New food at Wells Fargo Center calls on the Philly big guns

Each year, Aramark’s chefs at the Wells Fargo Center explore Philadelphia’s streets for dishes that capture the city’s food scene.

This approach has highlighted local chefs, like Old City’s Campo’s Philly Cheesesteaks or South Jersey’s Omari Ramen Bar, and welcomed renowned restaurateur Stephen Starr, who developed Adrian, a classic tavern concept within the arena.

“We spend the entire offseason finding inspiration and ideating new concepts that we can bring in-house for the new season,” said Anthony Campagna, WFC’s senior executive chef. “We travel the city and have chef nights out so we experience culinary trends and the scene throughout Philadelphia.”

For 2024, Campagna enlisted two new partners: Cheryl’s Southern Style Cuisine from West Chester and the Jersey Shore’s AC Subs, which collaborates with Formica Freitag Bakery to deliver fresh rolls for the hoagies.

He also worked with Marc Vetri and Jose Garces, who operate current arena concessions, to expand offerings. Vetri brings his Center City pizzeria, Salvy, to the Wells Fargo Center, while Garces’ Buena Onda adds tacos and rice bowls to the offerings.

Here are the new food menu items and concession stands at the Wells Fargo Center.

Section 106

Loaded mash waffles with hot honey and fried chicken from The Coop.

Section 117 East Food Hall

Hand-carved pastrami, topped with Swiss cheese and fermented cabbage.

Section 107

A Levantine salad sandwich with local hothouse tomatoes, mint, and parsley, stuffed into an herb wrap at Melissa’s.

Section 104, 207

An unconventional nacho platter served with pastrami, Swiss cheese fondue, grilled onions, and Russian dressing.

Section 112

At Chef Garces' Buena Onda stand, enjoy two new menu items. An adobo chicken taco with queso fresco, and salsa Mexicana on a flour tortilla. Plus, a top seller, the red hot chili short rib bowl with black beans, white rice, chipotle mayo, and cabbage slaw.

Section 114

One of Marc Vetri’s newest ventures, Pizzeria Salvy, opened in Wells Fargo Center this season, serving up cheesesteak calzones with shaved rib-eye, Cooper sharp cheese, and caramelized onion, and Caprese calzones with heirloom tomato, buffalo mozzarella, and basil.

Section 107

This Southern food chain has cropped up across the Philly Region from West Chester to the Philadelphia Union‘s Subaru Park. Now, Cheryl‘s Southern Style Cuisine is coming to South Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center. Enjoy smoked chicken or BBQ pulled pork sandwiches with creamy slaw on a brioche bun, alongside traditional mac n‘ cheese. Combine all of Cheryl‘s southern goodness into Cheryl’s Broad Street Bowl, a mac ‘n cheese, pork or chicken, onion, and sauce bowl.

Section 110, 221

While these bakers and sandwich makers are from Atlantic City, they‘re putting together some mean hoagies — no Philly fan is calling it a “sub” — including a classic Italian with assorted meats, provolone, and veggies and a cheesesteak with shaved rib-eye and Cooper sharp cheese, both on a roll from Formica’s Bakery.