Indianapolis, Indiana – In central Indiana, there may not be a more fervent bunch of Philadelphia Eagles supporters than those who will gather to watch the big game on Sunday at Hoagies & Hops.
“Every time we score, I got my Liberty Bell…the fight song is going crazy,” Kristina Mazza, a Philadelphia native and the owner of Hoagies & Hops, said. “Everybody’s all hyped every time.”
Hoagies and cheesesteaks are famous in Philadelphia, but since 2015, Mazza and Hoagies & Hops have been selling them in the Circle City. 2019 saw the eatery relocate to its present site close to Butler University on Boulevard Place.
Mazza wants to turn Hoagies & Hops into the only “Eagles Nest” in the Midwest, and Cynthia Williams and Gaby McKain are just two of the many Philadelphia football supporters who frequent the eatery.
“When you come in here, it’s like you’re at a bar or restaurant back home to watch the game,” Williams said.
McKain claims that Hoagies & Hops is the best place to watch sporting events.
“Finding this place has just been amazing. Everybody knows your story, where you’re from,” McKain said. “There’s barely anyone without green in this place on gameday — which is unbelievable — and if you do show up without green on, you may get something said to you.”
Corn George, a fellow Philadelphia supporter, claims Hoagies & Hops is the spot to be on game day.
“If you ever come here for a game and you’re around Eagles fans, there’s an infectious nature of the love that we have for the game. You’re like, ‘I want to be a part of that for the rest of my life.”
You can anticipate that if the Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the crowd will always remember where they were on Super Bowl LVII night, just as they do when Philadelphia wins the championship just five years earlier.
“I want to see that win based on what it means for the future,” Corn George said. “Nothing is ever going to compare to what happened that first time.”
Williams added: “I won’t jinx it, but I am going to say the Eagles will get the win!”
If so, everyone might get to enjoy Philly cheesesteaks as part of the celebration.
