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    Elma

    4.7 (23 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

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    ELMA ATMOSPHERE

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    Outside
    Dionna J.

    Elma is the perfect spot for an intimate, comfortable, yet elevated dining experience. There are 10 tables at the most and the kitchen is in plain view. The aromas coming from that kitchen let me know I was in the right place. My husband and I came to celebrate our anniversary. We went "all in" which is their version of a chef's tasting. We had: Herb focaccia Mozzarella bufala, squash Fried Calamari, puntarelle, bagna cauda Tagliatelle, crab, Thai basil Paccheri, broccoli rabe, hot sausage Gnudi, pepperoni xo, shrimp Wagyu, nduja, polenta Every single bite was simply delicious! Everyone we encountered from our server to the chef was so warm and pleasant. This is a place you keep coming back to.

    Chocolate tart
    Daniel J.

    Every single bite was delicious. Very small, intimate space and the service was excellent. It was pretty cool having the chef serve some of the dishes. My wife and I chose the all in option which allowed the chef to choose our dishes. The wagyu was the best dish hands down. The focaccia was a great compliment to all the dishes with sauces. The desserts were delicious as well. Not one bad bite. Highly recommend this restaurant.

    Lemon meringue
    Shawn H.

    Another amazing visit here, and again we ordered way too much food. The focaccia, stracciatella with nardellos, meatball, and especially the broccoli rabe were all perfection -- that broccoli rabe was so incredible we got one to go. They had a baked rigatoni special that had some kick to it and was incredible. The trofie with mushrooms was also basically perfect. We'd probably skip the chicken parm next time. We loved the eclair with pumpkin cream for dessert.

    meatball
    Alice L.

    it's such a shame how terrible of an experience we had here, the food was honestly solid. however, i can't give this restaurant higher than 3 stars even if the food was perfect given the appalling service and nightmare logistics. my boyfriend had a 7p reservation on a saturday for a date night. important to note, this reservation was very easy to make, and there were earlier times available that we could have taken. we show up punctually, wait outside for 15 minutes, and are seated at 715p. the owner/chef was waiting on the tables/seating the customers. upon seating us, he tells us that we only have 1 hour for dinner since he had a 10-person reservation at 815p for which he needed our table. we should have just gone somewhere else -- 1 hour for a full sit-down dinner is rushed even for my boyfriend and i who typically eat pretty fast. i think that it's absolutely INSANE that we were given a 1h time limit to eat and leave. it feels unprofessional, disrespectful, and rushed. the owner/chef should not be accommodating more than he is able to. if we had known beforehand, we would have made an earlier reservation or chosen a different time. scheduling mishap aside, i was personally not a fan of the attitude of the owner/chef. while he was friendly and chatty, it was odd to me that he boasted about how there were 70+ people on his waitlist for that evening... which i struggle to believe is true considering how easily we were able to make a fairly last minute reservation despite there only being 16 seats. not a fan. he also primarily talked to my boyfriend... it always rubs me the wrong way when they assume the male is in charge. as for the food, it was solid. we had the meatball, the hiramasa crudo, the duck wings, the tagliatelle, and the brick chicken. the meatball was solid, but i would not pay $9 for a singular meatball. the crudo was good, but not extraordinary compared to other hiramasa crudos in the city. i did enjoy the duck wings and the tagliatelle. the duck wings were uniquely seasoned, and the tagliatelle was flavorful and packed with crab salad. i was not a fan of the brick chicken which was dry and uninspiring. the highlight of the night was the dessert, which was the corn brûlée. unfortunately, we did not get to enjoy it at the restaurant and has to take it home. at that point, our unreasonable 1 hour time limit has run out and we were rushed out of the restaurant. far from the ideal experience. to apologize for the rush, the chef/owner did offer a "few" free things. he gave us the meatball and dessert on the house. we thought the hiramasa was on the house too since it was not an item that we ordered, but when we were paying found that we were charged despite it being not something we asked for. while i would not have paid $18 for a not-super-exciting hiramasa dish, we had no more fight in us. honestly, the whole debacle was kind of ridiculous. i still can't believe a restaurant would be so unprofessional and chaotic, clearly the owner/chef is incapable of managing reservations. due to the rush, the whole dinner was not a pleasant experience. we didn't get to properly enjoy the food as the chef/owner was rushing us with every dish. it was clear that the kitchen was feeling the pressure too with the high turnover rate. we could hear the chef/owner barking orders in the kitchen, it felt like we were caught in the middle of an episode of the bear. didn't hate the chaos, it was kind of entertaining, but it didn't feel appropriate for the environment. it's such a shame i can't recommend this restaurant to anyone due to the owner's incompetence at scheduling, but the food here really is pretty good. i would consider coming back if they can demonstrate better professionalism and improve upon their ability at managing reservations.

    Casey B.

    What an experience! Elma has the option for 4 or 6 course menu and I am so glad we picked the 6! The service is incredible and James and the rest of the team made our experience top notch. The food was incredible and just enough to keep us wanting (and having room) for more. I love that it's a BYOB and love the small intimate setting of the restaurant. Can't wait to come back!

    Jay H.

    Incredible food and a unique setting. We loved everything we ate. The pork chop was wild in the best way. Tangy and spicy and perfectly cooked. All the pastas slammed and I am still thinking about the Thai flavors of the crab pasta. This place is tiny and our server Maureen was friendly and helpful. The chef visited all the tables multiple times while we were there (it is an open kitchen) and you could tell he really loves the food. I will be back again very soon! Make sure and save room for dessert.

    Swordfish (modification for non- meat eater)
    Dorothy B.

    James and his team were absolutely amazing. Every course was absolutely outstanding--beautifully presented, perfectly balanced, and full of surprising flavors. The experience ended on a high note with the best Biscoff crust cheesecake I've ever had. Totally worth the trip to Fishtown. The vibe was just right, too--chill, welcoming, and paired with a perfect playlist that set the mood. A fantastic dining experience from start to finish!

    a plate of food on a table
    Vincent G.

    We had an incredible experience at Elma! Chef Nardone ensures he and his staff are only delivering the best, with their pre-fix/rotating menu. For 6 courses at $100 a head, it's also very reasonable (+BYO). It is pretty cool to see what they created out of a small space. It is an intimate setting, thoughtfully done and clean...bringing in only 2 seatings a night with a max of 12 people. Simple decor, but the open concept is brilliant, as you have a consistent sneak peek into the kitchen and preparation. Also has a solid playlist going throughout your meal. Their dishes covered the gamut - fish, pork, beef, pasta, shellfish, etc. What a ride! Everything was delicious, but if you've followed the chef at all, you know pasta has deep roots into his culinary expertise, so those dishes stood out to me the most. Major love for their one server who took care of all the tables. She was super attentive to any small need, personable, and very friendly. Definitely made the overall dinner that much greater! Something really cool that they do, is they will use ingredients from the night before to then serve creative breakfast concepts the following morning. You gotta love the sustainable approach, but it also gives you a chance to double down on something you may have particularly liked and try it in a new dish. As a small side note, reservations can go pretty quick and a nice feature is paying upfront when you make the reservation (including tip). As you close out dinner, it was much appreciated to just get up and go.

    Menu 7-15-23
    Elizabeth B.

    Had dinner on Elma on 7-15. The food was spectacular! Crab gnudi and the semolina cake were particular favorites. Incredible value for money - as other reviewers have said, they could be charging way more for what you get. And love that it is BYO! Note that, because the meal is prepaid, there is no need to settle up at the restaurant. (Kind of wish they had explained that, it was a little confusing at the end.) Also, the AC was broken when we were there - but they did have fans going and the door propped open to circulate air. Minor service critiques aside, we had a great experience. Will definitely be back!

    Ricotta gnudi

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    10 months ago

    All around exceptional. Highly recommend. Get the whole menu- EVERYTHING! Made another reservation for next week while we were still there.

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    2 years ago

    Great spot. Authentic Italian fare. Super small spot but well executed. Looking forward to coming back here.

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    Trattoria Carina - Cacio e pepe and chicken parm

    Trattoria Carina

    4.4(442 reviews)
    3.0 miFitler Square, Rittenhouse Square
    $$

    okay, yes. over one-year later, i finally came back to try the chicken parmesan and it was so good…read more definitely better than whatever i had last time. my boyfriend and i shared the caesar salad, the fried mozzarella, and the chicken parmesan, and it was honestly a good amount of food for the both of us (though we did get ice cream before lol). i like that they have outdoor seating, which is perfect for our dog. it was a warm day, so sitting outside was perfect, but i do believe they have heat lamps for when it gets a little chilly. we didn't have a reservation, but they were so accommodating and able to squeeze us in after a short 5-minute wait around 8p. definitely worth the hype, very cute neighborhood spot!

    I originally made a reservation for 2:30 PM thinking they offered a lunch menu, but if you're…read morecoming for the pasta, make sure to come after 4:30 PM. We actually had to leave and come back later & I'm so glad we did! The food was absolutely fantastic. The service was 10/10 from start to finish. We ordered the chicken Milanese, which was perfectly crispy and fresh. All of the pastas were seasoned beautifully and cooked to perfection. My favorite dishes were the cavatelli and the chicken cutlet!! both were incredible. I'll definitely be coming back, especially to try the chicken parm. This place has officially earned a special spot in my heart.

    Photos
    Trattoria Carina
    Trattoria Carina - Cannoli Budino

    Cannoli Budino

    Trattoria Carina - October 2024

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    October 2024

    La Sera Italiana

    La Sera Italiana

    4.6(53 reviews)
    2.8 miRittenhouse Square

    Stopped by last night with a large and rowdy (lol) party and the staff was so lovely and…read moreaccommodating. An extra person ended up joining us early on in the meal, and the team was so great about expanding the table and making us comfortable. Our food was so great, from the apps to the entrees everyone loved what they got. The portions are huge and most of us ended up taking some of our meals home. We had a party of 8, and our bill was only about 350 bucks, which is a great price for a large Italian dinner here in the city. From the staff to the space to the food, everything was lovely! Will definitely be back soon!

    An excellent way to celebrate our office holiday meal. Boss man treated us to a late lunch here…read moreduring a weekday. Bonus of a late lunch - we were the only ones here and we could actually have a conversation at our long table and hear each other! We started off with several baskets of complimentary Italian sliced loaves served warm with a dipping sauce. Our appetizers shared among us were the calarmari (excellent, though I wish there were tentacles, I loves me some calamari tentacles), gorgeous bruschetta (though a small serviing for $9, just 2 pieces if I remember correctly) and an anti pasto platter. Note that with the lunch menu, appetizers are not on the menu, but because we were eating later and because maybe of our party size, they let us order anything from the dinner menu as well. I chose the fettucine alfredo with chicken. Oh so generous of a serving, and had to bring home half. Simply made, so so good. I loved how the linguine had some bite to it. Lovely service and we were well looked after.

    Photos
    La Sera Italiana
    La Sera Italiana
    La Sera Italiana

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    Giuseppe & Sons

    Giuseppe & Sons

    4.1(672 reviews)
    2.4 miPenn Center, Rittenhouse Square
    $$

    Giuseppe's is fantastic! My husband and I had an amazing Sunday dinner a few weeks ago there. From…read morethe speakeasy vibe of the restaurant to its South Philly culinary inspiration, it was an amazing meal that we'll always remember. We ordered a number of things to share family style - - The Artichoke Francaise appetizer was something we'd never seen before on a menu, so we wanted to try. It was so good and I'm still trying to dupe it at home for my vegetarian hubs. - My husband is a eggplant parm connoisseur, so we also ordered their Eggplant 'Parmigiana' appetizer. He said it was good. - Ricotta Tortelloni was delicious and our favorite savory dish. The aged balsamic cuts through all the richness of the cheeses perfectly. It was so good! - To round off the meal, we ordered dessert and ordered the tiramisu. Glad we did because Giuseppe's & Son's has the BEST tiramisu that either of us has ever tasted. Ava was our waiter that evening. She was the best! When I mentioned my husband was vegetarian, she made sure to clear with him if certain ingredients in the dishes were ok with him. It's a big relief whenever that happens when we dine out. Plus, she was friendly and convivial. The tables at either side of us liked her too. That quality is important and adds to the overall experience for diners. Just had to shout out. Giuseppe's is hands-down a wonderful place and a gem. We highly recommend it if you're looking for something truly special.

    Genuinely impressed with Giuseppe and Sons. Other Italian restaurants in Philly can be overhyped we…read morewent in here for dinner for 4 - food was great. We got the calamari, shrimp scampi to share. We also got the Branzino, Bolognese and found it to be throughly enjoyable. The service was quick, efficient - without being hasty. The star of the show was the carrot cake though - so good! Overall ambience was nice, old school Italian - not too loud but also very cozy. Would come back!

    Photos
    Giuseppe & Sons - Ambiance

    Ambiance

    Giuseppe & Sons - House made ricotta cheese

    House made ricotta cheese

    Giuseppe & Sons - Love the pictures hung along this hallway

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    Love the pictures hung along this hallway

    Dante & Luigi's

    Dante & Luigi's

    4.3(598 reviews)
    2.6 miBella Vista
    $$

    We actually reside an hour north of Philadelphia, but my wife and I truly LOVE dining at Dante and…read moreLuigi's, on 10th Street in Philadelphia. So we travel that distance to my very favorite of all restaurants, with some frequency. This past Saturday evening, as it was our son's 53rd birthday, we took him, and his family, out to dinner at this outstanding restaurant. All of us truly loved every aspect of our dining experience. Every dish was made to order, as everything at Dante and Luigi's is fresh and made from scratch. The service is also excellent, and there are additional important benefits to dining there. For example, you have the opportunity to valet your car, and thereby not spend a considerable amount of time seeking a parking place. In addition, at the conclusion of your excellent dining experience, if you decide to pay your bill with CASH, you actually are provided a 10% reduction in the entirety of your total bill, which is usually a considerable savings for most of us. Our son and his family recently moved to Delaware from Florida, and now our son, like his father, fully agrees with my having always often stated, over and again, during the past 25 years, why Dante and Luigi's is my very favorite restaurant anywhere in the nation, [and I have literally been in every state.] Dante and Luigi's is simply outstanding, and I, therefore, urge all who are anywhere near Philadelphia to consider dining there when you next plan to go out for dinner. Rich Sternberg, Flemington, NJ

    Overall, we had a really nice experience. The food was good, and their gravy is especially…read moredelicious; rich, flavorful, and definitely the highlight of the meal. We started with the mussels, and while they tasted good, they were on the smaller side and didn't quite feel like the best bang for the buck. The shrimp cocktail was also good, but it only came with four shrimp, which wasn't specified on the menu. That was really my only qualm. Aside from that, the ambiance was warm, inviting, and relaxing; a great spot to unwind and enjoy dinner. The service was excellent across the board, and I want to especially shout out the young lady who was cleaning and resetting tables. She was phenomenal, incredibly attentive and on top of everything. That level of care definitely stood out.

    Photos
    Dante & Luigi's - Dante & Luigi's Back Dining Area

    Dante & Luigi's Back Dining Area

    Dante & Luigi's
    Dante & Luigi's - Exterior

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    Exterior

    Prunella - Still looking scrumptious 7 hours and 1000 miles later

    Prunella

    4.2(326 reviews)
    2.2 miAvenue of the Arts South
    $$

    Great Italian food with on this double date. Our waiter Devon made us feel comfortable by walking…read moreus through the menu and the place. We order so much food and all the food that was eaten by us was well prepared and high quality. The octopus was no chewy, the gnocchi was like chewing on a cloud, and the dough for the pizza has the nice black spots on the bottom and a nice chew. The pizza is also not greasy and will not hurt your digestion system. All the dessert are to die for. Prunella is legit and you should check it out!!!

    Girl dinner, but make it cozy, delicious, and elevated. My friends and I have made a tradition of…read morevisiting Prunella every January for restaurant week - you truly cannot beat the amount of delicious food you get! I recommend a party of 3-4 to really maximize your experience. However, this year, we just weren't as hungry, so we did some girl math and decided it would be cheaper to do ala cart. We ordered two of the famous spicy caesar salads (must order!!), a ricotta toast, a White Claw pizza, and a finished off our meal sharing two chocolate budinos. The White Claw is a pretty classic white pizza, mozzarella and swirls of basil pesto; the crust is amazing! It pairs perfectly with the salad. The ricotta toast is decadent and addicting, but a little bit goes a long way. The chocolate budino was outstanding - sweet, with hints of espresso. We won't talk about how I ended up with some of it on my white turtleneck... Service was friendly and QUICK! We ordered, and I swear we had our first dishes in less than 10 minutes. The server was a doll, though I can't recall his name. Downside of Prunella, like anywhere in Center City, is there is no parking. Upside, is you're just a short walk from the 13th St. Septa Station, and you're literally equidistant from Broad and Market streets. Pro-tip: Killer happy hour specials, but only at the bar. Good selection of beverages, if you're into that type of thing. Come hungry, leave happy, and maybe don't wear white.

    Photos
    Prunella - Pizza oven

    Pizza oven

    Prunella - Whipped Ricotta

    Whipped Ricotta

    Prunella - Cool little bar

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    Cool little bar

    Elma - italian - Updated May 2026

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