Marlow's Cheesesteaks and The Water Ice Shoppe bringing Philly style at Gahanna Creekside

A little bit of Philly is coming to Gahanna’s Creekside next month.

Jomar and Shanika Sheppard will open Marlow’s Cheesesteaks and The Water Ice Shoppe at 93 N. High St. – in the space formerly occupied by Arepazo restaurant.

Shanika Sheppard said April 30 is the target date to bring their home town of Philadelphia to central Ohio.

She said they started operating as a mobile business with an Italian ice cart in Eastland Mall in 2018, when they moved to Columbus.

The following year, she said, they moved their cart to the Mall at Tuttle Crossing near Dublin and then landed space for a food trailer with Marlow’s Cheesesteak at Easton in May of 2021.

She said they plan to continue the food trailer for private events and select festivals.

Sheppard, who formerly worked as a retail buyer, said she and her husband relocated to Columbus for her job.

“When COVID happened, the company shut down our division,” she said.

The Sheppards noticed there weren’t many options for Italian ice when they arrived in central Ohio.

“My husband and I talked and thought we should bring water ice here,” she said. “There are still a lot of people who don’t know what water ice is like. They ask if it’s like a snow-cone. It’s different because it’s blended. You don’t taste ice. Our texture is creamier than (another Italian ice brand). It’s like a sorbet.”

Sheppard said water ice is a staple in Philadelphia.

“You can get it in any neighborhood,” she said. “We are looking at bringing about 10 flavors.”

The Rainbow Water flavor features cherry, lemon and blue raspberry flavors; Tropical Rainbow is a mix of mango, cherry and passionfruit.

After operating the water ice business for a while, she said, she thought they needed to bring food to the table.

“In central Ohio, people enjoy eating,” she said. “People enjoy food. They like to sit down with family, talk and eat. I said it was a no-brainer.”

For their cheesesteaks, Sheppard said, it’s all Philadelphia-based staples, from the bread to the meat.

What makes it Philly-style is the bread, the type of meat and the "Wiz" (processed cheese sauce similar to Kraft's Cheez Whiz), she said.

“We will also have Provolone, American and Swiss. It’s all about the onions, hot peppers and mushrooms," she said. "No one will shame you if you don’t want onions. But if you’ve never had one (a Philly cheesesteak), we will say this is what you need.”

And if a customer isn’t a beef eater, Sheppard said, no problem. Other options are chicken and veggies, as well as fish on select days.

One of the signature cheesesteaks is called the Marlow Way, featuring steak, cheese sauce, provolone, sautéed onions, mushrooms and hot cherry peppers.

On the Marlow’s Cheesesteaks Facebook page, Anna Pascale wrote, “A Philly girl here waiting for opening day! The test is in the bread!”

Douglas Malek added, "Can’t wait for this restaurant! Love genuine Philly cheesesteaks. Can’t find around Ohio.”

Chuck Falter said he and his wife can’t wait to have a real cheesesteak and water ice.

“My wife is from Philly, and we vacationed in Wildwood for many years,” he said.

Nancy Parker-White wrote, “Hooray!!! So happy for you and for everyone to get to experience such great food!”

Sheppard said guests will be able to experience a taste of Philly, a one-stop shop, although they won’t find a combined cheesesteak and water ice shop in Philly.

“We didn’t want our customers to lose out,” she said. “We just wanted to make sure we were housing both brands in one place. The concept of the spot is that it will be fast-casual.”

The Gahanna business also will offer water ice infused with alcohol.

Sheppard said they’ve had their food truck at the Creekside Blue & Jazz Festival.

“We chose to open up in Gahanna because we have a pretty solid base within the community,” Sheppard said. “Gahanna is a close-knit community that embraces local businesses no matter the size. Whenever we have participated in community events, we have always received support.”

There will be seating for about 35 people inside the restaurant, and the patio will accommodate another 10.

Takeout and online ordering will be available, too.

Business hours will be noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

mkuhlman@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekMarla

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Marlow's Cheesesteaks and The Water Ice Shoppe bringing Philly style at Gahanna Creekside