great food,great atmosphere,i will go back. Pros: best in phila.

great food,great atmosphere,i will go back. Pros: best in phila.
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Yesterday I went to LaVeranda's for the first time. I had always heard the food was terrific! Well, what I had heard was so true. From the moment I entered, I was greeted warmly by the staff. ... More

Yesterday I went to LaVeranda's for the first time. I had always heard the food was terrific! Well, what I had heard was so true. From the moment I entered, I was greeted warmly by the staff. Our server was absolutely terrific! My dinner was equally as great! I will be a returning customer! And, being from South Philly originally, I welcome good Italian food when eating out. Of course nothing beats my mom's cooking -- but this restaurant comes very close. P.S. I just loved those complimentary long hot peppers! Pros: Next best thing to my Mom's cooking!
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Classic Italian menu,like in Italy. Grilled fish, homemade pasta, great service. Definately worth this visit

Classic Italian menu,like in Italy. Grilled fish, homemade pasta, great service. Definately worth this visit
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This was one of our favorite restaurants to visit. The service has slipped. The food quality has dropped off over the last couple of times. Some of our food was cold and the food had no flavor.

This was one of our favorite restaurants to visit. The service has slipped. The food quality has dropped off over the last couple of times. Some of our food was cold and the food had no flavor.
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I have never written a review before but was very motivated to set the record straight when I saw two unfavorable, and in my opinion, UNFAIR reviews posted for La Veranda. We, too, are well... More

I have never written a review before but was very motivated to set the record straight when I saw two unfavorable, and in my opinion, UNFAIR reviews posted for La Veranda. We, too, are well traveled (Italy and beyond) and have dined in many fine restaurants abroad and in the States and to be honest, La Veranda remains one of our favorites year after year. On first impression many years ago, we were so impressed, we actually hosted our wedding reception there! Our guests still rave about the food (wood fire grilled Salmon and Chicken Piccata.) Put simply, the food is wonderful and everything we have had there has been prepared to perfection. The prices are actually quite reasonable for many dishes and of course, more expensive for others - depending on your order. My husband had the most amazing spaghetti bolognese for around $14.00 and I had one of the fish specials - Dover Sole - for $46.00. The fish was de-boned and served at our table by our experienced waiter. Oh, try the grilled calamari for a delicious appetizer. We are not food snobs or anything, but we expect an excellent meal when we go out to a nice restaurant and that is what we always get at this restaurant. Consistently high quality food and service - worth every penny (and calorie!) Pros: Lighting, Service, Views
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I would not recommend anyone to eat here.. The food was horrible !! And the service was beyond slow.... save urself and go somewhere else!! Pros: it looked like a nice place Cons: everything... More

I would not recommend anyone to eat here.. The food was horrible !! And the service was beyond slow.... save urself and go somewhere else!! Pros: it looked like a nice place Cons: everything else..
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I travel all over the world, and have been to Italy more times than I can remember, so I know a bit about Italian food and good restaurants. I don't expect Italian restaurants in America to be as... More

I travel all over the world, and have been to Italy more times than I can remember, so I know a bit about Italian food and good restaurants. I don't expect Italian restaurants in America to be as good as in Italy (although some exist), but I also don't expect to be charged three times the price for food that's far worse than in Italy! Just as an example, my caprese salad had tomatoes that had obviously been kept in the refrigerator, giving them a white, mushy texture in the middle. But they still expected me to pay $13 for this! And my veal with asparagus, parmesan cheese in a marsala sauce featured asparagus from a can: there's no way it was fresh, and it cost $27.00! The same high price/lousy quality was true of all the dinners in my party that night. If you want Olive Garden quality, save a lot of money and go to Olive Garden. The only justification for such high prices is an exceptional location and view, and I don't consider the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Campbell's Soup Factory in Camden to qualify under those criteria! Pros: Nice waterfront location, although that doesn't justify the prices. Cons: Mediocre food charged at exorbitant rates
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I travel all over the world, and have been to Italy more times than I can remember, so I know a bit about Italian food and good restaurants. I don't expect Italian restaurants in America to be as... More

I travel all over the world, and have been to Italy more times than I can remember, so I know a bit about Italian food and good restaurants. I don't expect Italian restaurants in America to be as good as in Italy (although some exist), but I also don't expect to be charged three times the price for food that's far worse than in Italy! Just as an example, my caprese salad had tomatoes that had obviously been kept in the refrigerator, giving them a white, mushy texture in the middle. But they still expected me to pay $13 for this! And my veal with asparagus, parmesan cheese in a marsala sauce featured asparagus from a can: there's no way it was fresh, and it cost $27.00! The same high price/lousy quality was true of all the dinners in my party that night. If you want Olive Garden quality, save a lot of money and go to Olive Garden. The only justification for such high prices is an exceptional location and view, and I don't consider the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Campbell's Soup Factory in Camden to qualify under those criteria!
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The food here is pretty much what I'd expect to get at a local diner. The sauces are from a can (if not, they sure taste like it) and the food is very bland and not cooked to perfection. On the... More

The food here is pretty much what I'd expect to get at a local diner. The sauces are from a can (if not, they sure taste like it) and the food is very bland and not cooked to perfection. On the upside, at least the atmosphere is nice (especially if you eat outside on a nice night). If they can improve their food, this could be a terrific place. For now, it might be worth coming just for drinks/dessert. Pros: atmosphere Cons: food
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We'd heard many good things about LaVeranda and had anticipated going there for some time before we actually got around to it. The atmosphere is nice, of course. We immediately mentioned that it... More

We'd heard many good things about LaVeranda and had anticipated going there for some time before we actually got around to it. The atmosphere is nice, of course. We immediately mentioned that it may be a perfect place to have a wedding event. In perusing the menu, we saw prices on par with Mosholu and other fine places that we've enjoyed--Osteria in Annapolis was the weekend before--so perhaps unconsciously our expectations were raised to that level of food and service. Our experience was only marred by some of the worst service I've ever been subjected to. Food quality and correctness in preparation are the responsibility of the server. A good server makes sure that the order is correct at the start and especially before it is served to the customer. If there had been a problem in the kitchen, which I sincerely doubt, the server fights it out with the cook and the customer should never see the result. An apology for the delay, an extra serving of bruschetta, a smile all ease the process while the mistake is rectified. That's how these things are properly done. I also expect that a good server oversees the bus staff to be sure they interact smoothly--not hovering or taking things away from some diners before everyone is finished--or horror of horrors, while one is still eating! These were our two complaints, but they really had a negative impact on our whole experience. I believe it may be possible to have good service if you are lucky enough to get another waiter--we met one who was perceptive enough to stop by and ask me if everything was alright. He attempted to make our experience better. It's never acceptable to have bad service, but when you spend $32 & $30 for entrees, it's more of an affront. Honestly, we've had better service at a $20 meal at Pagoda. We'll stick to Moshulu for the fine food and fine service on the waterfront in Philadelphia.
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