How lucky to have this welcoming corner local when visitors come to town. Service with a smile -- excellent baba never disappoints, and the spanikopita comes with a ginormous salad. Dream about the chicken shish. Lunch is chill, you'll get a table. And there are even outside tables for the polar bears. read more

I have not been to Kanella in years. We had 8:15 reservations for Saturday 12.10.22. I learned from our server that they have been under new ownership for about a year. We were greeted warmly and service was more than satisfactory. I love a good byob. The food was fresh and well-seasoned. I am giving four stars simply because it didn't blow my socks all the way off and neither of us are huge fans of Mediterranean desserts. The Semolina Helva certainly was unique. Neither of us have seen pismaniye before. My caramelized pumpkin was literally what appeared to be a sweet wedge of butternut squash with some tahini and sesames (I believe that is all I saw no walnuts?) sprinkled on top. It was interesting but not quite what I wanted in a dessert. Granted, I didn't quite know what to expect. I look forward to making different selections next visit. **Shepherd Salad cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, onion **Crispy Brussels Sprouts carrot tarator, zaatar **Seared Halloumi apricots, dates, walnuts **Spanokopita feta and spinach pie, spring onions **Levrek seabass, raddish, arugula, onions **Semolina Helva pismaniye, almonds **Caramelized Pumpkin tahini, walnut Overall, a great byob to try out for worthwhile Mediterranean food. read more

Great, top notch service, good food. BYOB, with unique offerings. We shared the ground lamb kabob and spanikopita. Bathrooms were a little dirty. Overall good experience, but the place could use some updating. Pillows on seats were kinda old, etc. read more

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I can't believe I didn't eat at this place sooner! The restaurant have a unique and beautiful decor with with white and blue colors that's just perfect for a hot summer day, they have both outdoor and indoor seating to choice. The food were amazing, the watermelon salad was sweet and juicy, me and my friend enjoyed our entrees very much! Our waitress was so sweet, she was very attentive and even gave us a complementary dessert, we made sure to give her a nice tips (remember to tips your server!) Overall, just a great experience and we will definitely comeback! read more

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The food is delicious. We ordered hummus and a dish made of avocado and goat cheese and nuts as well as the lamb, chicken and my mom got a beef dumpling dish. Everything was delicious. The serving of chicken was a bit small but everything was so delicious and well seasoned. I was a regular at the original Kanella and I haven't been in a few years. I was pleased at how well they have maintained their quality. We had a lovely meal. read more

Had an amazing dinner at Kanellas with my family. Everything we ate was prepared perfectly and full of flavor. We loved everything we ordered, with the manti and kunefe being the standouts. The restaurant was comfortable, not too loud, and had great service. read more

This place was such a wonderful surprise! I think I came here about 5 years ago and didn't really remember anything about the experience, but I went last night and was thoroughly impressed with the experience. We started with a bunch of thé mezze and they were all delicious. I really recommend the Haloumi and the tzatziki, but everything was tasty. It was served with warmed pita as well, which was a nice touch. For main courses, it was all kebabs. The meat and fish were both tender and the rice on the side had a great texture. My only complaint, but I think it's because it was a Friday night, is that it does get a bit loud and after a certain point you can barely hear your dining companions due to the noise. Service was timely. But the best part of the night was dessert, you have to save room for the kunefe, it may have been one of the best desserts I have ever tried - sweet, but not overly so and almost savory, highly recommended! read more

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Amazing food and such a good deal! Staff: was so friendly and kind! Even gave us extra dessert and app. They really made the whole experience Food: all of it was delicious and the tasting menu is such an amazing deal. 39 dollars a person for two apps, one entree and dessert each. Everything was excellent but my faves were definitely the halloumi and the kunefe dessert. The best part it's byob:) Such a fun place for small groups! I will definitely be back. read more

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My husband and I went here today for the lamb sandwich, dips, French fries, beet salad and the whitefish special. First, we were served the three dips and pita pieces. The only one that was excellent was the sweet potato dip. The waiter brought out the fries, too. We thought this was an odd time to bring us the fries. They were just barely warm and we had to send them back to the kitchen to be reheated. The fries were pretty good, not excellent. We shared the beet salad, and it was delicious. The lamb sandwich was quite tasty. It was served with a side salad that contained cucumbers, tomatoes and others things. The side salad was fair to me, and my husband who doesn't like cucumbers did not eat it. The whitefish was excellent. They served hummus with it that was pretty good. It also came with a cucumber salad, and olives. The waiter was the only server there. He had lots of tables, and he did a marvelous job handling so much work, along with the help of the hostess at times. The restaurant's tables are close together. I don't like to be squeezed in with other people. But this business is in a nice area of the city. I would come here again for the lamb sandwich and beet salad. read more

Kanella - Brunch menu for today - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I don't know how this place has flown under the radar! Or maybe I'm just living under a rock. Either way, very glad to have finally tried this place. My two friends and I did the taste of Kanella option- $42 per person for 2 apps, 1 entree, and 1 dessert each. I really recommend it. I can't remember all the apps we got, but the crispy brussel sprouts, muhammara, halloumi, and hummus were my favorites. For the entrees we got the sea bass, lamb kebabs, and beef special. We were all really pleased with our dishes. The portions were very generous so we had a ton of leftovers. For dessert, I highly recommend the kunefe. It was one of the best I've had. The vibes are casual but nice. It did get pretty loud later in the evening so maybe not the best place for a lot of conversation but that was fine for us since we were busy inhaling our food. read more

New management and new menu and you can absolutely feel how much greater this place has become. The new menu is a hybrid between Greek and Turkish food. We ordered the taste of Kanella, and for $39 we were super full and all the plates we got were spot on. We especially loved their Adana kebab and Kunafeh! Both the chef and the manager came out to each table to make sure service and food were to our liking and we really appreciated the personal touch. Our server was personable and very helpful. Would definitely be back to try more of the new menu! read more

Kanella - Adana Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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On a special visit to see our daughter, who enjoys Eastern Mediterranean food, she recommended Kanella. As we walked a few blocks to this restaurant located near the campus of Jefferson Medical College, we were warmly greeted and seated by Pedro. As we were provided water, we noticed that all the patrons appeared to be enjoying the ambience and their food. We ordered three mezzo dishes (i.e. halloumi, muhammara, hummus), three main dishes (i.e. laurek (2), chicken shish), and two desserts (i.e. kunefe, baklava) that was enough for four adults. As the four of us enjoyed the food family style, we were a little concerned that we ordered enough food as each dish came out for us to share. The combination of flavors and tastes of each dish were good. We now have a go to place each time we come back out to Philadelphia and want a good place for Mediterranean food. read more

Kanella - Laurek. Delicious Sea Bass done just so. - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I'd do 4.5 stars if I could. The service was good and the food was excellent. The chicken was very well seasoned and grilled just right. The fries were hot, the salad was refreshing, and the hummus was fresh, smooth, and delicious. read more

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IMPORTANT - ignore ALL PHOTOGRAPHS before late 2022. They do not resemble ANYTHING CLOSE to what is currently served here. There are no wraps, no large servings, NONE OF IT. The menu consists of very few options at this point, and if you're looking at things like hummus for $6 back in 2020, forget it. Those days are long gone. I am baffled by the five star reviews for this place. They must be from skinny rich people. The food here, in terms of taste, is middling to good. So in terms of quality? No complaints. The portion sizes are insultingly small. The main dishes are all kebab style (served off of the skewer) and you get four TINY pieces of meat. Literally teeny tiny pieces of meat, served with a scoop of rice and a teeny portion of something like grilled onions. For $19. It's the amount of food you would expect to pay $8 for at a food struck on the street. On the plus size you get unlimited pita bread, though you have to kind of cajole them into giving it to you, and they do bring out a piece of baklava for everyone in your party for free (whether you want it or not.) But this simply cannot make up for the measley portions of food. The apps are generally the same issue. If you want what amounts to 1/5th of a tub of store bought hummus for $9, you're in luck. So the bottom line truly is that if you are willing to throw your money away and leave still hungry, Kanella is the place for you. read more

Freshest (Sheppard) salad I've had since moving to Philadelphia 5 months ago. The guys working lunch were great. Super clean restaurant. Hummus was super flavorful. Pomegranate tea was naturally sweet and delicious read more

Kanella - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Kanella has been around for a while and I'm glad it's still here (I was so sad when Kanella South closed). The food at Kanella is always consistently good and the service is always great. Compared to most restaurants, the food here is lightly seasoned (i.e. not salty), which I appreciate. I usually get the chicken shish or the adana (lamb) kebab. Love their beet salad and tzatziki as well. Portions are a bit on the small side for the price point, but the food is still worth trying. read more

I find myself coming back to Kanella because the meal is just so satisfying. I recommend the chicken kebab dish. Be sure to order the cucumber tomato salad, it pairs perfectly with a main dish. The chicken was tender and the rice was buttery -- I ended up ordering two plates of it!! The ambience inside and outside is great. Definitely check it out for a fresh and hearty meal. read more

My absolute favorite place for Mediterranean food in Philly!! Everything is delicious and beautiful, and the staff are extremely attentive and friendly! Definitely feels like walking into a family restaurant. The hummus is some of the best I've ever had, the falafel was perfectly crispy, and the Adana lamb kebab was cooked to perfection. Everything was flavorful and fresh. The Turkish coffee is great too, perfect for an after-meal digestive, and is served in beautiful and unique cups. A warm, friendly, and delicious place, definitely worth a visit! read more

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Amazing food and courteous service Was able to accommodate a large party in short notice read more

I had high hopes for Kanella. Let me start by saying that the food IS alright, but beyond mediocre and overpriced. I am from the Middle East and I grew up around this kind of food. I have also been to MANY middle eastern and Greek restaurants in Philadelphia, some pretty authentic places. This places just falls short. It is designed for Americanized/overpriced experience. $10 for a small app that's usually $7 at ANY other med place is a rip off. And it's not even that good. The pita is grocery store bought (and not the good kind) they charged $10 for 2 slices of halloumi. I thought for a second it was a joke. that's the portions. Their entrees include ONE skinny skewer and a small portion of rice. For $19 absolutely not worth it. I didn't even want to get the dessert after the apps and entrees. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your money. Philadelphia is filled with great Greek and middle eastern restaurants where you get way better quality for less money. read more

Had a phenomenal dinner at Kanella tonight. Pedro, our friendly server, was very attentive and happily shared recommendations (top notch!) :) We started with our mezze dishes - we ordered the tzaziki, hummus, muhammara, crispy Brussels sprouts and got the lentil kofte - all of the items were superb but the Brussels and tzaziki were our favorites! For our entrees we got the Adana Kebab and the Chicken Shish - both were delicious and we loved the grilled spicy pepper that was complimented on the side! For dessert we ordered the Kunefe (recommended) and the baklava - both were delicious but the Kunefe was something extra special! This spot is also BYOB which is a perk in our book! We can't wait to come back, as the food (& service) was incredible! Thanks Pedro & Chef Tayfun!! read more

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Simple food brilliantly executed. Ambience is lovely as well. This is a place worth bringing family and friends to for a nice experience. I recommend to ask for the rice to be replaced with salad in the entree. read more

One of my worst experiences, I placed an order. 1 hour after placing the order when I called to check on my status of order, they said they are out of one of kebabs and have to substitute it and said it will be delivered in 20-25 minutes. 45 minutes after this conversation, I still hadn't received any food snd after trying to call them for 15 minutes, eventually they answered and said the order was cancelled online but now miraculously (being sarcastic ) they see it again ( which is a total lie because if I wanted you cancel since it was placed thorough uber eats, I would be charged the full amount) and now they wanted me to wait another hour for the good that was placed 2 hours ago read more

Came to Kanella for a dinner. Both Adana and ribeye kababs were great! The union side with the sumac and the green pepper were so on point. read more

Kanella - Adana - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Kanella was great. Food was amazing, we got the eggplant dip, hummus, salmon kebab, spanokopita, and baklava and loved it all. The service was great as well. The resy page had tons of availability when I checked earlier in the day so I didn't book a reservation, but it was pretty crowded and had to wait about 40 mins once I got there (about 8pm Friday night) so I would recommend making a reservation. Definitely will be back!!! read more

Kanella - Salmon Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The good: Chicken shish and brussel sprouts were delicious! The servers were also nice and service was quick. The so-so: The halloumi was ok. The cheese was a bit rubbery and a bit bland. There was a couple of small dollops of apricot which actually would have made the cheese better if there was more of it. The pita bread had a nice char flavor to it, but was very dry. The not so-good: The falafel was very dry and there needed to be a lot more of the sauce. The salad that came with it did not have enough dressing. Lunch wasn't terrible, but for the money, I was definitely expecting a lot better. read more

I came her for lunch with a local friend, at her recommendation. Kanella Grill is a cozy neighborhood restaurant that feels like a little piece of Greece. We were quickly brought water and told, in quick but great detail, about the day's specials. While the watermelon salad sounded interesting, the waiter won us both over with the description of the rabbit salad, which we each ordered. I added a kafta sandwich to this and finished with baclava. First, the salad. I haven't had rabbit in a while and generally find it to be overly gamey unless prepared just right. Well, Kanella did it just right and accentuated it with a pleasantly sharp dressing and fresh veggies. The salad was quite a nice size as well, so I was preparing myself to make room for the lamb kofta sandwich that would soon arrive. The flaky pita was piled with lamb, tomatoes, and peppers. It was huge! At one point, I just cut it in half to make it easier to eat. I also had the limonada, which was a nice, spicier lemonade that had hints of ginger (and maybe turmeric but maybe I made that up). The one ding was the baklava, which was strangely hard. I mean...like, really, truly hard--almost as if it had been frozen. I was pressing into it with my fork and am not exaggerating when I say that it took a lot of force to cut through it. That said, it was good baklava and wasn't overly pistachioey. The service was very friendly and efficient. I'm glad my friend introduced me to this place! read more

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I can't understand all the good reviews here. Went for lunch on a Saturday with my mom. Started off with the eggplant appetizer, which really didn't have much flavor. On a positive note, it was served with some nice hot pita bread. I had the chicken shish kebab and she had the lamb kebab. The chicken was 4 small pieces of chicken thighs. Kebabs should be nice chunks of chicken breast, but instead they chose to use the cheaper thighs. Her lamb was a small serving of over seasoned/salty dried out ground lamb. Both came with rice, but nothing else, so definitely not worth the $20 price today for a lunch entree. We had eaten there before the pandemic and at the time the food was good, but I hear ownership has changed. Would not recommend going. read more

Externamente friendly waitstaff and excellent food! Quaint BYOB, great for family dinner or date night. 10/10 would recommend.

I went to Kanella Grill on a Saturday morning. The ambiance was like that of a regular brunch place but with simple greek-type decor. It was not too crowded. I thought that they would be serving some lunch items but be warned - there's only a limited brunch menu at the time. There are only 7 or 8 items you can order at that time. My friend and I sat down and ordered at the wobbly table. The server seemed confused when I asked if there was a more extensive menu - she made a weird comment about people making 'fake websites' for Kanella Grill which was a problem. I found that really weird and think she must have been confused. When I left the restaurant I had to look up that they actually had lunch menus aside from brunch, but those are weekdays only. The food came in an average amount of time and I thought the service was just average in attentiveness. I loved the food itself though. I got the Kanella Platter and liked all of it. I thought the rice was very flavorful with the small bits of carrot (I think) inside of it. I was more used to cheaper plain rice but this rice was actually a great part of the dish. The tahini was good with the pita (a little chewy). The lamb skewers were very well done - with crispy grill marks, but still very juicy. The olives and side salad also added a light and vinegary complement. My favorite part of the dish was probably the stuffed grape leaf (Dolmathakia). It was unexpectedly sweet and I really liked the texture of the rice inside of the leaves. Overall I would come here again but really wish our particular server were more knowledgeable about the menu. Also, the temperature of the food could be slightly hotter but that is a minor complaint. read more

Kanella - Kanella platter with pork - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I came to Kanella Grill with a few friends for dinner and had an amazing meal! I had a friend visiting from out of town who wanted to check out a Philly BYO, and we settled on this place. We ordered a bunch of stuff to split. We started out with the trio of dips of the day - one was a potato and garlic, one was a red pepper and hazelnut, and a yogurt-based one with zucchini and walnuts. We also got Spanakopita and 3 platters - the falafel with extra salad, halloumi with fries, and lamb kofta with rice. My favorite was the halloumi - it was grilled to perfection! Everything we ordered was a great portion size and super delicious. I can't wait to come back and try some of the other things on the menu (my eye is on the Vegetarian Mousaka!) read more

What a disappointment. I was so hyped that I was finally able to make it out here. There was about a 45 min wait for walk ins on a Tuesday evening - what!? Ordered the chicken kebob platter with rice and hummus w/ pita. The chicken was under cooked and still pink in the center. The rice pilaf was ok- some of the rice pieces were not completely cooked. The hummus was average - not as creamy or flavorful as some of the other neighborhood hummus establishments. The pita too was tough and hardened quickly. I don't want to be too quick to judge since everyone seems to have had great food here. Although I didn't love the food, the ambience and the service was excellent. read more

Kanella - Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I was a little sad that I didn't have the chance to come here when the old owners was so highly regarded, but seperating that from my experience, the food was an absolute delight. I think it was the week that things had changed hands, and a lot of the wait staff were still a bit green and there were tiny issues with communication. Not a big deal, as the staff were improving by the second. We had a handful of meze, the hummus, muhammara, stuffed mussels and my god the pita bread was amazing. The hummus had what I prefer to a balance of lemon, garlic, tahini, and chickpeas, the muhammara's flavor was rich, deep, and complex, and the stuffed mussels tasted super fresh, of the sea, and something I just wanted more of. The bread smelled naturally leavened, and wasn't overly yeasted like some commercially available pita's. Of all the mains we ordered, I don't think any of them were a disappointment. However, the one that surprised me the most was the seabass. Crispy skin, flaky meat, perfectly cooked. The only thing that maybe was a bit disappointing was the kunefe, which in all fairness seems difficult to make perfectly. The cheese was still a bit dense in the center, and the filo was difficult to seperate from the pan. Flavors were all great though. Overall a great experience, and definitely looking forward to coming back again! read more

Always one of my fav. places when I'm in Philly - I'm slightly sad that their bigger establishment didn't make it. But this location at 10th/Spruce is primarily my fav. - 1) Make reservations on Yelp when in Route 2) Always get the dips of the day 3) BYOB 4) Loved anything lamb 5) Brunch is a must It's a small space/casa - so I don't know about rolling up with a party more than 6, but hey this is Philly and they will accomodate, you just might have to wait. read more

4 for flavor, 5 for value proposition really simple, delicious Mediterranean food. they often give out a meze on the house if you come early/are a small party (we got a free hummus). for 2 people, 2 meze, 1 entree would be perfect - 2 meze 2 entree if you're starving. pita is included with meze. lamb/fish is a great choice and we loved the halloumi (but could be griddled more for better texture) byob, cozy spot that's accessible as a 'what do u wanna eat, i'm not sure' kinda place. make a reservation cause it gets busy after 7 pm on the weekends. read more

This place is great! Been here twice and the food was excellent. The tasting menu is a great option and leaves you stuff. The service is very good as well. Will definitely be back. Also love that it is byob! read more

Kanella - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Everything were really good, fresh ingredients and great tastes. Great for family and friends. Casual ambience and good service. Would def come back if around. read more

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This spot never disappoints and Pedro the server is always spot on. Love coming here! read more

Kanella - Best Mediterranean restaurant of all time! - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Went back to Kanella for the first time in a while and the food quality does not live up to the previous Kanella. We ordered several mezze and the presentations were sad. The lentil kofte was shaped with finger indents in it, it immediately put me off. It was also dry and full of parsley. The halloumi was small and sadly plated as well. The pita did not taste freshly made like I've had at other restaurants or even at home. The eggplant dish with pomegranate had about 5 seeds of pomegranate. We ordered beef and sea bass as the mains and they were pretty good. All in all, the menu has some dishes that remind me of Suraya but at a much lower quality. It is a little more affordable, byob, and a cute ambiance (same as old Kanella) but I'd rather have better food. read more

Great restaurant that does simple but perfectly done Mediterranean food. Everything we had was fantastic but the standouts were the Lentil Kofte (perfect with a squeeze of lemon over it) and salmon kebab which was cooked perfectly. The portions are perfect size as well. The Taste of Kanella is a great deal, but if you're not much of a dessert person about 4 Meze and 2 Mains is the perfect amount for two people. It's BYO as well which is amazing!! Extra points for great and attentive service that was not over the top. The atmosphere really makes you feel like you are in a restaurant in Europe as well. Really can't recommend this place enough. read more