Friendly, small and authentic Italian spot with honest service. For those with gluten sensitivities…read moreor allergies, you can feel safe. The owners have a family member with Celiac and Crohn's and know what it's like to struggle with food restrictions. Call ahead to ensure they have gluten free pasta available for you. If you can stop yourself consuming the housemade bread, save room for the penne alla vodka.

A couple going into the restaurant stopped us as we made our way to the car. "What did you think?"…read morethey asked. I hesitated. "Well.... I thought it was very average; likely a one-shot deal for us. BUT, the restaurant appears to be popular, so you may think it's great." I hate assessing Core de Roma as less than wonderful. The owner is so gracious and wants everyone to be happy. But the reality is, with so many Italian restaurants in and around Philadelphia, you've got to be on top of your game. They start you off with warm Italian bread and a plate of tasty cannelloni beans in olive oil. We ordered calamari as an appetizer, described as being served on a "bed of greens." Had we known the "bed" was two meager leaves of lettuce, we would have ordered a salad as well. The calamari should be crisper and include tentacles in addition to rings. My husband's chicken Francese was pretty much indistinguishable from my saltimbocca. I like when the breasts are pounded thin, but these were sliced overly thin, and the portion, somewhat skimpy. One piece of T's was lemony, the other not. I did taste sage on my saltimbocca, but had I not known that the chicken was topped with prosciutto, I wouldn't have guessed it was there. I read that some restaurants don't serve angel hair pasta because it's easy to over-cook. You guessed it. Boiled to the point of being almost mushy, with sauce that literally had no taste. When we split a small piece of limoncello cake, T said "this is the most flavorful thing we've eaten." And sadly, I agreed. The restaurant is BYOB with a reasonable $5 corkage fee. The staff is young and efficient. There's a parking lot down the hill in the back. Ambience is okay -- despite some other Yelpers' complaints. The only thing needing improvement: the food.

Unbelievable Valentines Day dinner last night. We shared the meatball and suppli for appetizers…read more Both were amazing. Main meals were Conchilege with shrimp added and Rolled Lasagna. Hostess was friendly and Vincenzo was very attentive. The Stella Dolce was so yummy! Great way to celebrate our 35th Valentines Day together!!!!!

Located in the quaint village of Manayunk this Italian restaurant is very popular and very…read morereasonably affordable. Very warm and welcoming as you walk into the restaurant with a nice long bar full of neighborhood folks. The restaurant is typical of a neighborhood restaurant with nice wooden tables and chairs with a very friendly accommodative staff. Food: For Appetizers. The meatballs are served with a creamy ricotta on top it's superb. The calamari was excellent. I did a half wedge salad that fed three of us it was huge and delicious. Then taleggio crostini with a sun-dried tomato fig spread on top WOW a must try and lastly the Roman flat bread with short rib,fig,caramelized onion and Gorgonzola cheese. MOUTH WATERING. Main course we had the fettuccine lamb ragu very flavorful. Pappardelle braised short rib very good sauce and flavorful. This is where things got crazy, we got the Amatriciana it came with sausage and conchilege pasta a NO NO, it is made with guanciale over bucatini however it was ok.

a very belated birthday-dinner review, since I'm an established slacker. But this is also fitting…read moresince whether its been driving by it back in the day, or through gazing up at it on the hill when I was in Manayunk, La Collina is one of those places that has been in my peripheral vision for a few decades now! For 20+ years, I've known La Collina to be that fancy and classic-looking Italian restaurant on the hill that I've been needing to try. But it took coming across its name when doing my research for possible spots to go to for my birthday to put one and two together, and it led to quite the majestic experience. The friendly and hilarious valet attendants ensured that service was incredible before we even entered the building. And upon entry, we were treated to spot-on recommendations and quality service throughout the evening. For cocktails, I was in awe of the Anejo Old Fashioned, which used Patron and agave syrup instead of the usual whiskey offering, and I also appreciated the classic Negroni. For appetizers, the classic meatballs with homemade marinara and ricotta were an absolute delight, and the eggplant rolatini with spinach, prosciutto, and mozzarella was sheer perfection at its most decadent. For my entrée, I initially expected that I would be eating all the pasta. But the restaurant is also known for its seafood, and the risotto frutti di mare especially caught my eye. and with its calamari, clams, mussels, and shrimp, and perfectly cooked and seasoned rice it absolutely delivered the flavors! Toss in a salted caramel chocolate soufflé with a candle on top, and it easily made for another memorable birthday dinner and a deserving place to recommend!

Very disappointed in La Collina…read more We ALWAYS wanted to go here because we love italian and it looked awesome on the hill overlooking Manayunk. We booked reservations for our wedding anniversary here. I specifically asked for a window overlook view seat. This was not granted and we were placed in the back room by the bar. Service was poor. We spent 2 and a half hours at this restaurant mostly waiting for the food to come out and the server to bring us our check. I don't believe the server came back for drink refills until after we were done with out meals. The serving sizes like stated in other reviews are very poor for the price you pay. For 2 to eat here you are pushing 100 easily. I got the chicken parm and pretty sure there was a out 12-15 noodles with it. My wife did enjoy her seafood pasta with scallops, but the price outweighed the amount for sure. Overall I had high expectations for this place and it let us down big time. Hopefully they continue to improve so we can give it another chance.

Elements other than food factor in to one's assessment of a restaurant…read more This restaurant is LOUD, particularly the main dining room. We were seated in the secondary room which quickly filled, and was just as loud. Conversation was difficult. Terrible acoustics. Pescatore is popular. I get it. Management wants to accommodate as many people as possible. As such, seating is tight and tables-for-two are postage sized. I can't deny that our meals were good. You can get vegetables as a side rather than mashed potatoes, but there's an upcharge. (I'm guessing they go with potatoes because they can make a batch and quickly ladle it out. Spaghetti -- my preference -- would likely have to be made-to-order. And as I said, the place is busy.) My husband and I shared a house salad which we topped with "fritto misto" - calamari, shrimp and peppers. Very good! He ordered Veal Saltimbocca and I, Chicken Romano. Both recommended, both with portions big enough for another meal. The staff is solicitous and friendly. Everything came out on a timely basis. We like what we ate. We appreciate BYOB. But that noise! I'll give 'em another try on a weeknight. But if it's no better -- arrivederci, Pescatore!

Nice place with a beautiful ambiance, 2nd visit to check out and explore the menu…read more I've had the fettuccine Bolanase and it was pretty taste, i could have used some more Italian flavors but it was a very hearty meal. Also, had the meatballs, very tasty and they come with a toast too. Service is Amazing & staff is friendly and accommodating. I promised i would return and here I am to eat dinner and watch the snow! Today! Short Beef Ribs... are delicious!! Very happy I came back!! Thank you!!

My company hosted our staff retreat dinner here through their group events team. Stacey and Randall…read morewere both fantastic to work with, both leading up to the event and day of. Claire (bartender) and Brooke (server) were both attentive and a joy to be around. The food was fantastic and was on a constant rotation so there was always something new and warm ready for my guests. The fried eggplant and zuchinni and mushroom pizza were massive hits (everything was but these were standout). We used the third floor for our dinner. The views of the Schuykill are second to none! There are fireplaces along the walls that provide a warm, easy-going ambiance. Along with the dark wood bar and comfortable lounge furniture in front of a tv (gameday?), it's been awhile since I've been in a restaurant that can create the exact ambience I was looking for. Thank you to Stacey, Randall, and the entire In Riva team for a delicious dinner and unforgettable experience!

Great place to enjoy some outstanding Italian food! One piece of advice, plan ahead and make…read morereservations because this place is popular for a reason. They offer seating both inside and outside, and we chose the patio. Great decision! We enjoyed live music while we ate, which made for a fantastic atmosphere. I started with a Dimora cocktail, made with tequila and passion fruit. It was good, but it didn't quite steal the show. Now for the food. For an appetizer we shared a couple Margarita Pizzas, they were amazing! They also brought some bread, hint save some bread to soak up all that sauce let on your pasta plate! I ordered the Short Rib Gnocchi, and it was excellent, tender short rib, pillowy gnocchi, and a flavorful herbed wine sauce that brought everything together perfectly. Someone at our table ordered the Marry Me Tagliatelle, and wow... it was so good I'm actually glad I didn't order it. If I had, I might have gotten myself into trouble with my wife after spending the entire meal talking about Marry Me Tagliatelle pasta! The Ravioli was also outstanding and definitely worth ordering. The service was top-notch. Jessie was attentive, friendly, and very knowledgeable about the menu, making the experience even better. If you live nearby, what are you waiting for? Great food, live music, excellent service, and a relaxing patio--sounds like a winning combination to me.

The food was great. Appetizers were extremely good. Service was attentive. Really enjoyed our…read moredinner. Will be back very soon. Highly recommend.

We've been meaning to stop by for quite awhile and we finally made it. We were in the mood for some…read moreItalian comfort food. The kitchen is in the center of the room so even though the restaurant was empty when we arrived - whatever was cooking smelled delicious. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. We started with Joe the Boss Eggplant Salad - I've been looking for new ways to make eggplant and they nailed it. It was light and fluffy, oddly I've never thought to serve it with salad. The chef gave us a few complimentary hummus crostinis that were delicious. I never order gnocchi- I'm just not a huge fan of their dense doughiness but I took a chance that their red sauce could sway me- and I wasn't wrong- it was good. The chicken parm was on point too. We enjoyed everything and will definitely return. Don't forget it's a BYOB.

Food is always delicious never had a bad meal at this establishment have been going to this…read moreestablishment for a long time

Penne alla vodka was salty!! The service was slow!!!! Calamari was rubbery.... The drinks were…read morehorrible. I had the worst experience