Vetri
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 732-3478
- Price:
- $$$$
- Specialties:
- Fine Dining, Italian Food
- Hours:
- Sep-May: Mon-Fri 6pm-close, Sat 7pm-close, Jun-Sep: Mon-Thu 6pm-close, Fri 7pm-close
Editorial Review for Vetri – by Lauren McCutcheon
In Short
Thirty-five coveted, closely placed seats fill the rich, warm interior of this much-lauded restaurant. Chef Marc Vetri frequently passes through the dining room, occasionally employing an antique meat slicer placed in the center. His menu rarely changes. Spinach gnocchi with shaved smoked ricotta, an onion crepe with aged Parmesan, and sea-infused langoustine and scallops are specialties. Vetri also masterfully challenges palates by transforming unorthodox ingredients such as baby goat and sweetbreads into earthy delicacies.
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Insider Tips
The ExtrasFor a mix of the chef's work, order the chef's six- or eight-course tasting menu, $90 and $115, respectively.
Know Before You GoCall about a month or two in advance for a reservation.
What to DrinkSommelier and General Manager Jeff Benjamin oversees an excellent cellar with decent choices by the glass and beautifully aging vintages.
Prix Fixe MenusIt's prix fixe menus only during Fridays from June to September and Saturdays from September to May.
User Reviews for Vetri
08/16/2008 Posted by asison
Whoever named Vetri as the best Italian restaurant in the country has certainly not checked out Babbo's recently, let alone about another half dozen jewels in other US cities. What's the big deal with Vetri? My family and I had the 15 million tasting course last night (both in number and US dollars) and I was unimpressed for several reasons -- - There were phenomenal dishes (onion tart) but many were lackluster (spinach gnocchi, veal) - Many were underseasoned (a big mistake in this day and age) - I view a tasting menu like a symphony with one dish preparing the palette for the next, and so on. For a great chef (Robuchon, A Ducasse, Batali), there is a seamless progression and order of taste and experience. There was nothing symphonic about the courses and the whole appeared less cohesive than the actual "participants" in each course. - Batali talks about the "tophography" of a dish, with different smells and flavors both separate and whole in one plate. There is no topography in Vetri's case. There are either very strong flavors and unappealingly subtle ones. The veal served on top of hot rocks had way too much flavor with rosemary while the dish before (cordu fish with only tomatoes and oilve oil) had way too less. How does one's palette take on a direction if the chef has it going every which way? - Service was really not five star with the staff forgetting a lot of things requested by the patrons. - The space is really not conducive to fine dining and hence to the tasting menu experience. I've been in Ma and Pa trattorias all over Italy with more space than Vetri's. If you want true tastings, try Per Se in NYC. If I'm going to sit in a restaurant for over 2 hours for the tastings, I don't want to feel like I was in a chicken coop.
Pros: So-so food
Cons: Very expensive, little value, tight quarters, mediocre service
06/05/2008 Posted by davidmeyer
Awesome dinner at this "must go" restaurant. Unusual, fresh food and terrific ambiance. A Philly treasure!
