Tasty food interestingly presented. Friendly courteous service. But, too noisy.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
maria a
Delicious, light, creative food in a restful atmosphere with service that was just the right amount of attentive - what else could one want?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ellie Muck
Illata is truly the perfect restaurant experience. Amazing food and amazing service with the perfect ambiance. Everything wowed us but the chicory salad, tuna, and banana cream puff were to die for. Illata deserves every accolade! Highly recommend to everyone!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
John Tyrrell
Wonderful atmosphere and service with delicious plates. My personal favorites were the lobster and banana cream puff dessert. Highly recommend and will be coming back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Arthur Etchells
Quintessential Philadelphia BYOB that gets better with every visit. This time it was the citrus salad and the steak that blew my socks off. But that slights the lobster crepe and the tuna. So go, eat it all.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
Will Tompkins
Nice, low key, cozy BYOB in Grad
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David van Balen
We've been here several times since it opened, and have experienced good service and food each time. Several of the dishes have been on the menu each time, but some have been tweaked with different ingredients, making them a little different (even though the original was already worth trying again). The "Brown Butter" dessert, the name of which sounded rather unappetizing on our first visit, turned out to be one of the highlights. Definitely try it. Prices are also reasonable, for a more upscale establishment.Kid-friendliness: It's a quiet, intimate environment. Go for a date night and leave the kids with a sitter.
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
Benjamin Hill
One of our party (of a party of 3), having waited several months to get a booking as a local to the area, booked this for a family visit and we were all throughly excited. We arrived and were sat down promptly and the staff were really attentive. The menu could have been better explained (the fact that the tuna was raw was explained, but the fact that the pasta was served by itself only in a broth was not, although the portion amount was)The party of three had all the savoury courses minus two smaller plates and the staff were appeared surprised we were still hungry! Why, you may ask. In my humble opinion, there was only a small difference in portion size between the smaller plates and the larger entre plates.Was the food great… it was good and I personally cannot fault the taste.. but the disconnect between the portion size and the price per portion was such that it meant it was not value for money.. for example, for 34 bucks, one would expect a whole NY strip steak, not two smaller pieces of 1 strip , with only 5 small pieces of celery root hidden under the peppadew.Anyone going there should be aware of this disconnect between portion size and price!!The icing on the cake leading to the 3* review, was the fact that whilst tucking into our desserts 80 minutes in, the bill suddenly arrives with a message that the next table booking had arrived. Were we aware that another booking was requiring the table at the start (or even during the booking process).. NO! It is not our fault that the restaurant could not manage its bookings or sit the couple waiting at the bar till we left. That really put a damper on the evening and as such, we would neither visit again, nor would we ever recommend it to anyone else unless these smaller issues are resolved.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Sue Spolan
Yes, yes, yes. Do attend. They were so kind and generous. Agnolotti was the perfect comfort food. Also had tuna crudo and a “salad” with grapefruit, crunchy root vegetable and XO sauce. Guava tart finished off the meal. Inventive, delicious, and the staff was incredible. The chef deserves Michelin kudos.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bree M.
Truly blown away by the food, service, and all around good vibe! We came as a party of 3 and split everything to essentially get to try nearly the whole menu. Every dish was better than the next - truly outstanding combination of flavors. 10/10 recommend - I can't wait to go back!
We visited ILLATA with reservations well in advance. We were promptly seated. Portion size and menu was explained and we then decided on the items we wanted to order.The menu is limited and focused as it changes frequently. Sophie was a great help in recommending items. Dishes come out as they are prepared.We had the tuna, citrus, chicory salad, mussels, bread and butter, steak, and both of the offered dessert items: banana cream puff and brown butter tart.Every dish was unbelievably delicious.The citrus is a dish I could eat every day without exception.The banana cream puff was easily one of the most delicious desserts I've ever had.We opted to skip alcohol for dinner, but you can bring your own (most tables did).The atmosphere is somehow both calm and lively. This likely due to the lighting and demeanor of the staff combined with the atmosphere the music brings.If I lived in Philadelphia, I would be a regular here. We've already discussed returning and we only arrived home from Philly two hours ago.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
Jaclyn Gordon
Our New Year's Eve experience at Illata was nothing short of extraordinary! We had an incredible tasting menu experience that showcased the chef's culinary skill and left us in awe. The ambiance of the space was amazing. Every member of the Illata team exuded a seamless blend of expertise and warmth, ensuring that our dining experience was perfect - they truly went above and beyond to make our dinner special! The attention to detail on every plate was remarkable, with each dish featuring fresh, high-quality ingredients expertly combined to create unique and elegant flavors. If only we lived in Philly! We can't wait to come again on our next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Scott Burau
What a special little spot! A small but carefully executed menu with some unexpected surprises (chicory salad!). Get a couple bottles of wine, and tuck into a two-top for a lovely night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
Jeffrey Chamiec
We enjoyed a lovely dinner at Illata! All of the plates were balanced and complimented each other when we ate things “family style,” taking a bite from one dish to the next, it was all fantastic.Chicory salad was perfect.Tuna was perfect.Wait I’ll you try the steak, and you’ll see what it’s like to perfect crust on the outside while perfectly cooked on the inside.You and your dinner-mate will feel at home in this comfortable setting, and the staff really had our backs.Can’t wait to return!Dietary restrictions: I have a shellfish allergy, and there was more than enough to enjoy. The staff took care of me.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bruce F.
This meal blew me away! Every course better than the previous. Ranking our favorites was almost unfair since at that point we were splitting hairs and being overly critical. The chef used a deft touch on seasoning and pulls tremendous flavor from simple ingredients. Our first course Tuna / yellowfin, capers, puffed buckwheat which has a wonderful citrus flavor and a wonderful crunch from the puffed buckwheat. We thought that was our favorite until the next course arrived Marinated Mussels / hakurei turnips, miso, chili oil. Expecting mussels in a broth we were surprised by the plump cold mussels sitting on a miso paste. The sour dough bread was the perfect tool to scoop up the goodness. Out for our anniversary, staff surprised us with a complimentary course of Cappelletti / ricotta, mushroom brodo. The perfect pasta purses contained deliciously lemony ricotta swimming in a sublime mushroom broth. This was the simplest dish served but ultimately the best we tasted (again splitting hairs). Next we shared the steelhead trout, perfectly cooked with contrasting colored sauces that complimented the dish perfectly. Last was the Steak / NY strip, celery root, peppadew. Cooked a perfect medium rare with a beautiful crust, the NY strip was tender with the right bit of chew. The stuffed peppadew pepper bursted with flavor and just right amount of heat. The celery root base had my wife looking for recipes. While completely full and satiated we were compelled to try the Brown Butter Tart / apple, creme fraiche. We were served a generous portion of beautiful tart with a crisp crust. A terrific end to an epic meal. The best part is that it was also reasonably priced and Illata is a BYOB. This place exceeded all expectations! The staff and service was also impeccable.
Tasty food interestingly presented. Friendly courteous service. But, too noisy.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
Delicious, light, creative food in a restful atmosphere with service that was just the right amount of attentive - what else could one want?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Illata is truly the perfect restaurant experience. Amazing food and amazing service with the perfect ambiance. Everything wowed us but the chicory salad, tuna, and banana cream puff were to die for. Illata deserves every accolade! Highly recommend to everyone!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
Wonderful atmosphere and service with delicious plates. My personal favorites were the lobster and banana cream puff dessert. Highly recommend and will be coming back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Quintessential Philadelphia BYOB that gets better with every visit. This time it was the citrus salad and the steak that blew my socks off. But that slights the lobster crepe and the tuna. So go, eat it all.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
Nice, low key, cozy BYOB in Grad
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We've been here several times since it opened, and have experienced good service and food each time. Several of the dishes have been on the menu each time, but some have been tweaked with different ingredients, making them a little different (even though the original was already worth trying again). The "Brown Butter" dessert, the name of which sounded rather unappetizing on our first visit, turned out to be one of the highlights. Definitely try it. Prices are also reasonable, for a more upscale establishment.Kid-friendliness: It's a quiet, intimate environment. Go for a date night and leave the kids with a sitter.
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
One of our party (of a party of 3), having waited several months to get a booking as a local to the area, booked this for a family visit and we were all throughly excited. We arrived and were sat down promptly and the staff were really attentive. The menu could have been better explained (the fact that the tuna was raw was explained, but the fact that the pasta was served by itself only in a broth was not, although the portion amount was)The party of three had all the savoury courses minus two smaller plates and the staff were appeared surprised we were still hungry! Why, you may ask. In my humble opinion, there was only a small difference in portion size between the smaller plates and the larger entre plates.Was the food great… it was good and I personally cannot fault the taste.. but the disconnect between the portion size and the price per portion was such that it meant it was not value for money.. for example, for 34 bucks, one would expect a whole NY strip steak, not two smaller pieces of 1 strip , with only 5 small pieces of celery root hidden under the peppadew.Anyone going there should be aware of this disconnect between portion size and price!!The icing on the cake leading to the 3* review, was the fact that whilst tucking into our desserts 80 minutes in, the bill suddenly arrives with a message that the next table booking had arrived. Were we aware that another booking was requiring the table at the start (or even during the booking process).. NO! It is not our fault that the restaurant could not manage its bookings or sit the couple waiting at the bar till we left. That really put a damper on the evening and as such, we would neither visit again, nor would we ever recommend it to anyone else unless these smaller issues are resolved.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Yes, yes, yes. Do attend. They were so kind and generous. Agnolotti was the perfect comfort food. Also had tuna crudo and a “salad” with grapefruit, crunchy root vegetable and XO sauce. Guava tart finished off the meal. Inventive, delicious, and the staff was incredible. The chef deserves Michelin kudos.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Truly blown away by the food, service, and all around good vibe! We came as a party of 3 and split everything to essentially get to try nearly the whole menu. Every dish was better than the next - truly outstanding combination of flavors. 10/10 recommend - I can't wait to go back!
Restaurantji Recommends
We visited ILLATA with reservations well in advance. We were promptly seated. Portion size and menu was explained and we then decided on the items we wanted to order.The menu is limited and focused as it changes frequently. Sophie was a great help in recommending items. Dishes come out as they are prepared.We had the tuna, citrus, chicory salad, mussels, bread and butter, steak, and both of the offered dessert items: banana cream puff and brown butter tart.Every dish was unbelievably delicious.The citrus is a dish I could eat every day without exception.The banana cream puff was easily one of the most delicious desserts I've ever had.We opted to skip alcohol for dinner, but you can bring your own (most tables did).The atmosphere is somehow both calm and lively. This likely due to the lighting and demeanor of the staff combined with the atmosphere the music brings.If I lived in Philadelphia, I would be a regular here. We've already discussed returning and we only arrived home from Philly two hours ago.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
Our New Year's Eve experience at Illata was nothing short of extraordinary! We had an incredible tasting menu experience that showcased the chef's culinary skill and left us in awe. The ambiance of the space was amazing. Every member of the Illata team exuded a seamless blend of expertise and warmth, ensuring that our dining experience was perfect - they truly went above and beyond to make our dinner special! The attention to detail on every plate was remarkable, with each dish featuring fresh, high-quality ingredients expertly combined to create unique and elegant flavors. If only we lived in Philly! We can't wait to come again on our next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a special little spot! A small but carefully executed menu with some unexpected surprises (chicory salad!). Get a couple bottles of wine, and tuck into a two-top for a lovely night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicory Salad
We enjoyed a lovely dinner at Illata! All of the plates were balanced and complimented each other when we ate things “family style,” taking a bite from one dish to the next, it was all fantastic.Chicory salad was perfect.Tuna was perfect.Wait I’ll you try the steak, and you’ll see what it’s like to perfect crust on the outside while perfectly cooked on the inside.You and your dinner-mate will feel at home in this comfortable setting, and the staff really had our backs.Can’t wait to return!Dietary restrictions: I have a shellfish allergy, and there was more than enough to enjoy. The staff took care of me.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This meal blew me away! Every course better than the previous. Ranking our favorites was almost unfair since at that point we were splitting hairs and being overly critical. The chef used a deft touch on seasoning and pulls tremendous flavor from simple ingredients. Our first course Tuna / yellowfin, capers, puffed buckwheat which has a wonderful citrus flavor and a wonderful crunch from the puffed buckwheat. We thought that was our favorite until the next course arrived Marinated Mussels / hakurei turnips, miso, chili oil. Expecting mussels in a broth we were surprised by the plump cold mussels sitting on a miso paste. The sour dough bread was the perfect tool to scoop up the goodness. Out for our anniversary, staff surprised us with a complimentary course of Cappelletti / ricotta, mushroom brodo. The perfect pasta purses contained deliciously lemony ricotta swimming in a sublime mushroom broth. This was the simplest dish served but ultimately the best we tasted (again splitting hairs). Next we shared the steelhead trout, perfectly cooked with contrasting colored sauces that complimented the dish perfectly. Last was the Steak / NY strip, celery root, peppadew. Cooked a perfect medium rare with a beautiful crust, the NY strip was tender with the right bit of chew. The stuffed peppadew pepper bursted with flavor and just right amount of heat. The celery root base had my wife looking for recipes. While completely full and satiated we were compelled to try the Brown Butter Tart / apple, creme fraiche. We were served a generous portion of beautiful tart with a crisp crust. A terrific end to an epic meal. The best part is that it was also reasonably priced and Illata is a BYOB. This place exceeded all expectations! The staff and service was also impeccable.