A new restaurant is taking over the space formerly occupied by Saslove’s Meat Market in the ByWard Market.
Philthy Philly’s is a Philadelphia-style cheesesteak and sandwich restaurant that is aiming to start serving up “authentic Philadelphia flavour” to Ottawans by summer 2025.
The menu includes variations on the Philly cheesesteak, a staple of Philadelphian cuisine, as well as smash burgers, poutine, pulled pork and fried chicken sandwiches.
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“Our food is made fresh to order with top of the line ingredients including thin sliced steak, all served up on our freshly toasted bun straight from the Amoroso’s Bakery in Philadelphia,” the restaurant’s website says.
The business began as a family-run eatery in the Toronto suburb of Newmarket in 2013. Since then, it has expanded to 38 locations across Canada. Philthy Philly’s also operates food trucks across Ontario.
The restaurant in the ByWard Market is something the chain has “been working on for a long time,” founder Danny Kotsopoulos said in an email to OBJ.
After 70 years, Saslove’s shut its doors in August 2024 after hardships brought on by the pandemic and downtown revitalization efforts that came “too late,” according to Saslove’s owner John Diener, who took over the business in the 1980s.
Businesses shuttering in the Market is not a new phenomenon as of late with the likes of Blue Cactus Bar and Grill, Steve’s Music, Oz Café, Pure Kitchen and Café Dekcuf all closing after years in the area.
Despite all the recent closures, new businesses are taking over, such as Grey’s Social Eatery, which is opening in February where Blue Cactus once stood.
– With files from Sarah MacFarlane and David Sali