Philadelphia is a city that is home to some of the best Italian restaurants in the country. From classic red sauce joints to modern Sicilian seafood dishes, there's something for everyone. Whether you're looking for a cozy spot to enjoy a glass of wine or a place to enjoy a full Italian experience, these are the best Italian restaurants in Philadelphia, PA. A Mano is an elegant and simple restaurant in Fairmount that specializes in homemade pasta.
The menu changes with the season and features starters such as roasted beets with whipped ricotta and grilled peaches with stracciatella, as well as main courses such as grilled branzino and Milanese chicken. To enjoy the full experience, opt for the family-style four-course Abbondanza menu and don't forget to bring your own drinks to pair with them. Mulherin's Sons looks like a house in the Catskills owned by Martha Stewart. The hotel, part boutique and part restaurant, in Fishtown has large wooden tables and a fireplace in the center of the dining room. They also have great outdoor seating for groups, whether you're sitting on the sidewalk or in the garden, which looks like something out of a Downtown Abbey scene.
In addition to looking really nice, the cocktails and Italian food are also excellent. There are many things to choose from, but what they do best are pasta dishes, such as braised veal cheek agnolotti and Neapolitan pizzas, especially the double margarita pizza, topped with mozzarella and burrata. A short walk from the Italian market, chef Marc Vetri offers the perfect pasta at Fiorella. The small pasta bar was a butcher for its first 125 years, and Fiorella pays homage to its long history both in its name and in the use of its venerated sausage recipe, which is part of the restaurant's signature dish. Fiorella, a destination restaurant and one of the neighborhood's favorites, has a variety of appetizers and handmade pasta dishes, plus a cocktail list with hits such as dirty pasta water martinis and old-fashioned whole wheat butter.
Tonarelli Cacio e Pepe and Rigatoni with sausage ragout are some of their main dishes, along with charred octopus. Led by chef Jeff Michaud, Osteria is undoubtedly one of the best Italian restaurants in Philadelphia. Cry Baby Pasta is a cozy spot in Queen Village that serves homemade pasta dishes, plates to share, and main courses like French chicken. Seasonal ingredients keep the menu fresh, but there are always solid offerings, such as wet meatballs with smoked ricotta and noodles with the restaurant's signature bolognese. Everyone here feels like regulars and is welcome accordingly. Located in South Philadelphia, this cozy Italian corner BYOB opened its doors in 2000, but it seems like it's been around forever.
Old school is the name of the game in Dante & Luigi's, which states that it dates back to 1899 and therefore is disputed for the nearby title of Ralph as the oldest Italian restaurant in the US. UU. And the restaurant itself, a members-only social club founded in 1918 by one of Baldino's family members, is unforgettable. This is the only place on the list that isn't in Philadelphia proper, but it's too good not to include and it's still easier to access than the Palizzi Social Club, the wonderful members-only restaurant that Baldino runs in South Philadelphia. Opened in 1918 as a gramophone store but converted into a restaurant in 1933, Victor Cafe has always focused on both music and food.
Either way you can't miss out on pasta dishes like Tonarelli Cacio e Pepe or Rigatoni with sausage ragout at these essential Italian restaurants. Vetri isn't just one of the best Italian restaurants in Philadelphia; it's one of the best restaurants in the city period. Ambrosia Ristorante is a casual Italian restaurant in Fitler Square where you can eat mussel bowls in saffron broth mushroom risotto and spaghetti dishes with squid ink mixed with crab meat and calamari. The menu is long and has everything you would expect from an Italian restaurant with red sauce meatballs with sauce French veal and countless different pasta options. Le Virtù is where you go when you want to eat Italian dishes like arancini with hot sausages or branzino with lemon but don't want to do it in a room size closet where you end up brushing knees with strangers. Ingenious Italian specialties pastries and ice cream are hallmarks of Fiore Fine Foods in Queen Village where you can enjoy a glass of wine or sit at one of their indoor or outdoor tables for complete experience. Whether you're looking for classic red sauce joints or modern Sicilian seafood dishes there's something for everyone at these top Italian restaurants in Philadelphia PA.
From cozy spots to enjoy wine to places offering full Italian experiences these are some of Philly's best Italian restaurants.
