Courtesy of Michael Lo
Salaryman’s Michael Lo and longtime buddy Walt Gebelein often commiserate about the lack of Philadelphia-style sandwich shops in Atlanta. They crave cheesesteaks, hoagies, and chicken cutlet sandwiches, as well as northern treats like water ice. So, they decided to open a restaurant to fill that void. Nicky’s Undefeated is slated to open in Tucker (2316 Main Street) in June or July, offering Philadelphia sandwich staples and New Jersey-style pizza slices (Gebelein is from Jersey).
Serving lunch and dinner, it will feature items from Philadelphia and New Jersey, including Liscio’s Bakery breads, Dietz & Watson deli meat, and Herr’s potato chips. Ice cream, water ice (which is similar to Italian ice), canned peppers, and relish will also be shipped from the area. “We joke that we’re importing these things,” says Lo, who also owns Suzy Siu’s Bao and Ramen Station. “We want to have a sense of place and take you back [to Philly].”
Food will be ordered at the counter and brought to your table. Sandwiches include chicken cutlet with balsamic, mozzarella, prosciutto, and arugula, as well as cold cuts. Pizza slices will be large with a crust that slightly thicker and softer than New York-style. Entrees like chicken Parmesan and pasta will be offered as dinner specials. Sides include salad and cheese fries. Expect four to six flavors of water ice and another four to six of ice cream, scooped to order. There will be four beers on tap, plus others in bottles and can. Wine will be limited with cocktails leaning Italian.
Photo by Michael Lo
“A perfectly constructed cheesesteak is all about the ingredients; the right sturdy bread which is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, thinly shaved high-quality ribeye steak, good, melted cheese, slow-cooked onions, and a side of hot or sweet peppers,” Lo says in a press release. “It’s that level of attention to detail we are giving to our entire menu.”
The 2,000-square-foot space will seat 50 diners, plus another 10 at the bar. TVs will play major sports events—especially Philadelphia teams—and jerseys will hang on the walls. Lo describes it as a “cross between a deli and a sports bar” with neon signs and hand-painted murals.
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Carly Cooper
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