Estia

Located next to the Academy of Music in the Rittenhouse neighborhood, Estia specializes in upscale Greek cuisine. This is not your typical souvlaki and kebab joint but a cozy, tastefully decorated luxurious experience with solicitous waitstaff. The menu features fresh fish that is prominently on display and is sold by the pound. Most fish served in US restaurants is overcooked, over sauced, and frozen. It is the rare restaurant that sources fresh fish and knows how to prepare it. We were impressed with the skill and simplicity of the preparation and the quality of the fish. The moussaka was also excellent. Estia seemed to have a lot of corporate and professional types having a great time. Highly recommended.

My reviews are based on 4 different criteria: Presentation, Taste, Service, and Ambiance. In this visit, I was with 3 other people on a Saturday night in July. Presentation - The table was set and clear for us when we sat down. The menu's were also well presented. The plate presentation was immaculate and every order wowed us. (See pictures attached). I give them high marks for making the plate presentation as good as they did. (I am not sure what order it was but walking past us as some point was a dish that had active flames on it which was interesting). Taste - I failed to make this review right after our visit which I usually do but I do not remember my party or any one else having any issues with their food. Since they are a Mediterranean based restaurant, we all ordered something fish based. I had the halibut which tasted phenomenal and fresh. There is even a wall in the restaurant that had fish on display on ice that they seemed to choose from when ordering from their MP per pound fish selection on the menu. Overall, great tasting food and I wish I remembered more. Service - Our server, Saki, was incredible and I recommend requesting him for a great experience here. He had a sense of urgency and timed everything well to refill our drinks and take new orders if we had one. Ambience - From the moment we walked in, the host seated us promptly and the whole front of house staff worked well together to make our experience as comfortable as possible. One negative I did see if that there was limited space around the middle tables which made it difficult to move around at some points. Also the restaurant also had dim lighting but it was so dim that I needed to take my phone flashlight out to look at the menu which is not always a pleasant experience. The restaurant was also set up in a way to 'transport' the guests to Greece which was executed very well. (See Picture of roof protruding from the wall.) Overall, Estia's was a great experience for our party size and time of day on a Saturday. I would also recommend coming for a date night as the dim lighting made for a romantic setting and was not too loud even though there was a significant amount of people there. What would make this restaurant five stars is a little brighter lighting and better spacing of tables.

This review is purely for the prixe fix group meal for big parties. The cellar room was stunning and perfect for a big group dinner. The dips and bread to start off the meal were delicious! The eggplant dip especially wowed everyone. The calamari, the spanakopita, and fried cheese appetizers were not the best. The salads were refreshing and I especially loved the Caesar salad! The sea bass dish is the entree to pick! It was tender and light. Staff were welcoming and provided us with extra bread when asked.

Flagship of the Estia Group stable of Greek/Mediterranean eateries - which includes outposts in Radnor, PA, Marlton, NJ, and Naples, FL, as well as several Pietro's Coal Oven Pizzeria locations - the interior of Philadelphia's Estia Restaurant resembles a cozy Greek taverna. The ambiance is unobtrusively rustic, the lighting subdued, and there's a discreet hint of romance in the air. Stepping outside following your evening's repast, you could very well expect to catch a glimpse of the Acropolis of Athens rather than the Academy of Music. So much for atmosphere... Our visit to Estia Restaurant coincided not only with an afternoon orchestra concert at the Kimmel Center, but also Center City Restaurant Week. And during this time, Estia was offering a three-course dinner menu for $60.00 per person (plus beverages, tax & gratuity), which we planned to take advantage of... However, since the three-course theater menu contained more interesting choices and was $20.00 less per person, we decided to take that route (something to keep in mind should you be contemplating a future visit). But on to the food, which, unfortunately, was something of a mixed bag. To start things off, I choose the Horiatikiv - which also carried a $5.00 supplement - a country Greek salad that is comprised of tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onions, feta, and olives (sans lettuce), splashed with a red wine vinaigrette. This was quite good. The tomatoes were, as promised, vine ripened. They reminded me of Jersey tomatoes in season. However, as I know I've mentioned on several occasions, the key to a great Greek salad lies in the dressing - the proper proportions of oil, vinegar, herbs, and other seasonings - and, in this case, the extraordinary red wine vinaigrette is enough to turn heads.Conversely, my dining partner's Spanokopita - spinach, leeks, scallions, and feta cheese baked in homemade phyllo dough - a traditional Greek appetizer that should have been right on the money, suffered from an excessively dry crust and flavorless interior. Ditto the Salted Caramel Baklava. In addition, the promised caramel sauce was conspicuous by its absence, and the presentation was hardly what one would call photogenic. When it came to ordering entrées, in a most unusual move, we both happened to choose the Moussaka. And although this traditional Greek dish should have been a no-brainer, the kitchen somehow managed to muck up both orders. My dining companion's was nicely presented - but also a good deal less than lukewarm - and had to be sent back to be reheated. My presentation, while sporting the proper temperature, had obviously incurred significant structural damage, either during or immediately following the freefall to its final resting place.Estia's food can be quite good; in my humble opinion, however, not as good as it could be or should be... especially given the prices. The above-mentioned theater menu is something of a bargain, true. But, depending upon your gastronomic proclivities, ordering à la carte certainly has the potential for putting a major dent in your pocketbook. Take the Country Greek Salad pictured above, for example. It carries a $5.00 supplement as part of the theater menu. On the other hand, if ordered à la carte, it will set you back a cool twenty-dollar bill, which, to my way of thinking, is more than just a little over the top... When it comes to entrée prices, the above-mentioned Moussaka ($26.00) and Pasta a la Grecca - rigatoni with oven-roasted tomato sauce, sautéed spinach and feta cheese - ($23.00) I consider quite reasonable. From there, however, you begin moving into the high-rent district: Halibut and Tuna go for $40.00: Lobster Linguini, $45.00; Chilean Sea Bass, $50.00; Lamb Shops, $52.00; topping out at $62.00 for Prime Filet Mignon. By the way, under the "Whole Fish Selections" that sweet & flaky Dover Sole will set you back $54.00 per pound; Jumbo African Prawns $55.00/lb.; and Langoustines $58.00/lb.Estia's recommended wines - particularly their Greek wines - have their own unique pricing peculiarities... The Argyros "Atlantis" Assyrtiko, for example, is a white wine of impeccable quality that is also quite reasonably priced (approximately $24.00 per bottle).... Which is why Estia's price - $22.00 per glass/$85.00 per bottle - is so outrageous. Which, in turn, leads me to the bottom line: Underwelming and overpriced... I will not be returning anytime soon.

Lovely interior, very accommodating for our large group! Bathroom on the downstairs.Service was delightful but slow at times (beginning to order and end to pay). Lamb chops were ok. Drinks and bread was good.

Overall, it was a fabulous experience. Service was nice and friendly - food was well cooked. The ambiance was nice. Though, at times, it took a little longer for our server to pop by... we still had a very enjoyable time. We didn't feel rushed and overall the food was pretty good. Sangria was light but didn't come with any fruit as we expected.

One of my favorite restaurants I go to in the city. The quality of the food is amazing and the staff is just great. They are so hospitable, especially this one Greek man that was taking care of me during my birthday. I highly recommend! Great for groups and reservations are quite easy. Not sure how it'll be without a reservation. Definitely try their espresso martini!Food/Drinks: All amazing! I would recommend doing their sample menu if you want to try a bit of everything. However, you'd have to be hungry because it's a ton of food. I had their lobster pasta, roasted chicken, and lamb chops, and they were all delicious. True to the $$$.Ambience: Amazing! Makes you feel like you're in Greece, haha. Great for groups. Can bring a date as well but it's a bit loud.Rating: 9/10Pros: Lamb chopsCons: In middle of city so street parking might be tough. Lot parking available, but can be expensive

If you like Greek food you're going to enjoy Estia. Service was excellent could not have asked for a better server. She knew the menu and was able to explain the different dishes and help us decide. The decor was Greek as we hoped it would be. The food was excellent as we knew be.We enjoyed Estia and will be back

Authentic Greek Mediterranean Spot in Philadelphia. Estia! This restaurant is beautiful and always has been. Its exquisitely decorated with white washed wood and exposed beams and stone. The open bar and kitchen create an inviting vibe to watch all the action. The staff is attentive, helpful and experts on the gigantic menu.There is some exhilarating feeling I get when my food is delivered and it's smoking or on fire. The Saganaki! You know what I'm talking about! It's visually appealing, the food gets a nice char and flavor, kind of like dinner and a show. The crab cake was pure crab devoid of any nonsense embellishments per usual. For entrees, we ordered the branzino and halibut both impeccably prepared. The branzino's lemon butter flavors were excellent and served with Horta, wilted greens. The halibut was delicate and melted in your mouth. Excellent Philadelphia spot! Loved it!

Estia was a proximity and availability dinner decision. It was getting late and my team was exhausted so we were looking for something nearby. I open my Open Table app and filtered for 5 people, tonight, and a few options came up. My coworkers opted for Greek, so that is how we got to the decision of Estia. Our local colleagues mentioned it was a good pick. The restaurant looked upscale and dim lit. There were some couples at the corner tables making out when we were entering, so it's probably also a date night spot. They provided complimentary bread and my team shared a recommended Estia Chips ($20) and Spread Pikilia ($18) which comes with pita and 3 spreads in which we picked the Htipiti, Melitzanosalata, and Potato Skordalia. For our entrees, my team ordered the Moussaka ($26), Tuna Tartare ($21), Arugula Salata ($16) with added Grilled Chicken (+$7), and Lobster Linguini ($45). I had their Chilean Sea Bass Plaki ($50). The group seemed to really enjoy the food. I actually liked the appetizers more than I liked my entrée. I love sea bass and tend to order it when I see it on the menu but this sea bass was really acidic with the sauces and the portion size was small from being the most expensive thing ordered. The staff here is obsessed with clearing your plate, sometimes before you're even ready. When this lady was trying to grab one of the appetizers, my coworker said she was still working on it and the funny thing is that they took my coworkers individual plate away. Struggles. We were like, I guess you eat off the serving plate? And then when she was clearing my other coworkers plate, she threw their fork and knife into my plate. I wasn't done lady. Sigh. Fine, take it away. For a high end fine dining priced restaurant, I don't like feeling rushed with the food getting cleared before I'm done with it. This place has potential, but they have some things to work on.