Our food writer's Marana dining challenge ends with delicious cheesesteaks

It’s fourth down and inches, and I’m on the 6-yard line; I just need to call a tush push to get me to the end.

When it comes to tush pushes, there’s only one place to look to: Philadelphia. Which is exactly why I’m ending my exciting journey with a classic cheesesteak.

I need one more local spot to chow down at to complete my Marana Dine and Discover Challenge and win my Vince Lombardi trophy, aka a super cute Marana-themed T-shirt.

For my fourth and final stop, I wanted to go somewhere that was out of the box for me, especially since this challenge is all about going out and trying something new.

My dad had been telling me he wanted to try Frankie’s Cheesesteaks at 3780 W. Ina Road, so I figured I'd go there to get my grand finale meal.

Now, a little embarrassing fact about me: I’m pretty picky when it comes to sandwiches, and for some reason, dishes like cheesesteaks or French dips have never appealed to me.

That was until I tried Frankie’s Cheesesteaks.

I headed over to the Philadelphia deli on a Wednesday for lunch, ready to be converted into a cheesesteak fanatic. Their menu had so many options: South Philly cheesesteaks, pizza cheesesteaks, chicken cheesesteaks and cheese fries.

I know cheesesteaks are sacred to people and there are huge debates on what ingredients belong and don’t belong on this classic Philly dish, but I decided to go with what my heart was telling me, so this is my formal apology if my cheesesteak offends you.

I ordered a classic cheesesteak with provolone cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms and hot peppers. I was a little nervous the peppers were going to be too spicy, but I was feeling crazy, so I decided to take the risk.

Soon, my cheesesteak and a side of crispy, golden fries were placed in front of me. Staring at me was a soft, chewy roll filled with thin slices of beef covered in gooey provolone cheese and peppers. It was truly a beautiful sight, and I suddenly couldn’t remember why I didn’t like cheesesteaks in the first place.

I took a big bite and was in heaven. The beef was savory and had a great flavor to it. The cheese was perfectly melted, ensuring you got a taste of creamy, velvety cheese with every bite. The grilled onions brought a subtle sweetness to the meal that added an extra umph to the sandwich.

My favorite part had to be the hot peppers. They added a spicy kick to the cheesesteak that really brought everything together. I couldn’t tell you how happy I was that I decided to go with hot peppers instead of sweet ones.

Even though I was full, I couldn’t help but keep eating until it was fully gone. I left Frankie’s feeling like a new person, excited that I finally saw the hype around a good cheesesteak.

After Frankie’s, I headed straight to the Marana Visitor Center to pick up my prize. I showed my Dine and Discover digital card to the kind lady at the front desk and was shown to the merch area. There were so many cute shirt and hat options to choose from.

(Fun fact: the Marana Visitor Center has a saddle on display that Linda McCartney used. I was definitely fangirling a bit when I saw it.)

I decided to go with a vibrant pink cropped T-shirt with a quail design. Of course, I had to send a picture of it to my family group chat to make everyone jealous.

Though I love the shirt, the real prize is that I found four new places that I can add to my rotation, from the silky ice lattes at Al Gusto, to the birria at Humo Cocina Mexicana, to the pickle pizza at Ciao Down and the cheesesteaks at Frankie’s. Marana has much to offer the foodie scene.

So jump in your car and take the quick journey up to Marana and try something new; who knows, you may find the meal you’ve been missing.