Charleys Cheesesteaks, recently named the top cheesesteak in the country, is coming to Sanford.
Amgad Attalla, a multi-unit franchisee in Florida, Virginia, and Delaware, just applied for permits with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation to open a Charleys at 1920 South French Avenue. No opening date has been announced.
In 1986, Charley Shin, an undergrad at Ohio State University opened a cheesesteak shack called Charley’s Steakery after falling in love with the sandwich. The tiny restaurant became a hit with his fellow students who clamored for the satisfying meal paired with an ice cold lemonade. Today, Charleys Cheesesteaks is the world’s largest Philly cheesesteak franchise, with more than 850 locations worldwide.
The restaurant uses only 100% USDA choice steak, all-white-meat chicken, and fresh vegetables in each sandwich. There are traditional cheesesteaks, chicken cheesesteaks, and even veggie cheesesteaks. Additional, guests can enjoy loaded fries, wings, shakes, sodas, and lemonade.
In November 2025, Charleys was named the country’s best cheesesteak by Eat This, Not That! following a national taste test by professional chef and contributor Chef Rena, who sang the sandwich’s praises: “They get the basics down: thinly sliced sirloin, cooked on a hot griddle, loaded with onions, and served on a soft roll that holds up without going soggy. Their cheese melt is perfect. It hugs the meat instead of drowning it.”
