A home run find in Center City Philly. From the moment we walked in and were greeted to the goodbyes and thank you as we were leaving. Everything was as perfect as it could be why is that because this restaurants been doing it for over 126 years they know a thing or two their customers and had to prepare plate delicious meals. Surprise surprise we actually found parking OK maybe that's because we got there earlier than our reservation in hopes to make another stop that didn't work out so we came early and they greeted us with open arms took us to a beautiful table in front of vintage fireplace hence we were sitting in the perfect spot. Our server, Justin came over to greet us. We got into some conversation before we even touched upon the food. He was exceptional at his run through the menu, his explanations on preparations handling questions. This was definitely not his first, not his second and not his third rodeo he's definitely a professional at what he does. Upon review of the menu we started off with steamed clams and a spicy marinara and actually asked for fra Diavlo hence they gave it an additional hit of spice. It had a nice kick. It was very tasty. My wife was going back-and-forth between their signature lasagna and a little weak weenie with crab Bianco and in the end she went with the baked lasagna oh my goodness the size of that piece on the plate we took half home. She certainly enjoyed her. For me, I went with the veal Catherine, the medallions veal with shrimp, lump crab meat, and fresh tomato and a Bianco sauce the plating presentation I can't describe you'll just have to see my photograph. I've never seen it like this before and it was extremely tasty. Very tender I would certainly get that dish again. And since I am not a pasta eater, I ordered a side vegetable of broccoli Rob. And we ordered a bottle of the Italian Montepuliciano wine, what was the perfect compliment to our dinner? And this was my birthday. My wife was surprising me she had already pre-ordered their homemade tiramisu with ladyfingers, which would wind up taking with us cause we were kind of full and had later that night at one of our favorite coffee houses in Philly and boy that dessert was perfect and I'm glad we waited. Again, everybody was smiles, friendly, and helpful. The place of spotless and you really feel like you're in someone's home. Be sure to see my food photos and don't blame me if you drool on your cell phones read more

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Heavy reputation and history brought us here. Google and Yelp reviews were solid. We came on a Friday, and Saturday was their last day of service before their summer vacation break. I think they phoned it in as a result. Our server was disengaged, almost rude. Our dishes; the veal was tasteless, the lasagna was excellent and so was the calamari. Our pasta dish was tasteless and overdone. Our $70 red was beautiful. He never asked if we wanted another, or anything else. They were out of tiramisu. He could have told us. Also, the bill was handwritten, more like chicken scratches, I couldn't read any of what was written. I'm sure their rep is deserved, but as a visitor to Philadelphia, on our night it was not. read more

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Delicious food, great service, good wine pairings, and fantastic crew that helped me with a birthday party! The waitress and host were so helpful and provided a great experience for us all. The risotto dish was amazing, I do wish there were a little bit more seafood in it. But the sauce is awesome. The chicken parm I tried was nice and crisp, with delicious sauce. The dressing on the Caesar salad was one of the best I've had, and the calamari was top tier. The vibe in here was pretty cool too, kind of old timey read more

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Went here for dinner with my boyfriend and it did not disappoint! They gave us bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to start. The bread was very fresh. We shared the gnocchi romano and the penne alla vodka. Both were delicious. The gnocchi was pillowy soft and the penne alla vodka had a perfect spice to it. My personal favorite was the penne alla vodka - the sauce was incredible and the pancetta added set it over the edge.To end the night. we got vanilla chocolate chip gelato which you can never go wrong with. Great service and would love to return again. read more

Dante & Luigi's - Vanilla Chocolate Chip Gelato - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Love this place when I travel to Philly! The atmosphere is amazing and the food is delicious.

Best Italian food in the city of Philadelphia. Very good service. Wonderful atmosphere.

One of the old fabulous charming Italian establishments in Philadelphia. As you enter the restaurant if you're lucky you will be greeted by an elegant Italian woman by the name of Connie who is also an owner. The food is exquisite old original family recipes. The stuffed pepper as an appetizer is second to none, the calamari is large lightly breaded rings that are not oily The waiters are very attentive and no need for a pad or pen. The only negative I have, is the Caesar salad was bland and lacking the flakes of shredded parmesan cheese. When in Philadelphia, this is a must visit. read more

Overall, we had a really nice experience. The food was good, and their gravy is especially delicious; rich, flavorful, and definitely the highlight of the meal. We started with the mussels, and while they tasted good, they were on the smaller side and didn't quite feel like the best bang for the buck. The shrimp cocktail was also good, but it only came with four shrimp, which wasn't specified on the menu. That was really my only qualm. Aside from that, the ambiance was warm, inviting, and relaxing; a great spot to unwind and enjoy dinner. The service was excellent across the board, and I want to especially shout out the young lady who was cleaning and resetting tables. She was phenomenal, incredibly attentive and on top of everything. That level of care definitely stood out. read more

Dante & Luigi's - Sunday special spaghetti with a meatball, sausage and piece of pork chop - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We stumbled across Dante & Luigi's on a bit of a fluke. It was amazing, and we absolutely lucked out that they had space for our party of three without a reservation. The ambiance and service were awesome. Our waiter George was do patient and helpful. Tip notch waiter for sure!! The food was also amazing. We ordered rigatoni carbonara, chicken Parmesan, crab linguine and fettuccine Alfredo. Everything was incredible!! We ate so fast we forgot to get pictures of everything!! Highly recommend!! read more

Dante & Luigi's - Rigatoni Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I have wanted to come here for thirty years. We were a party of eight 5:30pm 5.15.25 celebrating my niece's graduation from Widener. The old house is thick with character. Rooms are cozy and a lil dark which I loved. Food was excellent. Our server was very personable and took good care of us. I want to kick myself for forgetting his name. Things ordered at our table - Sausage and Peppers App, Antipasto, Chicken Parm, Linguine Crab Bianco, Baked Rig, Perciatelli Genovese (server recommended this be served with Rigatoni), Rigatoni Carbonara, Osso Buco, and Lasagna. We skipped coffee and dessert because a Strawberry Shortcake from Isgro's was waiting back at the house. Nice experience. read more

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Friends told us about this authentic Italian dinner restaurant. Decided to try, had 6pm reservations for 4. We arrived and there is valet parking which is great. Upon entering we were greeted and taken to a table on the first floor. Our waiter came with water and warm Sarcomes rolls, oil and balsamic. Told us what the specials were and took our drink orders. Drinks came in 5 minutes and waiter left and waited for us to relax for a few minutes and look over the menu. We ordered apps of Caprese salad, anti-pasta plate and chicken livers. These came out within 10 minutes.. and everything was delicious. My wife said the chicken livers were delicious. I don't eat them. They were in a marsala wine sauce with mushrooms and onions. After finishing the appetizers, our dinners all came. I had the special of sausage, meatball and a piece of pork with gravy over pasta. Wife had the meatball and spaghetti. Friends had chicken Parmesan with a side of pasta and Perciatelli Genovese. All came out hot and delicious. The building is 175 years old and beautiful decorated with old vintage Philly picture. It was not noisy. It's like going back in time to your Nona's house for Sunday dinner read more

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A second birthday celebration Our reservations were mistakenly made on 11/1 instead of 10/25. We had to postpone from 10/9 my actual birthday due to illness. It was worth the wait. The service was great from.the moment we stepped in. Our waiter Aarond was amazing, we started with cocktails vs wine. I described how I like my bourbon and it exceeded my expectations. The caesar salad was perfect ratio of greens and dressing. Crispy calamari rings with marinara. The other salad was house salad. We were aeeved appetizers and salad in timely manner. Our entrees ziti w broccoli rabe and Italian sausage and 2nd entree was a seafood medley lobster tails, mussels, clams on top of linguine with a spicy sauce. We opted to do one dessert, chocolate cream cheese cannoli. Everyting was delicious. Authentic Italian food with a wide selection of traditional dishes. The restaurant offered perfect ambiance for a dinner for two. We definitely plan to return to try the plentiful list of traditional dishes. One plus is the valet parking, on street parking is limited in this residential neighborhood. read more

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Great experience. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent. We opted for the valet service since parking in that area is very challenging. read more

Steve and Frank are the best .....food is excellent service is extraordinary We will return every two weeks for family Sunday dinner ..... read more

Dante & Luigi's - Every Sunday with my Temple University Crew and family!! - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I've been here twice, and while this spot is a cute, old school place, the food is kind of underwhelming? Ive had the vodka rigatoni and the Italian sausage ziti, and both were good but not amazing. I couldn't really tell you what was missing, but there's so much good Italian food in Philly, and I think this place falls a little short. If someone was very enthusiastic about coming here I wouldn't say no, but I wouldn't pick it again on my own. read more

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My favorite meal I had in Philly this last weekend. Service ... food .... Everything was just amazing. I'm sad I can't eat here on the regular. When I come back this will most certainly be on the itinerary. There was so much more I wanted to try. Not sure how they have a four star rating when to me they were out of this world. Go here read more

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We actually reside an hour north of Philadelphia, but my wife and I truly LOVE dining at Dante and Luigi's, on 10th Street in Philadelphia. So we travel that distance to my very favorite of all restaurants, with some frequency. This past Saturday evening, as it was our son's 53rd birthday, we took him, and his family, out to dinner at this outstanding restaurant. All of us truly loved every aspect of our dining experience. Every dish was made to order, as everything at Dante and Luigi's is fresh and made from scratch. The service is also excellent, and there are additional important benefits to dining there. For example, you have the opportunity to valet your car, and thereby not spend a considerable amount of time seeking a parking place. In addition, at the conclusion of your excellent dining experience, if you decide to pay your bill with CASH, you actually are provided a 10% reduction in the entirety of your total bill, which is usually a considerable savings for most of us. Our son and his family recently moved to Delaware from Florida, and now our son, like his father, fully agrees with my having always often stated, over and again, during the past 25 years, why Dante and Luigi's is my very favorite restaurant anywhere in the nation, [and I have literally been in every state.] Dante and Luigi's is simply outstanding, and I, therefore, urge all who are anywhere near Philadelphia to consider dining there when you next plan to go out for dinner. Rich Sternberg, Flemington, NJ read more

I've been coming here since I was 5 with my parents for special occasions. When I was active duty, i made it a point to come every chance I had. I also frequently refered people here without question. Tonight we had two loud-mouths sitting next to us disturbing us and other parties trying to eat. They were so loud, we could not have a pleasant conversation, let alone hear each other. The owner can thank the women in the parties involved because the men wanted to leave. This would have been at least $200 in revenue if not more lost. This is based on our meal coming to $100 for both of us, not including the tip. Now I have indigestion because of these two @sshats. In defense of the waiter, he could not do anything and when brought to the manager's attention, did not care. When asked for the owner, she could not be bothered.I must stress, the waiter, through no fault of his own was powerless. He provided excellent service and did the best he could under the circumstances. He brought the problem up to the manager several times to no avail. With all that being said, I shall never come back, never buy another gift certificate, or refer them to my employees, friends, business acquaintances, and other people coming to Philly on business or holiday. It is sad after 55 years patronizing the place for it to end this way. read more

What an amazing place. The food is among the best I have had in any state, in any neighborhood-in my life! The service is old school caliber-first class all the way. The ambiance is something to be admired-with beautiful details that date back decades. Run, don't walk to get there!!! read more

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Visiting from Texas, we enjoyed the heck out of ourselves at Dante and Luigi's. Our server was attentive but also efficient, and on a busy Saturday night, the energy in the room was high. We both loved the eggplant rollatini appetizer and enjoyed some reasonably priced wine with our entrees. I did the veal bolognese (perciatelli) and my husband liked it even more than his seafood cioppino. The cioppino broth was thicker than a broth, more like a sauce, but had great flavor (he went with the spicy option). We had to enjoy the chocolate chip cannoli while we finished our wine, and enjoyed the dining room ambience, our room had a fireplace in it, and you definitely knew this place had been around awhile. Definitely an old school vibe, but not stuffy and not overpriced. We were able to use a credit card, and they also offer a discount if you pay in cash. Ubers were plentiful and easy to get so you don't have to deal with parking in the neighborhood. read more

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I went to Dante & Luigi's with friends for my 2nd visit there recently. The service was phenomenal. The food was even better than I remembered. The overall ambiance of the restaurant is tasteful. Our server was excellent. I will be returning! read more

Dante & Luigi's is a good Italian spot in Philly, giving off old school Italian vibes. We ordered the chicken mellanzane and the Dante & Luigi's Signature Special, which are meatballs. I was expecting red sauce with the chicken mellanzane but they used Bianco sauce instead and honestly, it didn't work for me (I would recommend you substitute for red sauce). On the other hand, the red sauce on the meatballs was fantastic. For dessert, we got the tiramisu and it was a letdown. I didn't like the shaved chocolate on top as it overpowered the espresso flavor that makes tiramisu so good. I definitely wouldn't recommend it. One thing to note is that the restaurant accepts credit cards but you can get a 5% discount if you pay with cash. read more

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Great old school Italian restaurant. We were in the front room very majestic with high ceilings. You could feel the history. Service was very nice. We were slow because we were having dinner with friends that we only see once a year and were just busy chatting away. Server was very patient. Antipasto was very nice, the calimari was also good. We had the chicken parm, ravioli, the cioppino the lasagna and a special that we can't remember the name of. My daughter did not think the lasagna was great. Good yes We loved the parm and the ravioli. All the seafood was cooked perfectly in the cioppino. And the special was very nice. read more

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10/10 Italian food. Everything was great. Bread, oils, pastas, desserts, drinks, espresso. All killer. Love the old charm of the physical location. Classy but not flashy. Great service. Loved it. read more

Dante & Luigi's - Sign - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

From the service to the ambiance to the food every part of the dining experience was excellent. Can't wait to go back.

Beautiful huge restaurant inside an old house. We went on a Sunday night at 745 and there were a few other tables besides us. The prices were soooo reasonable I still can't get over it! We got 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, 2 martinis and a bottle of wine and it was $187 with gratuity! We went for my birthday and they put a candle in the dessert for me. Staff was super friendly and the server assistant was on top of making sure our water was always full and plates were cleared right away. I can't wait to go back and try all the food! Everything was DELICIOUS!!!! read more

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Our meal and service was amazing! We were early for our reservation but they promptly seated our party of 4. Had 2 bottles of #60 wine which was very smooth and complimented our eggplant parm appetizer. For dinner the chicken parm, manicotti, gnocchi, and another chicken dish were scrumptious. We celebrated a birthday with dessert and can't wait to go back! read more

Dante & Luigi's - Chicken Mellanzane Chicken Mellanzane Chicken Mellanzane Chicken Mellanzane - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

After many, many years I finally went to Dante & Luigi's. Met long time friends there. Valet parking was nice. The place is warm and comfortable. Our waiter, Phil, was great! The bread they served was fresh. I stated with a Caesar salad. The dressing was just right. Not too much to make the lettuce soggy. And not too salty or overpowering. My main dish was their Signature Special. Pasta with Italian gravy and meatballs. I chose perciatelli pasta. Basically a thick spaghetti with a hole through the middle. It held the gravy well. It was simply perfect. No single ingredient overpowered the other. For dessert, which I rarely order, I had a cannoli with chocolate chips. Again, a perfect blend of flavors. And textures. Ambience, service and food were very enjoyable. My three friends enjoyed everything just as much. If you haven't been, go! If you have been I'm sure you are looking forward to dining there again. I know I am. read more

Dante & Luigi's - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Had a memorable 90th birthday celebration at this classic, historic Dante & Luigi's for our cousin, a foodie Philadelphian who likes going to Old School places to eat. (In our childhood, we met her at the now closed no-frills South Philly Bar & Grill for steamed mussels and linguini with white clam sauce - something she sought for this occasion.) Dating back to 1899, Dante & Luigi's is an elegant, yet not an intimidating, setting, with friendly staff. The food was extremely good South Philly Italian. My favorite appetizers were the awesome Steamed Mussels Bianco, fantastic Eggplant Rollatini, and great Stuffed Mushrooms. My nephews, opting for organ meats, were pleased with the Sautéed Chicken Livers appetizer, plus enjoyed Sweet Breads as a main course. Three of us did order Linguini with Little Neck Clams, one with red sauce and both the birthday "girl" and myself with white. As you can choose which pasta with your pasta dish, I'd alternatively recommend their (yum) Perciatelli - a thicker tender pasta. We ordered a fight of 3 amazing homemade desserts that we all shared - the Ricotta Cheese Pie, Italian Cream Cake with Rum, and a Ricotta Cannoli with Chocolate Chips and Hazelnut Liqueur. Afterwards, they offered to take a group shot of us out front to commemorate this special occasion. Dante & Luigi's is a truly wonderful setting and meal, a place to experience what South Philly has to offer. The only reasons that I didn't give it 5 stars were: (1) my linguini, although part of a delicious dish, tasted like possibly dry box linguini compared to my brother's Perciatelli that tasted more fresh, plus (2) we informed them one cousin needed to catch a train back to DC and, ironically, her pasta dish came more than 10 minutes after everyone else's were served. The restaurant, at least the room we were in, wasn't packed and there was a big gap between starters and the main course. Fortunately, our cousin could switch her train ticket to stay in town overnight. All that said, I'd recommend Dante & Luigi's for a relaxing, memorable classic South Philly Italian meal! read more

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Old house, plenty of spacing, white linen tablecloths! Wine list mostly Italian, go figure. House salad plain but never like to dress my own salad unless I have a bigger bowl to mix things up! Good but no frill's. I had the rollatini or what I know as Involtini a rolled veal stuffed with sautéed spinach, cheese , and prosciutto in a thick shiitake brown gravy, a bit too thick for me, but regardless was good. The veal was cooked perfectly! Side was some penne with house red sauce on top. Now I'm a bit picky here, the pasta and sauce should be married so the pasta gains the flavor of the sauce! Still good just not how I was brought up. read more

Dante & Luigi's - Rollitini - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I finished watching Sopranos recently so I was really looking forward to having dinner at this South Philly institution. The food was so, so good. I ordered the gnocchi and they truly melted in your mouth, but I tried bites of everyone else's dishes and they tasted great as well. There are standouts here (known for the perciatelli, gnocchi) but based on what I had I think you wouldn't be disappointed with anything. I do think the caprese was just alright though. I enjoyed it but probably wouldn't rush to order it again. About the service... we came here for a birthday dinner. We had a reservation (call ahead to place one) for 6, and our 6th was running a little late. They seated us anyway, but our server didn't check in to get our drink or appetizer order while we waited so we just sat there. Tables of two were getting far more attention throughout the night. I think it could've been where we were seated (tucked around the corner from the bar), but our service for the night was a bit slow. I don't mind servers that give you space, but I think we would've ordered more wine had they be checking in more. The interior on the corner side of the restaurant is just gorgeous though! And it had all the Italian vibes we were looking for. Prices for pastas are $18+ with most of the favorites in the $22-28 range. A bit pricey but big portions! read more

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A wonderfully authentic Philadelphia restaurant. The food was homemade excellent, as was the service. When we arrived, we not only felt welcomed, we felt like we were family even though we live in Seattle and it was our first time. read more

My experience at Dante and Luigi's was absolutely amazing from the second I walked in the door. As I walked in I saw an assortment of breast cancer bracelets, pink ribbon tattoos, necklaces in honor of go pink for breast cancer awareness in October. Then to our seats and the restaurant was so beautiful inside. Our waiter was so kind and really funny cracking jokes with my dad. I got up to go take a picture of the breast cancer table and was greeted by a woman (I believe she is the owner) and after a brief chat found out she is also a survivor and she loves to go all out for this cause! A few minutes later she brought over an absolutely delicious plate of peppers, cheeses, olives and more because she said I'm doing this for my new friend who is part of the same club as me. One that we never asked to join but has amazing members. It brought such a smile to my face and meant the world. All our dinners were out of this world! I had the spaghetti and meatballs, my dad the penne al a vodka and my stepmom had the perciatelli genovese. The espresso martinis were also so delicious!!! I cannot wait to go back! read more

Dante & Luigi's - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The food was amazing; our server, Philip, was top notch and the atmosphere was cozy. We loved it!

We loved this place! It was an incredible dining experience that I will always remember. This place was so nice, historic and cozy. We were greeted by the hosts and seated at a nice table. Our server came to greet us and reviewed the specials and offered recommendations. We both ordered Caesar salads to start and the Chicken Parmesan and Lasagna for entrees. The food was plentiful and delicious. Now let's talk about my dessert. Believe it or not, we saved room! We had the Italian Cream Rum Cake and Tiramisu. Both were great. I can't wait to return when I'm back in Philly. read more

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This Italian restaurant was established in 1889. They have brochures at the lobby narrating the history of the restaurant. Very romantic and elegant setting with beautiful chandelier and well maintained ornate wall papers. It reminded me of a manor house. The restaurant has several dining rooms and spacious seatings. I recommend to dress up although dress code is not enforced. The waiters and waitresses were well dressed with white shirts and ties and black pants. Two waiters who were in my dining area were friendly but still maintained formality. Appetizer: fried calamari. Big ring, fresh and tender, not overly breaded accompanied with marinara. Highly recommended. Entree: stuffed pork chop. The chop had the bone intact. It was filleted, filled with prosciutto and cheese then rolled back in to maintain the form of a chop.The sauce is similar to Marsala. Great flavor and perfectly cooked. It came with penne with marinara but I was too full to eat it so I took it home. Sarcone bread was served as complimentary with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Definitely check out this place for a classic Italian dining experience. read more

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One of the oldest operating Italian restaurants in the city. The food, service, and ambiance are all very good! The surprising thing about Dante & Luigi's is their wine offerings that are at incredibly fair prices. It's not uncommon to find restaurants with white linen tables that offer wines by the glass that can see prices around $30.00. I asked the waiter if the $30.00 price next to a Pinot noir offering was by the glass, and he replied that it was the bottle price. So many restaurants are BYO and many flock to these because of the severe mark up on wine for full service establishments. If this is keeping you from enjoying your experience at Dante and Luigi's, have no fear! read more

We had a FANTASTIC meal at Dante and Luigi's. From drinks to appetizers to entrees to dessert - it was all prepared and served so well. This classic Italian restaurant is definitely on my "come back to" list even if it's only for their spaghetti and meatballs. Our waiter was so patient and personable, really contributing to that Italian kitchen feel. If there was anything that was slightly disappointing - it was the Osso Bucco. The portion was great, but the meat itself was mostly flavorless. That being said, anything with their gravy (or red sauce for those who don't know that we still use that term in Philly) is definitely a good option! read more

I know it's blasphemy to speak about dessert first, but OMG, the best cannoli I have ever eaten (and I've eaten them all over the world), okay, now I can move on to the rest of our dinner, lol. We had the veal parm dinner, which we asked for the sauce on the side, as for us, there is always too much sauce. We also had the Sunday Gravy special, which was pasta with a piece of pork, a sausage, and a meatball, but sadly I should have asked for light sauce as it was drenched. It was very good though, even with the sauce overload. The wine list, sadly, left a lot to be desired. It has a few of the usual suspects, which were overpriced, and the rest were Italians...inexpensive, but also not particularly good. We were disappointed, to be honest, as we hoped they would have a better selection. The service was spot on, the restaurant is clean, and the reservation folks are very pleasant. With it's "mobster death" history, it was fun to finally eat here and I'm sure we'll be back again. read more

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Place is classic. Great atmosphere, food and service. Stephen our waiter was a gem. Will be back.