I decided to give this restaurant a try after seeing several positive reviews, but unfortunately,…read moremy experience did not live up to the expectations. The food was disappointing overall. The fried pieces of pork were mostly fat and not enjoyable, and the beef empanadas were excessively greasy. However, the arroz con gandules and tostones were good and were definitely the highlights of the meal. I appreciate that everyone has different tastes, but based on the reviews I saw, I expected a much better representation of Puerto Rican food.

The food was absolutely delicious! Everything was fresh and packed with so much flavor. You can…read morereally taste the quality in every bite. I would definitely come back and highly recommend it!

Kaffa has been our go-to for a couple years now. Not as flashy or high end as other Philly…read moreEthiopian joints, but also not as expensive or busy either. Service is always prompt and still uses a covid-era mobile ordering/QR system that actually works pretty well. Vegeterian combo is huge, and paired with an additional entree (we like the tofu or okra wat) is more than enough for 2-3 people. All items are tasty and spicy. Decor is dated and minimal and that is 100% ok! Be sure to ask for awaze if you want it even spicier.

Looked at the online menu because I was feeling under the weather wanted some soup , said call for…read moredaily soup option. Soup of the day was mixed vegetable. Tasted amazing and brought me back to life a little after being sick for a few days. Air conditioning also felt amazing and had such a peaceful vibe.

The arepa was buttery and corn-y flavor The dark meat roast…read morewas tender but gravy was salty and thick and rich. I felt like there wasn't much dimension. I was so full after though The plantains were also sweet and yummy. Would go back for this!

Staff is very friendly. Quick service and delicious tasting empanadas. I got the carne molida…read moreempanadas and they were fresh, flavorful, and crunchy exterior and juicy interior. Amazing value for the price as well. Definitely will be back go try other items.

Nice spot with a calm, relaxing atmosphere. It's run by a husband and wife team, and while I was…read morethere, an Ethiopian political discussion was playing on the TV, which added to the feel of the place. The food was good and flavorful. The spices definitely came through without being overly spicy. I did ask for some sauce on the side for a little extra flavor. Overall, it's a cute place to stop by after work, wind down, and enjoy a good meal.

Tiny family-run spot with very affordable well-spiced food. You may need to wait for quite awhile…read moreif they are busy, or make a reservation. The lamb wat is especially good, as is the larger veggie combo.

We love restaurants that pay true homage to the vegetable, particularly when the vegetables are…read morelocal and seasonal, so we knew we had to try Pietramala. The menu reads like something you've never seen before, with nearly every dish bragging some mind-blowingly sophisticated element, such as fermented chili aioli, kombu oil, vegan xo sauce, and noyaux (peach pits). Overall, the food was delicious, but these unique touches didn't come through in the dishes. Here is a rundown of everything we tried: - Sourdough focaccia with tomato xo: great focaccia that would have been excellent enough without all the adornment (abundant sesame and poppyseeds, kind of evoking an "everything bagel" vibe plus super salty "tomato xo" sauce that was a lot like sun-dried tomato paste). - Gem lettuces salad with smoked olives: the smokes olive bits were the best part. The dressing tasted a lot like blue cheese and was a little overly creamy but very tasty. - Golden beet salad with fermented chili aioli, young chard, and crispy sunchokes: the dressing was a lot closer to straight up mayonnaise than anything resembling fermented chili. Overly creamy, with leftover tuna salad vibes. The chard and sunchokes were fun additions, but overall this dish was underwhelming for what seems to be one of their specialties. - Cantaloupe with habanada and fermented husk cherry vinaigrette: we were expecting this dish to blow our minds, but it wound up tasting like cantaloupe sprinkled with chipotle veganaise. And it was very difficult to eat out of the flat bowl. - Heirloom tomatoes with roasted tomato jus, kombu oil, and basils: the tomatoes were delicious but it was insanely salty, and the kombu flavor didn't really come through. - Grilled escarole braised with heirloom lima beans, roasted garlic, and sage: I adored the two colors of heirloom lima bean that were perfectly cooked. The creamy sauce made with puréed lima beans was rich and felt like worthwhile decadence. My husband was the only one at our table to dislike this dish for being overly creamy and not having enough sage or escarole flavor. - Durum tagliatelle with datterini tomato sauce with braised lobster mushrooms: tasty but unremarkable. - Rosa bianca eggplant smoked and served with nardello pepper harissa, cashew labneh, and fennel pollen roasted walnuts: the harissa was so salty that it dominated all the other flavors. This might have been better as a dip served on crostini. - Black pearl mushroom slowly grilled over coals and served with roasted corn, spinach, and chanterelle miso glaze: the mushroom was tasty, but the corn was downright confusing. It was extremely sweet, and so creamy it evoked canned cream of corn soup. - Peanut mousse bar: like an elevated Snickers, but without the crunch. We loved it. - Peach pit white chocolate semifreddo: we did not know what to expect from this dish, but we were disappointed that we couldn't identify any white chocolate. It was like a soy milk popsicle with almondy flavor. Would not get this again. In summary, we had a blast trying everything on the menu, but we felt that most dishes fell short of their potential, based on the premium local produce and the novel flavors and cooking techniques. Without a doubt, they are using high-quality, hyperlocal ingredients on their entire menu. Unfortunately, they are not letting those products speak for themselves, but instead are drowning them in too much salt and excessively creamy sauces. I'm not sure if this was an attempt to appeal to people who aren't big fans of vegetables/macrobiotic foods. Also, a word on the setup of the menu. The "tasting menu" really just means share plates of each dish, intended to be for a party of two. If you have a larger party, it makes more sense to get a full-sized dish of each item à la carte, although some of the dishes are not the easiest to share, such as the escarole and lima bean stew and the eggplant dish. Everything is extremely seasonal, changing from week to week, so it would be fun to return and try a whole new lineup of dishes.

My boyfriend and I walked in on a Saturday night for a celebration dinner. They were very busy and…read morethey didn't have any open reservations but when we called and told them we would arrive in 30 mins, they saved two of the bar seats for us. For drinks, we ordered the elderflower shrub and sanguinello to drink. I liked the elderflower shrub since it was sweet and refreshing (slightly carbonated) but the sanguinello tasted bitter and medicinal. Since my bf really didn't like his drink, the server was nice enough to let us change our amaro drink to another elderflower shrub. For food, we ordered sourdough focaccia with tomato xo sauce (similar to chili crisp oil) and the potatoes dish. The sourdough was fluffy and delicious and the xo sauce gave it a nice flavor but it did make the bread greasy. The potatoes dish tasted good because of the creamy sauce that was drizzled on top. We also ordered the kyuri cucumbers and durum ravioli. The kyuri cucumbers had a fermented ramp ranch that gave the cucumbers a nice creaminess and the garnishes (spring onion and giardiniera) gave the cucumbers a nice texture. The durum ravioli had a cheesy taste due to the cultured cashew ricotta but I wasn't a fan. Overall, we would order the potatoes and cucumbers again, maybe we would order the sourdough focaccia (if you don't mind the greasiness), but we wouldn't order the durum ravioli again. For dessert, we ordered the macadamia ice cream with strawberries, shaved ice with rhubarb, and basil. Even though the ice cream was unique, we also wouldn't order it again. The basil flavor was a bit strong and the dessert tasted mostly like macadamia nuts and strawberries rather than ice cream. The ambience was nice though and even though we were not able to get a table, we had a nice view of the chefs' cooking. We would come here again since the menu changes based on what's in season. It was my second time at Pietramala and it was my boyfriend's first time and it won't be our last. :)

Always a hit. I first came here during Dollar Stroll, but I've actually been here before outside of…read morethe event too, and I've loved it every time. It's a family business connected with Alif Brew, which is also one of my favorite places in West Philly, so I was already rooting for them. There was a HUGE line for Dollar Stroll, but honestly, I get it. Ethiopian fried chicken is not something you see everywhere, and it's worth waiting for. I got the berbere wings, and they were so good. Super crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and packed with that warm, aromatic berbere flavor. It's flavorful without just being spicy for the sake of being spicy. I also heard the breading is gluten-free, which is a really nice bonus. I also got the hibiscus drink, and this was probably one of my favorite parts. It's tart, floral, refreshing, and has mint in it, so you get this really nice cooling finish. The hibiscus gives it that bright fruity-floral flavor while the mint keeps it from feeling too heavy or sweet. Perfect drink alongside the wings. And then the rose pudding. I LOVE this. I'm guessing there's rose water in it because it has that gentle floral aroma and flavor without tasting like you're eating perfume. It's creamy, smooth, lightly sweet, and the rose flavor comes through in a really delicate way. Honestly, I could eat a whole bowl of this. The space is small, but there's enough room for a couple of smaller groups to sit and hang out. What really makes this place special, though, is the people. It's a family business and you can feel that immediately. Everyone was so friendly, generous, and personable, even with the huge Dollar Stroll crowd. I really love this place. The food is good, the people are wonderful, and I like supporting a family business that clearly puts a lot of care into what they're doing. Definitely coming back soon.

I like the fried chicken, addis fries, Aida's Mac & cheese, the grilled chicken they use in the…read morewraps & the garlic yogurt sauce. It's sooo delicious. I'm not a fan of the Doro wot because it's wayyy too spicy for me lol. The way they make their collard greens are more bitter than what I am accustomed to, but it's a nice balance to the meals. The chicken tenders were a bit tough and I could not enjoy them properly. The customer service is wonderful. The staff are always positive and so sweet. The inside of the restaurant is decorated nicely and it's very cozy. I love the Ethiopian/African artwork and the lighting decor.

Lovely service and the empanadas were so good! Habiscus lemonade is my fav!! I enjoyed so much the…read moretaste of the food and refreshing drink

cute argentinian bakery in west philly!…read more i swung by with my friend around 2p on a weekday for a drink and a snack. we shared the mafalda and the alfajores (with dulce de leche), and i had the iced chai. i was a little disappointed by the chai, it was quite flavorless, it kinda felt like i was drinking dirty water. the pastries were solid, i really enjoyed the mafalda but ive always been more of a savory snack person. we didn't get any empanadas this time, but i would be interested in coming back to try them. the space is rather large with a restaurant portion as well, though we opted to sit at the bar. they also have cooking classes which look like a lot of fun! the employee up front was kind and happily answered our questions. she politely asked us to leave when they closed at 3p. overall, a decent spot if you're in the neighborhood!

I tried All The Way Live Cafe situated in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. This is a vegan…read morespot that puts a creative twist on plant-based food, with both raw and cooked dishes. It's quaint, a tad dated but gives this ultra natural vibe if dining in. I opted for the tasting tour. Everything was delicious but I especially loved the caramelized squash -- the flavors were so fresh, flavorful, and unique. You can really taste the care that goes into the food. I loved being able to sample different dishes instead of having to commit to just one. If you're looking for something fresh, plant-based, and completely different from the usual Philly food scene, definitely give All The Way Live a try.

Nestled in a so-so neighborhood is a nice, inviting place called All the Way Live. Apparently,…read morethere is/was more than one of these locations, but when I look on their website, there is only this location currently. I was eating with mostly a vegan group of people and learned about how my interests differed greatly from theirs and learned to appreciate the different vegan spectrum levels more and to realize that there is more of a spectrum. Being a raw vegan is a whole nother level and while I am open to this kind of food, I wouldn't want to restrict myself to this lifestyle as it would be too stressful and unenjoyable for me. The group seemed to be a fan of this place, and I am no exception to that. Many didn't like Vedge at all whereas I did, one or two said Monster Vegan could consider charging more which i disagree with even though I haven't made it there yet, Su Xing seems to get respectable ratings by all, Charlie's is mixed but I am a fan personally. If vegan meat tastes too much like the real thing, this turns off a significant number of vegans. For a non-vegan foodie like myself, or possibly vegans strict to their diets that miss meat might appreciate this type of food accessibility. Even though the ingredients here are all raw vegan (to start), they are made flavorful for a more healthy experience. The apple cake I had here had a different texture than your typical American cake. I believe it was layers of fuji apple itself and it was made moderately sweet- not overly sweet like a typical American pastry. The candied squash I had here was fine with the unexpected salad to accompany it, but i didn't feel the candied part of it per se. The mushroom "cheesesteak" I didn't feel was really much of a vegan cheesesteak, but it was still flavorful enough with actual mushrooms and veggies within a roll. The prices are on the higher side but seemed appropriately priced too. The ginger lime drink I had tasted natural but flavorful. Pricy, but flavorful and refreshing. As to the reviewers who were frustrated by the place closing with no proper notification, that is very frustrating. I get it's a local place, but those kind of details are important to at least have on your website- something within the store's control. Somewhat ironically, my group was here because the Nile nearby was closed on this particular day only. This was on their Instagram. During my time here, my group asked me out of 10, how would I rate the cake. I said 9 or 10 at the time and don't regret that. They were surprised by such a high rating. I haven't had too many specific vegan cakes myself nor do I need to specifically try to overindulge myself in cakes. I was a bit overwhelmed to try to review on the spot but felt it was my duty to try to because I have been writing many reviews currently. Also, I see that it takes me time to think about all these things in my reviews like this one here. This review would have been too much to tell a person in-person. After further prior review investigation and more thought, 10% is high for credit card surcharge and there should be more transparency on that beforehand if not displayed well. 5% would probably still allow a slight profit but also be more appropriate and reasonably easy to calculate I think. Also, because of the area this is in, one could argue maybe the prices need to be tempered down. This is specialty too and it is all quite debatable.