What a lovely experience. Everything about a.kitchen was wonderful. The atmosphere--relaxing, unassuming, elegant--was just right for a long overdue date night. We sat at the chef's counter, so our servers were, well, everyone who worked there, and we were made to feel at home and at ease from the moment we sat down. We ordered drinks--a Last Word for him and a top-notch mocktail (they have several to choose from, or they'll make a bespoke one for you if you'd rather)--then considered the menu. But how to decide?? Everything sounded incredible. After some suggestions from the chefs, we started with gougeres (filled with Comté and black pepper and topped with a snowfall of Parmesan), chickpea panisse, and bluefin tuna. The gougeres were lighter than air and absolutely divine. The tuna, topped with shaved watermelon radish and set atop of a tasty pool of xo sauce, was sublime. But the panisse? That was a bite of heaven. The eggplant tahina was deliciously smoky and the perfect complement to the crispy-fried chickpea bites. How could chickpea be that smooth, I ask you?? Witchcraft, surely. We had a pasta course that featured burnt allium pici (pasta made black with activated charcoal) and little neck clams and wild garlic, and the best gnocchi I've ever had--so light and flavorful--with guanciale, crême fraiche, and chive oil. It's the kind of thing that could give you religion. Then? THE MAINS. I got a soft shell crab with leeks, fingerling potatoes, and ramp green goddess dressing. The Guy got cassoulet, the thing a.kitchen is known for (they literally win awards for it). Folks, I am here to tell you that every one of those accolades was EARNED. This dish is so rich and flavorful; I've never tasted anything like it. In short (and this review is anything but), GO HERE. Have a long, leisurely dinner with your favorite person. Or people. Or by yourself. You owe it to yourself to have a meal this good. read more

Stopped in for a quick breakfast. The cornmeal pancakes were absolutely delicious! Service was great. And the vibe was clean and quiet. read more

a.kitchen - Cornmeal pancakes - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Come for the drink, stay for the service. a.kitchen is known for having great wine selections, but their service is the true star of the show. After going there for a dinner with friends last night, I was impressed with the attentive and professional service of the bartender and the host/maitre d. Ambience is also very lovely and perfect for a date night. While waiting for my friends to arrive, the kind bartender offered me a tasting of their sparkling wine. It was refreshing and delicious, but I didn't take a full glass as I couldn't handle too much alcohol and didn't want to crash out too early on my friends. Food-wise, I was disappointed. I ordered a half chicken dish. While the portion was generous, the meat was too salty yet undercooked as the center was still pink. My friends ordered vegetarian dishes, each of which had far too small of a portion to justify for the price. From their collective review, everything was also saltier than expected. If we come here again, we'll stick with only appetizers and drinks. read more

Service was great! Very friendly service everywhere in this area. Small little spot. Definitely has some unique offerings for breakfast so check the menu before you go; Oysters and things that are elevated and savory. The bacon was really good. The French toast was good but, it was a bit too dense. If it's going to be that dense it needs more egg to make it softer. Reminded me of Challah. The apples were smart. Latte was really good. No flavors to add, just basic coffees here. My friend said the eggs were really good and the mimosa was excellent. read more

a.kitchen - Standard breakfast with thick garlic potato's, biscuit and eggs - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I enjoyed this place. I got the espresso martini which was good, strong. I also got the gougere and it was good, can get a bit heavy. I also got the chickpea panisse and it was so good. I loved the seasoning on top of it. The broccoli was really good wish it was warmer. The eggplant sauce was amazing. The chocolate pot creme was decent, the mousse on top was not enjoyable but the chocolate part was really good. Service was fine. I sat at the counter watching the chefs. It was cool. Would love to see like one more entree that's vegetarian. read more

a.kitchen - Chickpea Panisse and Gougeres - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Our group was supposed to have a reservation here for dinner but when we arrived, they mentioned that they did not have the reservation on file. Fortunately, the were able to squeeze the six of us into a small four person table and make do. I did not like the dish I ordered at all - spaghetti alla chitarra, the spaghetti with clams. The spaghetti was incredibly dry and hard, and the whole dish was way too salty. Others at the table ordered the gnocchi, which they said was decent, but portion sizes are quite small here so we were still hungry after. Service was good otherwise and our waitress was attentive. I've walked by here many times and wanted to stop by but unfortunately, this was a disappointing visit. read more

a.kitchen - Spaghetti alla chitarra - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Decent food. Service is average. I wasn't overly impressed by anything. Ok to visit for quick lunch / brunch. read more

a.kitchen - Wagyu Flank Steak Frites - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The cheeseburger made my husband's list of top burgers around the country! He let me try a bite and it was amazing along with the fries. The place is tiny so I highly recommend reservations but the atmosphere was upbeat. Pricey however they charge $5 for each soda refill. read more

a.kitchen - The Cheeseburger was outstanding! - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sat at the bar on a Sunday evening. Place was pretty much full still, but bar service was great and all three of my courses came out quickly. Food was very tasty, except somehow even with quick service, the temperature of the foods was on the colder side, which was slightly disappointing. Prices are fair for the neighborhood this is in. Would come again. read more

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Such a wonderful restaurant with a lovely wine list. We have been several times and the last time was for a bday. They sat us at the chefs counter and took amazing care of us. The whole fish was scrumptious and honestly watching them cook was like dinner and a show read more

Nice small spot with friendly, attentive staff. I ordered the cheeseburger, which I heard was one of the best in the city and, I have to say, I was a tad disappointed, given the price point and the buzz it had received. The meat itself was great but there was something very salty in each bite which overwhelmed the burger itself (maybe the cornichon pickle or the Dijonnaise, which I normally love). The fries were also served "burn the roof of your mouth" hot and were soft on the inside but crispier on the outside (I like them crunchy throughout). I would like to give this place another try because it has a very nice vibe and nice people working there, not to mention it is very well-regarded. I'd probably try something different on my next visit. read more

Decent brunch experience when family was in town. Restaurant itself is pretty small so a reservation is recommended, although today was not very busy and a lot of people were walking in and sitting at the bar. We started with these little cheese puffs and oysters. Both were very good! For entrees, two people ordered the omelette and enjoyed it. Highlight on the plate was the smashed potatoes. One of us got the steak frites, another got the chicken sandwich, and lastly someone got the pork au jus sandwich. All the food was good. I will say the fries with the steak and sandwich were a let down, but I also don't prefer steak cut fries. read more

Cute place w/ caring staff. Happy to see all-day dining; allows for an early dinner & no rushing to make a show. Excited to try one of Eater's Best Burgers which is a thin double patty, American cheese, cornichon relish, & Dijon on a seeded bun. This is a burger rooted in simplicity, where all the ingredients stand out in a non-competing manner. Was promised medium-rare but delivered medium-well, it didn't hurt the enjoyment any. The flavor from the sear was delightful & I appreciated the pungency of the Dijonnaise. The thick-cut potato wedges stand out among the bombardment of low quality French Fries. My only note, it be nice if they were served w/ a worthy condiment outside of bottled ketchup. Also enjoyed the Oyster Mushroom app which had those pretty fan-shaped clusters dusted lightly & fried, smear of aioli. Expertly prepared cocktail. Had horrific experience w/ a ticket marketplace ruining our day out (my bday). Waiter was kind enough to do searches for alternative event seating, in-between dropping off plates of food. That's going well beyond the call of duty. read more

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We had an excellent birthday brunch for my sister at a.kitchen! We each ordered a different entree to try and each dish was flavorful and delicious. The steak frites came with the best fries & aioli, my rosette entree was so umami and mushroomy and cheesy perfection, and the cornmeal pancakes with lemon curd were perfect. Really a great meal with great service! Only negative was it was veryyyy hot in there lol I think it's because of the open style kitchen. Great meal! read more

a.kitchen - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Had a fabulous experience at a.kitchen! We enjoyed the crudo, gnocchi, and the burger. The fries that came with the burger were some of the best I've had at a restaurant in a while (I love a thick cut salty fry). Enjoyed the service, great location, not too loud. A lovely evening in Philadelphia! read more

Discovered this fun spot tonight on a whim. Wanted to get out of my normal Philly routine so popped in for a bite, a couple drinks, and good conversation with the bartender. Highly recommend the oyster mushrooms and chickpea panisse, both were the perfect flavor combinations and a fun way to dress up veggies. Thankfully I saved room for a few bites of gnocchi (and remembered to snag a photo). All around great spot- ambiance, food, and service. read more

a.kitchen - Gnocchi - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Service was great. The food was so good. The entire menu looked amazing so hard to narrow down what to order. Plates were a bit small, but we were sharing with a larger group. Can't wait to come back and try all the things I didn't get to order this time! I had the burger, the fries were sooo good. I'm a sucker for a good thick/steak/wedge cut fry. And the gnocchi. Hard to choose a favorite. I would order either again in the future. read more

Do you have dietary restrictions? Stay away! We stopped by here for lunch. The place is super intimate and I love the open kitchen concept. When entering, everyone was so friendly until when we got sat, our server was not. The menu doesn't clarify which food is gluten free. So we waited for our server to clarify before making the selection. We asked the server what are the gluten free options and she said "tell me what you want and I'll tell you if they're gluten free or not" ?????like what? Never heard this type of response. Then I ask if she can't tell us the gluten free plates and she said "every plate can be modified to gluten free". We eventually ordered with bad taste in our mouth. We got our food and the person who seems to be a manager was super nice and said "we made sure everything is gluten free". The food was pretty good but with the poor service, I really don't see myself going back. read more

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Service was great .. but the food was way overpriced and my salad was incredibly salty (tip: a dressing with whitefish doesn't need a whole lot of extra salt). I got it with chicken for $32... Which ended up being an entire chicken breast and wing on a separate plate. Weird, but ok. I also had a glass of orange wine from southern Italy that tasted like vinegar.... It was better with food, but not great. Unfortunately, the chicken was underdone. The server apologized a d took it back to "put under the grill" (?) a bit longer. The chicken came back out exactly the same and not any warmer than when it left (meaning the kitchen probably just let it sit there as an FU). I ate a bit more before deciding I'd rather not get food poisoning. The server was gracious enough to remove it from the bill without prompting, but still not an experience I'd want to repeat. read more

Ambiance here is great and love that they take reservations in advance. Mostly indoor tables with extra at the attached bar and some outdoor as well. Our waitress was hit or miss - initially very attentive but then took 20+ minutes to be able to put in food order. Most of the actual food was delicious, especially the cheese puffs and lamb belly over crispy rice (special of the evening). 3 stars mainly coming from service and lack of variety in wines.. they have 5 dry white wines and between the four of us we tried 3 of them, nearly the same. Would appreciate more variety with wine but the food and ambiance was so great I would definitely return for dinner again! read more

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Small restaurant that is quite intimate & warm w/dim lighting & also close quarters. Staff are extremely friendly and well trained and happy to accommodate in any way they can. Food is artfully presented and flavors are well pronounced. Menu options and portion size are small though so options are limited. Overall a nice romantic destination restaurant. read more

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Had an amazing birthday dinner at a.kitchen. The cocktails and wine were great and the service was spot on. The food was super fresh and full of flavor. We tried the French puff cheese pastries (gougères), whipped tofu, ricotta rosette, and the wagyu bavette steak--everything was excellent. Definitely recommend. read more

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this was the BEST meal I've had in a long time. 10 out of 10! Roasted Chicken... Ambience was perfect, quiet, nice low lights. read more

I know, everyone says they have the best pancakes, but this place really does have the best pancakes I have ever tasted in my entire entire life, and I don't even fuck with pancakes. My friend and I walked over here one tired morning after boxing class, to quickly grab a bite. We sat outside and service was prompt. Our server was friendly and helpful. The ambience is a little bit more casual than dressed up. If you like good food, you'll like it here. read more

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A.kitchen was the location my son has picked for dinner after our show of Terence Blanchard. So we were really looking forward to a great meal. Upon arriving, I found the place dark. But I didn't realize the lighting was so ill designed. We eat with our eyes. Darkness interrupts that need for satisfaction. My son started with the Fried sweet bread while my wife had beets. An order of sesame bread with butter was outstanding. All plates are small. My wife had the fish with vegetables in a sauce that she thought was very good. But you couldn't tell what it looked like. The photos I enhanced we DID NOT SEE IN THE RESTAURANT. My son had the chicken, which again, when I took a photograph with a flash, looked less tasty than you would imagine. It was a tremendous preparation, but I didn't find it any better than French provincial. And you don't have to do anything, and you don't add calories. I had the Wagu; 5 small slices, sauce, carrots, sweet potatoes. It was OK. Cool bottom. (Aged Angus has much better flavor. Just as fine in tenderness w/o marbling.) My son had the pana cotta w balsamic and lemon. Meh. Suggestions....Replace those awful LED fixtures (with the worst CRI, color and light in the world). The wood slat ceiling makes it difficult to provide even light. So these points of light in your eyes obscure everything you're supposed to look at to make you interested in eating and enjoying a delicious meal. Why? Guests in front had the salad I was going to order. It was impossible to see it was green. We eat with our eyes. Service...excellent. Thanks. read more

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Unremarkable food and cramp space. And the servers kept on bumping into me and my chair. The portions were very small. The steak was about 150 grams. That's about 0.3 lbs or about 5 oz. For a $50 steak. Gnocchi...seven quarter sized pieces of gnocchi. Speaking of service. Just really poor service from the staff, especially tonight. Slow, not friendly...not friendly. Just rude. read more

Rittenhouse Square restaurant that check all the boxes for a fine dining establishment. Smallish space with a small menu of well prepared dishes. Extensive wine list is impressive. Friendly and informative staff, well paced meal. Few hiccups in service and dishes, nothing terrible, precludes a five star rating. Is definitely worth trying however read more

I came here for a business trip and was looking for a place that had availability for dinner since we were starving. We were immediately seated outside which was really lovely with the warm weather. Our server was incredibly sweet and walked us through the menu and explained all of the vegetarian dishes that were available for me to get. I ended up having this amazing dish that was a tomato based chutney with asparagus, artichoke, peas, radish and a sauce sprinkled on top. All the vegetables were incredibly fresh and the dish was delicious. read more

a.kitchen - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A.Kitchen delivered!!! We enjoyed an early evening dinner for two, sitting at the Chef's Counter. There were some amazing options for appetizers and dinner - we went with the Chickpea Panisse, and it was one of the best appetizers we've had in a while. After watching a number of entrees hitting the grill, we had to chose the burger and Wagyu flank steak. Both were spectacular - the sauces and veggies accompanying the steak were delicious. The steak fries deserved an honorable mention. Cocktails were on the smaller side, but prepared perfectly. Service throughout the evening was warm and attentive. And ask the cooking team questions when you're sitting at the Chef's Counter - they're working their tails off, but took the time to engage with every question and provide exceptional conversation across the bar. read more

Delicious, unique food and cocktails. Sidewalk seating. Excellent service. Wonderful vegan options

Went for winter 2025 restaurant week. Loved the small, cozy vibe. Our servers were attentive and polite. Food came out quickly and each course was nicely paced. The food was exceptional. Eclectic wine selection and approachable drinks. Definitely would go back. read more

a.kitchen - Steelhead - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I found this restaurant as a semi finalist for James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur (Ellen Yin of High Street Hospitality Group, which includes Fork, A.kitchen + Bar, High Street Philly, and others). I'm thinking I may have caught the restaurant on an off day. It was slow weekday. A bit disappointed by the food. The fried mushrooms were a bit dry even with the aioli sauce. It felt like every last drop of moisture from the mushroom was wrung dry. I also ordered the octopus dish with thick bacon and salmon roe eggs atop soft boiled eggs and a bed of salad. It was a decent dish. I found an eggshell and nicely mentioned it and they were very nice about it and apologized and removed it from my bill. Of course I fully tipped on the full bill and they deserved it because the service was excellent throughout. Spent time walking through the menu and giving suggestions and advice. I just found this to be a bit disappointing food wise since it came short of my expectation. I do think I'll give the other restaurants a try or come by and see if it was just an off day. Also it's known for its selection of natural wines so next time I'll get a glass too. read more

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A group of 4 of us went to dinner for restaurant week. This was someone else's choice from our group and wouldn't have been mine however I did enjoy our dinner. The gougéres comes with the meal and I could've eaten 10 of those heavenly cheesy balls. The cheese is rich and melty inside of a puff pastry. I then had the clams, which were plentiful. For my entree I had the trout and was pleasantly surprised. The skin was very crispy the meat flaky underneath and this may sound weird but the sautéed spinach on top was maybe the highlight. I wouid eat a whole bowl of that spinach. I was stuffed so I got the panna cotta but only had a had a bite, I'm not a dessert person so.... I did try my husband sausage with lentils, the lentils were salty but I like salty so they were good to me. I also tried the chicken liver that my friend had which is a first for me since being scared from eating liver as a kid, it was not bad after getting over my mental issues of eating liver. I want to try their brunch. read more

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We had dinner here last night, and had a fantastic experience! We had 2 celiacs, one gluten intolerant and 2 non-gf in our party and the food, service and ambiance were a 10/10. Server was phenomenal - especially given our dietary needs. Highly recommend! read more

I think they fancy themselves a trendy, high end dining establishment. It checks all the boxes: high prices; small portions; annoyingly crowded and noisy. The food and service were both decent...but I'd rather have an equally well prepared and served, reasonably priced, filling meal in a relaxed atmosphere where I'm not sitting elbow to elbow with folks at the next table, and a crowd of people hovering just feet away at the non-existent entrance area awaiting a table. It's downright claustrophobic. read more

Finally returned to a.kitchen. Much better experience than many years prior. Although we found the menu to be limited for our pescatarian/celiac diner and had to get creative with ordering multiple tuna appetizers as an entree, the remainder of the group enjoyed their meal. The Cheeseburger (cornichon, american cheese, dijonnaise, high street sesame roll) was well-seasoned--loved the cornichon flavor, which was highly prevalent! There was some miscommunication about the request for bread, which had to be repeated, but overall service was pleasant. While the space has cozy décor, it becomes quite loud/difficult to converse in when full. Would love to see more non-alcoholic beverage options on the drinks list. read more

a.kitchen - Cheeseburger (cornichon, american cheese, dijonnaise, high street sesame roll) - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Yes, holiday prix fixe menus may not be indicative of a restaurant's routine performance, but the Thanksgiving menu was extremely disappointing given the restaurant's reputation. The bread rolls were cold, two of the first course options were inedible (parsnip soup had a gloopy consistency and unpleasant taste; shrimp were rubbery and also had an off taste, its pickled accompaniment was too salty to consume). The accompaniments to the main course were again too salty to eat. The sides were just plain terrible, like eating reheated leftovers, with stuffing so dried out it could crack your teeth. Service was pleasant but absent minded (forgotten drinks, errors on final bill). For $600 for 3 people (no alcohol), I would expect the meal to taste better than something I could make at home. read more

Wonderful, cozy spot right on Rittenhouse Square. We had a reservation for two, and we arrived early but were seated right away. The dining room is very cozy and intimate, with a small bar in the corner and the kitchen in view. Lighting is on the darker side but not too dark as some reviews have suggested. Just cozy and romantic. Service was incredibly friendly and attentive. And the food was wonderful: we shared the Gougeres for an appetizer, they were beautifully presented on a plate of fresh grated parm. Very yummy. Then we shared for our mains the Riccota Rossette and the burger. The pasta was beautifully cooked, with a delicious brown butter sauce. The burger was incredible: in addition to being perfectly cooked, it was complemented by the seeded bun (substantial enough to hold up and not doughy like you sometimes get!) and a delicious dijonaise sauce. It earns its place among the best burgers in the City. It's also set apart by the potato wedges that come with it: crispy on outside, soft and substantial on the inside, they are a nice upgrade from the standard handful of greasy fries you often get with even above-average burgers. My wife had the Sign of the Times cocktail. I didn't try it but can report it was wonderfully fragrant. I myself had a beer. Unfortunately there are no drafts, but the cans and bottles are well curated with local choices for the craft beer fan and I found one of my favorites (the Neshaminy Creek J.A.W.N pale ale). Next time we'll go for the wine: the list looked very good. And alas, we were too full for dessert but we'll certainly be back to try it next time. Wonderful food, perfect service, in a beautiful and cozy space, we had a wonderful time. read more

We visited for the first time on Valentine's Day and tried the prix fix menu. Overall, we were disappointed. The ambiance is lovely and the space felt very warm and romantic, but we genuinely felt that the price to quality/quantity ratio was severely off mark. The menu was $95 per person and while all the meals were fine enough, they left us wanting more and feeling ripped off. For appetizers, we had the tartar and a carrot salad. The toast with the tartar was hard, and the salad was something that could easily be prepared at home. For the dinner, we had the lamb and spinach guni (came with ~6). The guni were tasty but a small portion, and the lamb was good but came with ONE shank. A singular shank for $95 is absolutely bananas. For dessert, we had the custard and date cake. The date cake was the best bite of the night, the custard was so sweet we found it inedible. We gave this meal a 5.5/10, fine enough but not something we would return for and certainly not something worth $95 per person. We admittedly have not tried their regular menus, but based on this experience, we likely won't be back. The icing on the cake - we missed the NBA all star game for this overpriced mediocre meal which may be the greatest travesty of it all. read more

The kitchen was so accommodating for vegans and we had the most amazing time on our engagement anniversary. The cocktails were on point and the beet salad was definitely the star of the experience. Highly recommend this place for your special occasion. read more

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