It’s always great to see the influence that Philly has on the rest of the world especially culturally and how others appreciate what the city has to offer. No making it during my previous trip to Japan late November, I finally had time in my schedule to take the 1/2hr train rider over to the Nihonbashi neighborhood to visit my friends at Nihonbashi Philly, an authentic cheesesteak spot that brings a taste of home to Tokyo. The folks at Nihonbashi Philly have spent quite some time in the City of Brotherly Love catching both the Eagles and Phillies games and of course, sampling every cheesesteak in the area to find the best ones then bring that authenticity back to Japan. After my first bite I knew that I was in the right place and everything was perfect. From the homemade seeded roll the quality of the meat with the option for American, provolone (which I always go for) or whiz and everything was full of flavor. It was an extremely hot day so I opted for a nice cold Asahi beer which was pourd in an Eagles glass pulled out of the freezer nice and frosted. Nihonbashi Philly gets extra points for including another Philly staple on the menu, the roast pork! I’ve seen other places around the world try to do their version of the Philly steak which usually falls short but I’ve never seen anyone do roast pork.
Another special thing about Nihonbashi is that during football seasond they air the games on TV and with the 12hr time difference that either means they’re open extra later or super early in the day. The shop is decked out with Philly decor and walls signed by Philly residents who made their way over to Japan for the experience and legendary Philly (and the world) artist, ESPO left his mark in several places to truly make it home.
If you’re every in the city and want to experience what Philly tastes like then be sure to head over to Nihonbashi for the goods!