London’s ‘Only Real Philly Cheesesteak’ Goes From Food Truck to Permanent Restaurant

Fitzrovia, it could be said, is booming. As Soho rents continue to trend from the nightmarish towards downright insanity, the northern side of Oxford Street is fast becoming the neighbourhood of choice for operators both evolving and imported. And so, here too Liberty Cheesesteak Company will open Passyunk Avenue, the permanent evolution of their popular Spitalfields foodtruck.

JP Teti is the man behind Liberty Cheesesteak; from a New Jersey family with roots in Philadelphia’s Italian community, he moved to London 10 years ago, and has been running his Spitalfields stall since 2015. That was the year his “authentic” Philly cheesesteak sandwich was crowned London’s best by Buzzfeed (yes, seriously!), and it’s this soft “Italian” bun stuffed with thinly sliced rib-eye beef and oozing cheese “whiz” (apparently that’s an important distinction) that will be the core of Passyunk Avenue’s menu.

The new Fitzrovia site, which Teti says he hopes will capture a dive bar vibe, will also serve up roast pork and meatball sandwiches, soft pretzels, and hoagies — the sort of thing that’s so overladen with delicious fillings that really it can only be called a “sandwich” of sorts because without the bread it would be both impossible to hold with one’s hands, and also really just better considered a “meal”.

Passyunk Avenue will be setting up shop at 80 Cleveland Street, and documents submitted with their licensing application show plans for a two-level fit out inclusive of a basement bar — so that dive vibe seems sure to be forthcoming. No clear word as yet on an opening date.

• A Philly-themed restaurant called Passyunk Avenue is opening in London [philly.com]