We arrived 45 minutes early for our reservation and were able to be seated right away. The hostess was welcoming and the restaurant had a good vibe. The menu had limited selections and most of our party ordered the Stracotto, which was very good. read more

Barbuzzo - Stracotto - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Really fun spot with a warm, cozy atmosphere and just a really cool vibe. I got the vegan pizza with mushrooms and the crust was perfect. My partner liked the octopus salad at first but it felt a bit random halfway through. Cocktails were great. My son loved his margarita pizza (no basil). Pizzas are a good size, we had leftovers we ended up giving away. Service was great, waitress was really nice. Highly recommend! read more

Barbuzzo in Avenue of the Arts South is easily one of the best Italian-Mediterranean spots in the city, and it's absolutely worth every bit of its 4.3-star rating. I came here for dinner with friends, and from the moment we walked in, the warm, bustling vibe and incredible aromas set the tone for an unforgettable meal. We started with their signature Margherita pizza, and it was a masterpiece. The Neapolitan-style crust was perfectly charred, light, and crispy on the edges, with a tangy San Marzano tomato sauce, creamy fresh mozzarella, and bright basil that let the quality of each ingredient shine through. Every bite was balanced, flavorful, and exactly what you want from a classic Italian pizza. We also tried a few of their Mediterranean small plates, which were packed with bold, fresh flavors and perfectly complemented the pizza. The dinner menu is far more expansive than the lunch menu, with a huge selection of pastas, meats, and shareable plates, so there's something for every taste. The atmosphere is lively and intimate, making it perfect for date nights, group dinners, or special occasions. The service is attentive and knowledgeable, with staff happy to make recommendations and ensure every detail of your meal is perfect. It's a $$$ price point, so it's not a spot for a casual weeknight dinner, but it's absolutely worth the splurge for a high-quality, memorable Italian-Mediterranean experience. It's closed until 5 PM, so it's ideal for dinner, and it's easily become my new go-to for special occasions in the Avenue of the Arts area. I can't recommend it enough--this is a must-visit for any pizza or Italian food lover in the city! read more

Barbuzzo - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The food. ‍ Downtown Philly on a Friday night. Group of 5 visitors in town for a.large conference. Searching at 6:30pm, couldn't get a reservation earlier than 9pm anywhere! Snagged and 8;45 slot at Barbuzzo and walked over 45 minutes early just in case. And boom! Come on back, the host said! Molly our server was great--energetic, polite, patient. We all got the Stracotto, and there was a side of carrots. I love love a mixture of flavors, colors, and textures, so I didnt leave a single morsel of the polenta, veggies, gava beans, or short rib on the plate. The vibe is cool, but think more bar than restaurant. It's a long bar---the length of the narrow establishment--with a short menu. But did I say it was delicious? There is just one line of tables running the length of the room, across from the bar. We were seated at the largest one, adjacent to the kitchen door, elbow to elbow. But we got through it with full bellies, fully satisfied. (5 stars for my food) read more

Barbuzzo - Side of calabrian carrots - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We went in for an early dinner before catching a concert at the Academy of Music, a couple of blocks away. The internet lists this as Mediterranean, which is why I was so surprised the first smell to reach me upon entering was the smell of oven fired pizza. We were seated quickly and our server told us the food is served "family style with medium" portions. Despite this, we ordered as we would at any other restaurant and found it to be sufficient. We started with the stuffed meatballs which had a nice saucy flavor to them, with added peppers which gave them a mild kick. For our entrees we had lamb stuffed grape leaves, which were excellent and came with a healthy helping of chickpeas and tziki sauce on the side. We also had the stracotto which came with an incredibly tender short rib, a very well-paired accompaniment of vegetables, and cheese. I was on the verge of ordering a personal pizza as well, but was unfortunately full by that point. Next time we'll definitely be trying that and the dessert. There weren't many options for dessert, but after hearing folks raving about the salted caramel, I will definitely need to make a return visit. read more

Barbuzzo - Stracotto - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Nice restaurant, if a bit cramped. Our waiter was knowledgeable about the entrees and made solid recommendations. The meatball appetizer came with just 1 piece of bread but we were able to request a second piece for our party of two. I got the grape leaves stuffed with ground lamb over chickpeas. Very flavorful and enough that I could share with my husband. He got a beef short rib with veggies, which was also enough to share, so we each got to try a bit of everything. Nice place, would like to come back to try their pizzas! Only thing that was slightly lacking was their dessert menu, but there are plenty of other options within a block to satisfy any sweet tooth. read more

Barbuzzo - Meatball appetizer - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Really wanted to love the pasta at Barbuzzo, but this one missed the mark for me. The paccheri with pork sugo came out looking great, but the pasta itself was rock hard not al dente, but actually hard and undercooked. It honestly felt like a can of chili dumped over pasta that never fully finished cooking, which was pretty disappointing given the restaurant's reputation. The highlight of the night was absolutely the salted caramel budino, which was insanely good, rich, creamy, perfectly balanced between sweet and salty, and easily the best thing we had. Even better, the staff kindly gave us one to take back to the hotel, which was a really nice touch and much appreciated. Service and atmosphere were great, but unfortunately the main dish just didn't deliver this time. Hoping it was just an off night. read more

Barbuzzo - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Excellent meal for a large (30) group at this popular Philadelphia spot. Barbuzzo offers a private upstairs room for large groups. It's a rectangular room, open kitchen at the back, bar to the right. Tables are grouped together towards the front. They provide a portable coat check, which is a nice touch on a very cold nite for everyone's bulky winter coat. For a large party a slimmed-down menu is available, albeit with plenty of choices. Appetizers are served family style, and diners choose from one of 4 entrees and 3 desserts. Appetizers are delicious. Standouts include whipped ricotta; wonderful ricotta cheese whipped fluffy and adorned with a drizzle of olive oil and sweet/tart vin cotto. Perfect to slather onto crusty grilled bread. Also, seared shrimp served with a melange of blistered multi-colored tomatoes as well as steak fry-sized bars of crispy polenta. All served tossed in a basil walnut pesto. And tennis ball-sized meatballs - a little spicy - crowned with luscious sweet tomato sauce, served atop creamy, soft polenta. Hard to decide which entree to try because they all sound wonderful. I tried branzino, one of my favorites. A filet is offered here (not the whole fish) which is a nice change from having to navigate the whole head-on fish thing. It's traditional prep done right - skin on, broiled crispy, seasoned and cooked perfectly with the flesh slightly sweet, firm and moist. Impolite to ask for a bite of others' plates at a business function but the feedback about the other entrees was consistent.... Food well presented, hot when served, well seasoned, moist and tender. And we can't forget dessert! I tried espresso tiramisu. Creamy fresh whipped marscapone tops moist espresso-soaked ladyfingers, then adorned with crunchy cocoa nibs. Delicious, and a sizable portion for dessert. Shout out to the service team. Not easy to serve a large group but this team managed with ease. Everyone was served quickly. Everyone got what they ordered and it was all piping hot and delicious. Bravo! Definitely a great experience. Recommended! read more

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We held a department dinner event here and loved the food! They have a private upstairs dining room that we reserved. The beet and kale salad, ricotta, and meatballs were absolutely delicious from the starters. Shrimp was so so. I wasn't a huge fan of the bronzino either and wished I picked a different entree. The salted caramel budino was my favorite part of the whole dinner! Great service as well. read more

Barbuzzo - Salted caramel budino - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Service was a little slow, but it seems they didn't expect that kind of rush for a Saturday lunch. Tables are super small and cramped but you can't make do. I ordered a vodka based drink, the house greyhound, which was a little weak. Lunch menu is more limited than dinner. We ordered a beet and kale salad, with goat cheese, which was our favorite dish. The margherita pizza was slightly salty, but still good. Our pasta dish, the creste rigati was super salty. Good flavor maybe they need to adjust the amount of salt to balance the salt in the chicken sausage. read more

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Great location, Easy to find. A low lighting relaxing atmosphere with metal chairs and benches for guests. I ordered the lamb stuffed grape leaves, it was okay for me. Our team also shared the mushroom Pizza, olives and whipped ricotta -- all really delicious!! The bread with the ricotta was amazing. The tiramisu, which I got to go, was great! read more

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Beautiful and amazing food. It's not cheap, but also not expensive for the quality you're getting.

Came here for their restaurant week and was so pleased! Restaurants have gone downhill post pandemic, so I haven't had a great dining experience in a while, but this place made me smile while eating. I tried this place randomly while visiting from NYC. I had their tartare that was very fresh and arancini for starters. Pizza for my toddler. The main courses were fantastic. Can we also have a moment for their blood orange sorbet? What?! Also, extra kudos for a great dining experience for a toddler as well! read more

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I recently had the opportunity to take the in-laws out for a meal in Philly. Was able to secure reservations for this establishment. The restaurant had a nice vibe and atmosphere. Love the rustic and hip feel when we walked in. Let's get into the dishes! Gnocchi, fennel pizza, and frites dish are amazingly delicious. Salad was also spot on. Drinks nailed it as well. They offer unique options for craft drinks. Normally, I'm not a gin person, but their current gin craft cocktail was quite refreshing. Summer vodka was also a delight to taste. When we finished the main dishes, dessert wrapped it all up and concluded the enjoyable meal and experience. Friendly and engaging staff members made the evening that much more fun and memorable. Older folks are usually harder to please, but they enjoyed the meal and experience. Great job with your drinks, dishes, and service! While we were only a party of 4, be great if we could secure a bigger group booking. But upon walking into the restaurant, I can see why it's a bit challenging to book a table for 14. Overall, you guys offer great food, service, and experience. Hope to visit this establishment again in the future. Cheers! read more

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This was a pleasant surprise of flavors. Definitely not your typical mediterranean style restaurant has with Italian flare. It is a quant atmosphere booming with happy customers, staff and open kitchen that offered customers the view of their food being prepared. Our server Chris was excellent. He immediately greeted us, and proceeded to promptly take our order. After discussing what we were looking at, Chris gave us the seal of approval. The summer watermelon salad is light and refreshing as expected, but the explosion of flavors also came from the hazelnuts and mediterranean influenced seasonings. Next we had the burrata and speck...the highlight was the roasted peaches that took the burratas creamy texture and the speck's savory flavor and added some sweetness. The Tonnarelli Nero pasta dish was unique. Pasta from mushrooms (fantastic) and shrimp with a nice seasoning. Papas bravas was perfectly crispy with a wonderful not overpowering aïoli style sauce. Then we were really getting full, but had ordered the Spanish octopus which was very good, just a bit too saucy for me, but delicious and 2 margarita pizzas. We were able to eat some of the pizza which was cooked perfectly. I could have used just a touch more seasoning but overall very good read more

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I'm still buzzing over the Salted Caramel Budino. It was a star of the meal. Close second to the branzino which was great with a fennel salad and Israeli cous cous. Service was excellent. My waitress knew what I wanted and gave great recommendations. Seating is very squishy. There's not a lot of room to maneuver. In fact, many patrons had to say, "Pardon me" to get in and out of their seat. Overall a great choice to eat in the heart of downtown Philadelphia. I would recommend avoiding busy hours so there is more room to move around. read more

Barbuzzo - Branzino - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Barbuzzo was my first stop when I came to Philly this summer. I was staying at the hotel down the street and wanted to enjoy a happy hour. I love this area. You have several restaurants lined up from each other serving great specials and outdoor dining. Something tells me this is the place to be this summer. The restaurant was packed for a Monday evening. I found seating at the bar. The bartender was telling me about the place and how they are busy all the time. Business here must be very good. I looked at the options for their happy hour menu and ordered the pizza with a glass of red sangria. I loved the margherita pizza. I don't claim to be a New York City pizza snob but this was really good. It comes with san marzano tomato, mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and parmesan. I was talking to some people down the bar who also ordered the pizza and were similarly impressed. The sangria was delicious. You had good chunks of apple and citrus present. It was great for a warm day such as today. I needed a strong pick me up for my busy summer working in Philly and this was the perfect meal to start my week. Thank you Barbuzzo! read more

Barbuzzo - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Really great apps: papas fritas + arancini, not the BEST arancini I've ever had but the papas were PERFECT. The pear +gorgonzola pizza was unique and delicious and refreshing. It was really busy but our waiter was very attentive ! read more

Barbuzzo - Butternut Squash Arancini and Papas Fritas - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Cute little corner italian bar with phenomenal eats and a dark moody ambiance. We got seated quick but the food came out a bit slow on a Friday evening. Summer Melon Salad: (10/10) Super refreshing watermelon salad with so much texture and hydration. Each bite was a different flavor and the lemongrass leaves with hazelnuts were a nice surprise. Chicken Liver Mousse: (5/10) Very interesting flavor and texture profile. I liked the sweet jam with the liver and bits of peanut but I felt like the dip/mousse had too much going on. I think only including simple flavors like the sweet fruity jam and the peanuts would make the mousse more palatable. Also changing out the bread for a fluffier type of bread like a bruschetta would elevate the appetizer, considering the fact that the liver is more premium, and make it easier to dip. Calabrese Pizza: (8/10) I LOVED the fermented chili oil on the pizza. Super thin and soft crust that absorbed all the marinara and cheese. This pizza used olives to compliment the rest of the flavors. Tonnarelli: (8/10) Amazing seafood pasta with great flavor and texture. The squid ink pasta was a great vessel for the sauce. Felt that it was a bit too salty though. I did notice there was some black residue on the bottle cap of the tap water but other than that the restaurant and bathroom were both very clean. Overall, great service and great food. Would definitely return again. read more

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I am a client i come to Philadelphia every year to work and was my favorite pizza here but this time the pizza was burn they don't pay attention to cooking because is to many people and the pizza was all the border totally burn and one part was burned over and down the pizza i eat only one part of the pizza i going to find other place for pizza read more

Barbuzzo - Is the burn pizza on Barbuzzo - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I absolutely LOVED dining here. My friend and I stumbled upon this spot as we were looking for a bit to eat fairly late. Barbuzzo has reservations available and was open until 11p, so it fit the bill. We arrived and were seated right away. The space itself is dimly lit and the decor is very hip - I really enjoyed the ambiance. It's an open floor plan concept where the kitchen is smack dab in the front of the restaurant and you can watch them cook. They also have a brick oven for pizza. I really think this would be a great spot for a date. Our waiter was friendly and had great recommendations for us. This is a restaurant where the portions are a little smaller and the plates are meant to be shared. We ended up splitting a pizza and the lamb merguez. Both of the items were delicious! The lamb was perfectly seasoned and very juicy, and the pizza had the perfect char on it. We also ordered one cocktail each - the vodka basil lemonade and the midnight smoke. Both of us enjoyed our drinks. Overall, this is such a gem in Philly and I'm glad I found it! I will absolutely be back. read more

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Ordered takeout so can't speak about service and ambiance. The whipped ricotta was yummy but reminded me of cream cheese. The fig topping was super yummy. The arancini was my favorite. Was hot crispy and good flavor. The budino was yummy but not the best I've had and a bit too sweet. read more

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Was really let down when we went here recently. Used to go here all the time when we lived in phillly and it used to be our go to. We went back after not having been for a few years and feel it doesn't taste the same. The food is really salty now and our favorite dish of the ricotta and bread doesn't taste the same either. The consistency is more liquid and has less texture to it. Service was still good and always love the interior though. The inside of the restaurant is always nice read more

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Very good Margherita pizza on their happy hour menu! Cute, small restaurant. We sat at the bar - our bartender was fine. No issues. read more

Barbuzzo - Margherita Pizza - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I got a vodka drink, the house greyhound, which was on the weak side. Lunch menu is not as extensive as dinner. We got the goat cheese kale and beet salad and it was the best dish. The margherita pizza was a tad salty, but good. Our pasta plate, the creste rigati was super salty. Good flavor maybe they need to cut back on salt to counter the salt in the chicken sausage. read more

Italian inspired meets tapas style restaurant! I enjoyed the pizza since its coal fired/wood fired! Meatballs where big and tasty! I got the fish and it was a interestinf take and very tasty! Uncle got chicken parm and it was awesome! The gnocchi was special as well. Waiters were quick and helpful, i want to go back again and try more read more

Delicious food and a cute atmosphere! Barbuzzo has great wood fired pizzas, pasta dishes, and an incredible whipped ricotta. They also have some killer happy hour deals, although it fills up quickly so you should get there right when they open if you plan to do happy hour. The restaurant is small and so it can get a little loud, but nothing crazy. I recommend making a reservation, especially on weekends. read more

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We've been to Barbuzzo several times in the last handful of years. I'm surprised I haven't reviewed them yet. We got lucky walking around downtown and walked in on a Thursday around 7pm without a reservation and found a seat at the bar. My takeaway? Their pizza is always solid, great chew and bite, awesome crust - and not overly burnt crust like some spots.. even WM mulherin, I don't personally prefer those overly charred crusts. The funghi was fantastic, very flavorful, wouldn't change a thing. I felt the same about our squid ink pasta - perfectly al dente, sauce was so well balanced and shrimp cooked perfectly. We had a couple beers on tap, they're about $7-8 - I loved the Troegs LolliHop DIPA. Our subtotal pre-tax was $75. I felt it was fair for the quality of food and atmosphere, and obviously our total would have been less if we didn't drink $32 worth of beer. I've always loved the open kitchen. I LOVE watching chefs in their craft. It's a pleasure seeing such good food executed right in front of me. If you haven't been yet, I would recommend a visit to see for yourself! read more

Barbuzzo - Squid ink Tonnarelli Pasta (squid ink pasta with shrimp) - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Pizza was well cooked and good ingredients and sauce, added extra basil. The drink was delicious but don't remember the name. Good service, the restaurant was super crowded. Popular place especially in the evening. read more

Barbuzzo - Margherita Pizza extra basil - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We came here with a friend and ordered 2 pizzas to share amongst 3 people. It was a good size portion and we ended up having leftovers to take home as well. The pizza was good but some of the sides were a bit burnt. Other than that, the service was great and interior was a bit dark but it was modern. read more

Barbuzzo - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came here for happy hour and was quite happy. The whipped ricotta was delicious. The pizza was also very nice. A bit picky but I like more of a slight crisp on the bottom of my pizza slices but it was still quite good. I had a very decent glass of wine too. The bar tenders were quite kind. And there is plenty of bar seating for happy hour which I liked. read more

Barbuzzo - Whipped Ricotta - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Barbuzzo was easily the highlight of our recent trip to Philly. After a fun night mixing spooky cocktails at The Cauldron, we stopped in for a late dinner and we're so glad we did. When in Philadelphia, Italian food is a must, and Barbuzzo absolutely delivered. The cocktails were expertly crafted. My Old Fashioned was spot-on and the starter salad (can't remember the name) was so good we wiped the plate clean. The real star was the Pan-Seared Gnocchi, unbelievably flavorful there were so many components to this dish. I'm still thinking about that dish! My wife loved her meal just as much. No question, we'll be coming back here the next time we're in town. read more

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OK return visit and I'm updating. ALL IS FORGIVEN!! This time we came straight from the train, 45 min before closing. They couldn't have been nicer; sweet, friendly, solicitous, and competent. They work at a great restaurant. I think what explains our last visit was, they were slammed. At Barbuzzo that is literally a crush; the waiters have to push through the crowd. So, chill and don't blame them. So the food. We had 2 pasta dishes: scallops in a rich braised fennel sauce over squid ink square noodles, and a pork ragu with broccoli rabe. Both absolutely fabulous, and new to us. BTW a great kale & beet salad before and an incredible mocha pudding after. Oh by the way-those fab pasta dishes? $20 and $23. Wohh! You really should try Barbuzzo. GREAT food, GREAT atmosphere and street scene but-- S N O O T Y. We were greeted nicely, seated outside. Waiter took the order promptly, nice. App delivered. Umm. No silverware, no waiter. After a couple minutes of waving at him, finally got up and flagged him down. He blamed it on the prep team. App was delicious. Mains came; great food. Asked if we needed anything; we didn't, then. 15 min later, we were out of bevs. Another 5, after again waving my arms at the guy, and I got up and told the maitre d'. Very frosty thereafter. I don Barbuzzo basically thinks you need to apply to at here. As Trump would say - Sad! read more

This is the best Happy Hour I have found on this visit to Philly. Barbuzzo has a great HH menu because of the variety of menu options where not everything in unhealthy and overly fried. The olives are a great deal and so good and the Margherita Pizza is perfect for sharing as well as the Ricotta with grilled bread and the Aranchini. I had made a reservation but upon arrival for HH, I found seats at the bar for my husband and daughter so we gave up our table. The bar area is pretty spacious and the service was excellent. Everything we ordered came up pretty quickly and the open kitchen concept made the restaurant feel cozy. I loved this dining experience because the food was so good and the service was attentive and friendly. read more

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Barbuzzo wildly exceeded my expectations upon first visit. The group got a last minute reservation during CCD restaurant week and had a blast. The 3 course meal was quite filling. I selected meatballs, bronzino, and tiramisu for dessert. The meatball blend was bursting with flavor, bronzino was grilled to perfection and the tiramisu was divine. This is coming from someone who doesn't drink coffee. Drinks were equally as great. I've was trying out dry January so it was nice to see multiple Mocktail options. Tasted like there was thought put into the flavor profiles which I really appreciated. Our server gets an A+ for hospitality. She was well versed in the menu, friendly , and just all around a pleasant conversationalist. read more

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Service was outstanding and the food was pretty on point as well. The grape leaves with lamb in it was my favorite. The atmosphere was pleasant and clearly everyone knows this is a good spot as at one point there was a line to get in. read more

Popped in for a bite to eat and drink with my son before a show at the Academy of Music. It was during happy hour time but was bummed you could only get the happy hour specials by sitting outside (it was like 90 degrees) or at the bar. We opted to sit at the kitchen bar but my son wasn't super into the menu choices (totally my bad for not scoping out menu first). Despite already giving us waters, the server was so kind and patient when we left. He seemed empathetic to having a kid in tow. Even though we didn't eat anything, I had to leave a positive review from that server interaction alone! But please consider offering happy hour specials regardless of where you sit :-) read more

I was apartment-hunting in the city. Then came around lunch time and sat at the bar for this while catching up on the Netflix series called His & Hers on my phone haha! The bartender was so attentive and so sweet. I started off with an apples and pear Chardonnay, and had some appetizers for my main course, which were the house-ground meatballs and the Papas Fritas. Everything was so tender, crispy and delicious ! I would definitely come back to this place ! read more

Barbuzzo - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Barbuzzo is a true standout in Philly! We sat at the bar, which turned out to be the best decision, the atmosphere was so warm and welcoming, and we ended up having some great conversations with the people around us. It felt like one of those perfect city nights where everything just clicks. Now for the food... absolutely phenomenal!!! We ordered the house-ground meatballs, the creste rigate, and the tonnarelli nero, and every single bite was divine. The meatballs were tender, flavorful, and comforting. The creste rigate had the most delicious sauce that clung to every curve of the pasta, and the tonnarelli nero was rich, savory, and just a little indulgent in the best way. You can tell everything is handmade and thoughtfully prepared. The staff were kind, attentive and friendly! Barbuzzo nails that cozy-meets-chic vibe, and it's clear why it's such a favorite. If you're in Philly and love pasta (or just great food in general), Barbuzzo is a must!! read more

I feel like I always end up at restaurants that have whipped ricotta on the menu. Following my tradition, I started with whipped ricotta as my appetizer. I found myself finishing it before I even ordered my entree (oops). I decided to go lighter on fare and got the tufoli pasta with a glass of Sauvignon blanc. The pasta was light as it wasn't covered in red sauce, but still had a good flavor. read more

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