Move over, chopped cheese: The Upper East Side is getting another taste of your superior cousin, the Philly cheesesteak. Olde City Cheesesteaks & Brew recently opened its doors at 1664 Third Avenue, between 93rd and 94th streets. (We first wrote about Olde City’s UES expansion back in September.)
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This newest Olde City is the chain’s fourth location in New York. And while it’s been open for takeout and delivery since the beginning of the month, owner Evan Stein said that customers will be able to enjoy dining onsite in the next couple of weeks.
“We’ve been getting a lot of good feedback,” Stein told East Side Feed on Friday, adding that over 90 deliveries were called in the first Sunday the gastropub was in business.
Stein, a diehard Philly sports fan, was born in Manhattan but grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. He was inspired to open Olde City out of a desire to bring an authentic version of Philadelphia’s most famous food item to the city he was born in.
“Philly people are always the most skeptical, but they say it’s legit,” Stein told East Side Feed.
He had previously operated a cheesesteak shop called Shorty’s, also on the Upper East Side, but it eventually closed down due to Stein and his partners going their separate ways.
At Olde City, the aim is to make the cheesesteaks as authentic as possible.
“We get the bread shipped in from Philly, from a place called Liscio’s Bakery,” Stein said, adding that each Olde City location has an oven to heat up the loaves when they arrive.
In addition to the classic Philly cheesesteak with a choice of whiz, Cooper sharp, provolone or American, Olde City offers buffalo wings and tenders, Yuengling rings, fries, salads and much more, including even Philly cheesesteak spring rolls.
Stein expressed a lot of excitement about the actual space of the Upper East Side location (previously home to Gerry’s Place, a short-lived Irish bar), noting that it is on the larger side and will be an ideal spot for viewing sports.
Until then, these cheesesteaks will have to be picked up by or delivered to the customers.
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