Bradley Cooper's Philly Cheesesteak Draws Big Crowds at Danny & Coop's

Bradley Cooper has debuted in his latest leading role as a restaurateur and occasional chef at Danny & Coop’s restaurant in the East Village.

The cheesesteak joint at 151 Avenue A, now open with hours posted on Instagram, has attracted long Lines in Alphabet City.

That’s partly due to its hours and its popular co-owner and drop-in chef, who has star power from films like Silver Linings Playbook, A Star is Born, and Maestro, among others. It is also due to the excellence of the Philly cheesesteak.

Cooper partnered with Danny DiGiampietro, the owner of Angelo’s Pizzeria in Philadelphia, known for its Philly cheesesteaks.

The eatery teased the public with a small pop-up preview in late December and has been on again, off again lately. Cooper returned to the kitchen for an occasional star turn, and fans lined up to glimpse him in a kitchen apron and black gloves.

“I heard that the cheesesteaks are good,” said Matthew Paul Pomykala, who traveled from Passaic, N.J. to try the Bradley Cooper cheesesteak spot. “I’m excited to see if Bradley Cooper’s in there cooking food.”

Cooper was cooking that day, helping make cheesesteaks with several other employees. Some say the sandwiches are the star. They are packed with beef, onions, and Cooper Sharp cheese (no relation to the actor) on sesame seed buns made in-house.

Even though it’s still new, the restaurant boasts 74,000 followers on Instagram and holds four out of five stars on Yelp.

The question is whether the shine will persist even if Cooper isn’t in the kitchen and whether the Philly cheesesteaks will be enough to attract crowds, as the sandwiches may eventually become the main attraction.