Paparella ’77 Brings Philly Cheesesteaks to Italy

In the seaport town of Trani, Italy, where pasta and pizza reign supreme, Michael Paparella ’77 embarked on a business venture to bring a taste of Philadelphia overseas. His restaurant, Philly’s Steaks, opened in August 2023. The interior walls are decorated with Philadelphia sports and other iconic memorabilia. Philadelphia radio is even piped in to give it a truly authentic feel. 

Paparella's inspiration arose from an observation made over two decades ago when fast-food giant McDonald's entered the Italian market. “I thought the Italians would snub their noses at American food, in particular fast food; but obviously, I was wrong,” Paparella explains. “I kept asking myself: how is it that the Philadelphia cheesesteak is nowhere to be found and completely unknown in this market, especially given the fact that the sandwich was invented in South Philly by an Italian-American immigrant.”

Paparella worked in the restaurant industry while attending college at Loyola University Chicago, but since then, his career has focused primarily on international sales and developing international markets for Silicon Valley tech startups. Together, these experiences helped lead to Philly’s Steaks. 

The seeds of the restaurant venture were sown when a friend approached Paparella with a business proposition. Intrigued by the idea of bringing the Philly cheesesteak to Italy, Paparella seized the opportunity to turn his vision into a reality. Thus, Philly’s Steaks emerged as the first operation in Italy dedicated to serving authentic Philadelphia cheesesteaks, along with other American staples like burgers and fries. While the first Philly’s Steaks location is in Trani, where Paparella’s business partner is located, the pair have their eyes set on expansion to larger cities in Italy — particularly Rome and Florence — and across Europe and Asia. 

Reflecting on his formative years at the Prep, Paparella holds many fond memories. “Going to the Prep every day was a pleasure,” he recalls. “It was a constant learning experience, and I was surrounded by driven students and great teachers. It was just a wonderful place to go to school. I never minded being there starting very early in the morning to late into the evening.” Paparella earned a degree in political science from Loyola, thinking his future would be in government affairs, before ultimately starting a long career in sales. He credits teachers like Dr. Henry Bender ’63 for instilling skills and values that allowed him to be flexible in choosing his professional path.

If you are interested in learning more about business opportunities with Philly’s Steaks, please reach out to Michael at mp85259@gmail.com.