By Charlie Stone

Stanley’s, a new sandwich shop in The Fan, describes itself online as “Your Place for a Philly,” which is fitting, as the co-creators, Mike Epps and James Kohler, made a sandwich-inspired pilgrimage to the city of brotherly love to find something to center their new corner dive. In an interview with Richmond Magazine, they tell how, before opening Stanley’s, they visiting the hoagie legend John’s Roast Pork in Philadelphia to find a flavor that would inspire their new venture. Stanley’s has now opened on the corner of Park Avenue and North Robinson, where The Robin Inn, a comfortable neighborhood corner spot, served locals and neighbors for decades.

Stanley’s interior. Photo credit: Charlie Stone.

As a corner spot, Stanley’s appears like a pub out of Philadelphia’s Old City historic neighborhood, or even bordering neighborhoods in South Jersey. A very casual and welcoming staff makes the experience ever more pleasant. A bar with a kelly green Randall Cunningham number 12 Eagles jersey and a dim backroom with a pool table round out the experience of the restaurant.

Walking in, we found our way to a booth near the back. Our group started pondering our simple menus, and a helpful waitress directed us to their flagships. Two cheesesteaks and a chicken cheesesteak were ordered off the “Hot Subs” section, and they came out quickly. Pleasantly surprised, we unpackaged our subs from the foil keeping them hot and began.

In shared meals with groups you enjoy, silence is rare. However, Stanley’s turned our group quiet within minutes. Simply elegant food combined with framed photos of NFL legends Michael Vick and Reggie White held our attention before we started talking about the quality of our food. My father, William Stone, said it was “up with the best I’ve had. Crazy, since it basically only has three ingredients.” The chicken cheesesteak was less rich, but the melted cheese and pickled hot and sweet peppers complimented the meal. The bill was reasonable, given the quality of the food. Mains, drinks, and sides came to around $20 per person.

Stanley’s cheesesteak. Photo credit: Stanley’s Instagram: @stanleysrva.

The menu keeps it straightforward, allowing the classics to thrive and elevating them to new levels. Sub shops in Philly use prime grade, thinly sliced and grass-fed ribeyes. Stanley’s does the same, keeping it simple, with only the basics. As we ate, we heard people around us say Stanley’s was the best cheesesteak of their life. A couple from Chicago sitting directly across from our booth said it was their top submarine, with one customer telling our waiter it was “the best sub I’ve ever had,” undeniably a significant claim for a newly opened restaurant.

Grass fed beef has less fat, giving the thin slices more texture and flavor. No condiments or sauce are needed on their classic sub; just the basics and a melted provolone top that comes out of the kitchen sizzling. For sides, the options are limited, yet classic. Southern style potato salad, fries, and classic salads are all great options to accompany a cheesesteak sub.

Featured image credit: Charlie Stone.