Ed Sheeran's time in Philly included $143 cheesesteaks
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- When Ed Sheeran arrived in Philadelphia last week for his back-to-back sold-out shows at the Wells Fargo Center, reservations were already made for his first meal while in town.
It should come as no surprise, with the British singer-songwriter in the City of Brotherly Love, there was one thing that had to be on the menu - cheesesteaks.
Action News learned Sheeran, along with 12 friends and associates, made their way to Barclay Prime, the popular, posh Rittenhouse Square steakhouse.
They were taken into a private dining room.
Thomas Austin, Barclay Prime's General Manager, tells Action News the mood in the room was casual and friendly. And the ordering? Sporadic.
"A bunch of raw bar, oysters, yellowtail Hamachi, scallops and kale salads to begin, but they obviously came for our heralded signature cheesesteaks, which is served with wagyu beef, foie gras, truffled cheese on a seeded sesame roll and with a complimentary half bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne to pair perfectly with the richness of the meal," Austin said.
But the 'Castle on the Hill' singer and his friends did not just order one cheesesteak to split between them - they ordered five!
The Barclay Prime Cheesesteak, which has gained fame across the country, even getting its own Jeopardy clue, costs $120.
But that's if you order the cheesesteak as is, which the Sheeran party of 12 did not.
"They got them topped with butter poached lobster cocktail, to add a whole new layer of decadence to the meal, and took the price from $120 per sandwich to $143," Austin said.
Along with the cheesesteaks, wild line caught Dover sole, three pound poached lobsters, a selection of side dishes, and dessert were also consumed.
"The group also enjoyed a few martinis and a couple bottles of Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. It was a feast!" Austin said.
Because the group dined in the private room, there was, unfortunately for Sheeran fans, no interaction with other diners.
Like Sheeran, other celebrities who come to Philadelphia are never shy to partaking in all the area has to offer.
There was that time Joe Jonas and his band DNCE stopped by for a lesson at a Temple University classroom.
One Direction's Harry Styles grabbed some pizza at Villanova's Campus Corner while he was in town.
Kobe Bryant made sure he traveled to his favorite Lower Merion cheesesteak spot, Larry's, during his final Philly road trip as a Los Angeles Laker.
And Sylvester Stallone made a surprise appearance to Philadelphia Museum of Art visitors when he showed up at the Rocky Steps he made famous decades earlier.
After his Barclay Prime banquet, Sheeran went on to perform his 'Divide Tour' concerts in South Philadelphia, embracing the city even more by singing his Wednesday night encore in a throwback Phillies shirt.
The fans in attendance gave Sheeran a standing ovation and it's likely Sheeran was just as appreciative for his time in Philly, especially when it comes to that memorable meal.
"The experience was lovely," Austin said, "The service staff all said what a genuinely nice guy Ed is, and he seemed to really enjoy himself."
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