Arizona cheesesteak shop owner "brought Philly to the desert"
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (CBS) -- A Philadelphian here is serving up familiar food for Eagles fans, and is super busy ahead of Super Bowl LVII against the Kansas City Chiefs.
At Corleone's, owner Giovanni Caranci sells cheesesteaks, Italian hoagies and even Tastykakes.
Don’t mind me, just eating a cheesesteak at 4 AM. @CBSPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/tQrKVlBh13
— Marcella Baietto (@MarcellaBaietto) February 11, 2023
"I brought Philly to the desert," Caranci said. "I came out here for school and there were no good sandwiches, so I decided to open a cheesesteak shop. Twenty years later, we're still here."
Before bringing these ooey-gooey sandwiches to the desert, Caranci had a restaurant in Northeast Philly after coming from a long line of restaurant owners.
He and his family still get their steak from a local butcher in Philly. It's a tradition that allows him to keep in touch with his roots.
"The steak comes from Philly, I came from Philly," he said.
With Eagles fans out southwest for the big game, he's been overrun with fans every day seeking some hometown favorites.
"We're done taking [pre]orders, we can't take any more," Caranci added. "It's that busy."
Corleone’s in Scottsdale is bringing a taste of Philly to the desert! @CBSPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/Aqbj4nCJhN
— Marcella Baietto (@MarcellaBaietto) February 11, 2023
People who want to order Sunday will have to show up in person and wait.
He doesn't expect many Chiefs fans to show up.
"They know they're not allowed to come in here," he joked.
We were live with Giovanni all morning as he manned the grill and served up those Philly favorites. You can watch our taste test in the video above.