Ambrosia Ristorante — Restaurant in Philadelphia

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📍 Ambrosia Ristorante - Philadelphia, PA ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Food:

Crispy Brussels Sprouts – A must-try side! – The blend of labneh and pomegranate seeds was delightful. – Perfectly crisped, with sweet date syrup adding a delicious touch.

Roasted Beets – Deliciously paired with goat cheese and pistachios. – Super fresh. – I usually skip beets, but my friend insisted, and I’m so glad we did!

Beef Carpaccio – An unexpected treat brought out by the chef—exceptionally high quality! – Incredibly fresh.

Grilled Octopus – Perfectly tender with an ideal texture. – The potatoes and salsa verde complemented it beautifully.

Herb Caesar Salad – A creative take on Caesar, with a salmon-based dressing instead of anchovies. – Reminded me of a refreshing green goddess dressing.

Bread Basket – Homemade focaccia with a wonderful olive oil flavor. – Served with a unique, sweet-and-spicy dip.

Tortelloni – Nutty with a subtle hint of truffle. – Creamy and absolutely worth ordering!

Crispy Gnocchi – Wonderfully crispy gnocchi paired with sweet squash and mushrooms. – The pancetta was perfectly cooked, and the goat cheese added a strong, bold flavor.

Cacio e Pepe – The homemade pasta was outstanding—perfectly textured. – Creamy, peppery, and full of flavor.

Banana Bread – A must-order dessert! – Reminiscent of an apple cider donut, transformed into banana bread. – Topped with indulgent hazelnut gelato.

Tiramisu – Light and airy. – Balanced coffee flavor, and better than many I’ve had recently.

Pistachio Panna Cotta – Nutty, creamy, and refreshingly light. – Mild yet unique.

Drinks:

Cosmopolitan – Fruity and vibrant. – Not overly sweet—a beautifully balanced cocktail.

Espresso Martini – Smooth and made with house espresso. – Perfectly balanced without any bitterness.

Cappuccino – Standard cappuccino . – Best way to end an Italian meal.

I was invited to dine at Ambrosia, and I was thrilled to finally experience it after having it on my list for so long! I brought my best friend, and we had a fantastic time. We tried so many dishes that I’ll need to split this review into two posts to cover it all! The patio was charming, and the service was attentive. Both the food and drinks were exceptional. I’ll definitely be coming back and can’t wait to bring my boyfriend next time. This spot is popular, so I’d recommend making a reservation ahead of time.

Date...

I don't typically leave reviews, but I was compelled to write about our experience. I had a birthday dinner reservation for my husband a week in advance for a party of four. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were greeted promptly and seemed like the service was pretty efficient. However, about half way through our dinner, we started having multiple bussing crew (at least 3 different people) plus our server, asking us if we were done with our food. It was so clearly evident, that we were not! Our reservation was for 5:15. We ordered apps that were served around 5:35. Our dinner served around 5:50~. Around 6:10 or so, visits to our table by the restaurant staff would be nonstop. Every 3-4 mins, they would ask if we were done with our food. Our server would say, no need to rush, but throughout our dinner, we had a minimum of 8-9 attempts to clear our table. At one point, one of the bussing staff started wiping off our table with her rag, while we were still holding utensils in our hands. Also to note, there was a mild snow storm last night and the restaurant was practically half empty and there should have been no reason to make us feel so rushed to leave. At every attempt to clear our table, we will tell them we're still working on our food, but these visits to clear our table just would not stop! We were annoyed to say the least. What should have been a pleasant birthday dinner experience turned into a quite uncomfortable time. To make matters worse, they said there was no notation on our reservation regarding my husband's bday, when I made sure with Noel(the person that took our reservation over the phone) that we are celebrating my husband's bday. It was also interesting to note, that these interruptive stops by their staff was only happening to us. There were a few other tables near us that were left to dine in peace. Our total time stayed was less than 2 hours, because we had a train to catch. The food was delicious and would love to revisit, but the inconsiderate level of service where you're bugged every 3-4 minutes is not something we want to come back too! If you're the owner/ manager reading this review, please talk to your staff about what is a proper level of service for patrons to dine and enjoy your...

After having dined here once before, The Missus (bless 'er) and The Kid insisted that I, too, should experience Ambrosia.

It was a darn good thing that The Missus (bless 'er) had the foresight to make a Friday night reservation for three people at 7:30 a week in advance. When we arrived slightly early, the place was packed- inside and out. We waited briefly before being seated inside.

Our server and busser were extremely personable and efficient. The server even had the kindness to laugh at one of my more pathetic "dad" jokes, raising them even higher in my esteem. The specials were presented, our wine was opened (a delicious Primativo from San Maranzano that we brought along), bottled water delivered, and order taken.

Fresh focaccia arrived with an unsual, but delicious and unidentifiable dipping sauce. We had decided to share three appetizers: gazpacho with crab, grilled octopus and carpaccio.

The gazbacho was refreshing and tasty, enhanced by the sweet, sweet crab meat. The grilled octopus was, quite frankly, the best we'd ever had- and I always order octopus if it is on a menu. The flesh was tender with just a hint of char to give some complexity. The single arm was presented on a bed of salsa verde with fingerling spuds and chorizo sausage. A very pleasant combination. The Kid especially enjoyed the Primativo with it.

The Kid chose the evening's special of braised lamb neck. A big portion that brought no end of joy to The Kid's lust for lamb. The Missus (bless 'er) opted for soft-shell crab spaghettini with fava beans. Delicious. I myself had the duck (but got stuck with the bill) breast on a bed of pureed sweet potato, roasted beets and apricots. Unexpectedly, the sweet flavors of the potato, beet and apricot paired very nicely with the duck breast.

Lastly for dessert, I went with a roasted peach with ice cream (simple, but good), and The Kid had the chocolate mousse cake. They said it was the best they had ever had.

Overall, this was a lively, delicious, and exciting experience:the food was excellent; the service professional; the ambience loud, but not overpowering. People were eating, talking and enjoying themselves in every part of the house.

And that's what it's all...