Fresco Pizza & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.5 (18)

"We ordered a large plain pie for pickup on Friday night, with a side order of garlic sticks. They were fast (ready within 20 minutes) and the price was right ($11 for large pie). It's a small local shop that provides good taste. The pizza had good flavor, and the crust was thick and chewy, not burned. I like thick crust (instead of thin).The garlic sticks weren't too garlicky, and we usually prefer something stronger taste and more melt in your mouth homemade."

Italian Delite Pizzeria & Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (83)

"This place caught my eye on Facebook with a plate of Bolognese topped with a ball of burrata. We got there at 5 on a Friday night and easily secured a booth. It was a seat yourself situation. By the time we left every seat was filled with more waiting in the vestibule. Water is my drink. I'm always thrilled when they bring me bottle and a glass of ice. A basket of garlic knots followed. Placed our orders and received the generous complementary salads with dressings on the side. I'm not really a fan of pasta but since I saw they got a pasta machine this week and were making all fresh pasta, I had to try it. I had the chicken martini. The pasta and sauce were so delicious and the chicken so good. Enjoyed the leftovers the next day. Partner had the fettuccine delight. It was tasty too, but I think mine was better. This might be in my top two of pizza and pasta restaurants. Can't wait to try the pizza and maybe that decadent Bolognese."

Napoletano Brothers

★★★★★ 4.9 (58) • $$

"Years ago bought fresh pasta when it was called Springfield Ravioli. Since then another good pasta place opened closer to me(Ridley) so haven't been here in a bit. I was looking for good breakfast sandwich in area. Web search, their name came up multiple times. Got scrapple , egg, cheese & son got red pepper, egg and cheese. Heard coffee was good. The sandwiches were great & quickly made. The coffee was fantastic, among best I've ever had. There were two types, a dark roast and a medium roast called "420". I believe locally roasted."

La Viola Ovest

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (237)

"The staff was very accommodating and the food was delicious. We ordered the mushroom appetizer along with two salads- the one with crab meat and the other with apples and Gorgonzola. We enjoyed them all. I had the squid ink pasta for my dinner selection and I loved it. We tried all of the desserts and each was so good. We cannot wait to come back!"

Serratore’s Italian Kitchen

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"Different Cheesesteak #1146. This is why I'm allowed to complain about paying more than $14 (including tax in Philly) for a very good cheesesteak. I got my usual Cheesesteak with fried onions, mushrooms and american cheese. It came on the best Liscio's roll I ever had. Authentic looking Italian lady sitting at the counter overseeing everything. This was a very good cheesesteak but the fried onions overpowered everything a little bit. The mushrooms looked very good. I would have liked to taste them more. I am very interested in the Chicken cutlet. The specials (dollar dogs and NBA) are amazing."

Bistro Albertino

★★★★☆ 4.3 (199)

"Excellent food and service. Our waiter was very sweet and accommodating. The veal Marsala was thinly sliced and perfectly blended with flavor. The chicken parmigiana was a very decent portion size . We also got some of their house cheesecake which is made fresh. Definitely a must return."

Rocco's Italian Sausage

★★★★★ 4.5 (103)

Thai Kuu Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.7 (199) • $$

"Sitting back off Bethlehem Pike a block from the top of Chestnut Hill @ Germantown Avenue, Thai Kuu is a small attractive Asian dining room. Buddhas and elephants adorn the walls and menus giving a serene atmosphere that augurs well for the meal to come. This establishment offers weekend lunch at a reasonable price, and I was there to check it out. Many similar houses eliminate the midday meal discount on weekends, and I appreciated that this one kept it in play. I saw what I wanted and ordered Tom Ka Soup and Spicy Pad Kee Mao (aka Drunken Noodles). Service was provided by a gentleman I took to be an owner/manager. While efficient and cool, he also had an officiousness that was subtly off-putting. Maybe he objected to my black hoodie or my dining solo, but I wasn't going to allow his silent judgment interfere with my enjoyment. The food, on the other hand, could impact my take on the experience. At the end of my meal, that opinion was less than my first impressions. The Tom Ka was pretty good with strong coconut flavor, a hint of lemongrass and fair amount of string bean, carrot, mushroom and broccoli. I lifted the square bowl to my lips to suck it all in. I anticipated the Pad Kee Mao would be hot and spicy from a chili pepper base sauce, and from the word "spicy" in the name on the menu. Not the case. Instead, the word was used to label the sweetness of the middle width noodles and brown sauce, not its heat. An exceedingly small portion, its lack of traditional burn was disappointing; pointing to the conclusion that Thai Kuu was far more an Asian fusion kitchen than anything close to vibrant Siam fire. It was all okay, but could have been so much more had they the courage of their culinary convictions."

DaMò Pasta Lab

★★★★★ 4.7 (7)

"Friendly owners, fresh pasta. Delicious homemade tiramisu.Cute restaurant, honey, and welcoming"

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."

Zio's Brick Oven Pizzeria

★★★★☆ 3.7 (227) • $

"Just moved to PHL & this place is awesome. First off, I LOVE the employees; they're all very welcoming, friendly, and quick which is a plus. On top of that, the pizza is delish! My fav is the margarita slice, but the mushroom slice is also bomb. Lately, I've been ordering the vodka pasta and it is just addicting. I never get tired of it! Definitely recommend this spot. Great people, great service, great food, great location!!"

Giampino's Cucina Italiana B.Y.O.B

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (106) • $$

"Great local Italian byob. It's been there for years! Great service and good selection. Great Italian classics."

Toto's Pizzeria

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (165) • $

"Toto's was our go-to when my sister lived in Philly for college. Since she graduated and moved home, I haven't had an excuse to make the 3-hour drive here, but I happened to be in-town for an exhibit at the Franklin Institute and I decided to take advantage.The pepperoni pizza is JUST as good (if not better) than I remember from a decade ago! They're doing renovations inside, so there wasn't a place for us to sit and eat, but we sat in our car with the steaming hot box sitting on the dashboard and scarfed down 75% of the pizza within minutes. It was delicious, with a crispy crust and yummy sauce and the CHEESE PULL when biting into it is no joke.I still love this place, and even if I'm living outside of DC now, the next time I'm in the Philly area, I'm coming back!"

Fraschetta

★★★★☆ 3.5 (120) • $$$

"Came here for a second time to meet my grandmother for dinner. We debated going somewhere else at first, but had such a great meal the first time that we decided to come back! Fraschetta only has 12 tables, making an intimate atmosphere perfect for a nice dinner. The menu is relatively stable, but they have new specials often for those who like variety. You cannot go wrong with any of the pasta. It's all homemade and you can ABSOLUTELY taste it. They have an ample selection of dishes for vegetarians and pescatarians. We got the Pappardelle ai Funghi and Rigatoni alla Norma, which were both excellent! Our waitress was helpful and friendly - which was extra notable given that she was the only one for the whole restaurant. Our meal was the perfect pace as well - the food came out quickly, but was not rushed. I'm sure we'll be coming back again soon!"

The Angelo Pizza

★★★★★ 4.5 (134)

"This was our second attempt to place an order at The Angelo Pizza. Last time, we called too late, and they were getting ready to close and no longer taking orders. Make sure you put in your orders early in the evening. You can always set the pickup time closer to their closing times. Anyway, we got our pizzas this time. My husband and I shared The Paulie and The Vinny's Vodka Sauce pizzas and have to say they are definitely worth the hype. As I bit into my first slice of the vodka sauce pizza, my taste buds exploded! This pizza is freaking flavorful! WOWW! And the pizzas are thin crust too, which is just how I like them! We will definitely be back for more."

Pepperoncini Italian Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (106) • $$

"I was shocked to find such high-quality food in such a run-down suburban mess of concrete! We had lovely outdoor seating experience despite being next to the Starbuck's, and the service was efficient and professional. The prices are high for the area but more than match the quality of the food in my opinion. My only small disappointment was with the slightly chewy and cold bread served. We will definitely be coming back!"

Her Place

★★★★★ 4.5 (64)

"Reservations are released every Sunday for the next two weeks (different in 2024 than in the past) at 3pm PST (6pm EST) and the menu is different every 2 weeks. Amanda has really done something special in Philadelphia. Coming here was such a treat. It's a small restaurant so the atmosphere was very warm and cozy, but the size wasn't what made it cozy, it was the head chef. I have never been to a restaurant where the whole restaurant was silenced so that she could walk through every little detail on the menu. It was so great to hear about every pairing and ingredient and she also presented the add on options that are available for the day. Certain items come in pairs, and it's done like that on purpose so it can complement one another. The first course was an orange salad with fete de moines (funky cow milk cheese) and hazelnuts. It was delicious. If you don't know, oranges and cheese pair very very well together. The crunch of the hazelnuts also added the extra layer that elevated this appetizer. What came with this was the English muffin and a foie gras spread on top with spots of fig jam. The sweetness of the fig jam complemented the foie gras very well. It was delicious. The second pair that came out was the fried skate cheeks (fish) with a tartar sauce and a celery root slaw. This was like the fish in fish and chips. The batter was very light and crispy and the tartar sauce was also full of flavor yet not thick and overpowering. But the star of the show was the celery slaw. It paired so well with the fried fish. You get the taste of celery to know that you're eating celery, but it is soft and easy to eat and feels so refreshing when eating something fried. What came as a pair was a broiled scallop with a trumpet butter gratin. The bed of gratin that was so good. I added the beef tartare and hands down it was the best tartare I've ever had. They fermented/pickled peppers from the summer and that was on top of the tartare as a kind of sauce. It was amazing. The tartare was so flavorful and fresh and tasted like summer because of the pepper sauce. What came after was one of the main courses. It was a potato ravioli and the chef described it as a campbells soup but better and I would have to say it's definitely better. The spinach was so sweet and the tomatoes were so fresh. So yes, I guess campbells but way fresher and better ingredients. Another main was the duck breast with red wine sauce. I actually thought this dish was one of the worst ones of the night (worst of the best). What this was paired with was the star though. It was a duck leg confit salad with nuts, pickled, and shallots. It was so delicious and the ingredients worked so well together. For dessert there was a pavlova dessert with citrus sorbet on the inside. A pavlova is a meringue based dessert. And this one had this as the shell with the sorbet in the middle. I paid extra for a crepe cake and it was definitely worth it. Many delicious layers with a chocolate sauce."

Barra Rossa Ristorante

★★★★☆ 3.5 (454) • $$

"I enjoyed going to this establishment for Happy Hour!Great Menu and they also have Vegan options as well!The service was attentive and the offerings I chose was the calamari and meatballs.The calamari was done well..the meatballs could use some seasoning!What moved this review from 3 stars to 4 stars was the drinks! We'll done with the Jefferson Lemonade drink--Tasty!Overall, good experience!"

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!"

Adelinas Restaurant & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.5 (82)

"Stopped in to experience the Happy Hour because of the mixed reviews, I didn't want to commit to a reservation!The Happy Hour begins @ 4p! The cocktail offerings are $10 and the beers/wines have a discount of $1-3 dollars off regular price!The food offerings are light fare: bruschetta; flatbread; sliders; fries and lamb lollipops. Those prices ranged from: $7-18 dollars!The lamb was cooked with basil pesto...delightful taste! The bruschetta was fresh and enjoyed the sauce that was drizzled on top! My friend ordered off the dinner menu and had the Linguini and it was ok..The service was adequate and I experienced what many commented on in their reviews...the noise and chatter isn't from the patrons it mainly comes from the service staff having ongoing conversations amongst themselves! They are distracted by their personal conversations and become neglectful of the guests they are servicing! The costs are a bit pricey for average Italian food but I know the neighborhood so I guess it works out!"

Luigi & Giovanni's

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (52)

"The deli makes amazing sandwiches. I should try some of the other ones but my usual hoagie is just too good. The bread is great and all the ingredients are fresh! I think they are better than the nearby sandwich shops that are overhyped."

Dante & Luigi's

★★★★☆ 4.2 (521) • $$

"A true diamond in the rough. I came here for my father's seventy-fifth birthday on Tuesday night when they opened at 4pm. We both busted out from a poker tournament at Philadelphia Live! Hotel and Casino and did not feel like hanging around the casino aka lose more money while waiting for the casino restaurants to open.My dad mentioned a few Italian restaurants in the city that we usually frequent when in South Philly as we debated which place to venture off to, they consisted of: Ralph's (which has been going downhill for quite a number of years from its hay day), Villa Di Roma (good South Philly Staple), when I interjected and said lets go someplace special its you're seventy-fifth for crying out loud and I will treat. It was settled we were off to Dante & Luigi's, which I have been to twice before and both times it was five stars all around.We started with an appetizer of whole stuffed Calamari. The dish comes with Calamari Rings bathed in a delicious red sauce along with one giant Calamari tube stuffed with shrimp. I have gotten a version of this before here with crabmeat however the server informed me the price of crabmeat has gone through the roof so they have replaced the option of crabmeat with shrimp (o well, can't win them all right).Moved on to an order of Bruschetta, which had eggplant, Vidalia Bermuda sweet onions, and tomatoes over the toast that was crostini in nature as it was it was baked to a crunchy delivering vehicle for the ingredients aboard. On to the Mains. Waiter talked up the Sunday Gravy Pasta Meal that they were supposedly offering on Tuesday and I was sold on it. He described it as an authentic old school Italian sauce with Italian meat cooked in with a sweet sausage and a meatball with pasta of choice. When he described what Perciatelli pasta was I started clapping my hands lol no joke. He responded, I think by that response we found a winner!Yesterday was my first introduction to Perciatelli, the waiter explained it was a lot like Bucatini (my favorite type of pasta). What are the main differences you ask from Perciatelli vs Bucatini? Research below, Size: Perciatelli is thin and long, while Bucatini is thicker and shorter.Shape: Bucatini is hollow, with a small hole running through the center, while Perciatelli has a solid center.Flavor: Perciatelli takes in more sauce due to its thickness, while Bucatini serves best for soup dishes.Texture: Perciatelli is thicker and more chewy, while Bucatini has a thinner spaghetti-like consistency.Still with me?Now the bad news is after coming back from the kitchen, I was informed they did away with the Sunday Gravy Dish for today. I went with a green pepper entree that is stuffed with: Veal, meat, not sure what else to be honest but it came with a side of Penne and he brough me a half portion size of Perciatelli (thank God, as I could not leave there without trying this new pasta to me).The Perciatelli did live up to my expectation and is now my favorite type of pasta with Bucatini not far behind. My dad went with the Seafood Cioppino (Lobster tail, Calamari, Shrimp, Mussels & Clams over Linguini, in a spicy Marinara or Bianco sauce). This is the dish I had in my rearview mirror and would normally get but I wanted to venture off my usual path just a bit. My dad loved it and ended up taking home some as the order of two appetizers was probably not needed as we had a mountain of food between the two of us.I forced my dad to share a dessert with me as it was his seventy-fifth and just feels wrong to leave without a dessert for any birthday really. We went with the Ricotta Cannoli with Chocolate Chips (Ricotta Cheese is highlighted with Chocolate Chips and Hazelnut Liqueur). Freaking amazing! We were able to eat half of it and brought the rest home. Pro-Tip : Bring cash. The server writes two amounts when your bill comes, it is a 10% discount if you pay in cash.I have to come back here to try the Sunday Gravy, only this time I will come on a Sunday to make sure they have it : )As always people SYOY!!!"

la Padella

★★★★☆ 4.2 (72) • $$$

"This is old school rustic Italian. Nothing like Center City but much like tried and true places in South Philly. It's a homey place with great warmth. The woman who seated us but kept checking in on us and reminded my daughter it was "unlimited refills" for her ginger ale was delightful. (Owner? Manager?) My kid wanted mussels for the starter and I agreed but was skeptical. No need to fear. They were delicious and they tasted fresh. We ordered fries to dip in the white wine butter sauce but were also served soft bread for the same reason. Our pastas were delicious. And the chocolate, peanut butter bomb was decadent. I'm still on my "making my way through media" restaurants since my daughter has appointments here every week. This was a sweet place. I liked the food, the warmth, the hominess and the old-style-Italian charm."

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."

Farina Pasta & Noodle

★★★★☆ 4.1 (67)

"The girl at the register was super nice. It's a hole in a wall.The food for the price of 12 dollars was cheap but the food was amazing. The guy who then came to help was kind of a d***. But other than that if you're looking for a quick Italian pasta to go this is the place"

Limoncello Ristorante & Caterers

★★★★☆ 4.1 (626) • $$

"What a lovely afternoon and taking a day trip to West Chester to enjoy Limoncello was the icing on the cake!The interior appears small upon entering, but opens up and has several rooms that have dining spaces! Our server was knowledgeable and offered many tips regarding our drink/food questions! We all had cocktails and began with appetizers and main courses! Cocktails delicious!Apologies on absent food pics...we all dived in immediately and devoured our: Chicken Limoncello; Tortellini; Wedge Salad and Calamari! Food was cooked perfectly!Warning: when the restaurant becomes crowded..the noise levels are extremely high...take precautions for those who suffer from sensory overload!"

Sandwich Corner Market

★★★★★ 4.9 (15)

"The curb appeal makes it look like a cozy neighborhood sandwich shop. It has an adorable antique tchotchkes shelf to browse while you're waiting. My main issue is the price. I believe $16 for a hoagie is pretty outrageous for a neighborhood joint. But it definitely caters to the above average hoagie palate. You'll find unique choices. I didn't like that even with the $16 hoagie, no drink or side was included. It took a long time to prepare and I'm sure that's for the quality. I'm simply not impressed enough to come back and spend over $20 for a hoagie meal."

Amici Vicinato

★★★★☆ 3.5 (43) • $$

"We decided to come back, because we've been extremely busy for the past few days and we were in the mood for something easy after spending the entire day doing holiday things. The last time we were here, the order was messed up and the owner said he would give us a free pizza for it, but we'll probably never take them up on that. The owner reaching out to us was the reason we tried them again and this time we ordered a cheese steak stromboli. It was a solid stromboli and the order was 100% correct."

Santucci's Original Square Pizza

★★★★☆ 3.7 (519) • $$

"In efforts to find a replacement for Angelo's, we found Santucci's through handy dandy Yelp! I drove up and assumed we could only order through phone for takeout. So we did. I got the marghertia pizza personal. I went to go inside and grab my food, and saw they were open! We asked if we could sit inside with our meal, but they rudely said no and that we had to order inside to be able to sit inside. Didn't know what difference it would've made considering it was empty. We ended up eating in the car. Onto the food- this is legit my favorite pizza! The crust was the perfect amount of crispness. The sauce was saucy. I prefer a little liquidity than tomato flavored. It was excellent. The proportions for bread, to sauce to cheese was on point. I came home with my leftovers and couldn't quite get the same level of crispy. Downgraded a star because of the rude staff."

Teca Newtown Square

★★★★☆ 3.6 (301) • $$$

"I've been to Teca in West Chester a million times but this was my first time in Newtown - it is HUGE!!! I appreciated that it was staffed really well. Service was excellent. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the menu is so much smaller than WC! I wish I could give 4.75 because our server got the kitchen to make what my mom usually gets even though it was not on this menu. I just thought it was weird to have a bigger restaurant but smaller menu.My dish was great but my favorite taste of the night was the oil that came with the table breadI am VERY turned off by the manager comments though...what is that"

Aramingo's Best Pizza

★★★★☆ 3.7 (41)

"I've been around the city, state and country. Even after all my travels, I still always wind up back at Aramingo's best when I'm in the area. Hell, sometimes when I'm not in the area. Their slice pie with the spiral sauce, literal chef's kiss. The bang bang shrimp are a great call as an app and if you want a meal that will have you drooling the boom boom chicken sandwich has you covered. It's a local joint that serves up hot, delicious food quick and in a city that has pizza stores every other block, you need to be able to tell which are the good ones and which ones to skip. This place, this place is a good one."

Dom & Mia's

★★★★☆ 3.8 (56)

"There's a lot I like here. I think they did a fantastic job with the look of the place. Everyone I encountered on the staff were wonderful and attentive. I was mildly surprised that they weren't overly busy on Father's Day at 6 p.m. but they weren't dead either. It seemed like the perfect night to try them. My wife and I split the Stromboli Egg Rolls. They had a nice and crispy exterior with lots of meat filling. Definitely has a little more of an oily taste to it which isn't necessarily a bad thing but some might think they're a little on the greasy side. But it's not a cheap kind of oily if you know what I mean. The flavor of the peppered ham comes through in some bites more than others. That red pepper gravy is phenomenal though. I would take some to go if I could just to have at home. Maybe a little less oil and a little more spicy ham and this is a total winner. But we both liked it. She ordered a pepperoni pizza which I also tasted. The cup style pepperoni is a good touch. She loved the crust to it, which had a nice crisp and sweetness to it. I wasn't getting much sauce flavor in the initial taste. Pepperoni can overwhelm that to be fair. But toward the end of the slice I caught a good taste and loved the kick it had. It wasn't an overwhelmingly great pizza, but it was a good enough restaurant style pizza. I like it when the sauce is bold throughout but that's a personal preference. I went with Chicken Parmesan. For $27, I had high expectations. I'd say the majority of them were met. The portion is huge, first plus. The Sunday Gravy is fantastic. I tasted it separately and really enjoyed the depth of flavor, second plus. The chicken was juicy and tender, third plus.I'd say the breading on it was good and crispy, but it was slightly overdone in spots. I bring that up because at times the flavor of the breading in a bite would counter the sauce flavor to the point where it wouldn't come through. It's a shame because the sauce on its own is that good. It's a very subtle thing. The cheese comes out firm and not gooey, which some may like or not like based on texture preferences (I did for the record). My boy gave the thumbs up on his chicken fingers and fries. He's easy. I did take home some of their creme brûlée. It's gone now. Ain't nothing wrong with it at all. The dessert menu looks like a winner. I'm going to say that this place has a ton of potential. I'm rooting for them in a big way to succeed. And this was a good meal in a lot of ways. But I can see the opportunities to improve too. Thankfully they're minor in my mind."

Italian Express

★★★★☆ 3.5 (58) • $

"(to the tune of "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" by Whitney Houston)Hunger strikes upon the hour, And my energy starts to fade.Still enough time to figure outHow to feast it all away.I wanted tacos up until nowBut my friends want pizza, holy cow...And when it's game time, victory will be MINE!Oh, I wanna get some dank tacosBut pizzas the choice of everyone I know.Now I know there's on stop shoppingFor food that pleases everybody!Sometimes you just want some tacosAnd other times, it's pizza, or maybe both!Italian Express: it's one stop shoppingFor food that pleases everybody!First timer visited Italian Express this weekend with an indecisive bunch. LUCKILY, not only did they have delicious tacos ($9 for three?! Yes, plz.) but hearty pizzas to please the big party. Heck, we even got some chopped salads to mix it up. The family who owns the spot is originally from Mexico, and they were so kind when we went in with such a big order! While we were waiting, someone even brought us a square slice to sample. Yum!!I'll admit, I'm a bigger fan of their tacos (packed with fillings and come with a side of cactus/onions) than I am of the pizza, but at these prices, you can't do wrong. We saw a LOT of folks coming in for a quick slice, I'd go back in a heartbeat!"

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!"

Alimentari

★★★★★ 4.6 (49) • $$

"So excited to finally check our Alimentari! The decor is always so beautiful especially around this time of the year. Last year, the top floor was only open for holiday gifts and drinks, but they've reopened recently serving drinks and food.We got the tomato soup and the grilled cheese, definitely some strong smelling cheese but sooo delicious. Wish the portions were a little larger, but still a delicious little snack for midday."