Top hotels elevate everyday dishes into must-have dining experiences by focusing on local collaborations, interactive experiences like cooking classes, bespoke culinary offerings through AI and data, theatrical presentations and integrating storytelling and local culture into the dining narrative. By emphasizing these aspects, hotels transform simple meals into memorable events that guests seek out, enhancing engagement, fostering repeat visits and often creating shareable moments for social media.
This shift is driven by increased competition, changing guest demands for experiential dining and a focus on locally-sourced options. Examples include elevating comfort food like baked potatoes with truffles and caviar or repurposing leftovers into gourmet items.
The Bellevue Hotel, an iconic property at the intersection of South Broad and Walnut Street, stands as Philadelphia’s Grande Dame of the 21st Century, over 120 years after her founding. The Bellevue Hotel is noted for its ornate, Belle Epoque French Renaissance architecture, rich history and luxurious features, including a top-floor restaurant and bar with city views, access to the upscale Sporting Club and its significant role in Philadelphia’s history, once serving as the city’s first Parisian-style grand hotel.
Bellevue’s original open-air rooftop at Pergola, a romantic restaurant overlooking Center City Philadelphia, serves classic grand hotel fare along with with new Philadelphia cuisine in a menu meant to be enjoyed leisurely morning to night.
However, for a more whimsical touch the Bellevue recently gave one of Philadelphia’s most iconic dishes the five-star treatment with its $100 Cheesesteak Maître D’ Service. This elevated, one-of-a-kind in-room dining experience presents the city’s beloved sandwich – whose origins date back to the 1930s – on a silver platter with white-glove service, blending luxury with the comfort and flavor of the classic.
Hand-delivered by The Bellevue’s concierge with elegance and warmth, the cheesesteak features Wagyu steak, caramelized onions, cremini mushrooms and aged sharp provolone on a seeded roll from Sarcone’s Bakery, a famed South Philly institution. It is topped with shaved truffle and served with long hots, pickles from Fishtown Pickle Project, roasted garlic aioli, French fries and a Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer. The service is priced at $100 and is available on the in-room dining menu from 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily. It may just become the city’s most indulgent bite, and right in time for the start of the Eagles season.
The Cheesesteak Maître D’ Service is more than just a meal. It is an experience. From premium cuts of beef and pickles sourced from a local business to artisanal bread from a neighborhood bakery, combined with tableside presentation and personalized service, every detail is crafted to deliver elegance, artistry and a story guests will remember.
Chef Kevin Kaser of Cescaphe says, “The Bellevue has always stood for elevating tradition. The $100 cheesesteak is our way of reimagining Philadelphia’s most famous dish as a true luxury experience, created with the finest ingredients and paired with the theatricality of a maitre’d service. It is elevated, playful and served with elegance. At The Bellevue, we’ve always embraced innovation while honoring tradition. While this is our first cheesesteak maitre’d experience, it reflects the same philosophy behind all of our offerings, transforming the familiar into something unforgettable. We expect delight, intrigue and, of course, conversation. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a lifelong Eagles fan, the $100 cheesesteak is meant to spark joy, surprise and a sense of Philadelphia pride.”
Fun Facts About The Philly Cheesesteak
- 197,552 restaurants nationwide offer a Philly cheesesteak on their menus.
- Social media about Philly cheesesteaks has increased by 18% since 2024.
- Geno’s Steaks sells up to 4,500 sandwiches per day.
- In 1988 the Philadelphia Eagles made a 365-foot, 7-inch cheesesteak weighing 1,790 pounds on a single roll.
- There’s a cheesesteak cheesecake built on a crushed cracker crust, and made of a cream cheese and provolone base. It’s topped with steak, onions and peppers.