Townsend Wine Bar

Townsend has quickly become one of our favorite spots in town. We were initially lured in on a hot day on our walk to another establishment for a drink and a snack. And that initial experience with some of the best beef tartare I have ever had has kept us coming back. We have had some bites on our initial visits - the tartare, of course, and a crudo which was inventive and tasty - but finally took the plunge and did the tasting menu. And it didn't disappoint. Everything was on point from start to finish. I keep dreaming of the cappelletti dish. Service has been exceptional all around - truly top notch. Alexander at the bar is nice and very knowledgeable - and passionate about his work - delivering a great experience with each visit. In fact, everyone we have encountered staff wise has been wonderful. We will certainly be back. I am already looking forward to the next experience there!

The food was not bad. Very cute space. My chocolate souffle was completely visibly burnt on top but once I got past that layer, it was the best souffle of my life and maybe one of the best desserts I've ever eaten.

Popped in for happy hour and couldn't be more impressed. The specialty cocktails were delightful. The bites were so so delicious. We ordered the hamachi, calamari, snails and burger. We loved it all. My husband remarked that it was the best burger he'd ever had. The restaurant itself is gorgeous, the ambience quaint and romantic. The service was attentive and welcoming. We can't wait to go back.

Escargot $16 sauce would go really well with breadFoie Gras Mousse $16 was tasty. A lot of mousse for the bread. Would get this againCote du Boeuf for two $150 ribeye was nicely done. Still some red. 32oz was a lot of meat though. Took this home to eat the next day.

Walked in here on a Christmas Eve for a quick drink & had a great time. We used to go to The Hayes, another establishment owned by the same restaurant group & have been meaning to check out the Townsend for a while. The spot is very tasteful, quiet, classy & welcoming. Our bartender Sean was skillful and professional. I had T&G and my husband had the old fashioned. We definitely recommend this place & will be back!

The Duck orange cocktail is probably the oddest but good cocktail I've ever had because it has duck fat in it so likely not for everybody. Overall this place is a pretty standard good fine dining place.

I will have to go back to Townsend to write a more thorough review. By the time I went to write the review, the menu changed and I don't recall the name of the dishes. The food and service are great so I would definitely go back.

This place has the best cozy vibe in the winter. Perfect for a date night, especially if you're celebrating something. I loved the tasting menu. Everything was delicious and felt very fancy. The cocktails were also delicious and our server was amazing. The only qualm I have is that it was pretty pricey.

We have been going to TownsendEPX since January 2015 and went once to the Rittenhouse location before coming back to TownsendEPX for the first time since they reopened on Passyunk Avenue.We both had the tasting menu tonight and added the roasted marrow bone to start with before the tasting as well as the Harbison with dessert.Missy was fantastic as were the bartenders - very friendly, welcoming and it 'felt' like the Townsend we know and love. We started with a cocktail each, I had the Normandy Sour which was great and my spouse had the l'audace which he loved. Both were big hits.The roasted bone marrow was delectable and the radishes, celery salad and parmesan bread crumbs really made it superb. A slice of bread each was just not enough but there seems to be some bread rationing going on as it only came out a slice each per request. It is a must-have though, with or without bread. Delicious.The tasting menu started with:Marinated Hamachi and it was the only dish of the night that failed to impress. It was a nice portion, looked great but the fresh bits of apple and cucumber had no voice against the lake of sesame oil that the Hamachi were rescued from - with sesame oil, a little goes a long way and this was, as we say in French - "insupportable". The Loup de Mer (branzino) was next and it was stellar - the saffron rouille was perfection, the artichoke barigoule a great component of the dish and the fish was as perfectly cooked as it could be, moist, succulent flesh, crisp skin - wonderful. The best branzino either of us have ever eaten.The potato gnocchi with the seasonal mushrooms were another home run. Melt-in-the-mouth, light and tender gnocchi bathed in an unctuous sauce filled with mushrooms and some oven-dried tomato and a bright bit of spinach for color. I would definitely have cleaned up the sauce with a bit of bread - but for the bread rationing.The seared duck breast was next and it was also very tasty. The potato fondants were perfect, truly perfect. Tender interior with a beautiful crust on the outside, each capped with a delightful little mushroom made for a lovely bite. The duck was perfectly cooked, the red wine glace was fantastic, the bit of mustard, classic and it all worked well together. The green olive purée, while adding a nice pop of color, didn't add anything to the dish flavor-wise; at least in my opinion.Dessert was a Valrhona chocolate souffle with a Pernod crème anglaise and it was classically and expertly prepared. Nice tall sides, piping hot, molten in the center and the crème anglaise was sublime with just a hint of Pernod.I also added the Harbison, which was a Vermont raw cow's milk cheese with some sliced apple, an apricot jam and some pistachios. It is from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont, I believe and is named for Anne Harbison - but I digress. It's a nice, soft cheese, spoonable, woodsy and sweet. Since it was served with no utensils, I was happy to have my coffee spoon to enjoy this course. Again - a few slices of bread would have been great but - you know - the bread rationing.All in all, it was a great dinner and it felt great to be back at TownsendEPX where we have spent many hours enjoying delicious food with each other or with friends and celebrating birthdays, anniversaries (tonight was our 26th and we were wished "happy anniversary" numerous times; which was very nice) and other special moments in our lives.The minor issues I mention only as a note to the restaurant as an FYI.Welcome back TownsendEPX - this is the Townsend that we fell in love with years ago on East Passyunk Avenue.

The best music the in the history of the world. Ever.And since I need to write more characters... the drinks are good too.