L'angolo Ristorante

I have been going to L'Angolo off and on since it opened (I was a weekly regular for lunch, which, sadly, is no more). Over that time there have been a number of changes in the kitchen, and I think the current chef, a young and talented Gallipolian (Puglia) may just be the best. The trick with getting the most out of the L'Angolo experience is the same one I advise for all true Italian restaurants: look for the simplest dishes and you will find the best. The baked funghi infused with the rich flavors of olive oil and rosemary, the grilled calamari drizzled with olive oil and your own squirt of lemon, the insalate served with olive oil and salt - just as is in Italy - all simple, all exquisite. Likewise with the pasta, stay away from the over-sauced, the over-creamed, the over-piled with ubiquitous lump crab meat. Choose instead the simple papardelle with Ox tail braised until it falls apart, a real ""slow food"" celebration for the palate. Or the orrecchiette with shredded duck cooked simply in wine and herbs. Or, my favorite, still made but no longer listed on the menu, delicate and flavorful gnocchi in a 'molte semplice' olive oil and rosemary condiment. (to call it a sauce would be to mislead). But superb simple food is only part of the allure of L'Angolo. The energetic, eager, and uncannily anticipatory young wait staff perfectly compliment the food with their own balance of simple artistry. To the reviewers who fault this part of the L'Angolo experience, I say, eat at Babbo or Vetri if formal pampered service is your Idea of Italian dining. For me, the uniqueness of L'Angolo is inseparable from Nino's familiar but always professional doting, and especially his vicarious participation in the festive celebration of il cibo italiano. Pros: Siimple but equisite Pugliese/Italian food; wait staff adds to enjoyment. Cons: Some overambitious menu items sometimes miss the mark more

Small but comfortable. Fantastic meal. There were 6 of us. We all had 3 courses & coffee. We all raved throughout the 3 courses, and insisted on everyone else tasting how delicious it was. It was about $55 per with tip, byob. Probably better with a small group, it's a little close and bright for romance. Make reservations. Parking can be tough on the small South Philly streets. Pros: THE FOOD Cons: tight dining room more

The service, food and price are all part of the wonderful experience at L'Angolo! We plan to return everytime we are in the sports complex area. more

My Date and I came here on a friday night (made a reservation, was shown RIGHT to table). the place is small, but not cramped, and the decor transports you to an Italian villa, you forget you're in south philly! food was fantastic, service was good (all hot boy waiters!), although it took awhile for our main courses to come out. my date had one of the daily specials, veal and we both loved it ( i normally hate veal). i had a seafood and pasta combo (also for dinner the next night the portions were so generous). we ordered two desserts, tiramasu (totally homemade) and an awesome dark chocolate truffle tort with a raspberry sauce (maybe my favorite part of the night). oh and the fresh mozz and tomato appetizer was like they picked the tomatoes out back and aged the cheese in the basement. DELICIOUS!!! would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a quite date with above average food! bring a bottle: it definitely adds to the experience. Pros: awesome food and decor Cons: took forever to get main course more

My boyfriend and I just visited L'Angolo's for our Valentine's dinner last weekend. It was small and quaint but made a BIG impression on us. There weren't many tables in the place, which pretty guaranteed good service. There were at least three gentlemen that served us throughout the night. You can tell that they truly want you to have the best experience possible. Now, about the food.... simply excellent. I ordered a Lamb dish, even though I've never eaten lamb, because the woman next to me recommended it as she was eating it! It was spectacular. The meat fell right off the bones and it was served over marinara with gnochi. Amazing! My boyfriend ordered a seafood spaghetti dish which he enjoyed thoroughly as well. Overall a great experience. Very close quarters in the restaurant, but they definitely make it work. Be sure to have reservations ahead of time. We made reservations and our table was waiting for us when we arrived. Another perk to this place is that it's a BYOB, which usually means a MUCH LESS expensive dinner. My boyfriend and I got an appetizer and 2 of the more expensive dishes they offer and our bill was still only $50! Great value! Pros: Great service Cons: Tight seating more

got a last minute (and miraculous if you ask me) reservation for a party of 10 on a friday night!! the waitors were cute italian men with wonderful accents! the food was wonderful, and the pricing simply AMAZING. small space but the decorations give a definite old school italy feel...just like being in the old country, as us italians like to say. highlyyyyy recommended! Pros: PRICE, food, service Cons: not good for children more

The few people that complained about food and service simply don't know what authentic Italian food tastes like, they must be used to the Olive Garden or Italian Bistro YUCK!!!! Plainly put this is THE BEST restaurant I've ever been to (besides Babbo, Mario Batali's place in Greenwich Village). I've eaten here 7-10 times and NEVER had a bad experience, the food is very AUTHENTIC ITALIAN food, the service is lively and friendly. And, who cares about the noise level, that adds to the charm of the place, have a little fun...besides I'm there to eat anyways. I'm going here tonight for my bf's birthday and I can't wait to eat some of the MOST AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FOOD IN THE USA. Pros: authentically italian food, great service more

I had Lobster Ravioli here and I had stomach upset a few hours later! I didn't recover for the next 2 days.. Pros: nice host, nice place Cons: stomach upset after dinner! more

Located in a renovated row home, this hidden gem is loaded with charm and warmth. Sit in the back room, which probably seats about 18, and enjoy a quiet conversation, except for the window air conditioning unit that is a bit loud. Noise dampers on the ceiling make conversation easy. The menu is diverse and interesting, and the wait staff, one of whom is the owner himself, is energetic, fun, and professional. Pros: Ease of conversation, variety of menu and price, service Cons: parking more

I like to look for out of the way Phila restaurants and this one rates as one of the best. Went with another couple and they raved and raved. If you are friendly and want the wait staff to join in on your fun it will absoulutly add to the experience. Food will not dissapoint. Do get reservations. Bring plenty of wine. It is far too small for kids. Pros: Food, wait staff Cons: May have to look for parking more

After waiting a few weeks for our coveted Saturday night reservation, I was less than impressed. I eat out a great deal (at least 4 times each week) and am truly baffled by the high ratings by previous reviewers. My Caesar salad was ""droopy"" and the dressing tasted like mayonnaise. My entree, the evening's pasta special, tasted like rubber and was drenched in an absurd amount of oil. Our glasses remained empty until we poured our own wine and the waiters seemed harried and indifferent. Here's the kicker: our reservations were for 8pm, and at 9:45pm our waiter told us there were other people waiting for our table and asked if we could ""quickly finish our meals""!!! There are SO MANY other great Italian restaurants in Philly--any one of them (including your local pizzeria, probably) would offer more than L'Angolo. Pros: Hmmm, cramped tables, mediocre food Cons: Pretty much everything more

The food was great and the service was wonderful. Highly recommended. Pros: Food, Service, Value Cons: Location more

Had a great dinner @ L'Angolo this past week. Service was great; waiters/staff very nice people. But of course, they're Italian! Grilled calamari were tender and delicious. Antipasti dish was great..stuffed baby eggplants, frittata, fried cauliflower...for dinner everything from the pasta to the fish was great. My only suggestion to the chef is to not use so much thyme in the Gnocchi w/ gorgonzola dish. The thyme was much too strong and took over the sweetness of the gorgonzola. Desserts were unbelievable...the hazelnut gelato, tiramisu and chocolate to die for cake (?) was the perfect ending to a great dinner at a cozy little neighborhood spot. Can't wait to go back. Dying to try the pappardelle! Pros: ambiance, bolognese sauce, desserts Cons: thyme in gorgonzola, parking more

L'Angolo (""the corner"") is one of the best little restaurants in the city. The service is relaxed, yet attentive. The dining room is small, comfortable, and nicely designed and decorated (certainly not overstated). If you plan to go after six, make a reservation. While their pasta dishes are good, I recommend the meat and fish dishes, especially the grilled fish dishes. The calamari is simple, yet delicious every time. A great spot for a date, especially for those fellows without a lot of cash; with just $50, you can score a great meal including appetizer and tip. more

LOUD!! Not just the people, the loud bad music made conversation difficult. The grilled gamberi, white beans, tomatoes and rosemary was OK, but one dimensional with no layering of flavors. Could make it at home. The parpadelle, butternut squash with walnut cream sauce, recommended by the server, was downright bad. The butternut squash was flavorless and undercooked, the cream sauce was pasty and salty, and the parpadelle was tough. We hardly ate it, but the server did not ask if it was OK. After confusion with our order, we received our veal chop special. The chops were tasty, generous and cooked to perfection. The accompaning string beans were overcooked. The mash potatoes were cold and uninspired. Overall there are definitely better italian resturants in phila, we won't be returning. The only similarity to Italy was the greeting ""Buono Sera"" and the farewell ""Buono Notte"". Pros: chops, byob Cons: loud, uninspired food more

This is a nice neighborhood place with food better than the high-profile center city restaurants. Bring your own wine and enhoy great Italian food. more

From the time you walk into this restaurant, you feel welcome. Between the greeting from Nino and the great food, it's a trip back to Italy. We've always had a great meal here. Pros: Friendly, Great Food, Ambiance Cons: Limited seating more

Good Food and Good Wine, coupled with a nice atmosphere makes you feel like you are in Europe. Service is was really good. I called in early for a group of 9 and I had to make changes and the service was very accomodating. My group had a great night and we wouldnt flinch if we got to go there again. Call in advance though! Pros: Good food, Not too expensive, Good for groups more

Based on the reviews I read, I was expecting a good meal, but this was AMAZING. The food was perfect, we shared lobster ravioli, ricotta gnocchi and a speacial fava bean and ricotta ravioli that was impeccable. You must taste to believe. The prices for pasta were very reasonable at $10-20 per dish, and being a BYOB, you can't beat the overall value. The decor is Medeterranean Kitchen-like, bright yellow mixed with brick, and not overwhelmingly romantic, but suitable for a dinner date nonetheless. I will return to eat at L'angolo very soon! more

This is one of my favorite little Italian restaurants and it is right in one of the best South Phila neighborhoods. This little corner restaurant puts out a great meal, wonderful service and great experience. The only problem is trying to get in! Make reservations!! Pros: food options, service Cons: , parking more