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    Illata

    4.6 (62 reviews)
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    Illata American Restaurant Photos

    ILLATA ATMOSPHERE

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    20 seats intimate and the best menu
    Colleen P.

    Small/intimate/great food. Cant ask for much more and at a great price. The service is excellent and I believe they got a nod from Michelin last month. Every time i come here we order the full menu. The full menu is the perfect amount for 2-3 people to share. Huge shoutout to Mary who always brings her best. I come here year-round but a nice summer evening and a glass of wine here is really perfection. Don't miss out on Illata!!

    Michael C.

    Absolutely fantastic meal at Illata. Mad I just discovered this place honestly. Food was delicious - simple, exciting combinations, and so flavorful. Prices were more than fair and the staff were all extremely friendly. Must try in Philly!

    Brown Butter Tart, Chocolate Cake
    Melissa A.

    Had a great dinner at Illata a few weeks ago after hearing many rave reviews, and I love finding new BYOB spots! The restaurant itself was small and intimate, which allowed food to come quickly and the staff to be very attentive. Food: we ended up ordering/splitting 75% of the menu as each dish is "tapa" size. Overall, the food was unique, rich and beautiful in presentation (I was so excited to eat I forgot to take more pictures!). The Carrot, Chicory salad and Brown Butter Tart were my favorite. I am only deducting a star due to the price of the food compared to the actual portion sizes, though this is to be expected at a "fine dining" type of restaurant (though the actual restaurant feels a bit casual for the prices). Overall would recommend Illata for some unique, contemporary American food!

    Rebecca K.

    My husband used to live right around the corner from what is now Illata, so when we heard about this spot opening, we had to try it out. We made reservations through Capital One, so we snagged a prime time Friday night reservation without issue (shoutout to Capital One and Illata for the collab!). My favorite Philly restaurants tend to be those housed in row homes, and Illata was no exception. It's a fairly unassuming storefront with simple lettering with the name above the doorframe and a cute chair sitting outside the door a flower vase and their current menu. Simple yet creative and cute, which is pretty much the perfect description for Illata overall. Once inside, since it is a row home, it's limited seating but they've organized the space so well to really maximize the dining area without feeling crowded at all. Our cute 2-top was perfect for our date night, giving us the intimate vibe we were hoping for. Our server was SO kind and friendly, excellently describing the menu to us and offering realistic suggestions on how much to order. She had great vibes all around, which really made our experience shine. For the menu, Illata features only a few dishes each night, leaning into seasonal and fresh ingredients while also featuring some popular dishes consistently. Based on feedback from our server, friends who previously dined at Illata, and Yelp, we ordered the bread and butter, chicory salad, carrots, tortellini, and octopus. We also were gifted the mussels by the staff, which was so generous and paired well with the bread. Our standouts were the carrot (loved the crab inclusion, I would never have paired the 2 items but man, did they work) and octopus (the mojo rojo spice was perfect to pair with the fresh seafood). Everything was so delish though, really nothing was a bad bite at all! I continue to love the BYOB scene in Philly, and it was perfect to bring our own bottle to enjoy alongside our meal. I was quite full by the end of the night, so when offered dessert, I couldn't even think of it ... but our server did us a solid and packaged 2 desserts up for us to take home! Loved that special touch to again, make the experience shine and leave me wanting to revisit and spread the word. The price for our meal was very reasonable, especially considering the BYOB and the freshness / quality of the dishes. Overall, I would definitely recommend Illata for anyone looking for a fresh, ever-changing, and quaint date night spot in Grad Hospital (although I would travel a good bit to visit again). We truly enjoyed our meal at Illata, and we cannot wait to visit again to try a new menu in the future!

    Lypheng K.

    Stopped by Illata with my boyfriend for a surprise dinner so I didn't know what to expect. It was really intimate which I really like. The restaurant is not big at all. I will say, I thoroughly enjoyed everything I had that evening. My boyfriend picked out every dish and there wasn't one that I didn't like. We started the meal with the fluke and bread/butter. Both were excellent. The fluke was a great start to the meal - it was light, citrusy, and had a little kick from the Thai chilis. The bread was fresh and delicious paired with the butter. Next came the marinated mussels and carrot with crab. We used the bread to scrape the sauces and it was a yummy combo. We refreshed our palate with the tortellini which came in a mushroom base broth. It was so good and felt like a warm hug. To wrap up the savory part, we enjoyed the NY strip and that was equally as amazing as the tortellini. The verjus was perfect with the streak. As if it wasn't enough, we got the chocolate cake and the brown butter tart. By this point I was so full but I couldn't resist the desserts as they were so good. Overall, the food came out in a timely manner and the staff was so personable that it elevated the experience of the meal even further.

    Sourdough and butter (nothing special)
    Kristen C.

    Really struggled between 3 vs 4 stars for this place because there wasn't anything wrong but I am also not clamoring to go back because there are comparable options closer to me and the bill ended up being pretty high still even though it's a BYO. Small restaurant with a dim / romantic ambiance--it can be sort of hard to hear the person sitting across from you because of how echoey the dining room is so just be ready to project a bit if it's a full house (which seems to be the case more often than not). This place is somewhere where you can conceivably order the entire menu including dessert if you come very hungry and I would recommend trying everything that sounds even remotely interesting to you, as the menu changes and items might not be there forever. I love to order bread and butter at small places bc it tends to slap but the bread here was nothing to write home about, although it served the purpose of mopping up sauce in other dishes (mussels in particular). If I could do it over again I'd get the agnolotti, steak, tuna crudo, chicory salad, mussels and save room for dessert rather than get the trout and sourdough bread.

    Tortellini in broth
    Susan M.

    We ordered one of everything for our table of four and it was all quite good. The tortellini in broth especially was delicious as were both desserts. The vibe is cozy rather than fancy but the food is trying some interesting things.

    Swordfish
    Marah H.

    Illata is a gem. My husband and I came back for our monthly BYOB date night and had another incredible meal. Highlights: the carrot with crab and brown butter (like an elegant kani salad--absolutely delicious), the perfectly al dente tagliatelle, and the most tender swordfish I've ever had. Always save room for dessert--the brown butter tart is a must. Service is warm, attentive, and clearly passionate about the food. Can't wait to return.

    Bread and Butter [$5]
    Felisa F.

    I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner at Illata last weekend. I was sat at the bar and chose the very comfy and intimate seat in the corner next to the wall. The restaurant is tiny and you can basically see into the kitchen. The service was so warm and hospitable, I'll definitely remember it for a long time. The food was equally great. These were the highlights: The Illata sourdough bread [$5] was magic. I'm glad I got a whole portion to myself. I was also impressed with the tortellini [$24] which swam in a tomato-like broth. The tomato flavor was super concentrated while the tortellini themselves were thin and airy. The brown butter tart [$12] is what I imagine all tarts and pie crusts to taste like, nutty with a bit of salt. It made me so happy. It's BYOB. I spent $107 after tax and tip.

    Sourdough bread and Fried oysters
    Ju L.

    My husband made a reservation for us for date night at Illata a few weeks ago. It was a Thursday night, and I was surprised by how packed the place was. I'm not particularly a fan of the small-menu-highlighting-local-ingredients-and-changes-often format, but I have heard good things about Illata and was interested in checking them out, plus they are BYOB which already won them extra points in my book. Sourdough bread - We saw a lady come in just to pick up a loaf. We thought it must be that good and put down an order to share. It was okay. Fried oysters - my husband wanted to order this, and I didn't think I would enjoy them that much, but I did. It was the best thing I ate all night. The tomato and aioli combination really completed the whole dish. Pastas - I was looking to carb up, and so we ordered 2 pastas to share, the Trofie alla Nerano and Rigatoni Alla Pesto. Both were also okay. I like that they make their own pastas from scratch, though. Chicken Schnitzel - this was a good dish because it was prepared well. The schnitzel was crispy and juicy. This all was quite a lot of food. I have to say, I was very full, but we decided to share the brown butter tart anyway. Brown Butter Tart - I definitely do not regret getting the brown butter tart. It was the second-best thing I ate all night. While we probably enjoyed half of the dishes we ordered, we still had a good time. I really liked the ambiance and the staff were very nice. Maybe we'll come back again, but we'll skip the pastas next time.

    Chicken Schnitzel
    Stephanie W.

    Vibes: casual, intimate, minimalistic byob; bring a date Tasting notes: - bread and butter: thick cut slices with an airy crumb and crackly crust; a little nutty, just sour enough; butter was mild accented with large flakes of salt - fried oysters: excellent crunch with creamy, tender meat inside; tomatoes added color, a refreshing contrast in texture and flavor - trout: irresistibly crispy skin with flaky, delicate meat - chicken schnitzel: satisfyingly crunchy with well-seasoned meat; loved the fennel salad's gently spicy fragrance and snappy bite - brown butter tart: easy to fork into pieces, ; very indulgent; richness is cut by tartness of the cherry; better suited for one person than to share Other thoughts: - offered still or sparkling water upon sitting down, with glasses of wine poured within minutes - dishes came free flowing from the kitchen at a steady pace - the above meal was just satisfying enough for two moderately hungry adults Impression: can't wait to see how the menu changes up as illata gets comfy in the neighborhood!

    Brown Butter Tart (blueberries, creme fraiche)
    Sarah A.

    Welcome to the neighborhood, Illata: keep it up! Caught up with a friend over a delicious meal in this cute new restaurant in Graduate Hospital. Terrific service and food: every dish was well-seasoned and simply worked! We shared the: - Bread and Butter (Illata sourdough, served with salted, spreadable butter), perfectly pocketed and chewy; - Cucumber (melon, lime, basil), what an exactly-ripe melon, which is so hard (for me) to find and paired so well with the seasoned cucumber; - Marinated Mussels (hakurei turnips, miso, chili oil), the right balance of creamy, hint of spice, and gigantic mussels; - Fried Oysters (heirloom tomato, aoili), what an exactly-ripe tomato, which is also so hard (for me) to find and paired so well with the oysters--who doesn't love fried oysters?! - Trout (english peas, watercress), delicate with a nice crisp skin; - Brown Butter Tart (blueberries, creme fraiche), could've eaten an entire tart, or perhaps just the crust...no, the entire tart. Definitely recommend and look forward to seeing how the menu changes with the seasons!

    Chicory Salad / anchovy, buttermilk, comte

    Probably one of the best meals I've had in Philly. The plates are on the smaller side so we ordered the entire menu. The menu changes with the season I believe using in season vegetables. The stand out dish to me was the tortellini, it came in a very flavorful broth and was like nothing I had ever tried before. The servers are welcoming and friendly and it is a very cozy intimate space. Would be perfect for a date night! Can't wait to go back soon.

    Ricotta Gnudi. Don't worry, you don't have to pronounce it. But you will inhale it.

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    2 years ago

    Excellent meal from start to finish - bread, salad, mains, and desserts were all unique and very tasty. A dining experience worth having

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    2 years ago

    Everything. Was. Soo. Good. Extremely cute ambiance and dishes that rendered us speechless and perfectly full. Thank you, Illata!

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    3 years ago

    Phenomenal! Unique flavors, great dishes, and wonderful bread and desserts. One of the best new restaurants in Philadelphia.

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    Trattoria Carina - Cacio e pepe and chicken parm

    Trattoria Carina

    4.4(443 reviews)
    0.3 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.

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    Trattoria Carina
    Trattoria Carina - Cannoli Budino

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    Trattoria Carina - October 2024

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    October 2024

    La Sera Italiana

    La Sera Italiana

    4.6(53 reviews)
    0.6 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.

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    La Sera Italiana
    La Sera Italiana
    La Sera Italiana

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    Giuseppe & Sons

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    4.1(675 reviews)
    0.8 miPenn Center, Rittenhouse Square
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    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.

    Me and my wife are from out of town. We found this restaurant online and decided to try it out…read more We arrived around 8:30 PM. We were told by the hostess the wait would be around 15 minutes. 40 minutes later, still nothing. Never mind there were empty tables all around. The female bartender, to her credit, checked with the hostess to let her know we were still waiting. Nothing. We finally gave up. We asked the bartender to please let the hostess know we left. The bartender was very courteous and polite. Very disappointing. Everyone was being seated except us. Never again. Steer clear of this place.

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    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(600 reviews)
    1.1 miBella Vista
    $$

    Steve and Frank are the best .....food is excellent service is extraordinary…read more We will return every two weeks for family Sunday dinner .....

    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

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    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

    Illata - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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