The Most Flavorful Italian in Philadelphia

Angelo's Italian Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.4 (104)

"I don't know what took us so long! I've driven past this restaurant since it opened, but never stopped. My husband was given a gift certificate for it so we finally tried it, and we will definitely be back! Our server was Amanda, and she could not have been more welcoming. She was also on top of everything; we usually won't order an entree until we've had our appetizer bc we've had the entree delivered while still eating the app, which is maddening. Amanda promised that would not happen, and she kept that promise. So service gets 5 stars, or more! The food was excellent as well. We shared the meatball app with whipped ricotta; delicious. Our dinners, lasagna for me, ravioli with side of sausage for my husband, were excellent as well. We didn't go into the bar area but I peeked in and it looks like a beautiful, large bar. Apparently they do a pretty good Happy Hour business as well. All in all we loved the place, service and food. We will be back! Just sorry it took so long to get there!"

LaSpada's Original Steaks & Hoagies

★★★★☆ 3.5 (47)

"Stopped by recently for 8 assorted hoagies and 8 assorted cheese steaks to take on a long trip back to the Washington DC area. All made right after opening time in the morning. The ladies were all wonderful to chat with while waiting. They packaged the meats and the fixings individually in plastic wrap separate from the 'to die for' bread that's the key to a good Philly hoagy or cheese steak. I didn't think of that nor ask for it. All on their initiative once they knew this was a take out to DC. Of course I tipped them big time! Look, I don't know if they are the BEST steaks and hoagies in Philly. But they are the BEST me and my guests - all Philly natives - have had in years."

Opa Vera's Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.6 (153)

"Really good, fresh flavors and great service. I had the salad with gyro meat. Crispy greens, yummy meat, delicious sauce. Will definitely go back."

Villa Di Roma

★★★★☆ 3.9 (507) • $$

"When I'm craving Italian American pasta, this is where I go. And every pasta dish I've had here quenches that craving. We always get the fried asparagus too. Cash only. They've got an ATM machine. Come in and put your name in with the host who stands at the end of the bar. Saturday night around 6pm we waited 30 minutes. We passed the time at the bar. Dinner on the weekends expect a wait time. It's always bustling and boisterous--a fun casual atmosphere that makes this Ohio transplant feel like I'm a part of South Philly Italian Market culture."

Rocco's Italian Sausage

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (3)

"If you are looking for high standard, classic Philly sandwiches, then look no further than your Home Depot. Wait...what? That's right - I said it, and I can't believe, but the Rocco's sandwich joint outside HD is actually slinging some great food - from classic sausage and peppers, to their speciality breakfast sandwich - "the gavone." One of the most accurately named sandwiches, because I felt like a pig afterwords, but I enjoyed every second of eating it.This breakfast sando is a combination of eggs, steak, peppers, potatoes, onions, cheese, and their hot sauce. This will fill you up for the entire day, and it was delicious! Only served till 10:30, so don't sleep in and miss it."

Pescatore

★★★★☆ 4 (207) • $$$

"This is our 2nd go around with Pescatore. The vibe here is old school Italian American. This place hasn't changed one bit since it opened way back when! We had a large group for a Saturday evening and we were seated and taken care of very well and throughout the whole night. What we snagged:-Calamari -Mussels -Sunday Gravy -Veal Mia (VERY Flavorful) -Chicken Milanese Overall, the meal was great. Highly recommend checking this place out for a great meal that's BOYB. Can't catch those in Philly. Only downfall was my wife's uncooked chicken. Like WAY undercooked. Sent it back and it was fixed. They even gave us a free cannoli to apologize. Very sweet."

Two Eagles Cafe

★★★★★ 4.5 (79) • $$

"Two Eagles can be found in a quieter section of Point Breeze, not found along any major roadways. So, make it a point to go over there - it's worth every second.I like the aesthetic of the location: it's small, quiet, but still has a decent amount of seating for the space it occupies. It's decorated nicely, and I enjoy staring at everything on the walls. I stopped in, ordered some avocado toast and a latte and some other small items, and was very pleased with my total cost at the end. I feel like I've made similar orders at cafes only to pay much more for what I paid for here.I've been there a few times now, and I've been greeted by a different person each time, and they're all incredibly warm and friendly. This also makes Two Eagles that much more appealing.Highly recommend."

By George! Pizza Pasta & Cheesesteaks

★★★★☆ 3.8 (326) • $$

"You see the cheesesteak picture is only half because I broke the rule of camera eats first. That's how much I enjoyed this cheesesteak. It's been my favorite one I've had here so far. I had cooper sharp ketchup mayo onions salt and pepper. The line was long because it was lunch time but the cashier was efficient fast and friendly. It was clean and I would definitely eat there again."

Fiorino

★★★★★ 4.5 (439)

"An East Falls institution. Basically situated in a row home this restaurant leaves little elbow room between the person next to you. This isn't a bad thing you should just go in expecting this. Reservation times are staggered and there may be only one or two veteran servers to take your order along with a couple of cooks in the back but this place hits the nail on the head for classic Italian dining. It's not Italian-American by any means...it's Italian Italian like something outta a side street in Rome. It's BYO...don't skimp on the dessert or cappuccino...treat yourself."

Cicala at the Divine Lorraine

★★★★☆ 3.5 (130)

"What an amazing experience! The vibe of this restaurant is sexy and romantic. My husband and I sat in a banquette and it was so cozy. We were heading to a show at the Met and we arrived late due to traffic on broad street. The staff was so accommodating and made sure we enjoyed ourselves but got to the show with plenty of time. We had a wonderful time, the sommelier was helpful in picking out a great wine, our waitress was a doll. Food was amazing, started with burrata and grilled octopus, 2 pastas which were both delish and shared an entree, the short rib special. Photos below. This is a great date night place!"

Trattoria Totaro

★★★★☆ 4 (162)

"3.5/5 Ambiance. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. I sat outdoors and they were playing some nice jazz music to set the vibe! Our seat did have the AC dripping on the side but it wasn't too bad. You see the sunset and it gives kind of like a beach vibe, with this restaurant at the corner of a neighborhood.4.5/5 Service. Our waitress was nice and knew the specials of the day really well. Everyone was so kind.4/5 Food. The bread basket here is AMAZING! My friend and I ate 4 baskets and craved for more the next morning . The bread is lightly toasted and has soft, chewy insides. We had the lobster ravioli for appetizer, which tasted so good. It is creamy but the lobster stuffing inside has a kick of spiciness, which balances it really well. You get 3 raviolis, which was perfect for an appetizer. The portion sizes for the pastas are really big, and I was so full when it was time for the entree (probably because of all the bread...) But overall, everything tasted pretty good!"

Evo Brickoven Pizza

★★★★☆ 4 (201) • $$

"We got take out from here while staying nearby at our kids home. It's nice to be able to walk to get the food. The sauce is delicious and the ingredients are yummy but I feel like thedough/crust needs something. Overall a decent pizza."

La Sera Italiana

★★★★★ 4.8 (24)

"Good place to hang out with friends after work, very relaxing vibe. Fast service and you can bring BYOB as well. The mushroom appetite is very good. You can eat the sauce with the bread. Broccolini rabe as a side dish is a decent size. I'm sure the broccolini rabe with sausage will taste amazing as well. Chicken masala is very flavorful."

Savona

★★★★☆ 3.5 (233) • $$$

"My family and I came here last night to celebrate a friend's birthday, and it was just as fabulous as our last experience!The ambiance is modern and classy. It really is a great spot for a special night out, but they also have great apps/pizzas so you could just come sit at the bar for a more casual vibe. They change there menu seasonally, which means there is always something new to try! The bread for the table is SO GOOD! I love the olive oil they put with it and the texture is perfect. For starters, we shared the shrimp cocktail, calamari, and fried artichokes! All were 5 stars. I actually liked the sauce that came with the artichokes the best and was dipping my calamari in it! For my entree, I had the risotto, which came with jumbo lump crab, and almost a Mexican style spicy salsa. It was delicious! I ate every bit and would definitely order this again. Everyone loved their meals and we shared the caramel crunch brownie. If you are a chocolate/caramel lover, you need to try this dessert! It was so good and the crunchy bits really made it.I look forward to coming back and seeing what they bring for their fall/winter menus!"

Pina's Pizza

★★★★☆ 3.6 (57) • $

"Tried delivery for this spot even though it was up in another area. The mega fries were amazing. The cheesiest, fullest medium size i've ever had, along with lots of bacon and also jalapeños to make the flavor just perfect. Can't wait to try pizza as well!"

Pietro's Pizzeria

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (169) • $$

"Loved the pear mule (just need better straws since mine disintegrated super quick and couldn't use to drink). The short rib pizza was fantastic. Chicken parm looked good but didn't try. The pasta with chicken and spinach was fantastic sauce. A lot of tomatoes if you like tomatoes. Service was so nice and on the ball. Food was reasonably priced and delicious and great portion sizes, we all had leftovers. Christmas themed restaurant for the holiday. Outdoor seating and free parking lot for parking. Will definitely be coming back."

Via Locusta

★★★★☆ 4.3 (362) • $$$

"So fun!! One of the best happy hours in the city.I took my partner here for his birthday, and it happened to also be happy hour during the time our reservation was scheduled - boy, that saved me a lot! The happy hour had one of the best selections of food and drinks, and you don't need a spot at the bar to take advantage. The service was fantastic too - all the staff were sweet, energetic and engaging. They were quick with great recommendations. We thought the focaccia bread was a little overrated, especially because we preferred to fill up on their pasta (the non-happy hour crab pasta entree was to die for). But we tried so many (not watered down!) happy hour cocktails and plates. The ambiance is also beautiful and laid back. A place you'd want to spend hours in. Definitely worth it and a great value. We will definitely be back :)"

Tony Roni's Pizza Roxborough

★★★★☆ 3.5 (106) • $

"Tony Roni's is a local mini Italian and pizza chain that is actually very decent and def a step or two above national chains and some other local pizzerias.  However there is none in my neighborhood and to reach the closest one I have to traverse on the only road and bridge which goes across and through the scenic Vale of the Wissahickon to reach the Roxborough neighborhood of Philly.  It's not something I do that often at mealtime and it would have to be for something special.  So for regular pizzas I'll stay more local but you see Tony Roni's has Thai Pizza (it's not pure Thai flavoring but different enough) and I do like this style so it's worth the trip.  This is a flavorful non-traditional pizza with a combination of toppings that work ... and it also holds up nicely to reheating the next day.  Thai pizza anyone?"

Bomb Bomb

★★★★☆ 4 (132)

"Finally got to check out Bomb Bomb, this place was recommended by my boyfriend's family and we'd never been. Best way I can describe it is if EPCOT had a South Philly attraction, this would be it. This is an Italian bar/restaurant frozen in the 90s with great food and service. We ordered the chicken parm, linguine and clams, and the icebox cake. There was also bread and butter plus olive oil on the house. Everything was delicious, and I love that the cake came in a beer glass with 2 long spoons. Portions are filling, save some bread to mop up the sauce! Will be back to try their famous ribs. There were plenty of tables the weekend after Thanksgiving and no issues parking either."

Ambrosia Ristorante BYOB

★★★★★ 4.5 (278)

"When I tell you this is a MUST TRY!!!We came to this restaurant on a whim on the last full day of our Philly trip, and this was one of the best Italian restaurants I've ever visited. Not only is the atmosphere cute and cozy, the food was delicious and the staff are attentive!To drink I had the grenadine cocktail--a dirty Shirley which is always good. Starting with the herb Caesar salad--im not a big salad eater, but this one takes the cake. I'm craving it as I write this back home in Maryland. The homemade dressing is so full of flavor and they are generous with the parm! The lemon zest is a great touch too. Then we had the mussels appetizer which, I had to drink the broth they were sitting in after, haha. Cooked to perfection with a shallot-wine-lemon-esque dressing that I've never tasted before.Lastly, we had the special of the night, a pasta with crab and shrimp that was to die for! Similar base as the sauce that the mussels came in, but different and great! I had mine with gluten free noodles which held their shape!I'm not sure the next time I'll be back in Philly, but this is at the tippy top of my list when I do! Thanks Ambrosia for the delicious food!"

Little Nonna's

★★★★☆ 4.2 (1430) • $$

"Ambiance: 8/10. The inside looks really nice and intimate. They have outside seating in front of the restaurant which is nice. They also have seating in the back/side of the restaurant. It's a bit removed from the main room (need to walk through a tunnel area to get there) buts it's quieter and relaxing.Food: 9/10! The food here was really good! I got the charred broccoli caesar salads as recommended by three waitress. It came out first and it was really nice! Great flavor and charr on the broccoli and it had pieces of fried polenta cubes that elevated the dish! I also had the spaghetti and meatballs! The sauce and pasta were great! Seasoned very nicely and cooked perfectly. The meatballs were good, large and filling. I would prefer them a bit more seasons but mixing a bit of the cheese definitely rounded the flavorPrice: $46 total (including tip). I was very full at the end and took about 1/3 of the meal back to my hotel to eat later. Didn't mind the price at all especially since I got two dishes"

Rocco's Italian Sausage

★★★★★ 4.5 (103)

Maria's Ristorante on Summit

★★★★☆ 3.7 (117) • $$

"It has been a long time since we had dinner at Maria's ( before the pandemic), but it has not lost a step. The bar area has supersonic sound when it is crowded, but the dining room is the exact opposite -- quiet and very pleasant. Everything we had was excellent, especially the spinach salad (huge) and delicious cod special. And the "house" Chardonnay at $10 was much better than much more expensive ones I have had elsewhere. And a FULL glass, unlike most restaurants. And our server, Cate, was the absolute best -- a delightful, charming, friendly lady with a great sense of humor. A wonderful neighborhood restaurant for 20 years!"

Marra's

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (330)

"Traditionally well done pasta. I have heard people rave about this place. Reasonable prices. People are nice and I could hear the South Philly accents. Eye candy here doesn't hurt either.One of my friends tried to make a reservation on Fri and Sat for Sun and their phone's voicemail was full. Seems pointless to have a phone number if it isn't being used besides the appearance of having one to have one.Hard work and good food are the vibes I get here. Pasta is made from scratch- so you know it is good!"

L'Anima

★★★★☆ 4.3 (161) • $$

"We've lived right around the corner from L'anima for 2 years, and we finally made it to try out their cuisine! I easily made reservations for me, my husband, and my parents on a Friday night. The inside space is quite large, and they also offer ample outdoor seating. It was a blistering summer day, so we were super grateful to be in the nice AC of the restaurant! The decor is simple yet modern, although not much from the decor screams "Italian restaurant." We did love the large light fixture in the middle of the room (is it pasta? is it octopus tentacles??)! Our service was very attentive during our meal, and our server provided many helpful suggestions. L'anima's menu is small but large enough to showcase some great pastas and more. We all split their seasonal app with corn and crab, which was delightful and fresh for the season. We indulged in the complimentary bread that hit our table prior to our meal coming out, which is always a welcome addition to any meal. The accompanying oil was a nice touch, as well. For mains, I had my eye on the squid ink pasta, which did not disappoint. It was pretty full of tuna, and the simplicity yet complexity of the squid ink infused tonnarelli was excellent. One of the best pasta dishes I've had in Philly! My husband and dad went for the papperdelle with boar bolognese, which they highly regarded. My mom opted for the potato gnocchi - after trying a bite, I was a tad jealous I didn't go for this dish, although I did love mine. The gnocchi weren't too heavy themselves, and they were nicely paired with a light yet somewhat dense cream sauce and many mushrooms. Another of the finer Philly pasta dishes I've tried! On top of our delish pasta, we loved that L'anima was BYOB without a corkage fee (something my parents are not used to in their hometown of Pittsburgh). With the $$ we saved on wine, we were able to enjoy our pastas and app without concern. Overall, we loved L'anima and I would argue that they have some of the finest homemade pasta dishes in the city. I'm only disappointed that it took me so long to get here! I would highly recommend anyone looking for an authentic BYOB Italian restaurant at a reasonable price point. We will definitely be back!"

Sontuosa

★★★★☆ 4 (102) • $$

"Food is authentic! Service is great! Indoor and outdoor dining spaces are very pleasant!One thing to consider: Food portion is not large for the price."

Mister P’s Pizza & Pasta

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (67)

"This place is a Roxborough neighborhood staple. My dear friend Dee introduced me to it.First, it's not "destination dining," though I think you'd be hard pressed to find any place in Roxborough that deserves that particular appellation. It's in a strip mall so there is no beautiful antique bar or trendy art work. Whenever I'd come here with Dee, though, this place always reminded me of where one would go for a family celebratory treat kind of meal-like if one of the kids got a good report card or someone made the softball team. Dee used to take her late mother here once a week after they both got mani/pedis. When my 22 year old long haired Flame Point cat died in her sleep, Dee immeditely drove to my house, bundled me into her car and brought me here. We did not mention the cat's passing but being in a friendly place was a tremendous comfort. When our server saw tears running silently down my cheeks, God love her, she came over with a bagged, boxed piece of cheesecake and whispered to me that she hoped this would cheer me up. Only in Philly.You'll find standard American/Italian food at Mister P.'s. The menu is enormous. Service was always friendly, fast and accommodating. I've had their 14 inch pizzas, their strombolis, calzones, Italian hoagies, meatball sandwiches (divine!), pasta fagioli, jumbo shrimp platter, plain old green side salad, their cannolis and so much more that I can no longer recall. I can say honestly that I never had a bad or unsatisfying meal and after my first visit here, I was always treated like a regular. When our server learned on my first visit that I had just moved back to Philly after a long stay on the West coast, she went out of her way to welcome me back and included 4 gratis cannolis to go along with the check for my first dinner at Mister P's. Portions are very large and it was never unusual for the 2 of us to take home enough leftovers for at least 2 more meals after dining here. While the decor is nothing memorable or Instagram worthy, the restaurant as well as the restrooms were always spotless and we were never given sticky menus. If that sounds weird, then you have never eaten at a place that does not give their plastic coated menus a good, thorough wipe down-front and back at the close of business day.You can go to Fiorella, Fiore, Via Locusta or any number of places in Center City, East Passyunk or South Philly for very fine, "authentic" Italian cuisine but I doubt you'll be served and treated with the same warmth and caring we always found here."

Ristorante Pesto

★★★★★ 4.7 (737) • $$

"Fabulous customer service....family owned and operated.... Highly recommend the Balsamic Glazed Carrots!"

Fairmount Pizza and Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (274) • $$

"Order from here a lot from UBEREATS and it's a hit or miss to get all of your items delivered ."

Core de Roma

★★★★★ 4.5 (40)

"My friend and I were craving pasta so we were very excited to go to Core de Roma! We went on a Friday, early evening, and luckily we got seated without a reservation (it was getting busy though!). We brought a bottle of wine since it's BYOB ($5 corkage fee). We enjoyed the free bread and beans in oil as we checked out the menu. We were having so much trouble deciding between all of the amazing pasta choices so we picked 3 - spaghetti cacio e Pepe (amazing!), penne arrabiatta (yummy), and we asked for the penne vodka with rigatoni instead (our favorite!)! The service was great and quick and the restaurant had such a friendly family feel. We left very full and are definitely looking forward to coming back soon!"

Ristorante Mamma Maria's

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (101)

"4 stars for the food and 5 for the entertainment. Maria herself - who had a cooking show on PBS for years - was in the kitchen when we came here for Mew year's Eve 2006. (I was wondering why it took me so long to yelp her.)We had a very enjoyable evening. The best part were the home-made meatballs and the (keep it on the d.l.) tray of limoncello and cordials passed after the meal.My only regret is that we have not yet returned.We will!"

Frankie's Fellini Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (259) • $$

"Franke is always very accommodating. The menu is very extensive. This is South Philly Italian. Restaurants beats Berwyn on the mainline."

lucianos pizzeria ristorante

★★★★☆ 4.1 (34)

"We are big fans of this restaurant. The choices are creative and delicious. We have never had a bad meal here. When available the Arancini are well worth it. The Chef creates a new creation daily featuring a mindful spin on Italian dishes. He uses his talents to make meal options a pleasure and not boring. Well Done!"

Le Onde Ristorante

★★★★★ 4.6 (56)

"Le Onde was really delicious. Flavors were on point. The bread was amazing, and the truffle butter was even better. The side caesar salad was sizeable, with a surprisingly faint sweet note. Note: all pasta on the menu is homemade, minus the penne.I ordered the lobster ravioli. It was so delicious. My only gripe and why I knocked a star off, there was SO much shell in the sauce from the crab. Luckily I am not off put by this, but it was a ridiculous amount of shell in at least 8 of my bites. Not appropriate, especially for a $29 dish. The shrimp and bucatini was so fresh. The chicken and manicotti was delicious. Portions were plentiful and service was very accommodating."

Burrata Havertown

★★★★☆ 4.4 (107)

"We feel at home here. The waiters are always attentive and friendly and the food is THE BEST!"