Food

Taylor Charles Steak & Ice Announces an Opening Date (Menu)

The cheesesteak spot from the Taylor Gourmet crew debuts next week.

Taylor Gourmet owners David Mazza and Casey Patten. Photograph by Chris Leaman.

It’s been a big week for the Taylor Gourmet guys. First came the news that they’ve signed a lease in the former Mid City Deli space on 14th and P streets, Northwest. Now a rep for the restaurant says they’ve set December 12 as the debut date for their first and only cheesesteak spot, Taylor Charles Steak & Ice.

Owners David Mazza and Casey Taylor Patten are both Philly natives, and are hoping to reproduce authentic cheesesteaks in the H Street spot. It’s a tricky proposition: As soon as a restaurant tries “authentic” anything, the harshest critics—some may call them “haters”—emerge (barbecue, cheesesteaks, and New York pizza have a particularly vocal following). Still, the duo is forging ahead; you’ll find Philadelphia signatures like two kinds of Whiz—original Cheez or house-made white—and the choice to customize your sandwich “wit” or “wit-out” grilled onions. There are also dishes you won’t find at a Pat’s or Geno’s, like truffled cheesesteak spring rolls with a white Whiz dipping sauce, a green chili chicken cheesesteak, and Bay-style fries dusted with crab seasoning. Whether you’re going traditional or off the grid, it can all be washed down the old-fashioned Philadelphia way with lemon water ice.

Once Taylor Charles Steak & Ice opens, nab a spot at one of the large picnic tables or take your feast to go, which may be the option of choice for those heading in late on Friday and Saturday nights, when Taylor Charles will stay open until 3:30 AM. Delivery service will start soon after the restaurant opens. Check back in with us for a preview, and in the meantime, pique your taste buds’ curiosity with the menu.

Food Editor

Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.