It’s fascinating to me how food can be so polarizing.

Everyone has their take, informed by a memory, a history, or even just a feeling. What one person swears by can be completely off-putting to someone else.

Take pizza, for example—some people are adamant about a New York thin crust, while others get soulful about a thick Detroit pie. Getting deep in the weeds on what makes a great (red or white) sauce, what is or isn’t enough cheese, or whether red pepper flake is a necessity or a crutch isn’t an uncommon conversation.

Similarly, when it comes to iconic dishes like the Philadelphia cheesesteak, opinions run deep. And the “what’s best” answer isn’t always black and white.

A little under 2 years old, already beloved neighborhood spot Stanley’s is no stranger to foodie feelings. Hit a Richmond dining Facebook group on any given week and you’ll find a laundry list of comments on what is or isn’t preferable:

“The place is too small.”

“It’s not Italian like the restaurant before it.”

“The building is old.”

“The sandwich is nothing like an authentic Philly cheesesteak.”

The place is on the smaller side, but not terribly so—roughly 40 seats. Stanley’s is decidedly not its predecessor, the dimly lit red sauce spot, Robin Inn. The building is old and old buildings have weird sets of stairs, odd doors and other quirks.

Rather than negatives, these are all facets of the restaurant that make it so intriguing.

And lastly, we aren’t in Philly, we are in Richmond, so Stanley’s signature hot hoagie is a Richmond cheesesteak. Owner James Kohler did reside in Philadelphia for a time, though, so there are few similarities to a Philly—but not the ones you’d think.

When you order a Stanley’s cheesesteak ($16), you will not be asked, “wiz wit or wiz witout?” (For the uninitiated, “wiz wit” means the sandwich comes with Cheez Whiz and onions, while “witout” means no onions but still processed cheese sauce.)

Instead, this cheesesteak is teeming with Kohler’s own hot takes. For starters, it’s served stuffed in a sesame roll, hustled from a hush-hush spot in Philly and packaged as if to-go. It features thick, shaved ribeye and the melty, gooey binder is Cooper sharp white American. It’s topped with light onion and pickled hot and sweet peppers.

These five ingredients make for a rich, balanced mix of heady and meaty, smooth without being terribly greasy—and gloriously sloppy. There have been a few that have arrived on a tougher sesame roll than I’d like to see but this is the kind of sandwich that feels authentic to Stanley’s in Richmond, Virginia. This is its own thing, not a replica of the iconic Philly.

Perchance, down the road, a local bakery will start making a roll Stanley’s can get behind and the entire sandwich will become a Richmond icon in all of its parts.

It’s tough to wax on about other menu options as my eyes are always on the cheesesteak, but I’d be a fool not to mention the wedge salad, the thick tomato pie and the occasional bespoke specials.

While one might think a wedge salad ($12) is a basic option made for outdated steakhouses, Stanley’s version is of a different ilk. The presentation is impeccable with double wedges of crisp iceberg, a divine herb-y, acidic and creamy dressing, and a frog’s hair under hard-boiled eggs with a hefty smattering of chives with crunchy bits of bacon and little chunks of blue cheese.

The tomato pie ($6) is a two-inch thick slab of focaccia-like bread carpeted with a rustic, intense red tomato sauce. If you arrive early in the day, you might get a square-ish cut slice still warm from the oven, bottom crispy from its sheet pan bed.

Always opt in for any one of Stanley’s daily specials (prices vary) as the creative dishes go quite quickly. A recent special featured smashed and ground hot Italian sausage, chirpy, marinated long hot peppers and a heavy pour of Cooper sharp cheese sauce—a beaut of a sandwich served on the same sesame roll as their cheesesteaks.

For bevvys, because one must wash down their bread spoils, opt in for happy hour where you can snag half off bottles of wine, most of them natural and organic, or an immaculate $8 Negroni.

But if the 3-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday time slot is out for you, the beer selection is always on lock with local brewers like Vasen Brewing, Three Notch’d Brewing Company and Benchtop Brewing.

While the food quality at Stanley’s is generally top-notch and service is aloof but bang-on, there’s a drawback that has me a little miffed. Their variable hours get me every time. If one is hoping to swing by for lunch or dinner, it’s a gamble to know whether they’ll be open and because they don’t have a phone, calling ahead isn’t an option.

Since the hours don’t always align with their posted schedule, this unpredictability can be frustrating for diners who want to make a specific trip. A bit of organization could go a long way here, especially for the dining crowd that doesn’t alway check Instagram.

Even so, I find myself willing to chance the open or closed question to get what I think Richmond should start referring to as “our cheesesteak.” Because if we quit lauding the great food we have here, everyone else will, too.

Stanley’s is open at 2601 Park Ave. for lunch Monday and Wednesday-Saturday, dinner Wednesday-Monday and brunch Sunday. Closed Tuesdays.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified a type of Cooper sharp white cheese as cheddar when it was American.