One Of Philly's Best Restaurants Is So Good You'll Feel Like You're In Italy

Philadelphia's Washington Square West has been home to Vetri Cucina for more than a quarter century. Since opening in 1998, the establishment has honored the legacy of its storied address while carving out an identity entirely its own. Today, it graciously serves some of the absolute best Italian food in the U.S.

Marc Vetri found his vision during a year and a half spent living in Italy. "I fell in love with restaurants that captured a rustic simplicity, and I wanted to bring that to America," he recalls in an interview with Mashed. "All of the restaurants in Italy I love look like you're walking into someone's home." When he discovered a particular townhouse — the former site of Le Bec-Fin, the iconic French restaurant – the connection was immediate. "When I walked in, I knew right away that this was it. This was the place."

Vetri Cucina is intentionally intimate, seating just 32 guests. The atmosphere evokes an Italian villa — warm, elegant, and deeply personal. Vetri made twice-yearly pilgrimages for inspiration, returning with everything from vintage equipment to fresh perspectives on food and décor. "Every year, we evolve," he says. What began as a straightforward menu of appetizers, pasta, entrées, and desserts has grown increasingly whimsical, with offerings that shift alongside the kitchen's curiosities.

The tasting menu at Vetri Cucina follows a classic trattoria arc of antipasti, pasta, secondi (meat or fish), and dolci (dessert). The multi-course structure allows the team to highlight seasonal ingredients while staying rooted in tradition. Several signature dishes — the sweet onion crêpe with truffle fonduta, the foie gras pastrami with toasted brioche, the spinach gnocchi with ricotta salata and brown butter, the almond tortellini with truffle and parmesan, and the smoked baby goat with house-milled polenta — have endured since the beginning.

For Chef Vetri, the purpose reaches beyond the plate. "Any moment you're eating at Vetri Cucina, you're eating what I've been inspired by recently," he explains. The space becomes a vessel for life's milestones. "We make memories for people. It's less about the food than it is about the experience. Someone's here because they're celebrating a moment in their life, and that moment is the most important thing."

Vetri's philosophy fuses authenticity and modern refinement — an approach that quickly drew attention early on. Within two years of launch, the restaurant earned the Philadelphia Inquirer's highest rating. He won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2005, and since then, has accumulated multiple James Beard nominations across categories, including Outstanding Chef, Outstanding Service, and Outstanding Restaurant. Through it all, Vetri's commitment to craftsmanship has held strong in a city built on layers of history.