Ember + Ale — Restaurant in Upper Providence Township

I was excited to try this place out, but was unpleasantly surprised. It's small, the food was good and the cocktails and beers were decent, but the service and atmosphere leave a lot to be desired. Also, it's pretty hot in here. Need better curtains or something to help keep it cool with all that natural light through the big front windows.

Service was very slow. Considering how small it was, and how many servers there were, it was really slow. Took 20+ mins to get all our drinks, and by that time we still hadn't even ordered food yet. When we finally did order the food, that too took a long time, and it all came out at different times over the course of 15+ mins or so. Too long for everyone to wait and start eating at the same time.

Atmosphere felt tight and cramped. Four small TVs, some 2-top and 4-top tables, and a small bar. Very little decorations, if any. There were also some things in storage boxes out and about, which was weird. Also, it's July and all the outside porch seating isn't set up, and all the umbrellas for the tables are still sitting in boxes outside. I get that they've only been open since May, but that's a lot of seating to still not have set up and ready for use after 2+ months of doing business.

Kids menu is lacking too. Needs better and more balanced options. Pretzel bites with cheese and mustard isn't really going to cut it on its own. Add a fruit bowl or something...

Overall, it was disappointing. It seems to be poorly managed and is not being run to it's potential. Too bad, I was hoping to...

In a stylish atmosphere, this family friendly, date-night and friend-night destination will keep you coming back to try the abundant flavors of the menu. Ember + Ale elevates the pizza experience but still keeps it casual and fun.

For appetizers, we indulged in the Cheesy Pesto Loaf (don’t miss this!) with the delicious marina sauce to dip, and the Whipped Ricotta which provided an elegant and lightly sweet snack before the main course.

We chose to get a variety of the smaller pizzas so we could try a few out. It was an abundance of food and great for leftovers! We had Margarita (the balance of sauce and ingredients was delicious), Supreme (nice fresh cut toppings on a thin crispy crust), and The White Cheesy (maybe my favorite with the perfect blend of cheeses that hold their own among the mix and offer a satisfying bite).

To finish off, we tried the Cannoli which was a delicious ricotta and crispy wafer with chocolate chips, but I think my favorite (another can’t miss and make sure to save room for…) the Crème Brûlée Cheesecake. Our family is a big crème brûlée fan and this may be the best combo of these two with the creamy chilled cheesecake and the perfect brûlée flavor, even a firm top that perfectly resembles a brûlée.

The staff were friendly and attentive, eager to present the best. The food came out camera ready, proving what you see on the pictures is truly what you’ll have in front of you when you dine. They clearly take pride in what they do and you’ll enjoy your experience...

We were excited to try this place out based on all the good reviews. It was not very busy at the time, so we were seated promptly and the service was great. Server was polite and checked on us often.

As for the food, perhaps, we just came on an off day. For apps, we got the cheesy pesto bread and although the cheese on the outside was melted, it was still cold and shredded on the inside. The charcuterie plate had some good elements with the garlic crostinis, artichokes and sun dried tomatoes, but the meat and cubed cheese assortment looked and tasted very basic, similar to what you find prepackaged from a local grocery store. Our Little Piggy pizza felt a bit undercooked and doughy, although the toppings and outer crust were fine. The beers were good and are from Stable 12 in Phoenixville.

For ambiance, the decor was a bit confusing. Although it looked nice with the cutout shapes in the ceiling and blue bar stools, it didn’t seem to match the Ember and Ale name.

Although we likely won’t return, we are glad to see that there are a lot of folks who have enjoyed the...