Review: The Pepper Mill, West Chester PA

The Pepper Mill is a throwback kind of place, reminds me of the homey mom'n'pop restaurants and diners in the small towns all over America in the 60s and 70s. Although the building appear to be of such vintage or older, the owners have been in business only since 1990.

From www.cheesesteakmeouttotheballgame.com

Inside, there are a number of tables and booths and it is frequently crowded. I was introduced to the Pepper Mill for its cheesesteak sandwiches, and I can attest that they are superb. They managed a shout out in WIP radio's Jody Mac Cheesesteak Challenge, deservedly. The roll is just right, the steak, cheese, and grilled onions meld in a savory love triangle, and the service is friendly. I prefer solid slices of beef, but the Pepper Mill chops it up and executes that style about as well as anyone.

I heard good things about the pizza, but approached it skeptically, since most pizza is so distressingly ordinary. Sadly, that turned out to be true also for the Pepper Mill. The failing, of course, was the crust. Thick, soft, doughy -- more white bread than the crispy-yet-chewy character found in upper echelon pies.

Pepper Mill pizza is unremarkable. 5 out of 10 stars. But the cheesesteak is a 9!