A Must-Try Italian Restaurant in Philadelphia

This restaurant totally blew me away—I’d give it a perfect score for taste, ambiance, and value for money! 😍 Let’s start with the complimentary bread. I’ve had bread at countless Italian restaurants, but this was my favorite by far. Unlike the traditional dry, crusty kind, this bread was visibly soft and fluffy. The one with tomato sauce had a richer flavor, while the plain one let the natural wheat aroma shine through—it even tasted like the scallion pancakes from my childhood cafeteria! I couldn’t resist eating four pieces on my own. 🥯 Fried Calamari This classic appetizer was above average. The squid was fresh, which already made it a winner. If you love fried calamari, you’ll enjoy this, but it’s not an absolute must-order. 🍤 Caesar Salad I never order salads at restaurants, but I couldn’t stop eating this one! The garlic and cheese flavors were so rich—this was the first time I realized a vegan salad (just greens, dressing, no meat/cheese toppings) could be this delicious. 🥗 Veal Marsala The veal wasn’t as tender as what I’ve had at other restaurants (I’ll try the chicken version next time), but the Marsala sauce was incredible—highly recommended! You could taste the fresh mushrooms, the rich, silky sauce, and a lovely “wok hei” (charred aroma). I dipped my fourth piece of bread in the sauce and ate it up. 🥩 Orecchiette with Sausage Orecchiette is a round, flat-shaped Italian pasta—it was perfectly chewy and al dente. The crumbled sausage and broccoli bits had a nice charred flavor. If you love pasta, this is worth a try! 🍝 Truffle Tagliatelle This black truffle pasta is probably a seasonal specialty. The chef brings out a huge block of truffle cheese, melts it with a blowtorch right at your table, then tosses the tagliatelle in the melted cheese while continuing to torch it. The aroma hit you instantly, and the whole process was so visually stunning—it felt like a delightful little show! Everyone at the table agreed this was the best dish. 🔥 For desserts, we got Tiramisu and Cheesecake—they were decent, nothing fancy. When we told the server someone was celebrating a birthday, they even added a small sparkler candle on top—such a sweet touch! 🎂 One thing worth highlighting is the decor and ambiance! It’s elegant, vintage, and sophisticated (I even wanted to take photos in the restroom!). It’s perfect for dates, birthday dinners, or girls’ meals. Even though the ambiance and service feel like a $100-per-person fine dining spot, can you believe our total—with drinks for everyone and two desserts, plus tax and tip—came out to under $60 per person? 🤑 Last tips: - Make a reservation in advance! ​ - Head to the basement when you arrive—the upstairs is a different restaurant, so don’t mix them up. ❤️ Address: Giuseppe & Sons 1523 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19102 #PhiladelphiaFood #PhiladelphiaRestaurantRecommendations #PhiladelphiaRestaurants #PhiladelphiaItalianFood #NorthAmericanItalianFood #NorthAmericanRestaurants #NewYork #UPennFood