When the craving for hoagies stuffed with thinly sliced beefsteak and melted cheese hits, where do you go?
If you’re in Oakland, Bruce and Latrina Hopson are hoping you’ll take a break from I. B.’s Hoagies and The Cheese Steak Shop to try Philly’s Best, a new fast-casual eatery in the Hegenberger Gateway Retail Center near Oakland International Airport.
The longtime Oakland residents and food industry veterans are the first to bring the popular So Cal chain to Northern California. With their son Ki helping run the front of the house and daughter Jada managing back office operations, the Hopsons are banking on the chain’s authentic Philly cheesesteaks, hoagies and cheesesteak fries to woo Oakland appetites.
Like the 19 locations down in So Cal, the Oakland franchise will use proprietary recipes and ingredients to craft their 10 cheesesteak offerings, from the original Philly’s Best, with sweet peppers and mushrooms, to chicken sandwiches and salads. Products come direct from Philadelphia, including Amoroso rolls, Herr’s Chips and Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer.
The company was started in 1992 by native Philadelphians Bob and Andrea Levey.
Philly’s Best is now open for pick-up from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 8460-D Edgewater Drive in Oakland.
Delivery is available via DoorDash and Postmates. For more information, visit https://eatphillysbest.com.