It was born of a debate we were having recently, having just checked out, at long last, Modo Mio. We found a lot to love there — as many have — but we couldn’t help but think: Are we crazy, but was Il Cantuccio, a less-hyped spot but a standby nonetheless, much better? And you know how these things go: Next thing we knew, we were talking about Ralph’s and Villa di Roma and, God help us, the Cherry Hill Maggiano’s. (Don’t laugh, it’s legit. You know, for what it is. We can’t believe we just said that, either. Good thing there is no licensing board for food blogs.) Soon, we realized that there is only one way to decide this battle for ages: A March Madness-style bracket contest. So here’s what we’re gonna do: See those categories in the circles above? Leave us your nominations in the comments! And next Monday, we’ll present them all, and start a vote-off. And ultimately decide THE GREATEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT IN PHILADELPHIA! It won’t be pretty. But there will be a cannoli afterwards.
By far in my book Bomb Bomb BBQ in Philadelphia gets my vote. http://www.bombbomb-restaurant.com/
My favorite has always been La Viola (Cute Little BYOB category).
Any place that charges more than $10 for a plate of spaghetti should be off the list.
I haven’t been to a lot of places, but I like http://www.lafourno.com
Inn of the Glutton (la locanda del ghiottone) by a landslide. Great atmosphere, amazing food, great prices!
So is Scannicchio’s a 1-seed or a 2-seed? Which division, BYOB or Tablecloth?
Il Cantuccio used to be my favorite little Italian place until I went to Ridicchio. I had the most amazing pasta dish ever!
Cute BYOB: Mercato
High Priced: Le Virtu
Red & White: J&Js
Chains: Olive Garden!
What a great idea, thanks for doing this!!!!
Salento.
Mr. Martino’s in South Philly. No questions asked.
Closest to my mom’s region of Italy cooking goes to Le Virtu. mmm. But I love Villa di Roma for their closest to my Nonni’s meatballs I have EVER eaten.
Cute BYOB: Radicchio (Hands down #1 seed!)
High Priced: Vetri (No brainer)
Red & White: High Note Cafe
Chains: It is against my better judgement to eat at chains sorry
This is awesome… thanks for doing this!!!!
The above were my #1 seeds… now the rest
Cute BYOB: Caffe Casta Diva, La Viola, Il Cantuccio, Modo Mio, Tre Scalini, Mercato, L’Angolo
High Priced: Osteria, Amis, Le Virtu, Davio’s, La Famiglia
Red & White: Villa da Roma, Scannicchio’s, Mamma Maria’a, Mr. Martino’s, Langostino’s, Cucina Forte
More to come!
Cute BYOB: Pesto
High Priced: Ristorante Panorama
Red& white table cloths: Spaghetti warehouse
Chains: Vinny T’s
Cute little BYOBs – Radicchio
High priced and critics faves – Le Virtu
Guilty pleasures – Ralph’s
Cute BYOB – Bistro Romano
High Priced – Vetri
Chain – Is Pietros a chain? If so – there.
Melograno for your BYO — The carbonara with anchovies is awesome.
Osteria or Vetri for the expensive places.
La Viola is way over rated.
For read an white table cloth I have to say Villa da Roma for the meatballs alone.
Cantucio has such a better vibe and feel than Radicchio ( I once saw a Ghiottone server re-plate a leftover antipasto dish on to a new dish for a new table. Never been back)
Le virtu – better prices than Osteria and Vetri. The antipasto plate is the best I have had outside of Italy. Great pasta and you can eat outdoors!! C’mon!
Scannichio’s was the last joint i have been to. Don’t realy do the gravy joints much. Service was pretty bad.
don’t forget L’Oca for BYOB
dante & luigi’s is fantastic, no bs, old-school italian. not sure which category it would fall under, since it’s neither byob nor expensive.
cute byob: modo mio all the way. that bread is made of the clouds of heaven.
Bistro Juliana?
Melograno for BYOB. Second place: Hosteria da Elio
Expensive/Critic: Le Virtu. Second: Ristorante Panorama
Red & White:Michealangelo in Cherry Hill. Second: L’Angolo
Guilty: Pietros.
Seconding Melograno for byo (I would also second Mercato, but it’s not really an Italian restaurant, is it?). Marra’s for red & white, not that they use tablecloths, so perhaps the category should be red gravy?
I think we might need a little clarity on the categories…
i will abstain from this poll. i am a south philly ital and pretty much if i can make it myself, i won’t think that much of it (i’m looking right atcha l’angolo), so my opinion will be way harsh. but i can’t believe you even brought up il cantuccio. that place = bad bad bad.
but to throw a hat in the ring, that new place apollinaire makes a very nice eggplant appetizer and the flambee prawns are also surprisingly tasty. it isn’t the best italian joint by far, but i don’t think anyone’s really given it a chance yet.
You’re doing this because of your bigoted assumption that Italians can’t play basketball, offering them a bracket grid of restaurants as solace. Disgusting.
I suppose over the past two weeks you went around handing out gold medals to Jamaican and West Indian restaurants as compensation for the Winter Olympics.
gotta nominate villa di roma. a philly institution. melgrano would also get a vote from me. does tacconellis count as an italian restaurant?
I know that competition in the BYO category may be too stiff for them to stand a chance, but I’m three for three at getting excellent meals at Ava. I only ate there once, but the meal I had at the Victor cafe was superb. What about the Saloon for expensive joints? I’d like to nominate Il Cantuccio and La Locanda. They may not technically qualify, but the other [national] chains in Philly should be driven out of business by the superior local fare.
Definitely have to include L’Angelo and La Viola. Two of the best!
BYOB: Gemelli in Narberth
R&W: Villa di Roma
Sapori in Collingswood, NJ. Run by a veteran from Locanda.
I can’t believe people are hyping Il Cantuccio in here. From the food to the obnoxious dude that seemed to be running the place, it was the most disappointing dining experience I have had in recent memory.
I second #4 – la locanda del ghiottone for overall champ!
Red & White Tablecloth Joint: Vila di Roma–Ralphs is not fit to kiss the feet of this place.
Fantzy Pantz Place: LeVirtu, with no offense to Mr. Vetri.
BYOB: Current fave is Mr. Martino’s but that’s because I’m not sure if Mezza/Bella Luna is still open (not technically a byob, but I don’t think they ever charge(ed?) a corkage fee in there).
Guilty Pleasure: California Pizza Kitchen–because once upon a time, pizza was Italian. So there. And yeah, Maggiano’s at 12th and Filbert. Good for what it is? Actually, I think it’s better than that and I’ve had much worse at some so-called mom-and-pop Italian places in this town.
There’s little chance this would ever make it out of the first round, but I have to give it up for Joseph’s in Fox Chase, if only for the memories.
Cute BYO: Tre Scalini. Hon. Mention: Karina’s on Passyunk.
Red & White: Bomb Bomb’s
High Price: Le Virtu
Chains: Who gives a crap?
High Price: Girasole
-the only italian restaurant I will go to. period.
If Collingswood is fair game, include Bistro di Marino under CLBYOB.
Osteria. That is all.
Panini on Market Street in Old City is the best. I’ve been to Dante and Luigis and Villa di Roma, Maggianos, etc., but nothing comes close to Panini. Greatest Italian restaurant in Philly.
BYOB Modo Mio also Mercato(Yes it is Italian…try the pasta with sausage and meatballs)
Expensive Le Virtu
Lusty pleasures Coer Di Roma on South St…the best artichokes this side of Rome and GiGi is a warm host
No one has said Tommy D’s cafe at Woody’s yet – yes, the notorious 13th St. gay bar. I’ve never been, so I can’t vouch, but I’m pretty sure it got a solid review last year in “The Dish”… part of the Local Food Philly guide. Supposedly red & white tablecloths all the way; very South Philly-style Italian. Maybe not conventional, but it’d make for interesting competition…. I think it’d be worth a shot, if only for entertainment value.
Cute Little BYOB: Modo Mio, La Locanda del Ghiottone, L’Angolo, Melograno
Expensive: Vetri, Osteria, Le Virtu
Red-and-white tablecloth: Marra’s, Villa di Roma, Saloon
Guilty pleasure/chain: Fellini Cafe (Ardmore)
Expensive: Mamma Maria (on Passyunk just north of Morris) – This restaurant has replaced my grandmother’s cooking as the benchmark by which I judge all Italian restaurants (in the U.S. of course). Run by an off-the-boat Italian family, great tasting menus, wine served in carafes, and the lightest gnocchi I have ever experienced. Not only is the food excellent, but the atmosphere feels right at home. I’ve heard the experience isn’t great when it’s busy, so I’d go when it’s not.
I’ll second Bistro Juliana for a BYO. Modo Mio, L’Angolo as well. Where’s the old(er) school on this list: Porcini and Gnocchi?
R&W: Criniti down on Broad near Oregon.
Expensive: sorry, never been
Chain: weak spot for gluttony at Maggiano’s