Customers can expect traditional Philly cheesesteaks served with provolone cheese or Cheese Whiz, as well as other options such as chicken, plant-based beef, oxtail, turkey burnt ends or Korean BBQ.
For those staying away from carbs, the restaurant will have cheesesteak protein bowls featuring a saffron lemon, cilantro rice or cheesesteak wraps. Sides will include fries or chips.
The restaurant is teaming up with Sweetie’s Treats, a bakery owned by Shafton Greene’s 15-year-old daughter, Adrianne Greene, for desserts.
This is not the first time Shafton Greene has sold cheesesteaks. He added steak, salmon, jerk chicken and plant-based beef cheesesteaks to SOCA’s menu after many customer requests.
Shafton Greene is looking forward to bringing the taste of east coast-style cheesesteaks to the Dayton region.
When asked what makes a good cheesesteak, he said the bread, seasoned meat and cheese matters.
“Those are kind of like the base of a good cheesesteak,” Shafton Greene said. “The texture (of the bread) is something that’ll hold up to the meat and the cheese and the moisture, but not too hard to where you can’t enjoy it. A real good Philly depends on the bread.”
The father-son duo wants to be a quick, convenient option for people on the go.
“I’m most excited about serving my customers, making sure they’re happy, seeing the smiles on their faces (and) being able to get them in and out,” said Shafton “Wesley” Greene Jr.
He’s been working with his dad since he was 7 years old.
“I follow him wherever he goes,” Shafton “Wesley” Greene Jr. said. “He’s my hero.”
Shafton Greene has had the idea of opening a cheesesteak restaurant for awhile, but this was an opportunity to bring more people into the food hall.
He decided to open a second business inside W. Social to fill a space that’s been empty since the end of June.
“West Social is a beacon of light on this side of the town,” Shafton “Wesley” Greene Jr. said. “Once they started building this, I’ve seen this city light up in a way that I never could have expected.”
“At the end of the day, this is my community,” Shafton Greene said. “I want to see it grow, and I want to be a positive role model for my kids to see.”
He also wants to be a role model for others in the community.
“I came from nothing,” Shafton Greene said. “Some kids may be in poverty, they might feel like they can not do it, but I’m a true testament to where I came from to where I’m right now.”
Shafton Greene is also opening Haymarket Deli & Sweets on West Third Street, less than 100 yards west of the food hall. He’s expecting the deli to open next summer.
Natalie Jones writes about food and dining in Southwest Ohio with an emphasis on the Dayton region. She may be reached at natalie.jones@coxinc.com.
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