieces of beefsteak and melted cheese, which originates in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

At Harlem House, it is made using only Angus beef, which is sliced and cooked on site, with special house seasoning and a house sauce, the ingredients of which are a closely guarded secret.

Two types of cheese are melted with the beef before the generous filling is heaped onto slices of brioche bread and served.

At £11.99 it's not cheap but it's quite a mouthful and you're getting top quality ingredients freshly cooked.

The beef is melt-in-the-mouth tender and the balance of spices is spot on, with just a hint of heat and some sweet-and-sour notes to cut through the rich beef and cheese.

Big expansion plans

It's easy to see why Harlem House is proving so popular and why co-owners Daniel Ismail and Mubarik Ahmed are already seeking to expand, with plans for a new diner in Sheffield and a third venue outside the city, the precise locations of both being as yet unconfirmed.

Daniel, who developed the secret sauce with Mubarik and their friend Hussaam Iqbal, who works there, told The Star how the Philly cheesesteak was the most popular item on the menu but the Chopped Chick sandwiches were also big sellers.

The movie box, priced £34.99 and consisting of any two burgers, two sides, two XL bags of American crisps, two American chocolates, two American sweets and two American drinks, has also proved a big hit, he said, as have the desserts and Harlem shakes.

"We've had people from Peterborough, Manchester, Birmingham, Derby and Leeds," said Daniel, who worked at his mum's Lebanese restaurant when he was younger and aged just 18 opened a shop called Pound Plus on Spital Hill.

"My mate's cousin's from America and sells Philly cheesesteaks in New York, and he says ours are better than anything he's tasted over there.

"We're going to open a big diner in Sheffield because we get a lot of people coming with their families and they're sometimes a bit disappointed there's not enough seating so they end up eating in their car. But we'll never get rid of this place."