Philadelphia is a city that loves its Italian food. From classic Italian restaurants to modern takes on traditional dishes, the city has something for everyone. Whether you're looking for a cozy spot to enjoy a romantic dinner or a bustling restaurant with a lively atmosphere, there are plenty of options to choose from. To help you find the best Italian food in Philadelphia, PA, we've put together this guide to the city's finest Italian restaurants.
A Mano is an elegant and simple restaurant in Fairmount that specializes in homemade pasta dishes. The menu changes with the season, but some of the highlights include snails with corn butter and porcini, roasted beets with whipped ricotta, grilled peaches with stracciatella, grilled branzino, and Milanese chicken. For the full experience, opt for the family-style four-course Abbondanza menu and don't forget to bring your own drinks to pair with them. Fiorella is a pasta bar located in the Italian Market that pays homage to its long history as a butcher shop.
The signature dish is made with the restaurant's venerated sausage recipe. Other highlights include appetizers, handmade pasta dishes, and a cocktail list with hits such as dirty pasta, water, martinis and old-fashioned whole wheat butter. Tonarelli, Cacio e Pepe and Rigatoni with sausage ragout are some of the main dishes, along with charred octopus. Reservations are recommended for indoor and outdoor dining.
Osteria is led by chef Jeff Michaud and is one of the best Italian restaurants in Philadelphia. The menu features a variety of dishes from Piedmont to Calabria and the atmosphere is second only to the food. Highlights include Piedmont-style beef tartare, spaghetti alla carbonara, and grilled octopus. Cry Baby Pasta is a cozy spot in Queen Village that serves homemade pasta dishes, plates to share, and main courses like French chicken.
Seasonal ingredients keep the menu fresh, but there are always solid offerings such as wet meatballs with smoked ricotta and noodles with bolognese sauce. Reservations are recommended for indoor and outdoor seating. L'Anima is an informal and modern Italian restaurant located in South Philadelphia. The kitchen creates classic Italian comfort food that seems like it's being run by a team of Italian grandmothers instead of an award-winning chef.
Highlights include tonnarelli cacio e pepe, rigatoni alla carbonara, and grilled octopus. Ralph's is another South Philadelphia institution that claims to be the oldest Italian restaurant in the country. It has defined modern Italian in Philadelphia for an entire generation of diners and offers ingenious Italian specialties, pastries and ice cream. Fiore Fine Foods in Queen Village offers inventive Italian specialties as well as pastries and ice cream. Dante & Luigi's is the oldest Italian restaurant in Philadelphia and one of the oldest in the country. It opened in 1899 and offers classic Italian comfort food. Giuseppe & Sons is a modern ode to South Philadelphia Italian located right in the center of the city.
Highlights include sandwiches, pastries and pizzas on the top floor and a fantasy Italian restaurant at all costs that takes place underground. No matter what type of Italian food you're looking for, Philadelphia has something for everyone. From classic restaurants to modern takes on traditional dishes, there are plenty of options to choose from. So grab your friends or your significant other and head out for an unforgettable night of delicious Italian cuisine.
