Le Virtu Cucina Abruzzese Reviews

Sat outside on the terrace on a beautiful summer evening. Great multicourse meal prepared by Chef Joe Cicala. Every course was a terrific taste treat with a wonderful dessert finale prepared by the pastry chef. Service was attentive and we can see why the restaurant is thriving.

Virtu has a very beautiful outdoor space. It is intimate, quiet and has a great vibe. The space is excellent, the food only good not great. The service is adequate again not great. I’ll give them a pass considering the mountain every restaurant has had to climb. The wine list was great. The mussels were needing a little more kick though they strived for subtlety, they missed. The salad was very nice. The pasta was fresh and well made however the treatment of sauces once again fell short the pasta. I don’t believe too many people could handle both a primo and secondo unless everything is shared- word to the wise. I will return if only to enjoy the great venue and wine.

The pasta was delicious. The salads and the antipasta was also very good. The bartender was friendly and very efficient. The wait staff was not as attentive as they could have been, I had to pour my own wine each and every time. But i enjoyed the patio, the food and the company.

Starting with the Valet parking for almost $20. ( bring a few quarters and park a block away) Glass of wine for $17.00 Of course the staff recommend the most expensive of everything. Food just ok and really overpriced. Service only fair........and too much pressure to order more drinks etc. We won't be returning. Too many other great restaurants in Philadelphia

I have dined at hundreds of Philadelphia restaurants over the past 25 years. I would rate Le Virtu as one of the top three restaurants in Philadelphia. Exceptional food and service. We were a party of four and all appetizers, pastas and meats exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend the single strand pasta dish, the lamb, the chicken and the squid ink spaghetti. A memorable dining experience.

One of the best Italian restaurants in Philly. Not the typical Italian-American fare, the menu is based on the Abruzzo region of Italy. All of the pasta is made in-house and the salumi is cured by them as well. The wine list is also from this region of Italy. The service is top notch, staff is super friendly and very knowledgeable. When they found out it was my birthday, the staff surprised me with a glass of Prosecco, which was delicious and at the end of the meal, when I was too full for dessert, surprised me with two truffles and a candle. It made me feel special!

Our dinner at Le Virtue was outstanding, from the salad and pasta daily special (salad with pears and house made pasta with lamb ragu), to the main course of meagre fillet perfectly seared and the lamb porterhouse perfectly cooked. My husband loved the pistachio budino and I the orange almond cake. The staff was very helpful - all in all a great meal.

First of all the food was outstanding and there was a lot of it. We ate there after the Army/Navy game for the 2nd year. We had pre-ordered a family style dinner since there were 16 of us including 3 children. For Antipasti we had Insalada di rucola (baby argula with bartlett pears & various cheeses), Insalada di polipo (charred Spanish octopus) and a selection of house cured salami. For the first course we had Maccheroni alla mugnaia (hand-pulled single strand pasta with garlic, hot pepper & pecorino), Caramele di faggiano (pheasant filled ravoli, pioppini mushrooms, Gala apples & pecorino) and Taccozzelle all'aquilana )hankerchief pasta, Abruzzese style sausage, porcini, black truffle & Navelli saffron). For the second course we had Orata (whole roasted orata, lemon potato puree), Agnello (grilled lamb top round, parsnip puree, Romanesco cauliflower & anchovy vinigrette) and Purchetta (roasted County Time pork belly, garlic, hot pepper, cannellini beans & broccoli rabe). Everything was outstanding - just wish we had ordered a little less. The problem came when we arrived for a 7:30 reservation. they knew we had children and that we expected to be seated on time. We were 30 min early and had to sit/stand at the bar until 8:10 before being seated. Not very good. Entrance to the dining area is thru the bar and it is very crowded. they kept making excuses for not seating us. But the bottom line is they had seated others were we going to sit at 6:45. no where near enough time for them to finish before our reservation. When the check arrived they had made no offer to us for our troubles & delays. After complaining to the manager - who knew our situation all along - he offered to comp our drink orders but said he couldn't because my brother had already paid the bill & he said there was no way to reverse it. We all know that is simply not true. he eventually gave us a gift card to come back for $75. A pittance considering the bill was over $1400. very expensive. As good as the food was, I don't see us going back again.

As a date night event, we really couldn’t have asked for anything better. We felt like we were in Italy dining in the courtyard of village restaurant. It was a remarkably peaceful setting given that we were only a few minutes from Broad Street and a local festival. The food came in well above expectations. The restaurant associates itself with Abruzzo, a province that sits physically between Northern and Southern Italy. Fittingly the food seems to carry traits of both areas. Much of the menu on the surface seems quite traditional. The delivery is not at all heavy in the manner typically seen southern Italian restaurants in America(e.g. we didn’t see any red sauce). I had a very light pork filled ravioli and a pleasant chicken dish. My wife had an interesting vegetable fettuccini and an enjoyable prosciutto with peaches. Our wine selections which came some guidance from our waitress were successful. I had a Sicilian when that came with a little zip. My wife had a red that that resembled a lighter Pinot noir with a fine fruit finish. The staff was friendly and very prompt despite the fact that we were visiting on a fairly busy Saturday night. While the weather was clearly in our favor everything that was in human control came out well

The service at Le Virtu was outstanding, friendly and knowledgeable. The spreadable salami antipasto was a "don't miss," as was the raddichio salad. The breads were fresh and chewy and a perfect accompaniment to the appetizers. The only issue is that the menu tends toward very filling dishes and you need to pace yourself and not over-order too many of those. The caramelized pear-olive oil cake was a tremendous finish to the meal. The outdoor terrace is beautiful - too bad that it was too cold to sit out there. I look forward to a return in the summertime.

Walked right in on a busy night and were graciously welcomed. This was the last bit of graciousness. The waiter came over who had to be either an owner or manager because his poor serving skills would warrant dismissal. We ordered a well overpriced bottle of wine which he corrected me on how I ordered it. Some wines were 4X and more the retail price. The place was loud and his communication skills were terrible. Questions were answered in a condescending and demeaning manner. While the food was excellent, the portions were small and expensive. The waiter disappeared for long periods and acted like he was doing us a favor by serving us. If you want to spend a lot of money to be demeaned and leave hungry, this is the place to go.

we had the pleasure of dining outside on a relatively comfortable summer evening. our party of 6 shared the calamari salad (grilled with corn, raddiccio), the burrata and of course the mixed salumi platter. all were excellent. if you go to Le Virtu, i would say that you absolutely have to get the salumi as they make all their salumi in house and it is excellent. if you dont want to commit to the entire mixed platter, i highly recommend the n'juda (speadable, spicy meat). We also shared 3 pastas and the pasta special of bucatini was excellent. all pasta made in house, perfectly al dente. everyone had their own entrees, most of us ordering the fish. I had the seafood stew and it was excellent. i asked for more bread and the waiter happily obliged so i could mop up the sauce. 3 others ordered the trout in our party and everyone raved about it. Finally, the deserts were superbly fresh homemade pies of blueberry and strawberry with mascarpone gelati. Amazing. i shared the cheese platter for desert and the Northern Italian sourced cheeses were fantastic with a nice variety of flavors and firmness. the only hiccup of the entire night was that i think they forgot to bring out the cheese platter until checking on us later because everyone else's desert was already consumed (as was our after dinner drink) before the cheese plate came out. otherwise a prefect night out with friends.

We ate here before a Phillies game. It was a beautiful cool night, no humidity. We ate out on the patio. We all started with delicious heirloom tomatoes with imported mozzarella. My entree was the Tagliatelle pasta with pistachio pesto sauce. Scrumptious. H had the fish stew and a friend had the pork belly. Everyone enjoyed the meal. H and I split the semifreddo for dessert which was so delicious. A friend had the blueberry crisp. The bread was very good. The wine list was better than usual. Service was very good. Nice neighborhood. Street and Valet parking.

Delicious Al Fresco dinner in the heart of Philadelphia. Food is fresh, seasonal and beautifully prepared!

The restaurant itself is lovely, and on the quiet side, so you are able to carry on a conversation quite nicely. The food is delicious and true to its Tuscan ways. Pastas are fresh and the sausages and meats are cured and smoked in-house. The wine list is nice offering great selections from the region. Overall, Le Virtu gets a thumbs up and is especially recommended for a date night or lovely dinner with a small group of family or friends.

First time at this wonderful restaurant. Atmosphere is small but charming. Dim lighting and dark woods lent a relaxing, homey feel to the room. Wait staff was very accommodating and attentive. The food was a delight. My companion loved her citrus shrimp appetizer. Interesting presentation with heads still on shrimp. She also raved about her lobster spaghetti pasta course and chicken entree. My ultra light pasta with mushrooms and pork ragu was a revelation. Desert was a bit dry but it was a flourless cake. Overall, a great experience.

we went with friends to this restaurant and by the time we were finished at 8:30 pm, the place was packed and so earlier in the evening is probably better. I started off with the calamari salad which was excellent. The ladies had a soup with crepes whose name i dont remember but it too was excellent.For the main, i had a fish stew, the ladies had two different pasta dishes and both said they were excellent but very spicy and too hot to enjoy. My other friend had a ravioli dish which he said was excellent. the beignet desert was good as was the gelato. I would recommend the restaurant but i would be cautious in terms of the spiciness of the pasta dishes.

We were looking for an outdoor Italian spot outside of our usual Center City haunts, so this place seemed perfect! In theory, it was. Gorgeous outside setting, nice wine list, and a creative menu really come together here. Normally when I read these reviews, I sort of ignore bad service as a one off or something that may not affect my experience. But the bad service reviews for Le Virtu were all spot on. Many reviews here speak of strange, impatient, and testy waitstaff. If this only applies to one of the waiters, we were unfortunate enough to have been sat in his section. Our waiter was so categorically unpleasant that we decided to leave after appetizers. Let me explain in detail. First, he rolled his eyes at my boyfriend's lack of wine knowledge. My boyfriend gave a few adjectives, but is no regional expert. The waiter gave an audible scoff at this. It was odd, we laughed it off. Second, we wanted to order dishes at a sort of rolling pace - we, like many modern diners - share plates and don't necessarily like to do a full sit down 3 course meal. Our waiter did not seem to understand this concept and gave visible disapproval. After this, either we could not get his attention, or he was blatantly rude and dismissive. It's a shame, because we basically fell in love with the decor, and the food was quite good. It's just that with so many amazing places to eat in Philadelphia, we can't justify paying to be talked down to all night.

My husband and I ate at Le Virtu for our first time on Valentine's Day. Our meal and service were fantastic! We started off with the Affettati misti. This is a meal in itself. I would love nothing more than to come here during the summer and sit outside on their patio, order this and a glass of wine and chow down. I normally do not get meat and cheese boards at restaurants because it doesn't really take much talent to slice a piece of cheese and put it on a plate then charge $18+ for it. This place is well-known for their house cured meats which is why we wanted to indulge. Our meat board had eight different meats and some pickled vegetables on the side with toasts. Everything about this dish was fantastic. We had to try their pasta so we ordered the Sagne con ragu di coniglio to share. I love that they automatically split the pasta on to two plates for us so we didn't spill any noodles trying to get them from the center of the table to our mouths. Sorry, I didn't take a picture of this before it was devoured. The pasta was so light and fluffy, the rabbit so tender and juicy, even the black Pugliese ceci went well with the dish. I did have to laugh though as the beans looked like rabbit droppings since they are small, black, and round. But I ate them anyways, gross... maybe, delicious... YES! I ordered the Brodetto Casalese as my main and my husband ordered the Stinco d'agnello. I almost asked for a takeout container for the broth but I refrained. The broth was perfectly spicy but not overbearing, the seafood was fresh and perfectly cooked, the bread was a useful crusty sponge to help me devour the broth. This was the perfect end to our meal even though I was completely full from our appetizer then more full from our pasta. My husband loved his lamb shank and aspires to recreate the dish one day. So I am giving Le Virtu four stars instead of five only because I wish the seating arrangements were a little better. We were seated at a two-top by a busy door-way leading in to the kitchen and the next dining area. It wasn't the most romantic table in the restaurant that we could have dined at for Valentine's Day but I will overlook that based on the food.

Had dinner at Le Virtu on a late summer early Friday evening. Hostess graciously moved our original table to a less noisy location. Very friendly and knowledgeable waiter took us through the excellent and unique Abbruzze menu. Well worth trying some items you might not have had before. Very nice wine list with some moderately priced but excellent Italian wines. Though the decor is modest Le Virtu is a very fine Italian restaurant.

My second time at Le Virtu. I and the other three in my party had a wonderful experience. The Anitpasti & Primi dishes we had were wonderful. two of the four Secondi were outstanding and the other two very good. Desserts were delectable. See "recommended dishes below. The one thing management needs to improve upon is service. The runners and bus staff were professional and courteous. While our waiter was knowledgable about most of the dishes and wine list (which by the way is very good), he was not engaging, nor observant. Once his section had five/six tables his attention waivered and we waited too long to have our dessert orders taken. For me this is a special place and the best Italian food I've had in Philadelphia.

Had dinner with 5 business colleagues on a Sunday night. The food was amazing! Fresh homemade pasta, complex sauces and flavors, relaxed atmosphere, and warm and friendly service. But really the food is what its all about, and for Italian, this is some of the very best!

Here sometime ago when the Chef was away and was dissapointed, but well made up for this time...The food was excellent, drinks perfect, and service (we ate at the bar) by Tree was outstanding.......Each dish was creative and inspiring....Just an all around wonderful meal.......

We tried Le Virtu after recommendations from friends who live in the Philadelphia area. We dined on a Sunday evening. It was relatively quiet in the restaurant and our waitress was pleasant. The food was good, but it was not the best Italian I've had in Philly. The space is quaint and very authentic. I imagine that it's very pleasant to dine outside when the weather allows. All in all a good experience, but probably would choose some place else the next time.

We have dined at Le Virtu several times over the last few years, and we have always been more than satisfied with the experience. On pleasant summer evenings, you cannot beat the outdoor dining area. The Octopus salad and the Burrata appetizers are both very good. The pasta dishes are interesting and taste as good as they look. The house made lamb sausage is a real winner. The service is always very good. This is a restaurant that you keep on your list.

I had the best roast rabbit ever! This place features Abbruzzese cooking which is under-represented here in the Staes

Amazing food and impeccable service in a cozy, entirely unpretentious setting last night at Le Virtu. The two of us together ordered 4 half orders of pasta so we could try a good variety. The first bite of the tagliatelle was absolutely heavenly, making me wish I'd just ordered that, but, to my surprise, every bite of every dish was equally amazing. Eating at this restaurant was like your best friend came from a long line of Italian chefs and grandmas and you got invited to the family reunion to keep your friend company, and all the fat happy aunties kept bringing you their best pasta. I've eaten in James Beard award-winning restaurants and Michelin-starred restaurants, and I can hold my own in the kitchen besides, and this was hands-down the best meal I've ever eaten. Looking forward to going back, and we'll probably take our kids. Prices were incredibly reasonable.

This is not walkable from the city center, but well worth the taxi ride. Everything from the greeting and service to the food and wine was superb. Great ambiance too. Try their antipasto! Reservations essential.

Beautiful Seeting, especially for outside seating. Good food with a rustic vibe. A bit expensive for what you get. The staff is a bit standoffish.

We'd heard rave reviews about Le Virtù and knew it had outdoor dining so we headed there on a weeknight to try it out. Everything about the restaurant impressed, from the warm welcome to the lovely spot where they seated us (in front of a flower wall) to the friendly and knowledgeable server to the excellent food. We could not have asked for more. We started with drinks and two appetizers--Pancotto and salsiccia--both of which were wonderfully savory. Realizing that two in our party were having difficulty choosing, the server suggested they try appetizer sizes of those entrees, a brilliant choice for the indecisive. So they had appetizer portions of the taccozzelle, fazzoletti, ceppe ai funghi, and the evening special (a house-made pasta with a pistacio pesto), while I had the chitarra and my husband the spezzatino di pesce. We partnered these with a nice Malvasia-Nera and Negroamaro blend from Puglia. Everything was perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. The outdoor dining spaces were covered, with the tables spaced so as to calm the nerves of those of us still worried about Covid (for indoor dining they require proof of vaccination, another thing that calmed our concerns even as we chose to dine outside). We liked everything about Le Virtù and will certainly return on one of our future visits to Philadelphia. Well worth visiting frequently!

This is a small restaurant that has a nice staff and ambience. The dining room is small and the tables are smaller making the dining experience somewhat uncomfortable. The cheap wine and good food makes up for this. The grilled prawns with citrus-peperoncino vinaigrette was well prepared. The Brodetto with swordfish calamari and mussels was small portion but flavorful. The special was a thin pasta with an eggplant ragu that was enjoyed by my wife. Cannellini beans and long hot peppers with sweet garlic vinaigrette were nice additions. This is not your traditional south Philly Italian restaurant. This is not a heavy meal with heavy sauces so there is room for a gelato and sorbetto!

My G/F and I went to Le Virtu based on reviews we saw online. The food was pretty good. We had a starter salad, then rabbit tagliatelle and the porcetta. Everything was fresh and very good. The Porchetta is huge so consider sharing. Our waiter was friendly and was helpful with a nice wine recommendation from the Abruzzo region. We ate in the patio on a warm clear night so the the ambience was terrific. Overall a very good food experience.

We were in town for Army Navy and ate dinner at Le Virtu Saturday evening. The staff was warm and welcoming. The food was amazing! The pork ragu was wonderful, the pasta was perfect. We finished with espresso and biscotti, which was a perfect ending for a great meal.

Were going to a living room concert in the area and picked this place randomly. Both of our dinners were absolutely amazing! We were running nearly an hour late but the staff was really understanding that we got stuck in traffic. The aroma walking in the door was enough to tell us this place has wonderful food. Service was excellent, ambiance was relaxed in an upscale way. We are not particularly drawn to Italian food, but this place has something special! We live 60 miles away but have agreed we will find a reason to return here soon.

I was surprised by how comfortable this South Philly Italian restaurant was. Often Italian restaurants in this area are over the top with checkered tables, chianti bottles & a like. To find your table, you have to pass through the bar, which looks like a place I could spend many nights if I lived nearby. There's a small dining room behind the bar & a larger one off the patio. The smaller one became quite loud as the tables filled up. The service was fair. I ordered a signature drink & was clearly brought something different. The food was brought promptly, but the ordering & drinks were slow. The best dish I tried was the pasta. Homemade handkerchief pasta with an excellent sauce. Surprised that 90% of the dishes has white or black truffles on them...something you usually have to pay quite a lot extra for. The appetizers & my main course were very good, but it would be pasta on my future orders.

Went to Le Virtue last night for dinner. It was delicious. I had rabbit made in the way of roast pork. It was rolled and stuffed and covered with mushrooms and gravy. My wife had gnocchi in a wild boar ragu. Both were wonderful. This was not the first time we went here, but I wanted to try it again before writing a review. Worth the trip if you are not from Philly. Walk along the Ave. while you are here to check out the other eateries.

This is an ok little place in an area of great Italian restaurants. The menus is good with a few daily specials. I had the softshell crab from the regular menu which tasted great but all I received was 1 crab cut in half and some greens in the middle of the plate. Thank goodness they had lots of bread. The mussels were pleentiful but bland. One of our guests is a fussy eater and asked for the pasta dish and could they put on some shrimp or chicken...nothing special just a little chicken or shrimp. The server responded without a single thought that "oh the chef would never do that". He didn't bother to ask and gave us his best don't ask for anything special again look. We tipped him accordingly. Probably will not go back.

We sought Italian food in Philadelphia and trusted our Sofitel, Concierge, Billy. Le Virtù seemed like the place – fashionable at the moment in an emerging neighborhood: Billy pleaded with hostess Barbara & then we were off. It was further from downtown than we expected and the neighborhoods we went through getting there were troubling, but it ended well. It seemed like a bustling neighborhood restaurant, but other patrons looked urban-old-guard exotic international as well as families with small kids. A good bottle of Riparosso and appetizers including octopus salad got us started and and the we settled down to share maccheroni alla mugnaia –pasta handpulled from long-kneaded dough. It seemed authentic, but what do we know about Abruzzi specialties? In any event it was unusual and terrific … we finished with espresso & limoncello. (later I learned the kitchen-master of Le Virtù is a acclaimed pioneer with this)

We were looking for a good wine bar in Philadelphia and found Le Virtu listed among the best. It’s location, on East Passyunk Ave., is a hot spot for dining and bars, so the listing attracted us. When we got there, however, we found this is more of a restaurant with pretty good wine than a wine bar with food. The wine list is very limited and they do not do flights or tastings. (When our waiter asked the owner about this, he came back telling us they would do a small pour tasting of several wines, but we’d have to pay for full glasses.). The quality of the food and our waiter’s attentive and cheerful service saved the experience. Yes, the menu isn’t cheap (see other reviews), but dishes are imaginative and delicious. Portions are not huge, but they’re a good size and we did not leave hungry. The Insalata Tricolore with lentils was an excellent combination of flavors and textures. The Taccozzelle all’aquilana, as other reviewers have said, is a signature dish. Just wonderful. Try this restaurant, but realize that online listings might not be accurate.

Le Virtu is an attractive place on busy Passyunk Avenue in the heart of South Philadelphia's (mostly Italian) restaurant area. It is thoroughly wonderful. I recently had dinner there with half a dozen friends. (Since we went on a cold January evening, outside seating wasn't gonna happen.) Sometimes you know something about a place when you come through the door. Walking into the comfortable environment of Le Virtu, the wonderful aromas of Italian cooking let us know we'd be in good hands. We had a great experience from start to finish. We were eating early, and for most of our meal had our dining room to ourselves. (By the time we departed, it was a different story, with every table filled.) Service was perfect, efficient and not obtrusive. There is full bar service and we agreed that our cocktails and glasses of wine were excellent. My martini was one of the best I've tasted. Among us, we ventured all over the menu and there were no disappointments. There were several salads to choose from, all attractively presented. I was feeling adventurous and had as my main course pork belly, which I'd never tasted. It was wonderfully prepared and seasoned. Others had a variety of pasta, meat and seafood entrees. One friend had the seafood stew, which he pronounced excellent. The ambience of the restaurant is just right, comfortable but decidedly upscale. This is considered one of Philadelphia's outstanding restaurants and it's a fine choice for a special night out.

three of us went here on an early Thursday evening - it was the second time for all of us. Great charcuterie and cheese plates, which we all shared, and the pasta dishes were wonderful. Portions are satisfying but not overwhelming, so you have room for dessert without feeling over-stuffed. Good beer and wine lists. Service was very excellent - friendly, unobtrusive and very efficient. Unlike some of the other reviewers, we didn't find it too noisy.

Wonderful cuisine with use of local farm provisions prepared in a rustic Italian fashion. The pasta was prepared that day and the rabbit was as good as it gets. ambience is just ok and probably hinders the establishment from being considered the best in Philly.

Six of us had dinner and drinks. Had to ask the waiter to please bring some bread to the table, and when he did it was stale. the apps. and dinner were terrible, not one of us enjoyed it. Drinks expensive and you got maybe a swallow of wine in the glass. Never had such a bad meal.

Although lauded on many top Philly restaurants sites, Le Virtu was by no means amazing. The appetizers resembled those of an American-Italian pizzeria, think rice balls. The house special soup with its forty two ingredients was a let down. On the other hand, the pasta was very good, as were the entrees. The ambiance of this restaurant was inviting, with a pleasant outdoor patio space facing a lovely mural of a Tuscan landscape. The area the restaurant is set in is very quaint, with its quintessential Philadelphia row houses. All in all, this is /a good spot for Italian, but it won't blow your mind if you are familiar with what genuine Tuscan fare is.

A lovely evening of very good food and service in a very nice setting. An interesting menu nicely realized and a good wine list. The patio was charming and not too loud (!) so our party could talk. I've been wondering if it was still worth going out to dinner and last night answered that with a 'yes!'

A group of friends went to Le Virtu on August 16 for an early dinner prior to attending a Phillies game. I live out of the Philadelphia area although Philly is my hometown. Initially, I was pleased to see the vibrancy of the area in which Le Virtu was located in South Philadelphia. Restaurants and shops lined the street. We were met upon arrival by the restaurant's valet parking service as parking spaces in the area are limited. We had an option of being seated in the restaurant's spacious outdoor courtyard or inside and we chose to eat inside the restaurant. We were greeted by our hostess who knew one of our group as a regular at the restaurant. Our waiter explained the specials and answered all our questions graciously. Le Virtu has a liquor license and most of us were able to order wine by the glass. My red was excellent. Since we were going to the game, we did not have excess time to linger over our meal. I ordered the spicy sausage in polenta as an appetizer, which was very good. My wife had a beautful salad. We both ordered the tagliatelle in a rabbit ragu as a main course as Le Virtu is known for making its own pastas and curing its own meats. The entree was quite tasty. After a cappucino, it was off to the game. Next time I visit Le Virtu, I will make sure to have more time to savor the pleasant ambience and excellent food.

Did you know that LeVirtu is not simply the name of a restaurant, but also the name of a wonderful Abruzzo tradition? On or about May 1 each year, in the Province of Teramo, Region of Abruzzo, Italy, a wonderful cultural, gastronomical tradition takes place. It began in an effort for families to clear out the pantry of leftover stock in order to make room for the new. The process of preparing this dish is one that most of us here, in America, would not attempt. The ingredients (40-some) required the participation of entire families to assist in the preparation and (several days of) labor to accomplish. Each family recipe had their similarities, yet their own secret ingredient or two. And each family's interpretation and story of "the virtues" is almost comical, similar to what the interpretation of the what/whys/which ingredients are used for the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. No two interpretations are alike. For some fun reading, look up LeVirtu....... My family just happens to be from that precise area and neighborhood of Italy, and I have always wanted to sample it, for posterity. Also, it just so happens that my anniversary is May 1. So! I called the restaurant and asked if they would be serving LeVirtu on May 1 and they were. I imagined my grandparents smiling with me at the prospect. And how my husband and I enjoyed ourselves that night, which happened to be one of the first warm evenings of the spring, and the very first night when the restaurant opened their outside seating. What good fortune! And while the price of the dish was somewhat expensive, one must remember the intense labor which goes into it. And the biscotti! Well, I'll just leave that to the imagination.......... I hope to visit again on May 1 whenever it is possible. Many thanks to LeVirtu for the lovely, nostalgic experience.

Cozy restaurant with both great service and great food which nowadays is hard to come by and it starts as soon as you walk in the door!!

Celebrated my son's birthday with a weeknight dinner and were very pleased with everything. They had a special 3-course dinner the night we were there that was a good deal and gave an opportunity to try several things. Everything was very tasty. We enjoyed a prosciutto salad, mussels, a hot pepper Maccheroni, and Lamb Chops. Ended with homemade Italian cookies. Great service and delicious food.

I have eaten here many times, including last week. The food, based on the cuisine of Italy's Abruzzo region, is always top notch, with the highest quality ingredients and authentically prepared regional dishes. It's hard to choose favorites, because so many are so good. My favorite pasta dish is a fazzoletti (handkerchief pasta) in a sauce made with rabbit sausage. But all the pastas are homemade and exquisite. The seafood is great (I had the meagre last week - a white fish, served with ultra crispy skin amid peppers and olives.) I've also loved the brodetto, a fish stew. The rabbit in porchetta is also a favorite, but anything you order is delicious. The servers are well versed in not only the menu, but the terrific wine selection too. Kateri, our server for the night, recommended a wine that complemented our meal perfectly - a light red wine from Sicily - an etna rosso. The owners, Cathy and Francis, really care about making your experience memorable - and it always is.

The food was absolutely great. The 50+ waiter with frosted tips was not. He was rude on several occasions including slamming a door shut in my face when I was waiting for friends to walk through it moments after me because ‘they have to close it anyway’. Reading some other reviews this seems to be a regular theme. Also it’s ess-presso not ex-presso. Congratulations on the fantastic food just a real shame about the rude, under educated and alienating service.

Met some old friends for dinner. Parking can be difficult but they have valet. Waiter (forget his name) was super nice. Helpful with recommendations and very attentive. We tried some of the specials and some of the standard menu items. Everything was very good - hot, well presented and seasoned perfectly. Definitely will return.

We got a reservation on a Thursday evening, hoping to be able to sit outside on the patio and enjoy the weather, but there was some sort of an event going on which prevented us from doing so. Bummer. The service indoors was excellent though and we quickly forgot about it. The two kinds of bread served were good, my wife & I both commented on the interesting type, not sure exactly what it was. We opted to share a couple appetizers then split a pasta which ended up being plenty food for us. We had the fried rice balls which were very tasty. About halfway through them though I recalled meat ragu being apart of the description, but I didn't see or taste any...just lovely saffron, mozzarella, & rice. We also had the charred octopus salad with lemon vinaigrette, which was very good and interesting with the inclusion of potatoes. For our pasta we split the farro risotto, with clams, mussels, and shrimp, with roasted tomato, red onion, almond pesto. This was very good and the highlight of the meal. All in all it was perfectly fine, but nothing really knocked me over either. The service was superb so that will keep it on the list when we're in the mood for Italian and find ourselves in the neighborhood again.

Rude slow employees - managers basking in their success taking their eye off of the prize of what makes a great restaurant - delicious food and attentive service. Good wine list - some food was excellent but so-called best pasta in the city was sadly mediocre. Hey it's a neighborhood thing I guess - but that really cuts out the people reading Philly magazine and venturing south of Washington. LeVirtu web site menu needs updating apparently the old chef is out and the owners are still bitter over the situation.

I’ve been coming here for 10 years. So good. Their homemade pasta is to die for. Had the spaghetti with lobster...awesome. Meat & cheese apps were delicious. Our server was very knowledgeable about the wine list.

We ate at Le Virtu for the first time in over a year and they continue to do it well. Service, food, atmosphere are wonderful. Octopus tender and tasty, Lamb done to perfection, fish just right. The single-strand pasta was a treat, served with a basket of dried peppers. Nothing was disappointing. I appreciate the sound baffles on the ceiling that help to keep the noise level down. Great little touch. Oh yes, and the service was attentive and wonderful. Thanks, David!

I've been to Le Virtu' numerous times, and it never ever disappoints. On the contrary, it impresses every time. It deserves repeat visits so that you can sample all the different pasta dishes; this is why it's good to go with friends, so that you can order various primi and share. The secondi (especially the agnello) and the wines are amazing too, as is the atmosphere. The owner travels to Abruzzo frequently to study the cuisine, so there's no doubt this is the real deal (but with a highly aesthetic twist). It's an unparalleled place, and often my main reason to travel from NYC to Philly. It makes me super-jealous of the people who live in the neighborhood.

This was a very special meal with family. A lot of them are living very near to and along Passyunk Avenue. We had a Sunday afternoon early dinner on a perfect day in Philadelphia-The Eagles were beating The Vikings. Our family is culturally Italian from Abruzzi. This is the taste of our grandmother Angelina Pizzi that we treasure in our memories. We had a bunch of cocktails. Martinis, both vodka and gin because the nieces said this was the only decent martini along Passyunk Avenue, maybe in Philly. The bartender made a great Negroni-even burning the orange peel. The compari and soda were perfect. For antipasto: we had a house special; melted burrata cheese with olives and spices; a fabulous salad of chicory; yummy egg and cheese croquettes in sugo finto; and a truly wonderful dish of tripe. Trippa al’abruzzese. This was melt in your mouth tripe-not the boiled, chewy crap at a lot of places with a sauce so delicious that you wipe the dish with bread. Great bread by the way. Primi-that’s the first, usually pasta, course; we had: handkerchief pasta with sausage, porchi and black truffle; raviolini stuffed with sheep milk ricotta in sage butter with white truffle; and since I am crazy about rabbit: the spizzichi (pinched pasta) in a incrediblely deep ragu with the rabbit meat perfectly al dente. Secondi-this is where you eat the meat course: we had Fiorentina d’agnello; grilled lamb porterhouse on a bed of cauliflower salad, olives, capers, pignoli (pine nuts) and anchovy-this is referred to as Sicilian style. We were waving our hands it was so good. The Sardinian granache grape is called Cannonau and Le Virtu had a great bottle of Sella and Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva; extraordinary,and thank you great waitress for walking me through the wine list until we came to this choice. We had the cheese plate which had everybody getting pushy with the knives (hey its family)because it was so good-the dish of honey was a great touch. We had centerba and cynar to go with espresso and cappuccinos. And profound thanks to staff and crew for such a wonderful meal.

Third visit to celebrate a birthday. Excellent food, great atmosphere, and attentive service. Let's get to the fun stuff - FOOD! There were four of us, we ordered 4 Antipasti, 2 Primi's and 4 Secondi. Of the Antipasti, Mozzarella in carrozza and Carpaccio di polipo were standouts, while the Scrippelle ‘mbusse & Costoletti di maiale al macellaio were good, they couldn't compete with the first two mentioned (the waiter comped the Costoletti di maiale al macellaio because it came out late). Both pasta dishes were a treat - the Taccozzelle all’aquilana was really great, we could have eaten that all night and the Gnocchi affumicati was mouth-watering. Of the main dishes - the fish - Meagre all’acqua pazza was perfect, with great balance. Same can be said of the lamb - Meagre all’acqua pazza (the best all round dish for me). The Porchetta really didn't have character and the rabbit - Coniglio in porchetta - was a bit dry (as it tends to be) but the lentil-chestnut ragu was very special. Desserts - all were fabulous. The chocolate Bocconcini di tartufi, the cheesecake Torta di ricotta and the winner - roasted pear with almond-wipped marscapone - Pera mandorla torta della rosa. Wow it was only last night and I want to return, you should too.

We had been looking forward to dinner at this restaurant and had high expectations. Called ahead to confirm that we could bring our own wine and pay the corkage fee, no problem but maybe that's where the problem started. As soon as we told Gabe, our waiter about the wine, his whole mood changed and the service took an immediate dive. We waited 20 minutes to order, 30 minutes to get bread, and had to ask twice for wine glasses. No one checked on us or inquired how things were or if we needed anything. The food was good but compared to other Italian byobs in the City, just "good." It might have helped this restaurant if Gabe had left his attitude at home. It took another 20 minutes to get the check at our insistence and settle the tab. The final straw was that Gabe never brought the leftovers which consisted of half my entree to the table. After 3 hours we were so intent on leaving that we forgot to ask for it. The last straw came when leaving the restaurant, the hostess was sitting outside on the stoop and asked if everything was ok. When I told her the service was awful, she said, Oh, I'm sorry, we'll buy you a drink next time." There will not be a next time.

Le Virtu offers a complete dining experience starting with friendly and knowledgable waitstaff and owners who engaged us in conversation and truly were interested in discussing the regional cuisine of Italy and its link to Le Virtu. The food is delicious and innovative and portion size allows the diner to savor each course. I've attended regular and speciality dinners at Le Virtu and each time am rewarded with a memorable dining experience.

Food here is well–deserving of the excellent reviews, the price is right as well, and the servers and host had been friendly and accommodating on my last two visits. So it pains me to critique our particular waiter. (In fact, I noticed on TripAdvisor and also on OpenTable that many of the rare criticisms of this restaurant relate to the waitstaff.) From the moment we arrived, the waiter’s behavior towards us alternated between weirdly offhanded and borderline rude. His reactions to our fairly standard questions about the wine and the menu truly affected the mood and the meal. And my three children, all adult professionals who had taken the train down from New York City to celebrate a family birthday, were as bothered by his poor display as my wife and I were. Some “hints” to our oblivious waiter: don’t take it personally if a customer sitting at an outdoor table in the semi-dark only sees half of the wine list and misses the separate portion of the list for decanted wines. It’s not the end of the world. Next, if a customer asks for a cheese plate upon arrival, don’t be personally offended. Just procure the cheese plate. Ever hear the saying, the customer is always right? Furthermore, out of pique, don’t make a dramatic production out of carding customers who are obviously of drinking age — And when questioned about it, don’t tartly reply that “you were the ones” who called them your children. (Does this waiter not know that even people in their 30s, 40s and 50s or older are someone’s “children”?). Another hint: don’t correct your customers’ pronunciations —particularly when your own pronunciation is not the standard one and theirs is correct. (Yes, the proper pronunciation is “espresso” not “ex-presso”. So why every time someone ordered an “espresso” did you interrupt and say “ex-presso” with a seeming sneer?) There were other infractions but I think I’ve made the point. People just want to enjoy their meal with their family, not be distracted by staff rudeness, and leave a generous tip and go home happily. Regarding the tip, since that money is pooled, I still left a fair amount because we observed the rest of the staff hard at work. And perhaps that’s why I am writing now: management should know if it’s employee is rude to customers to the point where they will never return.

We have eaten at Le Virtu three or four times over the last few years. We have never been disappointed. This last Saturday, we had a salad with frisee, fennel, endive and a diaphanous very small eel, the last ingredient which was quickly sauteed. This doesn't sound like 'rustica cosina Italiana,' which Le Virtu prides itself on providing, but it was delicious. I had the pheasant sausage over spinach noodles, and it was fantastic! Le Virtu makes its own noodles, and every offering I've had have been soft and slippery, perfectly prepared and wonderfully presented. The sausage and the 'gravy' as Philadelphia's mostly Abruzzese Italian population calls 'sauce,' were delicate yet slightly piquant. Also the portions were in keeping with the average size American stomach: don't go to Le Virtu to maximize quantity. Go for the quality and enjoy. The desserts (we had the version of flan) are varied and inventive, as was the entire menu. Don't miss going to Le Virtu; you won't regret it. On East Passyunk Ave, in South Philly, a nice trendy area. Parking can be a bit of a problem, but taxis are easy to get on Broad Street nearby.

This restaurant has the most amazing and authentic Abruzzi food. Don't expect anything usual about this Italian food. I had the lamb chop dinner and it was wonderful. An excellent choice for this special birthday and to be with friends and family.

We tried a couple of the appetizers, including the antipasti and bruschetta. Then went for the pasta with olive oil and hot peppers; while my companions tried the prawns and the lamb. The desserts were off the chart. Overall it was just a fantastic culinary experience. We sat outside, the evening was very pleasant, the courtyard was full and there was a nice vibe to the evening, particularly with young couples, families, elderly couples - really just a perfect evening

Everything is near perfect at Le Virtu: good, streamlined Italian food, the way it should be, attentive service and a rather impressive wine list. I recommend in particular their maccheroni alla chitarra (square spaghetti) or their extra long (possibly at least a couple of feet each strand) maccheroni, mugnaia style or with lamb sauce. Noticeable also was the tripes (some may not like the idea) as appetizer, surprising light and served with polenta. Overall a pleasant experience in a nice and relaxed atmosphere.

First you have to find this place, which has just a little sign and is beside a Mexican restaurant, and then you have to park...careful with the parking as the signage does not really work to keep you from a ticket. Oh my. The hunt for a space is not easy in this neighborhood. OK, but the greeter is friendly, helpful, and the seating on the patio or inside very ambiente, and relaxing. The starters were all excellent, truly, and our table of four shared buratta, a sausage creation, and a wonderful salad. The first courses of pasta were absolutely outstanding, perfectly cooked house made pasta. We tried several, one a special of the night of spaghetti with uncooked tomatoes, that was superb. Second courses were mixed results. The rabbit on lentils, highly recommended by the server was tasty , removed from the bone, but overcooked. One of us tried the risotto for the second course, and it was a small portion and used a rice we were not at all used to, the seafood stew was excellent, and a fish course was good but again slightly overcooked. The service was professional and attentive and the extensive Italian wine list very good. ZB

The servers as all small establishment servers in Philly have general attitude, that's Philly. We had an absolute clown this time, but that isn't something to rate a restaurant 1 or 2 stars. We were one of first three tables and wanted to dictate how we ordered for the mighty four of us (all repeat customers). I said thanks and ignored him. What do you do here? 1) Bring your own wine and get corkage, this is PA. 2) read the menu and ask questions, this is real Italian food, not NJ Italian, it's highly varied from plate to plate, know what you are ordering. 3) They are somewhat pretentious, ignore that, ask what the silly names are and keep asking if you need to, in Philly the menus for Italian can be intimidating for the uninitiated. 4) Antipasti, even shared) Primi and Secondi is too much food, share. Ask for what you want and get it. Home-made salumi and the like are rather good. Various pasta are as they should be. The tables and chairs are extremely uncomfortable, at 6'5" I mark places down for lack of comfort, but not for ignorant waiters. Go and get what you want, not at 8 on Saturday night, you'll be disappointed just as anywhere else. If you are serious about food go early and not Friday or Saturday, here or anywhere else.

We intended to eat at the highly recommended Ristorante Pesto, but when we arrived they were booked for the rest of the evening. We walked around the corner, one street behind, and serendipitously discovered Le Virtu where they immediately seated us at a cozy table. Our waiter was very attentive. The food was delicious and served in a timely manner. We chose to order the Sunday/Monday supper option allowing us to each choose one antipasto, one primo, and one secondo- smaller portions than the regular size dishes, but definitely adequate amount and left us not too full to enjoy the biscotti at the end of the meal, which is included in the set price. We will return when back in Philly!

We held my Retirement Dinner Party here for 20 people. We started with drinks and some fun for an hour before sitting down for dinner. We pre-ordered a three-course meal with options for each course. Everyone loved the food and wine and atmosphere. It was exactly what I wanted and we had a memorable evening!

Our first dining experience at Le Virtu left us a bit disappointed. The restaurant is part of the hot Passyunk Ave. scene. Luckily on a Sat. night we pulled up just as someone was leaving a metered spot. Otherwise expect to pay ($16) for valet parking. Inside, the dining space is very attractive. Great for a fun or romantic evening out. So the meal. The special "Easter pie" (like a quiche) was very good. The spaghetti with sweet and hot peppers would have been excellent if it was not so salty. The roasted lamb with polenta and broccoli rabe was okay but certainly not outstanding. And again, a bit too salty. The hostess and the waitstaff were friendly, but I was dismayed that our crumb-topped table was never wiped clean. Drinks were reasonably priced. However, with a four $$$$ rating, on this night Le Virtu did not deliver a memorable dining experience.

Went here with friends. The food and service was very good. Good flavors with the pasta but the pasta was a bit more than al dente. Wine list and prices were very good.

What a wonderful dinner and fantastic dining experience. The Chef at this restaurant really surprised us with the most authentic Italian food I have had since my last trip to Italy. I spend approximately two months a year in Italy and frequently in the beautiful Abruzzo region which has it's very own unique culinary culture. Chef has captured it in all it's splendor from fresh lamb roasts, pastas with flavorful sauces and grilled meats and vegetables. I particularly liked the ravioli and the paparadelli with lamb ragu. You will not go wrong at this dining spot. The restaurant is cozy and rustic with a spectacular outdoor patio for grilling and enjoying a beautiful evening. It was another highlight of our visit to Philadelphia!

We had a wonderful meal last night. Great service. Everyone so professional and the food...OUTSTANDING!!! Will return soon.

First time eating here and would definitely return. First impression was less than welcoming since we were asked to wait at the bar for 10 minutes when right in front of us were several open tables. After 10 minutes, we were seated at one of those tables. Inexplicable! However, from there the entire experience was wonderful. The waiter was knowledgeable about the food and wine. We split the grilled shrimp appetizer which was delicious. Then I had the lamb ragu and my husband the pork ragu, both of which were excellent. The pasta was homemade and perfectly cooked and the sauces were out of this world.

We had a great dinner for six at Le Virtu. We sat outside--wonderful evening, beautiful mural and just the right music in the background. Good sense of being in Italy. Service was excellent--friendly, informed waitresses. Food was very good, not perfect, but very good. Their pastas are as good as any I have had. Not quite sure I can't give the meal a full five stars--but certainly would make a point of dining here again.

I was visiting Philly from the DC area and came here with my girlfriend on Feb. 11th, 2017. The restaurant is in a charming neighborhood, with a large outside patio abutting a mural of life in southern Italy, which is apparently part of a city art project. Service was top-notch - we were seated quickly and the waitress guided us the through the specials (including a white truffle pasta) and the authentic Italian menu. As vegetarians, we ordered the radicchio salad and croquettes as appetizers, which we're both amazing, and moved onto the special pasta with white truffles, and the sheep's milk raviolini with black truffles. The pastas are homemade and the care that goes into the food is evident from it's presentation, aroma sheer deliciousness. The restaurant also sponsors activities in support of socially responsible causes, which made us feel even better about eating there. Overall - great food / great location / great atmosphere - classy, lively & fun. I'll be looking for a reason to come back to Philly soon.

Couldn't say enough about this restaurant. Everything from the decor to the appetizers to the main dishes to the service is abundantly pleasant. Very unique, special place.

A farm to table concept in the Abruzzese style and tradition. Literally, the best meal I ever had the pleasure to experience.The entire operation is first class and can stand up to the best that even San Francisco has to offer.

What a splendid evening we had at Le Virtu. We were served by a friendly, professional, knowledgeable waiter who patiently answered all of our questions about the unique menu. All pastas were house made. I had the black and white pasta with shrimp--delicious. My son had the stinging nettles fazzoletti with cocoa dusted guinea hen sausage. It sounds strange, but it was eye-rolling, melt in your mouth amazing. My husband had pasta "handkerchiefs" with porcini mushrooms which was so good. The wine selection was impressive and the salads were made with crisp, fresh veggies. I highly recommend this restaurant!!

having family from and having been too this restaurant does Abruzzo proud. The food is truly amazing!

The wine list is extensive and varied. The service was very good. We a great mix of appetizers, pastas, and mains. The pastas are outstanding. Some of the best I have had in South Philadelphia. The appetizers and desserts were very good at worst. The mains could have been stronger. Great atmosphere. Have been 4 times and will definitely go back.

I was hosting a business dinner, and Le Virtu had been recommended by someone who used to live in Philadelphia. What a great recommendation!! We started with an antipasti platter of various salumis (all of which are cured on site), and then went into the main course. Several of us had pasta, which was heavenly. Made in-house, not overcooked, and not over-sauced. A few folks had fish, which they raved about. Can't speak to the desserts as we all decided we'd rather have another glass as dessert! And we stayed well within our budget of under $100/person.

We were impressed with the attention to subtle flavors that was given in the development of each of the dishes and the insightful, thorough knowledge of our waitress. Wait staff is busy, so be prepared to wait a bit. Tuesday night you may BYO and enjoy a well stocked bar. Not realizing how large and charming (for a street in S. Philly ) the outdoor dining was, we dined inside ....if weather permits, choose outside. Bon appetite!

We wanted Italian food, looked at some reviews and stumbled upon Le Virtu, not realizing it was very authentic cuisine, and not the cuisine we were quite looking for. We sat outside, for the price of the entrees, the patio and tables are not impressive nor comfortable, no tablecloths, just metal, plus the sound of the servers dropping all of their recycling into the bucket was not pleasant. Our server was weeded, even though we had made a reservation. For an appetizer we got the Nduja - best part of the meal - although 4 small bread squares isn't enough considering how much spread is given. The bread for the table was nothing impressive and the olive oil, bitter. I ordered the lamb ragu pasta and my boyfriend ordered the casarecce al pesto. Perfect portion for me, even though I couldn't quite finish, but not enough for him. It was OK, it may have been the presentation, where we were sitting, but nothing blew us away about the meal considering the price. The assistant server was no where to be found with water, we sat with empty glasses until I flagged her down, she even walked by and made eye contact with me looking at an empty cup. The best part of the night was walking down Passyunk Ave, it was really quiet but a nice stroll.

This was our second visit to le Virtue for dinner and it was terrific. We were celebrating my daughter's college graduation. First off, it is located down a small street with no parking so it is wonderful to know that they have valet parking. We sat out on the patio and it was a lovely evening. There is a huge mural of Abuzzo right there, the part of Italy that inspires the cuisine. We enjoyed every course. For starters my husband had the special salad with beets, my daughter fresh ricotta with asparagus and I had fried risotto which was very tasty and unusual. The pasta course showcased fresh pasta. My husband had a seafood stew with scampi and mussels. I enjoyed the chicken and my daughter the rabbit. The portions are perfect and presentation lovely- great food skillful prepared and presented. Wonderful Italian wine list- the server was knowledgable and helpful with choice. We all had dessert which is unusual for us. All in all it was the perfect evening at Le Virtue and we hope we are back in Philly to visit again.

Le Virtu has reopened for outdoor dinig only at present. We have always enjoyed the patio, and did so again. Good variety on the menu, with fish, meat and vegetarian options. Very soulful rustic Italian food, good wine list, and an excellent Negroni made with house-made amari. Get the pasta with mushrooms, truffles and saffron.

I loved LeVirtu. Given the difficulty of these times I try to support the local restaurants and overlook any shortcomings the restrictions and limitations present. So lunch(brunch) on Saturday outside was our plan. We made our way through the "garden" to the patio to be seated in the heated porch. The menu was limited, both food and drink included. So we ordered. What I received was 4 fried potato croquettes with tomato sauce served in a small skillet The description in Italian lead me astray. . My partner ordered trout dinner. Simple and plain. No bread . Nothing like the evening selections which are flavorful and interesting. The staff provided adequate service, but we couldn't help feeling they were eager to go home! (we were there less than an hour). So the issue is the brevity of the menu, both food and drink and the lack of quality of the food. As usual we left , leaving a good tip and sorry our lunch was so mediocre. LeVirtu could do better, we are all suffering in different ways during this pandemic.. I have experienced such amazing and creative restaurant service and menus. Taking undue advantage of the patronage is not a sustainable business tactic.

Wonderful resturant with exceptional food. Highly recommended. Everyone in my party loved our meals.

A wonderful meal, good wine selection and excellent friends. A recommended restaurant to try. We ordered a cold antipasti-charcuterie board and it was amazing.We also added meatballs and pulpo and it became a feast...It went up from there. One of the best Panna Cotta's ever and excellent homemade gelato.

Home made pasta and home cured meats a treat as at some unique appetisers. Fun to eat at the bar. Every time we've come have met interesting fellow diners.

Another really good meal at Le Virtu where the pasta is as good as it is in Italy. Very authentic and delicious. Service and food are above most places. Can't wait to go back.

A fantastic meal, interesting wines, $50 a head. Easily double that in New York. Also a lovely site, especially outdoors in nice weather

We went to Le Virtu with family and friends while visiting Philadelphia. The food was very good, and the service and ambience are both of a high standard.

Table of five. We split 3 appetizers followed by 2 pasta dishes and two entrees. Everything was delicious and authentic. Our waitress guided us to a very nice white wine as well. Bravo

Went to dinner here before Paul Simon concert at Wells Fargo Arena. The food is delicious, piping hot. Pastas are homemade. Service very attentive. We at outside on the patio and it was delightful!

Great salads and appetizers, especially the grilled octopus and the burrata mozzarella imported from Italy. All the pastas looked good but the special pesto pasta dish was great as was the Maccheroni Alla Mugnaia. Great selection of Italian wines complement dinner and deserts worth sharing. There is a valet parking service though there is some street parking too.

A small group of four Of us went for dinner in this fabulous restaurant last evening. The service was great; but the definite star of the show was the food. Each course was perfection on a plate: from the lamb skewers and pasta dishes to the "housewife style" chicken and beignet for dessert, we loved this restaurant. Certainly planning on going back!

Food was good but extremely expensive and small portions for a no name South Philadelphia restaurant on a Wednesday night. Had better less expensive meals from famous chefs. Wine selection very limited and severely overpriced. Would do better in center city.

Service was excellent! The restaurant was extremely noisy and was difficult to hear each other speak. The table next to ours was obnoxiously drunk and lol to the point that they were interfering with our dinner conversation. Staff/management did not seem to care. Homemade pasta was alright. Very doughy. The feature was the imported EVOO but the utilization of it was too much! I had a pool of oil on my plate. I would rather have had less oil. I could have scooped it with a spoon. The insalata had too much salt and pepper. We polished off two full bottles of water because of the high salt content in the food. The sorbeto we ordered was citris and was overly tart. It tasted as if they ground the rind of the citrus into the dessert and tried compensated with sugar. It was like biting into the skin of a grapefruit. Very average, and did not live up to the reviews.

Great dinner with family and friends, old and new. Great selection of dishes on the menu my lamb Ragu was delicious. Great setting. I bet in the summer months it is lovely to sit on the outdoor patio with the fairy lights and painting

I was excited and nervous to eat here as we were told by several people the food is great, however after reading the reviews here and elsewhere, which were mixed, I was a little concerned but decided to give it a try anyway. Since both my parents grew up in South Philly, I was used to the narrow streets and poor parking. The restaurant has Valet($16) or you can park around the corner at Broad and McKean at Constitution Health Plaza for $5. We were pressed for time as Passyunk can be tricky and we under shot the cross street and you have to drive blocks to get around all the one way streets, so we chose valet parking. The other couple were there already so we sat down and asked the waiter to serve us the same wine they were drinking. He did not suggest getting a bottle and the wine was expensive at $12 a glass. He was on us as soon as the glasses were empty and asked if we wanted another glass, oddly he was always around when the wine glasses were near empty but managed to never appear as our water glasses were. Seven glasses of wine came out to be quite expensive, probably much cheaper by the bottle to which he never suggested. I looked up the wine when I got home and the Cantina Frentana Rubesto Riserva usually runs about $12.99 a bottle. That is an unbelievable markup and very upsetting. We found our waiter to be impatient and somewhat arrogant. He was not very helpful with the menu when we asked his suggestions. He would not make suggestions just would comment on saying what we chose was good. Now getting to the food, the bread and olive oil was excellent. We ordered the egg and cheese croquettes which are like meatless meatballs and they were very good. We each split a pasta, I had the taccozzelle all' aquilana, handkerchief pasta with sausage, porcini, black truffle which was excellent. Portions are not large so split this is really just enough as an appetizer if other items are ordered. The other couple split the macceroni alla chitarra which was pasta with braised lamb shoulder ragu, also very good. There was a salad appetizer that was a special. We ordered that as well to share and that is where we had a problem. It came on a small plate with nothing but some lettuce and croutons. About 4 tablespoons total (that is all we got to split among 4 people). My husband questioned the waiter by asking" is that it" and the waiter responded yes and shrugged and walked away. When the bill came we were shocked that they had the nerve to charge $14 for that. This is what got me angry enough to look up the wine when I got home. That ridiculous markup really set me off as I mentioned earlier. Three of us ordered the chicken thighs with red onions, potatoes and carrots. Very good but a small portion for the price. The other entrée was a fish filet in parchment paper that was also very good. We did not order dessert and when we paid the bill, we asked if we could sit there for a few minutes to talk and we were told no as they wanted to sit a table of six. We felt rushed and honestly for the price of the meal( over $300 ), especially the wine, we felt taken advantage of and not pampered and actually quite ignored by our waiter. Our impressions are we felt the food was good however way overpriced and the service was rushed and mediocre . The hostess was very nice as well as some of the food runners but for the price all four of us were very underwhelmed and do not feel a need to go back. It is a shame as I really wanted to really love my meal and not feel taken advantage of. I called on the way home and was told by the hostess that the manager or owner will call me as they don't want their patrons unhappy. I never received that call.

I have eaten all over the world, and am very critical as a result. But Le Virtu completely surprised me with the excellent food and service. We shared our primi and secondi courses, which was just enough for us. I highly recommend the octopus primi course. Our secondi was a chicken stew that was a bit greasy. Dessert was worth leaving room for. It was a bombe made of a spice cake coated with dark chocolate. I ate every morsel. I want to compliment the sommelier, who was so patient with me as I tried several reds until I found one I liked. The front of the house was also very helpful when i left my credit card behind. They called to tell me they had it, and at my request, mailed it back. I will certainly return.

Excellent service and an excellent wine recommendation. Food was just ok at best. The porchetta was almost flavorless and dry, which is tough to do considering the fat content of that pork preparation. So many other places in Philadelphia do it so much better.

We made a reservation at the last minute and these folks could not have been nicer nor could they have taken better care of us. We all had something different and we all loved our meals. The waiter helped us select very good Italian reds to go with the meal and of course we all had dessert. Sign me up to come back.

Small tables, limited menu, no tablecloths, disappointing food. I think either the owner has changed or the chef but was not the fine dining experience the last time we visited.

The food in this restaurant is Abbruzese-inspired and mostly delicious. We were seated right away on a Sunday afternoon which is really a great time to visit as the restaurant was empty. The waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. For appetizers, I had the insalata mista which was excellent and my husband had the suppli which were 4 rice balls with smokey, cheesy, creamy, crispy heaven. We shared the pasta special which was home-made in a pork ragu. Let's just say, this dish disappeared quickly and was rich and tasty. My husband had the roasted chicken entree which was chicken done right! Chicken can be humbly delicious or irredemiably awful and I have to say this chicken dish was amazing. They use chickens that are not ginormous atrocities so the breast is as tender and moist as the thigh and cooked with potatoes and carrots, was rich and satisfying. There were a couple of misses though. My trout was bland and boring and so were the mounds of celery and celery mash it was served with and I thought the fried dessert knots were tasteless. I did order the polenta side which was creamy and cheesy and wonderful. If all the dishes had been excellent I would give this 5 stars but the few misses made it a 4 star in my humble opinion. Still a wonderful dinner and we will return.

The overall three stars comes from a combination of things- - Food -- 4 stars. The food was very good. Not the most amazing, but very, very good. The pasta dishes were some of our favorites. The polenta side was too rich for most people at the table. And the desserts are hit or miss (do not get the hazelnut mousse, the panna cotta is quite tasty). - Service -- 2 stars. Our server was all over us at the very beginning of the evening, when we were still waiting for two people in our party. But then when we were all present and ready to order, our server was nowhere to be found. We had allocated a lot of time before one member of our party had to leave for the airport (2 hours and 15 minutes) but she ended up having to finish her main course quickly and then leave before dessert. We were also sort of rushed out of the restaurant, presumably because there was another reservation, but our long dinner wasn't our doing.

Good meal in a just so-so room, but an excellent value. Interesting menu that went way beyond typical Italian offerings. Great wines by the glass. Liked just about everything except the desserts. Not that you have to have Tiramisu, but the rustic offerings were a little disappointing. You'll want to use Uber to get home from here -- not many taxis in evidence in this neighborhood.

This place was great! We enjoyed the wine and food...very nice for a FRESH Italian dinner...the patio was great...inside looked good as well..would go back!

What a nice surprise it was to dine at Le Virtu. Visiting with our NJ based family, Le Virtu was recommended by a friend as having excellent authentic Abruzzo food and it lived up to this billing. Sat in a lovely courtyard and the food was sublime. All the dishes were excellent, with the fish stew and the single stand macaroni being standouts. Pricing was very reasonable for this quality, and the quantities were just right, and not the usual huge U.S. style servings.

Out of five stars, I would give it a ten! One of the best Italian restaurants in Philly. Not the typical Italian-American fare, the menu is based on the Abruzzo region of Italy. It's authentic Italian at its finest. Attention is paid to every detail. All of the pasta is made in-house and the salumi is cured by them as well. Come early and grab one of the signature cocktails at the bar. The wine list is excellent too. The service is top notch, staff is super friendly and very knowledgeable. I've been here at least a dozen times and have been blown away on each visit.

It's been a while since we were here but boy am I glad that we came back. Dinner on an early Sunday evening. Husband had a drink and I had some wine. He started with the lamb salad special which we both agreed was different but very good, then he had the angliolotti in a cream sauce, it was heavenly. I started with the shrimp in a citrus sauce, head on shrimp were perfectly cooked. I then had the spaghetti in a lobster sauce. I almost licked the plate. Husband finished with ice cream but I was too full, the bread is so good I ate most of it. I'm convinced this is the best Italian in Philly.

Went here for business, had the broddo (seafood soup), commonly referred to as fruitti di mare. Mix of mussels, clams, shrimp, monkfish, scallops in a tomato based broth and served with bread. My associate had the rack of lamb which also looked to be prepared very well. Would highly recommend for fine dining/Italian.

Brodetto : Lightly spicy assorted seafood stew, roasted red pepper and tomato broth, had very mild flavors. Desserts also mild tasting - not too sweet. Service was excellent.

if you like food from the Abruzzi region of Italy--and have an adventurous streak-- you will love this place. My favorite in all of Philadelphia. All the pasta is house-made; the bread is fresh: crusty on the outside, perfect on the inside; the ragouts are top-notch and the wine list is good and not overpriced. You can get the "peasant food" that I particularly enjoy: tripo, etc. Delicioso.

We have eaten at this restaurant twice. The inside is a little cramped but the outdoor seating is surprisingly lovely given that the restaurant is on East Passyunk. For us the star of Le Virtu is the pasta. They are made on premises and are tender, flavorful, and always paired with great sauces and ingredients. The salads and appetizers also are fresh and flavorful. We've not tried the entrees because a salad/appetizer and a pasta make for for a great meal. The desserts are well thought out with unusual flavors and combinations of ingredients. My main beef is with the service. Our server this last time was obvious with his impatience with our questions and indecision, even though the restaurant did not appear crowded or understaffed. Other than this grating interaction, we've enjoyed both visits immensely.

Excellent service added to our special dinner welcoming our son from California for a visit to attend our older son's 50th birthday. We all had a good time on exotic food.

Pasta was a little heavy and rich, but all of our meals were well prepared and the service was impeccable. Worth a visit.

Outstanding Italian in a gentrified East Passyunk area. The food was delicious. Home made pasta. Not just your regular spaghetti and meatballs, But rather, something a bit more special. And yes there is outdoor dining too, if it isn't raining. I think I did understand that the menu was from Sicily, but don't hold me to that. In any case, I enjoyed an excellent meal at Le Virtu at 1927-29 East Passyunk, Philadelphia, PA 19148 phone 215.271.5626.

This was a highly anticipated meal with friends we meet every year for dinner between Christmas & New Years. As I am a vegetarian (never a problem in Philadelphia restaurants, particularly Italian), I called to check out options the day before our reservations. I was informed by a lovely woman that there were lots of possibilities, and essentially not to worry. This was in total contrast to the response from the aloof, rude waiter who declared that there was only one vegetarian entree available. Of course I shared with him the information given to me on the telephone. He was dismissive. I asked what the chef could do otherwise, again the server was clearly annoyed, impatient and arrogant. In the end, he stated I should order the only vegetarian item on the menu, pasta with cheese. Truly, I do not go to restaurants to eat pasta...I ordered the pasta, as instructed. In the end, several of the meals served, including my pasta, were room temperature and quite bland. There was nothing, absolutely nothing special about LeVirtue. What an expensive disappointment! We were a party of six and learned that a 20% gratuity is automatically processed on the check. In fact, there was no incentive for the server to do his job beyond the basics...and we had to ask for basic water several times!

This was a find (although lots of others have found it too). It's in South Philly and requires a cab or car (valet parking $8). There's a nice outdoor area that I'm sure is terrific in warmer weather. The real attraction, however, is the food. We had a charred octopus salad with an outstanding lemon vinaigrette dressing and an arugula and pear salad with an unusually good mostocotto dressing. We split a slightly spicy special shrimp pasta, and I had the brodetto (long on the mussels, clams, squid, shrimp, and monk fish with less emphasis on the sauce), also spicy. My wife had a special pan seared John Dory with an unusal combination of potatoes semi-mashed with green olives. I had the Crostata di mele and my wife had the dark chocolate semifreddo (with nuts), both terrific. The espresso was exceptional (not always the case, even at the best restaurants). The one negative was the noise. Despite some acoustical tiles on the ceiling, it was extremely noisy, but we had a very loud, large group next to us that exacerbated the cacophony. That may be another reason to chose an outdoor table in good weather.

I love to eat & especially love chef owners & partners who are personally invested in the daily details of their labor of love and actually show up to work - that's Le Virtu. The food at Le Virtu is wonderful and authentic to this region of the Adriatic. We have dined here since it opened, maybe 50 times, and keep coming back as you would to visit your family. This is La Cucina taken to a "haute" level, and as compared to the other high end Philly places, very reasonably priced. I always feel welcome and they will do what ever it takes to accommodate a request, I like to pour my own wine. When anyone passing through asks for a taste of Philadelphia recommendation I send them to Le Virtu - Absolutely delicious! Check out their website and listen to the music, you'll start to drool and have to dial up an Uber to race down to East Passyunk!

Four of us went here after The Eagles home opener. We're glad we did. The service and food were excellent. They have valet parking, inside and outside seating, a bar and excellent menu choices. We were all pleased and would return.

After the Philly flower shows, I’ve gone there twice . Have to go again. Don’t look for pasta stereotypes in this artisanal restaurant. Abruzzi specialties, from the least tourist-overrun region, lovingly made by skilled chefs and served in a lovely atmosphere, with locally raised produce and meats. Beautiful wines. Outside patio has a gorgeous mural which Is a great backdrop and an addition to the Philly collection. Buonissima!

We were visiting Philadelphia for the flower show and were asking local residents to recommend a great local restaurant. One girl told us that if we were to go to only one restaurant to try Le Virtu. We did and it was fantastic! From the risotto with boar to the hand pulled pasta to the rabbit, I had a great meal. We all tried different things and everything I tasted was great! Our waiter, Andrew, originally from Newfoundland gave us a little Canadian flavour in Philadelphia. Can't wait to visit again and eat there.

I've dined here often and the menu changes so you're not ordering the same thing. The burrata and tomato salad appetizer was the best I've had. The pistachio pesto over pasta was amazing. People in my party ordered trout, duck ravioli and handkerchief pasta with lamb. Everyone was thrilled with their meal. For dessert, marscapone gelato on a bluberry torte. To die for! Service was great. There is valet parking and outside seating in a courtyard. Pricey but well worth it.

We are always exited to go here.. There is always something interesting to try. Creative preperation with quality ingredients. Not your cookie cutter Italian. Staff is always warm and friendly..kat is a charm and the owners are always helpful. Ask for a basket of pepperoncino for the table! I could mention some of our favorite dishes but I would have to include the entire menu..thanks Le Virtu

The service, food, and place were all top notch. But the food was the best. Both our dishes were great as well as hot. The bread(homemade), and appetizer were delicious as well. DEFINITELY WILL BE RETURNING!!

I have to start by wondering about restaurant policy (in general) whereby, you are told no 6:30 or 7:00 reservations and then there are empty tables all around you .. I get it, they are guarding against lingering diners blocking later reservations, but... However, we took our 6:00 reservation ...no wait to be seated. Service was ok ... The assistant waiter was friendlier and more attentive than our primary waiter. The food was interesting and well prepared. We sampled a few of the antipasti including fried rice balls, spreadable salami and the beet salad. Nice selection of wines, including regional wines. Primi platters were not huge (as might be expected) but we had plenty to eat and everyone really enjoyed their meals, including one picky eater who didn't think there was anything on the menu for her. My gnocchi were delicious, flour gnocchi with sausage ragu. The desserts were a delightful cap of the meal. We had 4 different desserts and they were all delicious. Even the coffee was flavorful. Check out the menu at their website..you will see the variety of interesting dishes; but, it is not ordinary Italian fare...thankfully; but, if you are finicky, you will either have to push yourself to be adventurous or find the more basic items like the pasta with shrimp and lemon sauce. We really enjoyed our meals and the ambiance. And the staff was very friendly as we were leaving ... Thanking us and wishing us a goodnight.

My wife and I had been with friends about a year ago and loved it. We returned this past Friday might as a portion of the price of certain special dishes is going to support the victims of the recent earthquake in central Italy. It was a beautiful night, we sat out side and the dinner and wines recommended by our waitress were all excellent.

Le Virtu is one of many restaurants and cafes along Passyunk Avenue in South Philly. It's a super hopping neighborhood and fun before you've even chosen where to eat. We loved Le Virtu. The homemade pasta was incredible, the tomato and burata cheese salad was simply divine and the desserts were excellent. Service was very nice and the atmosphere terrific. There is seating in an area outside. Inside the restaurant is broken up into different sections so it all feels quite intimate. Lovely evening. We'll be back!

The food here is delicious - we had a wonderful salad, amazing pasta and the crispy pork belly. Everything was fantastic on that front. The service, unfortunately, was odd and we decided not to let it bother us. We sat outside - which is very pleasant. The waiter came over and greeted us very friendly and then came back and we said we had some questions about the menu. He told us he would answer them when he returned to tell us the specials. And then he didn't return. About ten minutes later we flagged down a different waiter and he answered our questions. Then, when original waiter returned and asked us what our questions are, we told him that the other waiter had explained the dishes to us. He proceeded to make a face, roll his eyes and then we actually heard him snort! He was angry about this. Huh? Seriously, it was so peculiar that we just decided that this wasn't worth our thinking about because it wasn't in the realm of normal. So, besides the service - the place has delicious food, a nice atmosphere and friendly hosts.

Went for dinner with friends (6 of us) on Cinco de Mayo. Very impressive, the atmosphere is very relaxing and comfortable. The barista and our cameriere were excellent. Everything was explained to us "met-a-gons" and the food was fantastico. We ate inside because it was raining otherwise we would have been on the patio. It looks like an authentic old school patio. Lovely. Dinner was expensive but it was more authentic and delicious and bottom line, worth it.

Pleasant staff. I had a yummy ricotta crepe and big arugula with citrus salad. The guys had a pasta with boar meat that they enjoyed. Our 4th had a pasta with swordfish whcih she enjoyed. The starter was an octopus dish hat was very tasty and not rubbery

Wow - ambience, food and service. We appreciated the service of our waiter/server, Andrew. We all had the Sunday/Monday prix fixe. Le Virtu has an outside seating area too. We loved the interior besides the great food and service.

We had read some iffy reviews about the service at Le Virtu and were keeping our fingers crossed that we got lucky for our dinner last night. We were intrigued by this restaurant because we spent time in the Abruzzo area of Italy last summer and enjoyed it immensely. We also love the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine from the region. We were celebrating our anniversary and booked a table for Tuesday evening at 6:00pm. When we arrived, the hostess welcomed us, immediately checked us in, and led us to our table which was in the back of the restaurant, close to the open kitchen. We were very happy with this location as there was a nice view of the outside courtyard. The temperature of the restaurant was perfect. We were surprised that the restaurant was hopping with lots of diners and some large parties. Our waiter was very attentive as were the other members of his team, a bus server and the food dispatcher. They were all very professional, friendly and made our dining experience very enjoyable. The food ... definitely speaks for itself. Fresh bread was served with delicious Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I had the grilled prawns which were perfectly and deliciously prepared. I follow with the Pecorina Agnolotti, aged sheep-milk cheese stuffed pasta with saffron butter and parsley, a dish that I had never had before. It was light, fresh, and also rich and flavorful. I was not able to finish the entire portion and so took a little home which was beautiful as a pasta salad the next day. My husband started with the Prosciutto with melon, mint, basil and balsambo. The melon was watermelon and this was a lovely combination. He followed with the Taccozzelle which was sausage, mushrooms, black truffle and saffron, an outstanding dish with wide ribbon pasta. We did not have room for dessert and so shared some gelato (there is always room for gelato). We had fabulous drinks throughout and of note is that Le Virtu has a full bar. I had the limoncello and found out that it is homemade and 100 proof! I am looking forward to returning to La Virtu soon. They also have a Sunday and a Monday night dinner for $35 which I will definitely try to get to.

The food is good Italian, but I would not say it is amazing. I was surprised it was not as fantastic as the reviews led me to believe it would be. Our server seemed more interested in chatting with the hostess than seeing that our food was good, glasses filled, etc.

Very good Italian. Original treatment of both quail and pork belly. Excellent wine list and staff. Outdoor seating.

We had heard so much about Le Virtu -- both before going and while actually there, as the owner/chef and waiter spent no small amount of time telling us how great everything was on the menu. (One hint: if the owner had spent more time in the kitchen than promoting himself and his restaurant in the dining room -- e.g., "The pasta special is named after me" -- then maybe the food would have lived up to his hype.) Now, in all fairness, the waiter was efficient and friendly. And the appetizers were outstanding. Four of us each had different appetizers and the judgment was 10/10 on all of them. We thought we were set for one of our most amazing meals of the decade. Then came the main courses. Three of us ordered pasta dishes. One ordered rabbit. The texture of the pasta was perfect. The preparations, though, were so heavily laden with salt as to make the superior ingredients invisible: my dish was made with house-made Abruzzese-style sausage, porcini, black truffle, Navelli saffron. All I could taste was salt. Another in our group had -- and said -- the same thing. One had homemade pasta with a lamb ragu -- and a shaker of salt. The man who had rabbit shared it with all of us. It was a great portion, but it was so overcooked that none of us really ate much of it. Again, had the chef stayed in the kitchen, this might have been avoided. Desserts were good, especially Le Virtu's fine selection of cheeses. All in all, though, I would not go back. Philly has too many fantastic restaurants.

I arrived in Philadelphia at 5 PM and had to find a restaurant for a late dinner with my nephew that evening. I chose Le Virtu because a) it was close to my hotel and b) the restaurant seated diners until 10. Otherwise, I had little advance information. Let me explain also that I have extensive experience with the finest restaurants in Italy and Italian restaurants elsewhere. In summary, I was blown away by Le Virtu! My first course was a cream of Cantaloupe soup that was delicious and amazingly creative. The second was a grilled octopus salad that was equal to the best that I have had anywhere. The third course was braised rabbit won a short pasta with black pepper. By coincidence, I had the same dish at the highly regarded River Cafe in London, England one week before. Le Vertu's rendition was vastly superior. The wine list was another surprise. It showed an amazingly extensive collection of wines from small middle Italian wineries - many of which had age - at very reasonable prices. Service could not have been better. Our waitress knew exactly how every dish had been prepared and knew which wines on the list were no longer available in the vintage listed. As for ambiance, we were seated on an outside patio - exactly where you would like to be on a July evening in Philadelphia. In summary, this is an excellent Italian restaurant that compares well to the best in other cities in the United States. The price of the meal with wine was considerably less than I would expect to pay in San Francisco or New York.

I have been to this restaurant on several occasions and must say that while the food is good, the service is TERRIBLE (yes, ALL CAPS as it's that bad). They have a server (Andrew) who is not focused, forgets drinks; mixes up orders, and is not attendant to the customer. Unless and until the restaurant can fix that, take a pass on this place.

We were very excited to try this restaurant and were not disappointed. The staff was friendly and helpful, the food and wine was delicious.

Le Virtu A good meal, good wine and good atmosphere… This is what I wanted when I wanted to go out Sunday night. We chose Le Virtu in South Philadelphia and it did not disappoint. The menu was rustic, earthy and very interesting. That’s what I wanted trying a new place. We started out with: Affettati Misti and Insalata di polipo Very tasty all the way around, a great variety on the aged salami’s….and the best part while eating our starters was the waiter allowed us to take our time. We were not rushed or pushed onto our next course. My main course: Gnocchi al pastor scannese Can you say filling and delish!!! Take your time and enjoy each and every bite. They took the time to make it for you, so take your time and enjoy it. We chose two nice bottles of red wine, with assistance from the waiter. Both of these fit in nicely with our meals. Overall: I would go back again, actually we are looking forward to it and hopefully when the nice weather comes, we can choose to sit outside. To bring up one negative, was when we initially sat down, it did take the waiter an extra amount of time to offer us any beverages other then water. If you want to take your time, enjoy a nice meal and not rush…Le Virtu is the place for you. If not, the local pizza parlor is right around the corner. Enjoy!!!

I had to laugh when I saw the overall rating of four stars for this restaurant - it is surely one of the best restaurants on the North American continent, and it represents the cuisine of the Abruzzo region of Italy masterfully. Perhaps that cuisine - stark but subtle, rustic but refined, a form of art that is nevertheless humble in presentation - is not for all palates, but I find it the most soul-satisfying on earth, and I'm critical of chefs who cut corners or make substitutions that deviate from the old ways. The food and wine at Le Virtù provide near-religious experiences for people who love this cuisine, and the well-informed staff are perfect guides through the menu for those who are new to it. My meals here I count among the best I've had anywhere on earth, and indeed among my best experiences on earth. Through his preparation and presentation, the chef communicates not just a love and respect for the cuisine and its ingredients but for the culture as well - and he communicates his personal passion for the culinary arts. Too many restaurants emphasize the bottom line these days. It is clear that Le Virtù has maintained its focus on the integrity of the dining experience and most especially on supporting the chef and kitchen in their quest to perfect their artistic expression. Reading "La Cucina della Maiella" after a recent meal at Le Virtù, I was struck again by how fortunate we are in the United States to have this restaurant in North America - the authenticity in the preparation of the food is so great that to dine there is almost like travel through space and time. If I lived in Philadelphia, I would dine there weekly.

It was really hot while we were in Philly (98 and higher). We were hoping to eat in a super cooled space after spending the day outside sight-seeing (even brought a shawl incase it was too cool!) However, upon entering the restaurant it was apparent that their AC was not able to keep up with the double pressure of the kitchen and the outdoor temperature. There was a slight breeze outside so we opted to sit there. They should've had fans out there - that seems like a no-brainer to me - why no portable or ceiling fans Le Virtu? OK - the food... all good. I had the lamb porterhouse, perfectly cooked and the accompanying salad was crisp and refreshing with a dressing with a slight citrus bent. My table mates both chose pasta for their entree and were happy with them - I didn't taste them. This restaurant offers corkage for $15. And there was valet parking (we took Uber). Because we were so hot our appetites were quelled and we just couldn't eat as much as we wanted (LOL). Our server was good. Friendly, informative, and very patient with one of my table mates who always has more questions than the average person. He was present as needed but not obsequious. The other support staff kept our table clean and our water glasses full of ice water. This is a nice restaurant and most people will find something on the menu to enjoy.

Good people, great food, presented in a S-Philly restaurant with lots of energy! Interesting menu with the classics and some unusual dishes.

Excellent evening of FRESH Italian food in South Philly. The salami is cured in the basement, the pasta buttery soft and dessert is not to be missed. Great casual atmosphere for the whole family.

This is a very inviting place for dinner...comfortable, friendly and casual. And the food is first rate. Some of our group had an appetizer portion of pasta to start, while I had a delicious radicchio and apple salad. The entrees were excellent. No one rushed us and we had a very good time.

We dined at Me Virtu last week, and while I hesitate doing this again, I already rated Me Birth on Yelp, here goes and I'll try to be brief. By the way, the reason I hesitate is because the owner and chef at Le Virtu obviously didn't like my 2 star review and continued to respond in a pointed and angry manner about my opinion. I'm not necessarily adverse to confrontation, but enough became enough to the point where the one guy, the chef I think, told me to be a man and own up to my criticisms. Bottom line on meal, it was mediocre. We were especially disappointed with the salumi plate which didn't have olives or cheese, I misstated this in the other review attempting to bemoan this fac, but I omitted that I wish it had included olives and cheese. It didn't, meats and a few vegetables and bread for 28 bucks and really just OK with no description from our disinterested server. Entrees were adequate even if I don't, according to the owner, understand all dente, which I do. In summation, we experienced OK food, poor wait service, but great in over the top,paranoid attention after the fact from the owner and chef. That's my assessment and I'm certainly entitled to that regardless of what the Me Virtuans think!

A group of 4 friends (2 couples) on a Saturday night. Reading the website and many reviews we had high expectations. Maybe the problem is we have had so many great dinners in the past few weeks, but our consensus is this was below our expectations. Service was very good, great for Italian restaurant standards. The food was uneven. The pinched gnocchi were dense and tough. The duck breast, highly recommended and ordered MR, which to me means pink center, was rare and bloody with no attempt to crisp the skin. Ordered by 2, neither diner could get through it. Unlikely that we will rush back .

Le Virtu has been a special place for dinner for my husband and I on multiple occasions. We were excited to share it with family. I love the small cozy atmosphere of the restaurant and bar area. The food has always been stellar. Our party of 5 sat inside near the kitchen on a busy Saturday night. I'll start with the good news: the food was fabulous. The stracciatella cheese and heirloom tomato salad was amazing, all the handmade pastas were delicious and my husband's seafood stew was outstanding. Our waiter was terse and seemed rushed throughout dinner. It felt like a fly-by most of the time; he actually turned and walked away while I was trying to ask a question. The two sides we ordered for the table never came until I asked where they were; they were delivered when we were done with dinner. That said, our waiter did remove the two sides from the bill since they were so late. I told the manager as we were leaving that while the food was great, the service was rushed and inattentive which detracted from our overall experience. While he did ask where we were seated, his response was basically "sometimes these things happen, we're very busy". Apparently management does not care enough about its customers to address the issue. So, as much as I love this place and the food, the service is a definite disappointment. It's off my list and that makes me sad.

I have been to Le Virtu countless times since they opened years ago and have almost never been disappointed with the food. The pasta is honestly the BEST in the city, except for Vetri, but how often can one go there?? This is an authentic Italian restaurant serving cuisine from the Abruzzo region. I've had all but one of their pasta offerings and they are all to die for! The lamb shank is also excellent as are their chicken (I know....) entrees. I do have to say, though, I have never loved any of the seafood I've gotten - the seafood stew and sea bass (not currently on the menu). Service is another story. In my experience it's hit or miss here, but mostly miss. However, we don't come for the service - we come for the food and we LOVE the food, so we keep coming back.

Nice romantic setting. The service was very good. The food was real Italian and very tasty. Teras outside is very inviting. A recommendation.

Had a dinner reservation for 5:45 on Friday evening. Called the restaurant and told the hostess that we were in heavy traffic on the expressway. She asked how long would it take for us to arrive at the restaurant. I stated at least another 30 minutes. Hostess advised me our table was due to turn over at 7:45, so we could not be any later than 30 minutes. Unfortunately, we arrived at 6:25 and while my friends were dealing with the valet, I ran into the restaurant and was greeted with a condescending hostess, that advused me that we were 45 minutes late and unless we could eat within an hour, she could not seat us. She said we could eat at the bar. Since, our party included senior citizens and one with walking difficulties, I told her we could not sit at the bar. When my friends settled up with the valet, they entered and I told them, we could not be seated, which was confirmed by the hostess. We had to leave!!!! At the time, only two tables were occupied and the remaining empty. We retrieved our car from the valet and went to another much longer established, thriving restaurant, who was more than happy to accommodate us, and with just a short notice. Also, they did not try to push us out within an hour and fifteen minutes. My friend, who had dinner in LeVertu a few times, said the food was very good. But with regrets, the remaining three of us will never know because of the lack of flexibility and greed regarding the turn over of tables within a two hour period. This restaurant has poor customer service and no appreciation for their guests, with their eat and get out policy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shame on YOU!!!

We ate at Le Virtu with friends last night, and were introduced to the cuisine of the Abruzzo region of (central) Italy. It was wonderful. We shared three appetizers and then each got our own entree. Everyone enjoyed their meal and the starters were all excellent. This regional cuisine features foods of the sea and the mountains--wonderful artisanal cheeses, freshly made pasta, seafood etc. The only knock is that the desserts were a little underwhelming. I think next time we'll enjoy our dinner and then go elsewhere for dessert. They weren't bad, but did not hold up against the savory menu.

There are Italian American Restaurants and then there are Italian Restaurants, this is an Italian Restaurant. You won’t find spaghetti and meat balls or chicken Parmesan here. Instead, what you find is a style of cooking I have only experienced in Italy. Braised pork, homemade pasta with truffles, pork belly, rabbit, and other delicacies only a true devote to Italian cooking would bring to the masses. While the atmosphere is nothing too special, it is all about the food here. We ordered several different appetizers including the buratta, which was served home-style in a crock made to be put on bread and eaten like bruschetta. We also ordered the pork belly meal as an appetizer that we then shared with everyone and it was fantastic! The Miller’s wife’s pasta is the same that Nonna made in her kitchen at home and the rabbit done porchetta style was also right out of a kitchen in Abruzzi. A tip: When ordering a dish that state it has hot peppers, believe me, it is hot. So unless you love heat, ask them to turn it down a notch or two. You can always get pepperoncini on the side to crank it back up again. In the end, I will be back as it was one of the best meals I have ever had at a restaurant. Truly delicious and the home-made taste comes through. Real Italian food!

We celebrated my daughter's birthday here on Sunday and had a wonderful time. Staff was very accommodating and attentive, food was fantastic - as good as what we have eaten in Abruzzi, Italy. We'll be back! The 3-course Sunday dinner is a great deal!

As we did not have a reservation, we ate at the bar, which was fine. Same menu as the restaurant. We shared pasta Nero e bianco (white and black pasta with seafood) and lamb porterhouse. The kitchen split both dishes for us. Nice presentations. (See photos). We will return.

Celebrated our daughter's birthday with a delicious dinner al fresco! Homemade pasta and not the same old desserts. Authentic Abbruzzese cooking.

You will not be disappointed at La Virtu`. Fresh pasta, fresh salads, excellent desserts. The service is most commendable. The environment is most congenial. It is centrally located for those of us who live in center city Philadelphia. You will definitely want to return to try other dishes.

What first attracted me to visit Le Virtu the first time was that they serve dishes from the Abruzzo region of Italy, which is where my father was born. We've been to this restaurant 5 or 6 times now, and every time has been wonderful. Delicious food and great service. We'll be back!

Le Virtu is another of those smaller, but specialized, restaurants that Passyunk is now famous for - and is consistently rated in the top 5% of dining establishments in Philly. We decided to visit, over the holiday weekend, and see whether the buzz about "Authentic Abbruzzese Italian Food" was true. The outcome "well, kind of". Le Virtu is situated at the bottom (southern) end of East Passyunk Ave, about 500 feet off Broad Street. As a one-way street you need to enter from the South and you'll find a valet stand right outside the restaurant. $12 for patrons so not a bad deal plus bright cheery valet service which is better than driving around the neighborhood looking for metered parking. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating and has a nice bar as you walk in with a pretty good selection of craft beers and cocktails. As a group of sic we decided to share appetizers and primi before each ordering a main dish. After considerable help and assistance from Kateri - our very knowledgeable server -we selected appetizers: 1. N'Duja (a super spicy Salume that I'd highly recommend - but it is HOT), 2. Sheep's Milk Ricotta (also very tasty) 3. Burrata ( nicely complemented with tomatoes, oregano and basil) Primi - Pasta we selected: 1. Taccozelle - with sausage and porcini 2. Macheroni - braised lamb shoulder ragu I'd highly recommend all five of those dishes. Wonderful! Then things went downhill. We tried the rabbit (fatty and salty) , lamb top round (pretty good) , trout (not much flavor) and the evening special (overpowered with a weird polenta). Dessert was the hazelnut mousse cake, which has taken some abuse in other reviews, but I'd have to say was one of the worst things I've tasted in months. So we started off well, fantastic appetizers and pasta with great service and then had a collection of mostly poor main meals and dessert. All-in, with very liberal drinks and 20% service, the bill was $180 per couple. I wouldn't rush to go back, and if I did - stick to the top half of the menu and ask for Kateri as your server.

South Philly has really grown up, and Le Virtu is one example of why. This charming South Philadelphia restaurant serves food with influences of the Abruzzo region of Italy. The food is tasty, with wonderful flavors, and the wait staff knowledgable. The one complaint is that vegetarian options were sparse, but what they did offer was done well. We started with the Insalata di rucola, an arugula salad with pears and pecorino, and the Palott cac' e ove, an interesting dish consisting of braised egg and cheese croquettes in tomato sauce. The latter was surprisingly light and very flavorful. As an entree I had the Ttaccozzelle all'aquilana, a tender handmade pasta dish with with porcini, black truffle, and Navelli saffron. Non-vegetarians can have this with sausage, but the vegetarian version was delicious. My friend loved his Agnello brasato, a braised lamb shoulder with cipollini onions, parsnips, lardo-roasted Brussels sprouts. The desserts were also excellent, with raves for the olive-oil blueberry cake. I highly recommend this restaurant. Be sure to make reservations -- it is bustling, even on a Sunday evening.

Authentic Italian cuisine from Abbruzzo . Typical dishes of the area of Vasto and towns near by . Cooked perfectly , great service and nice ambiance for fine dining.