Absolute gem! I had read about their epically delicious burger and wanted to give it a go. Sat at the end of the bar just as they started to fill up for dinner and watched the place come to life. It's one of those places that has a lot of regulars and feels very warm and convivial and welcoming. Had a couple negroni's to start and soon got my burger order in, which was everything I hoped it would be. You seriously need to just get down here and try this thing. The rest of the menu was solid, playful, substantial, creative. Can't wait to eat my way through more of their offerings. The bartender gave me a couple wine samples to find something to go with the burger. I wish I could remember exactly what the bottle we settled on was...oh well, I supposed I have to go back now and figure it out. Bummer :) read more

Just stopped in for a small snack - I had the Pork Belly Risotto Fritters ($9). The plate came with 3 fried balls filled with risotto (it really was more like plain rice) and pork along with a spicy mayo-based sauce. The fritters were very good and the sauce was a fantastic addition. Sitting at the kitchen bar I was able to see a lot of the different menu items prepared. The dishes definitely seemed a little small, but given the location and quality the prices aren't too too high. They're serving free alcohol til the liquor license comes through (not sure how long this is going on), which is a great deal. The staff is welcoming and friendly and the atmosphere is very modern and chic. Definitely give it a try! read more

I'm SO DOWN with this place! Back in town, and went for another a kitchen visit. It's all I wanted! We tried a slew of new things, and I became ecstatic over almost everything. The service was perfect tonight. We sat outside on a gorgeous 70 degree evening, and our waitress was so involved without being annoying. She was funny, sweet, and everything you want in a waitress. BEET SALAD with BROCCOLI RABE and HONEY YOGURT. WILD!!!!! I've never had anything like it. I was so, so skeptical but my boyfriend insisted on it. The beets were so fresh, and the bitterness of the broccoli rabe was cut by the honey yogurt. Everything was drizzled in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and that olive oil pulled everything together. One of the most creative dishes I've had in awhile. SCALLOP with CORN FALAFEL and GAZPACHO. This kept the review from a 5 star rating. While the corn falafel was tasty (fried corn. yes please.), the scallop was a strange temperature that just felt WRONG for seafood. SOCKEYE SALMON WITH LEEKS. GORGEOUS presentation. Skin crisped on top, with salmon roe decorating the sides, and two pieces of leeks cut into concentric circles. The plate was stunning. The salmon even more so. I don't think I've ever REALLY been into salmon because it's always a little overdone...this was more on the rare side, and really allowed you to fully taste the flavor of the salmon. I loved it. Simple and beautiful. DUCK PASTA. A little heavy for a summer night, but a nice melange of ingredients nonetheless. Chanterelle mushrooms, peas, braised duck leg, and some large fava beans made for an excellent savory dish. May have been a tad too salty for my taste, but I'm super sensitive to salt. OH MY GOD THE GOAT CHEESE CAKE. With a hazelnut crust, a blueberry compote, and a RIESLING SORBET. The combination was sinful, decadent, and WORTH IT. The goat cheese was AMAZING in the cake - you could really taste it, and when combine with all the other components, I was in heaven. The riesling sorbet tasted better than a glass of riesling, and was awesome on it's own or on top of the cake. Definitely, definitely recommend this dessert. Another awesome experience at a.kitchen. read more

The fact that this restaurant is 3.5 stars on here and continues to be under-recognized is disappointing considering how amazing of a restaurant it is. My wife and I come here all of the time and we have never had anything short of an incredible meal. Whether it's brunch or dinner, the menu choices, the flavors, and the execution are always on point. The cocktail program is one of the best in the city, and you can always count on a solid wine selection. Whether you go casual with a burger or brunch or more fine dining with basically any of the other dinner items, you will eat something that is unique and delicious. While new restaurant openings may distract some people from coming here, I am glad to have it as a fantastic go-to option. read more

We had reservations on Christmas Eve, as it was one of a handful of restaurants open that night. We thought we would have a nice dinner before heading off to church in the Square. We could even see the glow of the snowflakes under the street lights, as they felt onto the sidewalk. The decor was very minimal, wooden floors, granite tabletops and muted lighting, not to mention that it commands a stellar location, had all the makings of a great dining experience, however the pace at which the food came out and the waitress constantly hovering over us, really took the magic out of our evening. At first we thought the service was efficient and friendly, then we just realized they were trying to get us out the door the moment we sat down. We were lucky enough to get a parking spot out front, the parking times were a bit confusing with the posted meter hours. Thankfully, there was a nice gentleman outside that sensed our confusion and explained it to us. We went inside to the hostess to confirm if he was indeed correct and she had no idea 'what the parking situation was" Really? It is the right outside your door! Has no one ever asked this question before?! Granted, you can argue that we could have read the signs, evidently the gentleman next to us was just as confused. When he heard us talking about it, after we brought him up to speed, he ran out to tend to his meter. That's just poor attention to detail if you ask me, especially if she spends a good portion of the night staring out at the street ,as she did that night. The plates are small and a smidge pricey for the quality. The recommendation is to pick two plates per person, and I would have certainly say three would be a better choice, although you could get a three course meal elsewhere if you went that route! The presentation was nice and clean, but nothing that was visually memorable. We started off with the spiced lamb meatballs, the meat balls were 'chef boyardee' size, the flavors were nice but for $14, we were expecting a little larger portions, we were served 3 meatballs, it was almost silly to divide the third one in half to share! We had another starter, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it was (not a good sign!) Then I had the braised rabbit with rye spaetzle and brussles sprouts, again the portion was small, but the flavors were nice, albeit a bit salty. My husband had the roasted red snapper which he said was good, I tried it but again, I thought this was a little salty. If a restaurant is going to be open for Christmas Eve, I think they should be all in; food, service, experience, not rush patrons out to get a quick buck, (since they close early) or don't make as many reservations. They were so eager to turn over our table, when we got our bill, they had already brought over our coats! (I don't even know how they knew which ones were ours without the number!) I'm a bit disappointed, but I'm glad that we didn't spend any money on dessert, they might have taken it away before we finished at the rate things were progressing. The food was ok, but not good enough for me to want to come back, the service was definitely not going to lure me back. We left hungry and disappointed. Long story short, meh- I'm not feeling the love that everyone else has for this place. read more

This was such a weird, bad, and dirty (or dusty) experience. A friend and I snagged an outdoor table for an afterwork drink and bite. I was looking forward to trying it because I had passed it and liked the overall aesthetic. But my first sip of A. Kitchen was disgusting. There was a light film of dust/ dirt on the water. The server didn't apologize and seemed relatively unconcerned but did bring me a new water along with my wine and quickly disappeared. Before drinking I checked both of them and noticed the same film. However, we were unable to get her attention again. She was rarely seen for the next 45 minutes or so except for one one or two occasions when she she would walk to the opposite side of tables and stand around giggling and talking. We tried to make eye contact but she would promptly turn her back to us before we could motion for her to come over. Finally someone who appeared to be a manager based on how he was dressed seemed to sense our frustration or notice our attempts to get our server's attention. He asked us if everything was okay at which point we explained that our server had disappeared and there was a dusty film on our drinks. He indicated that he would be back and I fully expected him to return with either a comped check or an apology. Instead he dropped a check in front of us and disappeared. We were charged for our dirty drinks. Rather than waste another 30 minutes trying to get someone's attention and not expecting anything to come of our complaint, we decided to cut our losses, threw cash down on the table to cover the check and headed to another place for drinks and dinner. I will never, ever go here again and have saved a few friends and business acquaintances from the bad experience by vetoing suggested meals or lunch meetings here. read more

I went for a restaurant week date with my roommate after we looked at the menu and decided it was up to our standards. Yes, we are RW snobs, I'll put it out there right now. While I wasn't disappointed by this place, overall it didn't blow me away either. They really did restaurant week correctly, so I'll start off by saying any of the negative factors had nothing to do with the RW offerings. They actually impressed me with the fact that their offerings included 4 courses, and each course was a really good portion. Also impressed with the fact that this place offered their normal menu in addition to the RW menu. Though understandable why places do this, it usually irks me that I can't at least consider something off their regular menu. Sometimes I just like to look for the sake of coming back next time! Anyway, the food was a mixed bag--some of it was really awesome (lamb meatballs, spaghetti cacio e pepe, braised rabbit), and others were just OK (red snapper, fried eggplant, gravlax). So all in all, I wouldn't run back to this place to check out their other menu options. The dessert they served at the end was an awesome chocolate mousse type thing with salted caramel. Wish I could've had more. Or just licked my plate like an animal. Our server was a little absent and slow, just not quite as attentive as I would've liked. She wasn't very helpful with the massive (impressive) wine list, but said she'd be happy to send over the sommalier (who never showed). We were happy to pick something out on our own as we knew enough about wine to pick out a bottle. She was quick to bring us our check at the end but we didn't feel rushed. The place overall is pretty small, with an open kitchen with bar seats, and a teeny tiny bar on the right as you walk in. If I returned, I'd probably come either for wine, or to sit at that kitchen bar and watch the action. read more

Even through these trying times, A. kitchen delivers amazing food! We live 45 minutes away and still drive into town to get their take out. It's pretty hard driving home with those mouth watering smells wafting through the car. Wings to die for... read more

a. Kitchen lives up to the hype. This Rittenhouse Square eatery is filled with sunlight, flavorful food, and friendly vibes. A meal here is such a rewarding experience. Don't miss the Smoked Char on toast. This is a very tasty appetizer. The entrée of grilled chicken with sweet & sour eggplant was perfectly prepared - tender and succulent. A nice oat streusel & apple pudding completed the meal. Their wine list is equally impressive - especially when I saw several Austrian wines on the drink card and in talking with the sommelier I could tell she was enthusiastic about Austrian wines. The wait staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. Now all this does come at a price...a. Kitchen is not priced like your neighborhood diner. But if you have a chance to splurge and want a feel-good meal, head to a. Kitchen! read more

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A friend and I came on the last day of Restaurant Week for lunch, but left without eating because of the service. The hostess told us that we had a counter reservation (be aware of this when booking; apparently they differentiate) and gave us the choice of sitting at the counter overlooking the kitchen or at the bar. We were hoping to enjoy a leisurely lunch and requested to be seated at a table instead, as there were a few open. The hostess repeatedly declined and refused to entertain the idea of moving us even if a table opened up because we had a counter reservation. We decided to leave for a restaurant with a table, and told them that when asked why we were getting up. At which point we were immediately offered one of the empty tables that we had initially asked for - so clearly they were standing on the principle of a counter reservation vs. actually being fully booked. We went to Butcher & Singer instead. A. Kitchen has a cute ambience and the menu looked interesting, but with so many restaurants around the area, service is also important - and unfortunately it was lacking here. read more

So we decided to go somewhere else. A.kitchen is new, and Jah forbid Rittenhouse have a new eatery that we haven't tried. My party was off to A.kitchen. Oh Christ, it's small plates. Que the panic. How many do I get? Can i just get my own, I really don't like to share. What is everyone else getting? Is it weird if we order the same dish? I see there are three categories, are you supposed to get one of each. Small plates dysfunction my nerves. The waiter calmed me a little by recommending an excellent glass of wine. I did not let on about my uncertainty, but listened politely as he explained some of the dishes. I had to admit they were creative and appealing sounding. I bravely ordered chicken risotto and saffron potato's from their respective list. The food was great, but the potato's came out well before the chicken. I was stuck eating a plate of potato's by itself. Apparently this is where the sharing thing comes in handy. All in all, the food was very good and the service was great. I will go back. This time I will be prepared, but I'm still not sharing. read more

I love Graham. He is a great waiter, super personable and attentive. I will come back just to see him!

Back for a 2nd visit last night. Reservations at 7:30 on a Friday night for 4 of us. Arrived early and had a great glass of wine at the bar while we waited. The space is great and we had a very friendly server. The food was GREAT. We ordered 7 different plates and my favorites: Asparagus with pecorino cream and egg - My favorite of the night - perfect balance Calamari with Chorizo meatballs - it seems they have changed from a tomato sauce to more of a tomato broth. I preferred it more when it was a sauce Mushroom Crepes - they were delicious - rich and delicious Spaghetti with black pepper- tiny portion but delicious. We ordered a 2nd plate it was so good. Corkscrew with duck - loved the fava beans in this dish, didnt expect to enjoy this one but was one of my favorites. I didnt care for the Chicken Risotto - everyone agreed here. Pass on this dish. I also didnt care for a raw fish dish that was added last night. Tasted fishy to me. We had several cocktails each and wine and shared a dessert at the end. The total with tip was $240....I didnt think it was bad at all for a party of 4 - we ate well. read more

Best 4 bites I've had in a while! This place has a great location, and pretty good food. They should definitely warn their patrons about the small plates. This place is more like an extremely expensive tapas place. Had they not served free liquor I'd probably be disappointed. Good thing I'm on a diet! read more

I was rather pleased with my meal from A.kitchen. Service was on point, the space is small and fun and the food was prepared beautifully. I met up with a family friend who will be moving to Philadelphia very soon. She was in for work and then did some measurements to her new place. She requested early dinner, near Rittenhouse. We both began with a glass of rioja. They have both 3 and 5 oz pours of wine (not sure who only wants 3oz of wine, but whatever) They seem to have a very healthy bottle list. We started with the grilled halloumi and the roasted maitake mushrooms. Both were delicious and I highly recommend them. The mushrooms with the foam and polenta really blew me away. For dinner we ordered the crab cakes and the lamb loin. My lamb came a perfect medium (as requested) and the farro risotto was just plain delicious. They didn't skimp on the crab cakes either though I didn't love the potato salad with it. Even still, it was a lovely meal. I was glad we got in early. By around 6:30 the place started filling up and there wasn't an open seat in the house. The mains were a touch small for the price tag but if you're with light eaters, and want some well thought out combinations, this is your place. read more

My friend and I stopped in to a.kitchen for an early dinner tonight and were excited we were able to walk in and sit down without a wait! First off, this is not somewhere I would suggest coming to for an "experience." I was not overly impressed with the decor and the place is small. My intent was to have a great meal with a friend and it delivered completely. We ordered the cheese plate first which would probably be the only "eh" part of the meal. SUPER small amount for the price tag. I would skip even though it was delicious. The rest of our portions were so big and I was so surprised. We were told we probably needed about 5 plates between the two of us and we absolutely could have each gotten a salad and shared one plate and had been full. No worries! We got to try more things and they were all delicious. My friend and I both got the Baby Arugula Salad, Shaved Mushrooms, Bresaola with Lemon Vinaigrette which was potentially one of the best salads I have had in the city. Salty, light and filling all at the same time. SO SO GOOD. We shared the Roasted Red Snapper with Saffron Potatoes, Fennel, Chorizo Nage and the Blue Crab Salad with Sardinian Cous Cous, Basil Pesto which were both awesome as well. The snapper was seasoned perfectly and the blue crab was ice cold and they did not skimp on the crap part whatsoever. Nothing worse than a luke warm, mayonaise-y blue crab salad. We went on to share the Roasted Chicken with Ricotta Gnocchi and by this time we were super full but still kept picking! The chicken was tender and the gnocchi and other little nibbles on the plate were delicious. I would recommend this as a whole meal for someone as well. We also had a plate of the Spaghetti Carbonara which I would say was a super small portion and could have done without it based on fullness and because it was just so-so. All in all I can't wait to go back here. The service was not lacking, the food rocked and the location perfect. Yum! read more

The food is generally good, but pricey. Most of the dishes are considered small plates, so our server recommended we get 2-3 each; we felt full with 5 between the two of us and agreed we would limit to 4 next time (particularly since we liked the bread so much!) In decreasing order of preference: -Scallops with Butternut Squash and Apple Cider - the scallops were sweet and nicely seasoned, but the squash was overly salty -Blue Crab Salad, Sardinian Cous Cous, Basil Pesto - there is a generous portion of crab provided with the dish; note that there is very little "salad" aspect if you are looking for some greens -Roasted Chicken with Ricotta Gnocchi - tasty dish with lovely light gnocchi -Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Pecorino - very nice flavor, but I would have liked the sprouts to be a little softer -Roasted Red Snapper, Saffron Potatoes, Fennel, Chorizo Nage - while the size of the fish was reasonable, I was not wild about the flavor of this dish. read more

Good place to eat tapas style as they have several small plates and salads. But they also have entrees if you prefer. But beware of salt! Lots of dishes are over salted! Don't go near the chicken on the brunch menu if you don't like really salty food! Food is all a bit pricey and nothing is amazing enough that you'll think about it after you leave. Fresh oysters are great but pricey, 6 for $18. Hamachi crudo great, two pieces, $13. Hit & miss... Smoked beets $14, are served cold Beef tartare $16, not great A few salads, Burrata $16 and Radicchio $15 Pretty good. Probably the favorite so far was the burger. Perfectly cooked and not too big. $17 Not sure why but it takes FOREVER to get a drink but a nice wine list. Martini's were either too weak or not cold. Seems like they need more... and more skilled bartenders. Servicer's are very good and knowledgeable. Eddi (?) was our favorite. She was very, very patient with my fussy dinner mate. This place can get very loud when it's crowded. Stayed at hotel for a month so had many meals. Wouldn't return as often if not for the convenience on snowy days and work picking up the tab. Better food is in walking distance... read more

Great place!!! Was there on restaurant week and food was amazing! Especially whole branzino fish!!! Loved it! Nice cocktails as well. Bartender was very nice and helpful! read more

Overpriced, bland food... more over, served already cold. Drip coffee that taste like Folgers... when asked for fresh squeezed juice, they brought canned oj without flinching... really disappointing brunch. May be dinner is better, but i would even want to try. read more

a.kitchen was one of those places it took us forever to try, even though we walk by all the time, but we're so glad we finally did. More often than not, we just pop in for a drink and snack at the bar. They do wine, beer, and cocktails well, so you can't go wrong, whichever your preference. A few drinks and a cheese plate or appetizer at the bar hit the spot on our walk home from work. In addition to our bar experiences, we truly enjoyed our one dinner here so far. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share, and our server was pleasantly flexible in negotiating how to course them, as well as leaving us the freedom to order more as we went along rather than having to decide on everything at once. Some of the dishes we tried include scallops with blood orange, asparagus with shitake, beets and goat cheese, chili shrimp, and venison. The venison and scallops were especially memorable. I love that their menu changes so often; those particular dishes are long gone, replaced by new dishes we look forward to trying. I find the wine by the glass selection here to be one of my favorites in town; the Morgon and Chinon were both perfect food-friendly wines with dinner. We also had an amazing dessert wine, Barolo Chinato, paired with our chocolate panna cotta. From the outside, I had imagined a.kitchen to be a bit more casual. I'm not necessarily disappointed to find that it was fancier than I expected, it just means it's more in "special occasion" territory when it comes to dinner. It was absolutely worth it, though, and we will definitely be back. read more

The ambience is second to none. The drinks are $12, yikes. But they are VERY good, and strong. Not the typical shlep somewhere else, these are real craft-drinks made in front of you. Food was VERY good, although VERY small portions. We did the tapas, small plate thing.. the scallops are tremendous. Dont go here starving. Sit at the bar, get a good view of the street, and the restaurant. Good ppl watching, and conversation here. read more

Brunch was good, but a little overpriced for what you get. I went with the traditional eggs benedict and really loved the housemade english muffin. It made up for the lack of homefries. The hollandaise was spot on, though, and the eggs cooked correctly. My bloody mary was fresh and tasty, if a little heavy on the horseradish for my taste. My companion got the steel cut oats and a side of eggs. She said had she not gotten the eggs as well, she would have left hungry. It was a pretty small bowl of oats. Everything was tasty, but on the expensive side for the portions. However, sitting with the windows open on a nice Sunday morning, having made reservations in advance through Open Table, does make up for this a bit just from the sheer convenience. I doubt I'd do brunch here again unless I was going to be in the area and had an agenda to stick to (we were going to a bridal expo at the Sheraton at noon). Service was friendly and the coffee was good. read more

Sleepy Wednesday so we sat quickly... idk If the server was having an off day. He seemed very confused and lost. Wasn't super helpful. We showed up right before lunch so we were just trying to get some answers about menu Change over. read more

We had been excited to go to A.Kitchen for dinner for a couple of weeks. Walking by, the restaurant looked fun and interesting. We finally made it out there on a Friday Night for dinner. Food: 3.0 stars We ordered the: -Warm Burrata for appetizer -Scallops and Shrimp -Tagliatelle with Lamb Ragu and -New York Strip.... They at 9pm on a Friday night had RUN OUT OF STEAK! Instead we tried the... -Leg of Lamb, Treviso and Black Olives The Warm Burrata was not warm. One of the two Scallops were under cooked and the Shrimp was few and far between. The Pasta in the lamb ragu was grossly undercooked to the point where the center of the Tagilatelle was nearly uncooked. The lamb was delicious but the plate lacked dynamics and only featured bitter flavors. AND... seriously you run out of NY Strip at a higher end restaurant? Poor form. Service: 3.0 stars People were floating around throughout the restaurant but it seemed like they weren't doing anything. Drinks took a while to come out and service was not great but not poor. The restaurant needs to be more cohesive in its service and work to go the extra mile without being noticeable to everyone. Location: 4.5 stars Great location North of Rittenhouse Park on 18th Street. Ambiance: 4.0 stars The restaurant is very small and had to sacrifice indoor seating for the external kitchen and bar space. Luck for them, they also have tables outside on the sidewalk. The decor is clean and well done. Price: 3.0 stars Depending on how many drinks you have, expect to pay $30-50 per person. Overall: 3.0 stars The undercooked pasta was inexcusable. The fact that they didn't have steak was unbelievable. For a restaurant which flashes moments of high end gourmet cuisine in its dishes, the general experience falls short because of the issues with preparation and service. There are definitely better places to go at this price point. A.Kitchen better make some changes/improvements because it will have to rely solely on its good location in the near future to maintain business at a high level. read more

Meh. I'm adding a.kitchen to my growing list of Rittenhouse restaurants that are overpriced and overrated. No egregious violations here--the food was decent, the service was okay, and the decor was nice. But I prefer to have my mind (and taste buds) blown when I drop this much cash at a restaurant, and suffice it to say, I left a. kitchen with my head still very much intact. Expect to order two plates if you're hungry. The menu changes frequently, I'm told, but last night, we sampled the spaghetti bolognese, pasta carbonara, cheese plate, lamb loin and octopus. All were just fine, with the octopus (thick, well-seasoned tentacles) being the best of the bunch. Drinks are also more expensive than they should be (there's no reason you should pay $7 for a bottle of Bell's Oberon, even if it is one of the most refreshing summer beers around). No plans on going back to a.kitchen anytime soon, unless someone else is paying. After a mediocre dinner experience, we didn't even bother with dessert and headed over to Insomnia Cookies for a mint chocolate chip cookie instead. read more

A lot has been said about this place, but simply put: it's good. The food is good; the ambiance is good; the service is good; and it's obvious a lot of thought went into preparing the menus. Yes, it's a little expensive than other choices, but it's also a little nicer than other choices and the attention to detail means it's incredibly rare to find anything disappointing. It's not a bargain, and the portion sizes aren't huge, but surely a classy and tasty restaurant, in which it is a pleasure to dine and which presents a variety of interesting options has it's place in the rich pantheon of Rittenhouse Square restaurants. I suspect I'll be back more than once, never ordering the same thing twice. read more

Came here with my friend to try the place out. Got a reservation in with the infamous "super bitchy" tiny Asian hostess HAHAHA no, she's actually VERY nice and friendly to guests. AAAAAnnnd also my younger sister. =P We got a spot at the chef's counter which was really neat because watching them prepare the dishes was so much fun! We were intent on just a few dishes and a drink and then would go to a bar after, but we ended up getting some extra dishes and they were all so delicious. I especially loved the Octopus with watermelon. BEST DISH OF THE NIGHT. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful. Its always a plus when you see the managers on the floor paying attention to the guests and helping out whenever they can. The place can get very loud, but it is overall a nice place to eat in Rittenhouse. The popular drink they had was a blue drink, I forgot the name of it, but it was good. I'm just not a fan of Malibu. We were stuffed afterwards, but had a great time and would love to come back to try more dishes. read more

I've walked past this place a hundred times and have always said to myself that I need to stop in and check it out. I finally stopped in after a comedy show on a Saturday evening and sat right at the bar. The bartender was very friendly and very helpful in making cocktail and wine recommendations. As for food, we ordered the wild mushroom tart and the softshell crab dish. The softshell crab dish was amazing. There was just enough breading to still taste the crab and it was seasoned very well. The tart was also very good. This place is a little expensive, as 2 small plates and 2 drinks runs about $50 with tip, but a great experience nonetheless. read more

Review is of the cheddar and bacon burger on house made English muffin, and was take out. GREAT burger! The quality of the meat was good and the sauce that they use was great. It came extra rare, which I LOVED! This inst really a big or hearty burger like Whiskey Village or Rouge but damn if it wasn't tasty. I'll be having more of these. Probably my favorite burger in Rittenhouse. read more

A.kitchen is my absolute go-to for breakfast or brunch. I've only done dinner here once and I was not disappointed. I am a VERY frequent flyer here and I have to be honest, I have had a FANTASTIC experience each and every time! First, I really love the simple decor and the fact that its not big. It's definitely very intimate. I also really love that there is an option to sit and eat right in front of the cooks! The waiters and waitresses here are really nice which always adds to a good experience...the same goes for the manager who is also a very nice and polite man. So the main reason why I love this place so much is because it is ALWAYS consistent. Consistency with always having good food and good service makes me always come back for more. Regardless of what you're ordering to eat, make sure you do not deprive yourself of the english muffins they have. OH MY GOSH.....hand's down the BEST english muffin ever. Try the cheesesteak, its so delicious! They just added a new item to the menu which is the turkey, bacon, and cole slaw sandwhich. YUM. Comes with the chips too and its filling but not overbearing. EDIT: I have to agree with the others, there is a hostess there who really either needs to a. be fired or b. taught social skills because she is not very welcoming and potentially putting off some customers. read more

We stopped in to A. Kitchen while visiting Philly in September. Their menu looked great online and we read an excellent review of the establishment in the newspaper. When we arrived they were serving food from the brunch menu. I ordered the frisee salad topped with a poached egg and bacon served on a hash brown. My brunch date ordered the asparagus, mushroom, and aged goat cheese omelet with herb potatoes. Both were excellent. The service was friendly and prompt. We really enjoyed watching the chefs prepare our breakfast at the bar. read more

I'm torn. This place is definitely a nice ritzy date place, with ritzy small quaint date like giant prices. The prices don't seem like deserve a 3 dollar sign price rating, until you realize, these are almost tapas sized servings. Each normal sized person, not that large, requires maybe 1.5 to 2 of these 15-20$ dishes to really get full. Don't get me wrong? The quality was great. The 4 of us shared the Lamb Meatballs (only 3, but delicious), the lamb loin (again only 3 pieces but cooked well with delicious sauce), chicken and gnochi (lo and behold, 4 pieces!!! but tender to almost the point of seeming fake, like chicken paste), some meatless creamy pasta not on the menu (tasted under cooked, but the garlic creamy pasta was amazing), 2 vegetable sides (zucchini - delicious, asparagus - meh). Including tax and tip, we each spent about $27. We left borderline full, but not really. Dinner #2 followed shortly thereafter. read more

With your first look at the menu, it's disappointing to see that you have to pay for bread that is usually complimentary at nice restaurants. We decided to get it anyway because if you're going to pay for it, it better be good! The little box of four rolls did not disappoint. There was a charcoal lavender roll (the unanimous favorite), cheddar, sesame, and an unmemorable one. The homemade butter was so soft, smooth, and creamy. Was it worth $6? Probably not, but it was my birthday and I wanted some damn bread. We ordered a bunch of small plates and shared family style. We started with the charcoal scallops, which were tender and nice. The portions are as small as everyone says though. Next we got the duck breast, which was cooked perfectly and flavorful. I was concerned it was taste "overly Asian" because of the xo sauce and sesame, but it surprisingly wasn't. We shared the crispy whole sea bass, which was delicious. We couldn't pass up dessert since we were celebrating, so we got the ice cream (the malted flavor was my favorite) and a chocolate dessert that came out with a candle. They were all decadent. It's one of those meals where the portions are small and you're afraid you'll be hungry, but surprisingly you aren't. So then you think you ordered reasonably, but then you get the bill and you're like "Oh, well, not that reasonable." I'm glad we waited for an occasion to come here. read more

I arrived at the downtown hotel early and was hungry for a nice breakfast. Yelp, guided me to a.kitchen and I couldn't have been happier with what I was about to experience. As it was just little 'ol me, I was asked by the hostess if I wanted to sit up at the chef's table, a counter-style area facing the open kitchen. Seemed like a good suggestion to me! The server, Lee, was there promptly with water and asked if I wanted coffee. Yes, please - this came quickly and was very good, as were the frequent refill offers. I looked at the menu while watching one of the chef's at work in the kitchen. My pick for breakfast? Eggs Benedict - a classic and since they said they make their hollandaise sauce fresh, I had to try it. As a side note, their muffins are freshly made in-house too, and they are fantastic. By the time my eggs arrived, another chef was in the kitchen and since they weren't too busy, both were very responsive to my few questions and requests (another small tub of hollandaise sauce, please!?). It was a Saturday morning around 11am and I was, by this time, the only one at the counter-seating, so I thought questions were ok....... The Benedict was superb, the muffin perfect and the ham very well cooked. The hollandaise was outstanding atop the perfectly poached eggs. Love the decor of the place, the chef's table/counter seating, the menu and the service. These things, as well as being a short walk from our downtown hotel, will be bringing me back - probably soon and maybe for dinner too, this time! read more

Cute, great outdoor people watching, artful food that tastes delicious. Edible portions. This is delightful, savory food. The scallops crude and salmon open face sandwich I can highly recommend. And for those frightened of expense, the Power Lunch offers a rather nice deal. read more

a.kitchen - Salmon open face sandwich - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Decent brunch, underwhelmed by the food for the price. Coffee was VERY strong, didn't finish a whole cup. We got an English muffin egg and cheese sandwich, which was good but not great, eggs Benedict which again was good but not great, and the mushroom scrapple which was bland and more of a cornmeal cake with mushroom than it was scrapple. On the positive side the food came out fairly quickly. Will not be returning. read more

Went here during restaurant week so the price was great ($35 for a 4 course meal). The first two courses were the mushroom toast and fried sweetbread plates which were mediocre..not something I'd go back for. However, the flank steak was delicious! It was tender and juicy with a great wine sauce. The apple tart dessert was also tasty. Service was great and the atmosphere is what makes it appealing. It's a great location which is why I may go back for drinks, but I won't be paying full price for the food anytime soon. read more

What a cozy, romantic little spot. Ate here on a warmish night so they had the windows open to the street. So lovely. The food was good. I had an excellent cocktail, the New York Flip. It was kind of like eggnog and was sooo delicious. We started with the oysters which were good as oysters usually are. I had the steak tartare which was excellent (I LOVED that it was served with crispy potatoes instead of bread- great for my gluten-intolerant boyfriend!). I also had the burrata which was good but was kind of small and the "onion soup" it was served in was a little on the salty side. We finished with the chocolate mousse. The mousse itself was good but it was served with a key lime yogurt which I think was just too tangy and limey with the chocolate. I wish it was served with a vanilla creme instead. Not our favorite dessert ever but it was fine. read more

I never experienced a.Kitchen before it was revamped by Eli Kulp and Ellen Yin, but I can imagine it was not nearly as good then as it is now. My fiance took me here on my birthday as part of my present and in order to pay up on a bet we had. We grabbed a cocktail at the small bar just inside the door and watched the skilled bartenders work their magic. They arent the fastest around, but they take great care in making the drinks. And the two of them that we ordered off the bat were on point. The Ashes to Ashes was a delicious concoction of Fernet Branca, rosemary honey, lemon and ginger. It was sweet, but not overly so, and the perfect way to prepare my palate for the deliciousness that was about to incur. We were lucky enough to be able to score some seats at the chefs counter around the open kitchen. Its always fun for me to sit so close to the kitchen and watch the chefs work because they are really talented. We started with some crisps provided by the kitchen before our onslaught of dishes began arriving. First up was the spiced cauliflower with black garlic and avocado. What an incredibly delicious dish. It was crispy as hell and the flavor of the black garlic sauce was intense. The hamachi crudo came next and it was just as good as the cauliflower. The tender and fresh fish was served over crispy rice cakes and a schmear of spicy mustard. The crunch factor from the rice cake was a nice contrast from the fish and provided a bit of Asian flair to the dish. The burrata and the duck scrapple came up next. The duck scrapple was probably my least favorite bite of the evening. It came with a soft cooked yolk and watercress with sweet peppers. I thought the texture of the scrapple was off. It was kind of crumbly and very dry. The yolk was very rich, but almost too much to save the scrapple that was already very rich. The burrata was light, refreshing and creamy beyond words. It came with a delicious creamy beet soup, fresh dill and trout roe. The combination of flavors was great. The flavors em-parked by the custom grill at a.Kitchen are phenomenal. These flavors really came through even more on the next three dishes. The first of which was a special for the evening, head on grilled shrimp with a chimichurri sauce on top. The shrimp were grilled just enough to leave a charcoal flavoring to them, and they were still very tender. The duck breast had been rendered down perfectly leaving the duck moist and flavorful. The xo sauce and Brussels sprouts really rounded out the charred flavors of the dish beautifully. I really wish there was more Brussels sprouts though. There simply needed to be more on the plate for me. The best use of the charred flavoring was with the grilled leeks. They caught both my eye and my fiance's right off the bat. The came charred, served with a green chili romesco sauce and smoked marcona almonds. The flavor was sublime. It was one of the best veggie dishes I have had in recent memory. The flavor from the sauce and the textural change with the crunch of the almonds was a fantastic pairing. I was really looking forward to dessert because I know how good the creations of Sam Kincaid can be because I have fallen in love with them at Fork and High Street on Market. She is a whiz with both savory and sweet elements in dessert, and the one that we chose definitely excelled at both levels. It was a wheat pound cake, with peach curd, peach struesel and caraway-rye ice cream. What a powerful combination! The ice cream definitely tasted like you were eating a piece of rye bread. It kept things from getting too sweet, and it was one of those things that seriously just has you thinking for weeks afterward. It was so well done. I will definitely be back because the vibe here is great and the food is phenomenal. read more

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