OsteriaIt was okayI was a little disappointed. While the food was interesting and we enjoyed what we had, we weren't raving about anything until dessert. The bread and coffee were also very good. The servings were small for the price. I would like to go back for pizza and dessert.5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything great!The food was all wonderful and the service, except for the fact that we weren't asked if we wanted drinks and had to ask to order them, more than once, was very good. The basil panna cotta was just about the best dessert I've ever had - perfect for me as I adore basil! The lamb leg was great and the pizza is amazing. My husband loved the octopus. We'll be back!!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother A++This may have been our finest dinner at Osteria. The chef sent over an order of snails with chickpea polenta, simply amazing! The pork was phenomenal as usual and the service was top notch. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful. Osteria remains our top dining out spot.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMHighly recommended.I don't think I need to say anymore. Others have already reviewed and raved. I concur.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAppetizers and PizzaWe have have always been impressed by the quality of the food and the overall pleasure of the experience. This time we went for appetizers and pizza--which seemed to be what most of our neighbors were doing as well. The porchetta tonnato was amazing--and so different from anything that I could do. The special of the day fried Ipswich clams were notable for two things. First, there were exactly three fried clams--hard for a long time Cape Cod devotee to comprehend--but those three clams were the best I have ever had. Go for the appetizers. We shared a pulpo pizza. The crust was delicious, as was the the octopus, but I want more cheese on my pizza. Osteria has excellent food, good service and is definitely fun.--but not inexpensive.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good experienceThe food was imaginative and very well prepared. The service was excellent and friendly and professional. Because of the noise level, conversation within our group was difficult.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding Food and ServiceWe are big fans of Mark Vetri's restaurants, and we love Osteria. There were four of us; we started with the Parma Pizza, and it was perfect; the crust was thin and crisp, and the prosciutto was delicious. We also had the grilled octopus appetizer, which was very good as well. We then shared a very tasty dandelion salad. Our entrees were outstanding--we had two different pastas, a pork dish, and a veal dish, and all were perfectly prepared. For dessert we shared the pistachio and the blueberry gelato, which were smooth, creamy, and delicious. We all thought that this was a five star meal, and we'll be returning soon to Osteria.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways the right choiceOsteria is our top choice for dinner with any out of town guests. Terrific food, relaxed yet energetic atmosphere. Local celebs in sight (we sat next to the Mayor). Great service. The vegetable antipasti tray deserved a Beard award of its own!!5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious!Fiancee and I decided that for our last anniversary before we got married, we'd go somewhere special for dinner. Hence, Osteria. This place isn't cheap, but you absolutely get what you pay for in terms of quality. The pizza is great - we got the one with arugula and prosciutto, which is paper thin and everything you wish prosciutto would be. Drinks are delicious, pasta is this incredible texture that really, should not be possible for it. Accept the fact that your wallet is gonna hurt after, and go here. You won't regret it.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMOsteria is the best restaurantOsteria is the best restaurant in Philadelphia. It is our absolute favorite! They do it right from the time you arrive until you leave. The warmth, food, staff, ambience, Osteria has it all. Mark Vetri et al are the best of Philly!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing!The pasta is unbelievable, they have amazing wines by the glass, and the setting is really fun. HIGHLY RECOMMEND5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMJust kept getting better.Our table was in a glassed-in room that was like being outside. The menu had a lot of variety and our waiter was good at answering questions about unfamiliar ingredients. My friend and I tried 2 different dishes and liked what we ordered and each other's choice. We both enjoyed our meal from start to finish.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect lunchI made the reservation for a party of six for a business lunch. Service was excellent from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. From the Hostess to the waiter, everyone was most accommodating.
The food was delicious from appetizer to coffee. We'll definitely be back.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat once againI took three friends here that hadn't been here before. They thought that the atmosphere was very inviting and nice and the restaurant had a great feel. We ordered the pulpo pizza to share and that was very good. For dinner, most ordered the social of the day, a hand made linguini with a very simple but savory sauce. I ordered the chicken liver rigatoni. Once again, this was excellent.
Dinner was so good, we all ordered desserts and coffee. The only downside this time was the service. Out waitress disappeared at times and there was a gap in service. Every other time I've been there, never a flaw in service. Oh we'll she may have been busy that night, although the restaurant was not full (we ate after 7pm)
Definitely will be back!5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMEasily some of the best foodEasily some of the best food on the East Coast and in the world. Many places have tried to duplicate Osteria's pizza, but no one can come close. The food is memorable!5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMIt is fun but very noisy,It is fun but very noisy, even in the outside room. When I made my reservation I told the restaurant that one of our party was celebrating a birthday but they forgot. The chef was not particularly good at accommodating one member of our party who did not eat pork or shellfish. Because of the company, we had a great time despite the noise and a less than attentive waiter. The food is terrific. It's a shame the staff cannot be more eager to please.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed the food and the serviceEnjoyed the food and the service was very good as well. Unlike some other patrons we thought the noise level was reasonable. We look forward to returning.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMReally enjoyed Osteria. TheReally enjoyed Osteria. The food was outstanding and it was a great experience overall. Will definitely return and recommend!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMSuckling Pig - excellent...aSuckling Pig - excellent...a number of different cuts from the pig...all tender and great flavor. Sweetbread wrapped in panchetta --delicious. Vegetable antipasta...not that exciting. Husband enjoyed his rabbit dish (though thought a bit over salted....
Over all -- great food and want to return to try other things4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful food. StaggeringlyWonderful food. Staggeringly good pizza. Very good/helpful/friendly/staff. As geezers, we really appreciated that there was adequate light to read the menu and see the food, and the sound level was not overwhelming. Far too many contemporary places are too dark and way too loud. Wine list was very interesting. Good price level. Next time we are in town this will be our first stop.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMfood great! but couldn'tfood great! but couldn't enjoy it because entree was extremely late. took an hour and 15 mins for lunch when we only had an hour. had to gobble our food. fresh pasta only takes a few minutes to cook and the restaurant was not busy so we didn't understand the delay.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMBoth the food and the serviceBoth the food and the service was very good. Osteria is obviously well known in the area as it was crowded on a Tuesday night. I persaonlly felt it was a little pricey considering the entree selection and portions.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent, asThe food was excellent, as was the service. It's pricey but good for something different and special.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the bestHave eaten at Osteria three times, and it is consistently excellent and interesting, like the other Mark Vetri restaurants in Philadelphia. The Mortadella Pizza, with home cured mortadella and the Polenta Budino with Chocolate-Hazelnut Mousse and candied hazelnuts are both worth the visit!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was outstanding,The food was outstanding, and the menu varied enough for all of us to enjoy. One of our favorites!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding food and service.Outstanding food and service. Our waitress was an expert at explaining intricate details of the dishes. The enclosed side patio is right next to a church and their stained glass windows, which was pretty cool. Great crowd of people. My only disappointment (which is consistent with high end restaurants) is that wine prices by the glass were just to darn expensive. They have a great list and variety of Italian wines which was very much appreciated.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMThere is nothing more excitingThere is nothing more exciting for a foodie than to try a new place...try things you've basically heard of before in some version but to taste something better than you have ever tasted before...everything was amazing!!!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was wonderful --Everything was wonderful -- once we moved our table, which was only inches away from a very large, noisy party. The food and service were excellent and we had a wonderful time.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMChef Jeffrey Michaud and hisChef Jeffrey Michaud and his team create an exceptional experience with every visit.
Plan your return visits :)4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic meal as always!Fantastic meal as always! Thanks for taking such good care of us.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMA wonderful night in PhillyWe had an awesome experience at Osteria!! The food was unique and exquisitely prepared! Our waiter Dan was informative and personable. We truly felt as if we were on a Roman street with it's atrium views of an old stone church and lighting. Fantastic!4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our first visit andThis was our first visit and the food was excellent. My one complaint would be the seating - we were seated very close to another table (practically on top of them) and the restaurant wasn't busy. I should have requested a quiet table in the corner or along the wall, but didn't. My chair kept getting bumped by wait staff and customers. This made it a bit uncomfortable.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food in a greatExcellent food in a great atmosphere.
Dinner was long but the manager did apologize to us4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMSimply a GREAT place!I have wanted to try a Vetri Restaurant for a while and we finally got together with some friends and settled on Osteria.
The place was packed, but they seem to have the reservation thing down pat. We ordered our drinks and began with appetizers. Never feeling rushed, we ordered the Grilled Octopus, the porchetta and we also got the cold cut appetizer. For dinner, we ordered the Rabbit, the Cod and Veal. The food is simply awesome and Overall, Osteria is not a dressy place, it is a cool place, but not like Steven Starr places, it’s more rustica and invites you to hang out and eat. Be aware, it is a bit pricey and I won’t be going there weekly to drop @ $90.00 but I will go back sooner than later, the food & atmosphere was Great!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely fantastic exceptAbsolutely fantastic except for noise level. Could eat there every week. Food phenomenal!!!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a lovely time. TheWe had a lovely time. The polpo pizza was delicious as well as the polenta with egg and sausage. The rigatoni was chicken liver was also quite good. We shared everything and felt quite full. My husband's dessert of chocolate and peanut butter was very rich and dense and he loved it. My dessert of "chocolate flan" was unfortunately a disappointment. It was basically a lava cake, but the outside, non-lava part, was much too dry. I think they should try to make a proper chocolate flan. On the other hand, their gelatos are excellent!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMDeja vuWe were at Osteria once before and had a great experience. We especially remembered the octopus pizza with smoked mozzarella as fantastic! I was always looking forward to my return, so I told my husband this is where I wanted to go for my birthday. It is probably the only time in my life where the repeat experience was as good as the original! I was not disappointed in the least. And the octopus pizza was just as fantastic. We also had grilled vegetables for an antipasti, which was a special on the menu; and went with a special entree, which was a fish dish. Not one complaint about the experience.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our first time atThis was our first time at Osteria. I was given a few tips from friends who had gone previously and I will pass them on to you. You need to order at least one pizza and the grilled vegetable antipasti. Our starters and first course were amazing as was the dessert course. The entree course was less notable but still very good. The Cod ordered by my daughter was the best of the three entree's. The veal loin my wife ordered was a tad undercooked but still tasty. My leg of lamb was sliced very thin and dry upon arrival at the table. Our server was very attentive and offered some excellent suggestions. Our favorite dishes were robiola francobolli “postage stamp ravioli and sweet basil panna cotta. We will be back!4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a great lunch. OurWe had a great lunch. Our group ordered a variety of dishes and every item was excellent. We had antipasta that was excellent and the desserts were wonderful.
Our waiter was knowledgeable and very attentive. He added a nice flare to our meal.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesome, friendly service!Awesome, friendly service! Great food! Caution: small portion size..4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went on a Monday night,We went on a Monday night, so I was worried we wouldn't have a great experience. But I worried for nothing! Staff was super nice and very knowledgeable. Shout out to the sommelier, Chris, our servers, Zeke and Kathleen and Tara, the bartender. Best grilled octopus I have ever eaten! The chicken liver rigatoni was also a winner!4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMWe loved the the experianceWe loved the the experiance that we had. Our waiter Zeek I think his name was, was amazing. He took the time to talk to us, explain the menu and make suggestions. His knowledge of the menu was outstanding! Everyone that worked there was great. Food and wine was amazing and we had a great time.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGrilled octopus and the rabbitGrilled octopus and the rabbit bolognese were wonderful. The service was fantastic.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was ok. Definately notFood was ok. Definately not the best this city has to offer. The sevice and decor was the highlight4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible food - great for lunchThe food was incredible. My husband said it was the best clam dish he had ever tasted. We had eaten dinner there before but not lunch. It was great.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMA taste of Tuscany in PhiladelphiaI loved the Tuscan atmosphere, felt like I could have been in a restaurant in Florence Italy. I would definitely return to try more dishes. The wine list looked very appealing but I choose one of the house specialty mixed drinks, the Sicilian lemonade, it was very refreshing. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful when asked questions about the menu items. The descriptions of the food on the menu make the dishes sound simplistic but they are full of complex flavors that blend together to make an outstanding dish. Definitely a place where you can order multiple courses without feeling overstuffed, which is nice to be able to try an appetizer, pizza, pasta course, meat course and of course dessert.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the best restaurantsOne of the best restaurants in Philly. Because of our schedules we eat out (dine) almost every night and Osteria is as good or better than 95% of the restaurants in Philadelphia.
I am in the travel business so I eat literally all over the world and in my mind you rank in the top 20 of my list anywhere.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent and varied menu,Excellent and varied menu, didn't know which dish to choose. Nice presentation but a really excellent combination of flavors from both appetizer (grilled octopus) and main course (veal ravioli.
Good business location.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect first time at Osteria,Perfect first time at Osteria, but else would you expect from a Vetri restaurant? The menu was phenomenal, our server Kevin was incredibly knowledgable about not only the wine list but what dishes went together well and how to best tackle the menu for our party. Overall, it was an amazing experience!4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMPasta was delicious-probablyPasta was delicious-probably the best ravioli I've ever eaten. Pork special was delicious, if pricey. Aps and dessert were outstanding also. A definite repeat when in town.4/2/2013 12:00:00 AM