Stopped in on a weekday and loved the ambiance, service and tasty food. I feel like their portions were not too much and not too little but just right. Started the meal with the sourdough bread and butter. I thought it was delightful and a must. I had the scallops and crab pasta dish that was full of succulent flavors. The butter sauce was swiped up with my bread and the combination was delightful. Closed the evening with bread pudding topped with white chocolate and vanilla ice cream. The combination of everything was just what I was in need of. read more

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Best food I've had in Malvern, hands down. I ate there recently for my wife's bday. The staff was very kind and accommodating from when I made the res, until we settled up. The weather was awful outside, snowy/rain causing the roads to be less than ideal. The coziness of the dining room and bar were both perfect for the night. Looking forward to my next meal there! read more

Very good Italian in Malvern. Try the wood fired octopus. It's really good. My wife had the attic char and I had the pasta with shrimp. read more

Restaurant Alba - Wood Grilled Octopus - New American Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

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Incredible food and service. Our server Kim was very professional and attentive. Highly recommend!

I recently attended a birthday dinner at Alba and we all really enjoyed ourselves! I would highly recommend the ricotta honey bruschette! Everyone really enjoyed their main dishes as well (my only downside was that I found the pasta itself to be a little overcooked). We chose to sit outside, they have a cute patio that is shaded and provides some privacy from the street, which is nice. The cocktails were also very good, and when they ran out of St. Germaine, our server had her boyfriend drop off a bottle so we could have our Hugo Spritz! Service was phenomenal! read more

Very positive experience. Food was great. Waiter was congenial and helpful. Price point is high but worth it. Octopus appetizer, Duck entree and chocolate bread pudding dessert. All fabulous. The one negative was we were there for happy hour and they did not seem prepared for that. read more

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Our favorite locally owned restaurant hands down. Perfect for quiet date nights. Food is fantastic. Kurt is extremely nice and is always walking around making sure everyone has a great experience. read more

Came here with some girlfriends initially for dinner and sat in the bar area - was nice for a group setting (little loud) but we really enjoyed the food a ton. I knew I would love it even more for a date night, so my husband and I went for his birthday dinner and sat in the dining room. Absolutely a delicious meal from beginning to end (octopus, whipped ricotta, lamb ragu, shrimp pasta). Our server Frank was exceptional and so friendly and knowledgeable. We'll be back for my birthday dinner soon read more

I have dined at Alba many times. Last night was the third visit in a month. I love it, and have also after some of these dinners left (5 star reviews) here. Sadly, last night was a disappointment. We had made plans to dine with another couple. One of the two does not hear well. The main dining room can get loud. After my husband and I had dinner there last Friday, I approached the hostess and asked that we be seated the following week (last night) in the quieter middle room. She looked at our reservation and said that we were already booked into that room but she would make a note of it to be sure. Upon arrival last night, a young woman started to lead us into the front room and I complained. The manager came up and said he had people who had booked it "weeks ago". How is that the case, if the hostess last week said we were already booked in that room (from a reservation that I had made "weeks ago"). I found this treatment to be quite disappointing. They clearly ignored my request, possibly for people who dine there even more frequently than us. Not sure but it left a bad impression. read more

Restaurant Alba - New American Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

I have not been to Restaurant Alba in a while but will be coming much more often! This is a hidden gem with amazing food and great service right in the heart of Malvern! What a wonderful atmosphere and community in down town Malvern!! read more

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Alba is the best restaurant in Malvern, full stop. Make sure to bring a corporate card, it can get spendy. Bryce is the best bartender in Malvern, and probably Chester county. The owners ensure quality and innovative ingredients. Tonight we had salumi and cheese that tasted like we were back in Parma. Anything wood fired is always a win and the homemade pastas are more than acceptable for this picky Italian. read more

Alba brings fine dining to the suburbs. The quality of food offered on a menu that changes fairly frequently based on local ingredients availability stands out compared to anything else nearby. The restaurant itself has a fancier dining room area (where we had dinner) & a more lively bar room (where we grabbed pre-dinner drinks). Service is fast & the servers are knowledgeable about both food & wine pairings (helpful with such a large wine menu!). For appetizers, we split the anchovy bruschetta (salty & delicious!), sunchoke special (definitely get bread to dip in this sauce), & eggplant (fried without being oily). For my entree, I got the squab & foie gras ravioli. The brodo was light but flavorful, and it was definitely needed because the ravioli themselves were a touch dry (but packed with flavor). The lightness of the dish was perfect after all the apps we shared, and I left full without feeling stuffed. Alba always delivers! Food: A- Drinks: B+ Service: A- Ambiance: B+ read more

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Hands down the best food in the Philly suburbs, and exceptional service. The food seriously though. I'd put it up against the best places in the city. read more

Been going here for years - great interesting food and atmosphere, good service. I'd pass on the rabbit gnocchi. Firstly, they're not gnocchi - it's 5 big potato-sized balls with a little bland sauce. No rabbit to be found besides a small amount of ground up meat inside. read more

Beautiful location, great ambiance, and great service.... But the good...UGH. Unfortunately it tasted like, well baby food. No flavor, no substance, just bland. I'm not sure what the hype is about but if you're hungry go down to the Flying Pig instead. Won't be back unfortunately. read more

Had a great birthday meal here last month. Definitely make reservations! They had a mandarin-vodka cocktail as a special, which I tired. It was fresh and delicious! We started with the wood-grilled bruschetta, the one with ricotta, honey, and sea salt. I liked the char of the bread against the creamy-sweetness of the other ingredients. I wasn't too hungry, so I had a pasta course as my entrée. I chose the agnolotti in the brown butter and sage sauce. It was delicious! To end the meal, I had the apple sorbet and my dinner partner the bread pudding. All-in-all, I would definitely recommend if you're in Malvern! read more

My mother and I enjoyed a fantastic holiday meal at Alba. The food was divine and the atmosphere was wonderful (comfy seats, not too loud, beautiful but subdued art). My favorite dish was the bruschetta, we also had the trout and the lamb and some Caesar salads to start; all excellent; next time I want to try the pasta they make using flour imported from Italy. Deserts + espresso were of course on point. My mother could not stop raving about her Whiskey Sour, it was soo good! And our server Holly was fantastic, she was amazingly knowledgeable about all the food, wine etc (she gave a wonderful red wine rec). Anyhow, it was a splurge meal but so worth it. Looking forward to going back next time I am in the Philly suburbs! read more

How lucky to move out of the city to a home within walking distance to one of the best restaurants on the main line! My husband and I cannot get enough of Alba. The food is consistently delicious. Their menu changes seasonally which makes things interesting, but maintains its integrity and somehow gets better each time. We love the pastas here, but we have never ordered anything we didn't like, so I recommend trying a little of everything. Also, if they have the bread pudding dessert, GET IT! You will not regret it. The service is also consistently great as well as the ambiance. It's lively, but not too loud. Alba is the best! read more

Love this restaurant. Not many people talk about it. But my fiance and myself love it. Burger is incredible. Fries with it are like nothing else. read more

The food was delicious and the service impeccable but you do pay for that! Our server was Frank who is the consummate waiter. I did find him a bit serious although I saw him laughing with other patrons that he appeared to know. We ordered 2 appetizers - the ricotta honey & sea salt and the anchovies & Parmesan butter toast. Both excellent but the bread was slightly burnt and I was wondering if it was supposed to be that way but I found Frank too intimidating to ask. I guess better burnt than limp. Also you only get 2 pieces. Luckily we did get appetizers. All 3 of us ordered pasta dishes that were delicious but kind of small portions, especially the ravioli. I think the portions would have been fine if the entrees came with something like a salad or a side. We did ask for bread which I knew we would be charged for. $7 for 4 pieces of bread that came with butter and dipping oil. $7!!! I wouldn't have minded something sweet afterwards but it was just too pricey. I do believe you get what you pay for so if you're aware you're going to be dropping some big bucks, you will definitely enjoy the food here and again, the service is really superb. read more

Had a solid meal this weekend at Alba! The pastas are all homemade and delicious. It's a bit on the pricy side but we knew that going in based on other reviews so didn't have too much sticker shock. There's a ton of wines to chose from all in different price ranges. Our server was great as well. On a nice night, the patio out back was great. read more

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The only thing preventing me from giving 5 stars is portion sizes for price. Food is seriously amazing but you have to order quite a bit to feel full. Expect to spend about 75 if you get a drink. Highly recommend the ricotta brucshetta, octopus and pumpkin ravioli. Those three without a drink will be about 60. read more

Top notch service in Malvern. The place was buzzing and the food was great. I would highly recommended

Date night favorite. Ingredient focused dining with all the accoutrements. Bartender Bryce always has the best food/drink recommendations.

Several plates returned . Either not cooked properly or meat tough and old Service just OK. Will not be returning read more

This had been my favorite restaurant for so many years, it breaks my heart that I can never go back. We started with the stuffed dates which were very nice. The bread was kind of dry and tasted day old. I love mushrooms, especially porcini. I ordered Tagliatelle, Wild Boar & Porcini Bolognese, Sheep's Milk Ricotta, Fennel Pollen Honey. I rarely eat meat, but made the exception for the porcini. The dish arrived and looked like a regular bolognese. The ricotta was there, but no trace of the mushrooms or the honey. I searched the whole dish and found neither. I took a few bites and there was not even a hint. The waitress checked in and I asked if perhaps I had misread the menu. She checked and it did say porcini. She then went to the manager who explained that porcini is too strong so they grind them up to hide them. Then walked away. I was not happy, there was no offer of another dish. That's when the service went downhill. Another server stopped by and asked if we wanted the leftovers boxed and we did. My husband loves bolognese, but hates mushrooms. He tasted and liked it. Just found it odd that someone saw that full plate and wasn't concerned. Felt like our waitress was avoiding us. After the table was cleared our waitress brought dessert menus which we dismissed. Got the check, paid and left. Not one I'm sorry, or can I get you something else. I didn't want anything for free.. I just wanted to enjoy a meal, I ended up hungry and broken hearted. It took all I had to not cry on the way home read more

Stopped in on Monday night and the place was pretty empty. I decided to take a seat at the bar. Based on the bartender Lauren's recommendation I decided to start with the cauliflower parmigiana. It was cooked perfectly and was absolutely delicious. For dinner I went with the overnight pork which was in a sweet potato purée. The pork was cooked overnight and then cubed and cooked again so that it had a little crisp outside and was tender in the middle. It was perfect!!! The bartender Lauren was extremely nice and helpful with suggestions as far as the appetizer and the wine that I had with dinner. The only bad thing I can say is that I thought the portions could have been a little bigger for the price . However, with that being said, I would definitely come back here again when I'm in the area! read more

Restaurant Alba - Overnight pork - New American Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

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Can't recommend it enough! I was so surprised by this hidden gem in Malvern. It was recommended to me a few times and the food is SO good. We went for my birthday and truly ate through the menu and nothing was disappointing. We could have kept eating! If I had to recommend one thing (even though I'd recommend it all) I would choose the octopus. It was delicious! The pricing was reasonable! It was about $75 per person, but we each got a glass of champagne, wine, and a cocktail, split two appetizers, two entrees, and a dessert- so I think expected to spend a little more for the quality. It was amazing! The next day we already talked about when we would go back! read more

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Kudos to another phenomenal meal and kudos to getting it perfect even with takeout as we cared for our sick babies we were able to enjoy a delicious meal at home and we are so grateful for their diligence and remaining open through the last couple of years!! The ambience in the restaurant itself is amazing and we look forward to dining there again very soon! If you have not tried this gem it is completely worth it. read more

Restaurant Alba - Bucantin Nero w shrimp Whipped ricotta Budino not shown - New American Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

A great outdoor dining experience in the suburbs! Would definitely like to come back and try more of their pastas and wood grilled breads. Atmosphere: Had an outdoor seating area with a tent overhead. The servers were very friendly and all the staff were in masks. Food: Ordered the wood grilled octopus and whipped ricotta and honey with sea salt bruschette. I thought the bruschette was a bit too salty, but the wood grilled bread had great texture. Octopus had amazing flavor and paired well with the olives and sauce - would order this again! Also tried the pappardelle with wild boar ragu, which I loved! The pasta tasted very fresh - just wish the portion sizes were a bit larger given their prices. Overall: 4/5 - glad I was able to try this Italian restaurant, and it's a great choice for a nice outdoor meal out in the suburbs. Just thought it was a tad pricey for portion sizes. read more

***allergy incident*** I ate here the other week and my friend had an allergic reaction because of a dessert she ate. It did not say that it had her allergen as an ingredient and we were never told that it did. She had to immediately go to the hospital. Following this incident, the owner yelled at her on the phone saying that it was her fault and that she is scamming the restaurant. If you have an allergy, I would avoid this restaurant at all costs. read more

I've been to Alba many, many times and have been impressed by their food and service. On my latest visit, I was so disappointed by the lack of customer service at the front of the house and "ownership", as the host quoted. My husband and I have an eleven month old and we don't get out much since having her. We have dined at Alba, pre-baby, many, many times even with larger parties of 6 and 8 people and have never, ever had an issue. Last night, we went on a "date" since my parents watched our baby. We debated weather or not to go out because we were so tired but decided to get out of the house so we went where we knew the food would be amazing. We made reservations on Open Table for 7pm a few days in advance. We walked into the bar area and found seating and thought this would be a good compromise between going out and staying home so it would be more casual. I checked in with the host and he said that since we were sitting at the bar he had to cancel our Open Table reservation on the owners request. I have never been to a restaurant where they cancel your Open Table reservation because of where you choose to sit and still pay money in their establishment - even casual establishments such as Iron Hill will honor your reservation because you're dining there. The food, as usual, was amazing and the service AT THE BAR, was amazing but the Open Table reservation policy here is less than stellar. read more

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We have been here numerous times and really loved the food. Last nights dinner was, however, a big disappointment as all of the dishes were flavorless and bland. The burrata bruschetta was soggy bread with runny cheese- if there was olive oil and sea salt we didn't taste it. The dates were supposed to have a sausage in them with goat cheese- all we got was a hint of spicy something to offset the very sweet dates. Etc etc. Rigatoni genovese bland, as was the trout. And way overpriced for the quality of ingredients. Can't imagine what happened in the kitchen to produce these wholly unremarkable dishes. We won't be hurrying back. read more

One of my all time favorites. Quiet, soft light atmosphere. Absolutely delicious creative dishes. Lovely staff. Shhhh...dont tell anyone;-).

Another excellent dinner at Alba! This menu has amazing flavors and everything is perfectly executed! The wings appetizer would leave you thinking you were are at an amazing wing shop! Tonight's special warm trout dip on bruschetta with pickled onions was delish! I chose the overnight Berkshire Pork with corn pudding, summer squash and fennel! Wow! Definitely one of the best dinners I have had in a LONG time. The flavors work perfectly together. I found it to be an original offering not the same old same old veal chop etc. it was a great summer evening choice. Light and perfectly proportioned! Dessert Alert: Strawberry Nutella Bread pudding!! PS Nurse Betty cocktail is excellent! read more

Been there many times but very disappointed with my last visit. Burger was burnt. Crispy fish was soggy and covered with way too much sauce. Ribeye was not cooked right. Looked like it was pre frozen. Sad to say that we won't be back. read more

I have lived in Malvern for over 30 years and dined at all of restaurants in the area Additionally I travel extensively for my job and therefore dine at restaurants around the country often. At Alba tonight the food was very good and the waitress was excellent. Our party of four had a 6pm reservation for dinner. At 7:45 the manager came over to our table unapologetically interrupted our conversation and rudely told us "it is time to leave. We have another party for this table". When we spoke to him as we were leaving he denied saying that but added it was over two hours. He was rude and dismissive. I will never again go to that restaurant and will strongly encourage my family and friends to do the same. read more

Overpriced and boring! Went there on a first date...never went back and haven't recommended it to anyone

Went to eat there last night for the first time. We didn't have sticker shock because we previewed the menu on line. We started with the octopus appetizer, admittedly we consider ourselves to be octopus snobs eating it many times during our vacations to Mexico. The appetizer consisted of a circle of thinly shaven ?octopus shards surrounding what tasted like a spoonful of potato salad. The octopus had a weird consistency and was 'fishy' tasting. Having previewed the menu ahead of time to translate the names of the pasta I ordered the ravioli aka agnolotti. Our waitress said they 'ran out of that'. How does that happen at a restaurant that purports to be a finer, high-end Italian eatery. I then ordered the Bucatini aka tube-like spaghetti it arrived on a salad-sized plate and the amount of pasta did not even fill said plate. It was way too salty and had a pasty-like consistency. I only managed a couple of mouthfuls. I should have sent it back and ordered something else. My husband ordered the gnocchi and he said it was the second-best gnocchi he ever had and he had a substantial portion, unlike mine. My stepdaughter ordered the trout which she liked but it was such a thin piece of fish that she was left hungry. In my opinion the experience left me totally unfilled in more ways than one. read more

The house made burrata with grilled bread is best around. The restaurant was almost full on a Tuesday night which proves great food and ambience. My husband had to squab and sausage with hand cut pasta Ragu and it was delicious. I had the delicious salmon with smashed avocado and grilled onions. not only was it low-carb but it was delicious. I did not feel like I was cheating myself. I look forward to going back. I do wish they would add a California Chardonnay to the menu. read more

Restaurant Alba - New American Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania