The Most Flavorful Wine Bars in Philadelphia

Tria Cafe Wash West

★★★★★ 4.5 (806) • $$

"I always enjoy coming to Tria for a casual date night type of vibe. The ambiance is always so relaxing and intimate and the staff goes above and beyond - just amazing! While the Rittenhouse location is a classic and in a convenient location, my boyfriend and I prefer the Washington West location to get away from the hustle and bustle. We always go for the classic charcuterie board which never fails us. The spread is so good and just perfect amount for the two of us. We always get ourselves the herb marinated olives which is so delicious. We recently tried the sardines (imported from Spain) which was absolute perfection. The sardines are from a tin can, but was marinated in olive oil and served with bread. Definitely give this a try if you like sardines!"

Osteria

★★★★☆ 3.9 (1050) • $$$

"We were in town visiting my daughter and her boyfriend. They recommended Osteria. I am glad they did.The restaurant is dark, however we were able to snag a table in the sunroom. It was comfortable, feeling like we were eating on the porch without being on a porch. The service was attentive and we could easily have a pleasant conversation.To start, we ordered the the grilled broccolini caesar and a fungi pizza to share. The fungi pizza was excellent, coming with oyster mushroom, truffle bechamel, caramelized onion and taleggio. The wood oven put just the right amount of bite in the crust. I highly recommend it as an appetizer. However, the star of the evening was the broccolini caesar. It was perfectly grilled and the peperoncino, bread crumb and ricotta salata perfectly complimented the broccolini without overwhelming it. I could have just had another order for my entree and called it a night. It is that good!!But instead, for my entree I selected the Rigatoni that features chicken liver, cipollini onion and sage. My daughter told me this ias one of the dishes they are known for, and it is quite good. I asked her boyfriend to describe the difference between a cipollini onion and a yellow onion. I'm still waiting for a response. While I waited, I enjoyed this delicious pasta. Be warned that the chicken liver is rich. If you don't like liver, this might not be the dish for you. However if you do...get it.My wife enjoyed Mandilli di Seta, which is a pasta with basil pesto, toasted pinenuts, tuscan pecorino. Although she was still full from the pizza, she still powered through the pasta, thus ensuring a peaceful sleep train ride back to DC.All in all, a great meal. I can see us coming back again, as there are so many entrees that I would love top explore. Well done Osteria!Still waiting for closure on the onion quiz..."

Royal Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.1 (691) • $$

"I've been back a few times and I have an important update: ROYAL TAVERN HAS THE BEST GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH IN PHILLY Honestly, it might even be the best grilled cheese sandwich *in the world*"

The Good King Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.2 (374) • $$

"We've always heard good things about the Good King Tavern, but never thought to come by. I'm really glad we finally checked it out last month because all the good things we heard are true.I have to admit what really brought us here was the fact that they're DOG FRIENDLY! Since we came with our dog, we had to sit outside, but there are plenty of tables inside for indoor dining as well. Even though the outdoor seating area is on the sidewalk, this street is pretty quiet with not a lot of foot or car traffic, which makes this set up so ideal. There is also an awning attached to the restaurant, keeping guests protected from the sun or light rain. As for the food, everything we had from the beginning to end was delicious and on point. During dinner, my husband knocked over his glass of wine. Even though this was completely his fault, our server felt bad and comped our dessert, which was incredibly nice of her. Overall, we all had a great time. Service was great, and the food was very delicious. A lot of times, when we bring our dog out to eat with us, we have to sacrifice eating well. But NOT at the Good King Tavern. Here, we can have our cake and eat it too. I foresee us having a lot of doggie dinner dates here!"

Rittenhouse Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (346) • $$$

"The cheetah carpet seems tongue-in-cheek when taken with the upscale piano bar atmosphere, excellent pianist, and sophisticated drinks. I had reservations elsewhere and only popped in for a drink but I think I'll be back for the food before long."

Cry Baby Pasta

★★★★☆ 3.9 (279) • $$

"The food was delicious and the pasta fresh. I tried my partner's branzino which was also great. Very tasty drinks. Service was efficient and our server polite and courteous. Loved the cozy, initiate atmosphere. Will definitely go again!"

Kabuto Hibachi, Sushi & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (221) • $$

"Party of 2 dined in sunday evening... huge space inside - sushi and bar in front and hibachi&bbq in the back. we were escorted in the back as we reserved for ayce ; they just started(i made reservations over facebook business account chat) We were escorted in the back promptly. We were pretty starving. Ordered miso soup, house salad and Takoyaki for appetizers (so many tempting choices makes me greedy but I managed to keep it down to 3) and 3 rolls (not all of their regular menu is included in the ayce options and no sashimi) and bbq meats. Salad did not look that pretty (?) but the dressing was banging! 3 rolls were pretty appetizing appealing. Be aware bbq meats come in smaller portion so if you can eat alot (?) mark quantity accordingly on the order sheet. They have so many good options for meats; porks, beef, duck breast, lamb, prime rib eye (very thin slices) scallops...I instantly regretted ordering too much (?) rolls since rice was pretty filling and I couldn't really dig in bbq.. Only downside was there was no proper sauce for bbq as they were new probably... and serving was bit slow in between providing meats so order plenty and ahead! Seems like 30 mins before closing time is their last call, the server informed us to order for the last time but we were full... The manager (?) was very attentive, smiley and nicely kept checking on us Bill came with (25% promo this month -$9 from 35.99... $26.99 per person) and $7 for 2 Soda.. pretty decent price for ayce I can totally see myself revisiting here but hopefully they had more sauce options!"

Jet Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (176) • $$

"Jet Wine Bar is an excellent location in the city, with the star of the show being their expansive outside seating area. This is is a great location to come on a warm summer afternoon evening, and saample a few wines/snacks. The outdoor area has a lot of tables for seating, and is a bright and colorful space. They have a plethora of interesting wines to try (including orange wines), and the staff were super helfpul in allowing us to sample wines and providing recommendations. We only came here for a drink and a snack, but they had lots of great snacks on thier menu perfect for pairing with wine. We had the hummus (recommended by the staff), and they did not dissapoint. This was an excellent and creamy hummus, paired with toasted pita and marinated olives. This is a definitely a space I will return to for drinks with friends, adn would also be a great location for a summer or fall date!"

La Collina

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (213)

"Overall a great experience and we will be back. We ordered the octopus, broccoli rabe and sausage, squid ink pasta, and table-side fileted grilled Branzino. Wine and old fashioned to drink.Broccoli rabe was just ok. Table side filet was underwhelming. Everything else was superb. Wine was good. Old fashioned was excellent! And I am a picky drinker. We came for our 10 yr anniversary. The ambiance, service, cleanliness...all superb! A bit pricy but nothing unmanageable. Worth a try!"

Local Wine & Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.2 (113) • $$

"Myself and a couple of friends came by last Tuesday for dinner. This was my first visit to this establishment. My first impression when walking in, is that the space is very cute, warm and inviting. Our server was very personable, explained the menu and portion sizes well and gave us recommendations on both food and drinks when we were stuck between a few options.The airline chicken was perfectly cooked, still juicy on the inside and well seasoned. The gorgonzola mac and cheese is packed with a punch, a delicious twist to mac especially if you love that gorgonzola flavor. The only thing I would comment on, is that both dishes were a bit heavy on the salt for me - but just barely. I didn't have any cocktails or wine, so I can't comment on that. Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to return if I was in the area."

320 Market Café

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (178)

"The food looks better than how it tastes. Practically everything purchased was a letdown."

Sam's Brick Oven Pizza

★★★★☆ 3.7 (114)

"Great food, great service and family friendly. Came with my parents, brother and kids on a sat night for dinner. I ordered the French onion soup and a Ceasar salad. The soup so so good! The service was great, the waitress came back often to check on us. The others loved their food. I tried the baked clams which were delicious- a mix of lemon, garlic and red pepper which was spot on! I will order those next time. My Dad got shrimp scampi which he said was really good. The restaurant has a cheers kind of vibe with tvs and speakers blasting the Phillies playoff game which I appreciate. Will be back with the family."

In the Valley

★★★★☆ 4.2 (77) • $$

"One of my family's oldest and dearest friends happens to be quite the foodie. Before I ventured home to Philly for Thanksgiving, this friend urged us to make a reservation at ITV, Nick Elmi's newest business venture. She happens to be best friends with Jonathan Cohen, Elmi's business partner, so she's committed to getting the word out about this place. Luckily, we managed to book far enough in advance to score one of the few tables in this small but mighty eatery. Though I haven't been to Laurel (Mr. Elmi's four-bell, fine dining spot, adjacent to ITV), the food at ITV is apparently quite different--here, a more casual but equally innovative a la carte menu. Our night at ITV was divine, punctuated by standout service (food comes out FAST!). ITV is a small space. In the front half of the restaurant, seating options are limited to the bar/a high top against the window. In the back, four or five small tables in dim, intimate lighting. ITV is as much of a bar as it is a restaurant, so alcohol is very much on display here. The bar area is gorgeous and stocked with plenty of fancy bottles. Most bar-restaurant hybrids tend to excel in one area alcohol-wise, oftentimes at the expense of others. Not the case here. ITV boasts a well-curated drink list with equal care given to beer, wine and liquor. Though the cocktail menu doesn't immediately strike a person as exciting, these drinks have that "fancy" quality to them. It can't really be described by way of flavor, but you know it when you experience it. These are like that. Well-balanced, high-quality ingredients and super tasty. I tried the Drunken Farmer (Bourbon, Fig Leaf, Egg White) and the Kirby (Gin, Genepy, Aperol, Lime) which were both fantastic. Given the egg white, the Drunken Farmer was a bit lighter but still in line with fall flavors. The Kirby, though shaken (I believe), was on the stronger side but fruitier/more sour than the first. Can't go wrong. The food was still the star, though. Eats, below:Hamachi Crudo, Grapefruit, Black Olive, Sesame: A-Perfect starter. Light and gently wakes the palate up. Delicate flavors, nice and citrusy. Didn't wow us, but a great first dish. Puffed Pork Chips, Sour Cream and Wild Onion: AFun artistic touch that you need to look out for if you're seated in dim lighting: the dip, spread in a crescent shape along the side of your plate. We almost missed this sophisticated sour cream and onion dip on the side! In any case, this is the most elevated pork rinds/dip combo I'll probably ever come into contact with. Another fabulous starter. Light and airy but still quite flavorful. Beef Fat Biscuit, Scallion Honey Butter: AThis one was just for my bf, but I gave it a try. Not surprisingly, it was magical. Flaky and decadent. Chicken Liver Stroopwaffle, Plum Agrodolce: N/ABoth of us tend to dislike chicken liver. Which is a shame, because I can tell that I would have loved this preparation had my taste buds developed differently. The waffles and plum were a yummy sweet/savor combo, but we sadly had to set this one aside. Smoked Trout Rillette, Pumpernickel Soldiers, Trout Roe, Radish: A+++The star of the night. I can't even describe why these were so good, but they were perfection. The rillette was heavenly. The bread was spongy but crispy. The roe was plain luxurious. A masterpiece. Bacon and Wild Burgundy Snail Ragout, Mushroom, Jimmy Red Polenta, Soft Poached Egg: A+What a special, creative dish this was. Everything worked together in perfect harmony, here. I have a quirk where I like to eat dishes one component at a time, but this one's best just mixing everything together--poached egg and all. Rich, warm, hearty and bursting with flavor. My bf had never tried snails prior to this night, so it was a fantastic introduction to him. I tend to avoid polenta, but this preparation managed to touch my heart. Well done. Little Neck Clams, Pancetta, Scallion Broth: AA thoughtful, yummy seafood dish. The clams were some of the best I've ever had, and I typically don't love clams (depends on the preparation for me). The pancetta was a lovely touch, though made the overall flavor profile a bit salty. Minor complaint, though. The scallion broth, as well as being gorgeous in color, was yummy and perfect for bread-soaking. Rabbit Schnitzel, Celery Root, Green Apple: ASimple but incredibly tasty. The light salad served atop the schnitzel balanced the dish nicely. If the idea of eating rabbit doesn't give you the willies, give this one a try. The meat was cooked perfectly and is fantastic with a quick squeeze of the seared lemon served on the side here.To top off what had already been a beautiful night, we were lucky enough to meet Chef Elmi. I had asked the waitress if Jonathan was in that night (our family friend's friend--and he wasn't), but it was Mr. Elmi who came out instead! Gracious and sweet. Getting to meet the chef is always a special treat for me, but a famous Philly/Top Chef guy was just too great."