Austin Wo
Audio By Carbonatix
The North Texas cheesesteak game is evolving. An East Coast original, G’s Cheesesteaks — known for its fresh-baked bread — has moved into the neighborhood.
Owner Giacamo “Jack” Pisano debuted the first G’s location in Staten Island in 2015. Since then, the shop has expanded in New York City’s five boroughs. And in early 2025, a new spot opened in Dallas’ Medical District.
Pisano grew up in a family that owned multiple Staten Island pizzerias, which often had cheesesteaks on the menu. He says he committed to the business after graduating from high school and, wanting to focus on ribeye rather than red sauce, opened the first G’s Cheesesteaks at age 20.
Let’s see that roll
There are multiple components to a great steak, Pisano says, including attention to detail and “a lot of love” for what you do, first and foremost.
“Second to that would be the bread; that’s why we bake all our bread in-house,” Pisano says. “We like to consider ourselves like a mini bakery, where we’re baking loaves all day, just to have fresh bread coming out hot, smell that through the store, and let that be the star of the show.”
As opposed to shops serving chewy hoagies, G’s is best known for its crunchy, poppy-seeded fresh rolls that serve as a staging ground for Cooper’s Sharp cheddar, shaved ribeye and grilled onions. Rolls can also be ordered seedless or as garlic bread.
Austin Wood
The style of fresh-baked rolls that crackle when handled has become more prevalent across the East Coast. Bradley Cooper’s joint venture in New York with Danny DiGiampietro, owner of the acclaimed Philadelphia cheesesteak spot Angelo’s Pizzeria, serves fresh-baked seeded rolls. The 2025 winner of Philadelphia Magazine’s Best Cheesesteak award, Nicky and Ant’s (apparently two names might be conducive for success in the business), also serves a similar style.
“Just like any business, cheesesteaks have evolved. What cheesesteaks were 10 years ago is not what they are today,” Pisano says. “[Back then] it was, you should be on a soft hoagie roll, super spongy and squishy. That’s kind of taking a back seat now to the fresher experience with the homemade bread. The seeded roll is a little bit crunchier.
“It’s a little bit of science into it. People are really trying their hardest, fermenting with the bread, the dough. So it’s just a whole different level.”
Pisano lived at The Village in East Dallas for a year in anticipation of his first opening in Texas. He says he did a fair deal of scouting before debuting on Wycliff Avenue, and when asked about DFW’s cheesesteak scene, he says “it’s not legit” and attributes most of the disparity to behind-the-times bread.
“Anybody that’s not doing that is really just left behind, to be honest,” he says.
The rest
Fillings at G’s are variable and can include hot peppers, cherry peppers, mayo and housemade Wiz-style cheese sauce. Pisano’s employees can combine the sauce with black truffle to create a salty, earthy texture complemented by creamy Cooper’s Sharp white cheddar, he says. Sandwiches can be ordered whole or by the half.
While ribeye-forward options draw the most attention, G’s sells chicken cheesesteaks that can be elevated with buffalo bites, blue cheese or fresh honey. Pisano also sells breaded chicken cutlet sandwiches, including one served with burrata and house-made vodka sauce. The cutlet recipe is his mother’s.
“A lot of people didn’t know what chicken cutlets were when I came to Dallas, so it was super cool to inform them on that,” he says.
Extra vodka sauce, along with aiolis and extra wiz, can be added on the side for dipping. Mac and cheese bites, cheesesteak egg rolls and mozzarella sticks are available for snacking. There are also tenders and wings: sauce options include hot, mild, mango habanero, Thai Chili, honey mustard and BBQ.
Pisano is planning to open another store in Florida this year and says he may look to expand his presence in Texas, although he notes that opening in Dallas “was definitely humbling in the beginning.”
“We didn’t get the response that you know we would typically get here in New York, but it’s a brand new place, and Dallas is getting to know us and trust us, so it should go super well now,” he says.
G’s Cheesesteaks is located at 2525 Wycliff Ave #116
