Vetri Cucina Review

My husband and I recently dined at Vetri Cucina. The Italian restaurant is a main stay of Philadelphia’s culinary scene and a frequently seen restaurant on the city’s best-of lists. It was a first visit for both of us and dinner felt like an event.

We arrived on time for our reservations and after checking our coats, made our way to our table. The sole dining option at Vetri is a four-course menu, with a choice of four to six dishes per course. Add-on dishes and wine pairings are also available. Once seated, our waiter brought us a welcome spritz cocktail and amuse bouche of cauliflower soup with polenta and caviar on the side. We agreed it was a great start to the meal.

© Katie Skrzek

We both decided to skip the wine pairings and start with a glass of Lambrusco. My husband suggested adding a dish from the stuzzichini add-on course: prosciutto de parma with shaved fennel salad and pizze fritte. I applauded his choice, as this was one of my favorite dishes of the meal.

The rest of the four-course menu featured a selection of antipasti, pasta, secondi and dessert. We each chose different dishes, so we could steal bites from each other’s plates. For my antipasti, I ordered a seafood dish with pistachio cream, polenta and saffron chili crisp. The tender, light seafood paired nicely with the bolder flavors of the dish’s accompaniments. My pasta course was a chestnut fettucine with wild boar ragu. The dish was flavorful, though it was my least favorite course. I chose branzino with black truffle butter and Brussels sprouts for my entrée. It was a great dish on the snowy winter evening. Ahead of dessert we enjoyed a small palate cleanser of celery sorbet. Dessert was a Meyer lemon meringue tart. It was sweet and tart and a perfect end to the meal.

The service at Vetri Cucina was excellent from start to finish. It’s easy to see why it’s considered one of Philadelphia’s best restaurants.

Vetri Cucina

1312 Spruce St.

Philadelphia, PA 19107

tel 215 732 3478

vetricucina.com