Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on September 11, 2026.
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Penn Avenue Pizza & Steaks (PAPS) is a one-stop-shop for all things NY-style pizzas and Philly cheesesteaks.
While it is rare for a spot to do either of these on their own well enough to sing it from the rooftop, PAPS manages to make it work with delicious pies and an even more wonderful sandwich.
You'll want to go hungry when visiting this one!
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PAPS Serves Delicious NY Style Pizzas
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One thing about the pizza menu at PAPS that jumped out to us is their prominent note that they do a 48 hour cold fermented dough for all pizzas. This was the first clue that this pizza was going to be a home run.
The menu here lets you select pizza from two options- whole pies (20″) with choose-your-own toppings a la carte and slices based on what is available at the moment.
We opted for the latter on our first visit to try a little bit of everything as they had a selection of cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and a white pie out for sampling- we opted for a cheese, pepperoni, and white slice to go. After a few minutes back in the oven to crisp up, we were on our way.
Even though we traveled a little bit before we could enjoy these slices, the first thing we noticed after their size was that the dough retained a nice crispness all the same. The 48 hour ferment really added a nice complexity of flavor as well, and the sauce was quite tangy to pull it altogether.
In fact, when we got three slices and a cheesesteak, we purposefully bought extra to have leftovers the next day. But while enjoying it in the moment, it was too good not to finish and we're not ashamed to admit we ate it all. It's just that good.
But Penn Ave Pizza & Steaks isn't making a name for itself solely on pizza. Oh no, the cheesesteak is even better.
The Philly Cheesesteak is a Winner
In addition to the pizza, Penn Ave Pizza & Steaks focuses on Philly cheesesteaks just as much as its NY-style pizza counterpart. We, admittedly, do not eat this kind of sandwich all too often, but we'll make an exception here because this sandwich is a winner in virtually every respect.
Their version comes on a seeded semolina roll with shaved ribeye, grilled onions, and cooper sharp cheese as the default base.
While they do allow options for add-ons, which include the likes of lettuce, tomato, green peppers, roasted red peppers, mayo, and pepper relishes amongst many more (for an additional fee), one element of this menu option is how firm the restaurant is that mayonnaise absolutely should not go on a cheesesteak as it alters the flavor. They'll sell you some on the side if you really want, of course, but we appreciate the upfront stance to protect the flavor.
So, at risk of sullying the sandwich, we added roasted red peppers and got the hot pepper relish on the side. Both with and without those, we are happy to admit, the sandwich was pretty spectacular. The beef was quite flavorful and cooked perfectly, and the gooey cheese held its own and certainly did not make us desire anymore in the sauce department (which is something we almost always want).
The hot pepper relish on the side was a great add-on if you like a kick of heat to go along with your meat. The flavor of this one was quite prominent pepper, but both that and the sufficient heat did not overpower any of the core characteristics of the sandwich like mayo would. Surprisingly, though, we would've been just fine without this, too- the sandwich is just that good.
Overall, Penn Avenue Pizza & Steaks really rocks both their NY-style pizza and Philly cheesesteak and is a rare instance of a shop doing both beautifully. So whether you are heading in for a slice, a whole pie, a cheesesteak, or a little bit of everything, you're in good hands here.
Penn Avenue Pizza & Steaks is located at 4065 Penn Avenue at the Lawrenceville/Bloomfield neighborhood boundary.
