Cheesesteak spot brings taste of Philly to Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (WPVI) -- Eagles fans in Minneapolis this week to cheer on the Birds in Super Bowl LII can find a taste of home, even in a city more than 1,000 miles away.

Antonio Gambino originally hails from Northeast Philadelphia, and spent time slinging sandwiches in his dad's cheesesteak shop in south Jersey.

He moved to Minneapolis at age 10, and soon found a calling to up their cheesesteak game.

"It's not up to code. So, we had to bring it back and show what a real cheesesteak is. No one knows what it is!" he said.

That calling led to the creation of his own shop called "Frank from Philly."

It is authentic Philadelphia near the University of Minnesota campus, right down to the rolls shipped fresh from Amoroso's.

"Kids love it. Nighttime, chowing down cheesesteaks, whiz dripping down. It's awesome man, it's awesome, when you can convey that experience to a different city, so I think we did a good job," Antonio said.

This week, by his own admission, Antonio is like a pig in mud with his Eagles rolling into his adopted hometown for the biggest game of his life.

He is rolling out the green carpet to welcome the Philly fans, his long-lost neighbors who remain in his heart.

"Give them some good food, make him feel like home, hopefully get a win, and cheer with them!" he said. "I'll be downtown somewhere watching the game, so I want to see the streets flooded with green!"

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