Paesano's — Restaurant in Philadelphia

Wow. This place is a must visit for their tasting menu.

Let me start off by saying that they are absolutely not charging enough for this meal (but I don't mind that). With the price tag of $75 pp, I assumed that we would receive one option from each of the four courses, certainly not that we would be receiving everything listed on the menu (four antipasti, 2 pasta, 1 secondi, 1 dessert).

Second, the service is like being part of the owner's family. It is such a family-run business (son and daughter waiters, chef dad) and you can really tell from the overall casual yet super professional vibe. Every interaction with the three of them was pleasant and they were so attentive to each table.

Food: Antipasti: -- Zucca: zucchini stuffed with cheese and potatoes: an interesting combination of ingredients and aesthetically pleasing --- Caricofi: fried artichoke stalk with a delightful white wine/caper sauce -- Mondeghili: brisket and mortadella meatballs with tomato aioli. I may never appreciate a meatball without these two fillings again. -- Insalata: classic salad of walnuts, Gorgonzola, apples. Smart combinations

Pasta: -- Franco bolli: stuffed stamps with ricotta and delicata. There were only about four of these and they were so melt-in-your mouth buttery that I probably would not have wanted any more or it would've been too rich --Lasagna toscani: I really have no idea what "ancient meat sauce" or "exotic spices" are but they worked perfectly in this dis

Secondi: the pollo was delicious. It could easily have been an overpowering balsamic dish but it was just right. Why was there shaved cheese on top? I don't know and I would never not want it this way.

Dolce mista: three dishes: crepe + hazelnut/chocolate spread (amazing), olive oil cake (very nicely done), and classic browny (very fudgy). You will leave FULL.

BYOB and one of the tables brought seemingly a mini bar, so get creative if you want. I almost forgot the bread that started the meal, which came with an olive oil/eggplant/cheese dip that was divine.

Truly start to finish an exceptional tasting menu. I would absolutely come back in another season if there is a menu overhaul to have another...

Tooo salty! Except for the extreme saltiness and excessive sauces the food was prepared well and looked lovely but it was soo salty it was unpleasant to eat. My teenage son couldn't finish his sandwich and he loooves to eat. He had some of my Tuscan fries and was like, "mom how can you even eat that?" Tuscan fries looked lovely, it had beautifully cooked veggies on it- peppers and zucchini and onions everything was cooked to perfection. But it was ruined with too much salt which I am guessing was in the white cheese type sauce that I couldn't really grasp what the flavor was and grated Parmesan, it also had some brown colored drizzle maybe balsalmic vin & I'm guessing more salt on it. It had so much sauce and salt on it that it tasted very not good! I was hungry & I tried to eat it because our meal of a sandwich, fries and 2 can sodas -- cost as much as my electric bill. My sons got the chicken caesar special (no bacon} sandwich - he only ate half and complained about the salt the whole time and had to refill his water 3 times while eating it. It looked beautiful, it was on a beautiful roll with 1 chicken cutlet (not a lot of meat), melted mozzarella cheese, beautiful fresh romaine lettuce leaves, generous pickle slices, generous white sauce and lots of grated Parmesan cheese. We wiped off the sauce and took the other half of the sandwich home which he ate later and said it was good without the sauce and parm so that's something. before we left I told the guy whod brought the food to the tables about the salt, he said "Ok, I'll get you something to wrap up your sandwich" and took the rest of my salty/ gloppy fries away. It was my first time on 9th st since covid and my son's first time at the Italian market. The salt ruined the food but it's a beautiful place with lovely staff. When a 16 yr old who likes to eat Doritos and chips and other junk-food thinks your food is too salty...

I went to Paesano’s Sandwich Shop today, 5/30/25, & placed an order for take-out. I told the order person at the front that I wanted a PLAIN Roast Pork sandwich with American Cheese, no salt or pepper & nothing else on it, just PLAIN. The word PLAIN was on the receipt. When I got home & opened the wrapper, there was broccoli rabe & a very long hot pepper on it. I told the order guy that I wanted a PLAIN Roast Pork sandwich with American cheese on it. I called him & told him what kind of sandwich I really got. He told me that the word PLAIN is interpreted as having Broccoli Rabe & long hot peppers at Paesano’s. I have never heard of such at any sandwich shop. They make it the way you want it. He then said to me if the word PLAIN was on the receipt & I said YES. In my opinion, he was trying to gaslight me & make me look stupid as a customer. He wouldn’t admit that his cooks were wrong. He did not even really offer me anything to compensate for this mistake. Also, some of the French Fries were burnt at the bottom of the container. Why can’t people admit when they are WRONG!!!!!! So if anybody goes there and orders a sandwich for take-out, make sure you open the wrapper and check & see if you’re getting what you want & what you paid for. They don’t know what the word PLAIN is & they don’t give you the sandwich you are asking for!!!!!

I give them a thumbs...