🫒EXCLUSIVE — 15 CHURCH TEAM LAUNCHES CHEESESTEAK ALLEY
A passion for cheesesteak + a commitment to keeping his kitchen team fully staffed through winter inspired 15 Church Executive Chef Mike Mastrantuono to pitch the takeout Cheesesteak Alley to new owners, Kait + Scott Smith. The result might be the best Philly Cheesesteak you’ve ever had. And it doesn’t stop there… they’re slinging street food too.
We caught up with Chef Mike for the skinny on the menu before it officially launches on October 21, 2026.
Philly Cheesesteak. Singapore street noodles. Burgers, dogs + backdoor sales? Out of upscale 15 Church? This story has all the ingredients. Dig in.
Story: Susie Davidson Powell
Photos: Victoria Sedefian / Provided by 15 Church
October 13, 2026
15 Church and the track-season Patio at 15 Church are well loved for their elevated menus + upscale dining. So what if we tell you they’re about to be the destination for takeout Philly cheesesteak? By operating a ghost kitchen concept out of the Patio kitchen, Chef Mike Mastrantuono plans to keep his entire summer team on through the winter.
If actor Bradley Cooper can open Danny + Coop’s Cheesesteaks selling a single food item in Manhattan, why not unleash a chef-driven, fast casual take-out menu on Saratoga? With plans to be open Wednesday to Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m., Cheesesteak Alley by 15 Church is primed to hit the spot. Starting October 21, place your orders at thecheesesteakalley.com.
Chef Mike gives us the inside scoop.
Okay, Chef, what’s Cheesesteak Alley + how’s this going to work?
MM: Well, there’s a short alley between the two restaurants and I had this idea to make it a sort of gangster operation selling cheesesteaks out of the backdoor. (laughs). People can also order through Mealeo, and it will serve from 4 p.m. dinner service to late, like 10 p.m. or maybe 11 p.m. on weekends, if there’s demand. You do have to order in advance—you can’t just come to the door. Pick up is going to be in front of the Patio entrance.
Kait + Scott went all in so we have branded Cheesesteak Alley paper, a sandwich board and there will be a sign outside of the Patio at 15 Church. It’s fun because people expect us to be all fine dining and special occasion, but we are going to shock them with how good this kind of casual cheesesteak is. And street food. Late night food. I think people are going to drive 2 hours just to taste this cheesesteak, just like I would drive 3 hours to Magnolia Bakery in Manhattan for their banana pudding.
What makes your cheesesteak so special?
MM: So it’s 1-pound of shaved Australian Wagyu top round with confit Vidalia onions—confit in butter and tallow—a blend of Cooper Sharp + a secret cheese (I can’t tell you that), dehydrated garlic flakes, pepper, Italian long hot peppers + we’ll use the rendered Wagyu fat as tallow. It’s a 12-inch cheesesteak. In our R&D, we were using bread by Wilson at Bakery Suzanne, toasted, but it really depends how busy we’ll be as to whether he’d be able to keep up with it, so right now we’re using semolina bread by A&M Bronx Baking (around since 1945)
Will you only sell Philly cheesesteaks out of Cheesesteak Alley?
MM: No, we’re going to do some street food: We’ll sell house cut curly French fries in MacDonald’s style fries containers which we’ll also put on the 15 Church menu for people dining in, and sell with Big Mac-style sauce. And we’re gonna to have Singapore Street Noodles with Napa cabbage, rock shrimp, char siu pork belly, Korean bbq, peanuts and Sriracha aioli. And, you know, it’ll be in those cardboard Chinese takeout boxes. Plus we have a cheeseburger on sesame milk bread and a beef hot dog stuffed with Cheddar cheese and jalapeño, with soppressata jam and wasabi mustard.
My god. Sounds phenomenal. Where did you land on prices for the menu?
MM: The Wagyu Cheesesteak is $24, Street Noodles $18, curly fries n' sauce $8, cheeseburgers $18, and the dog is $16.
Alright. Good luck for your official launch next Wednesday, October 21. We can’t wait!
Read our tastemaker interview with Chef Mike.
