Forget Philadelphia: In the far north of Sweden, locals and tourists alike chow down on Arctic cheesesteaks, their 'hoagie' soft buns piled high with moose and reindeer meat.

The idea for the special sandwich came from Zebastian Bohman and his partner, Cecilia Abrahamsson, who run Stejk Street Food in Kiruna, some 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle.

They created their special dish to whet the appetite of visitors to Swedish Lapland, as well as local miners who need a hearty meal to keep them full on their long shifts underground.

The sandwich is modelled on the Philly cheesesteak - even though the couple have never been to Philadelphia.

Typically made with thinly sliced beef, cheese and onions, cheesesteaks are Philadelphia's religion.

There's an art form to ordering ('wit' or ‘wit-out’ onions) and an unspoken rule that Cheez Whiz, a gooey processed cheese advertised as having a mild cheddar taste, is irreplaceable.

What makes the Swedish sandwich different from a Philly cheesesteak is the ingredients: locally harvested meats of moose and reindeer, in homage to the area’s long tradition of reindeer herding by the Sami Indigenous people.

Last week, thousands of visitors descended upon Kiruna to watch as its historic church was moved three miles (five kilometers) east as part of the town’s relocation, necessary as the world’s largest underground iron-ore mine is threatening to swallow the city.

Many of the spectators ended up dining at the couple's food truck, and tucking into the special sandwich.

Each week, Stejk Street Food goes through 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of ground moose and 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of specialty smoked reindeer for about 500 cheesesteaks and 500 meat-and-fries orders.

Since the food truck's 2015 opening, the menu has also expanded to burgers, salads and French fries topped with moose or reindeer (or both) for those who don't relish sticking their face into an enormous roll.

Bohman admits that the meat doesn't come cheap.

While a Philly cheesesteak runs a diner between $16 and $18, a regular-size Arctic cheesesteak costs 245 Swedish krona (nearly $26).

But those who've tried it say it's worth every penny.

AP video by Pietro De Cristofaro