Last night we went to Fraschetta to celebrate my wife's birthday. We are always up to trying something new and with it being a BYOB, it was right up our alley. The menu is set up in three categories, Antipasti/Primi/Secondi Knowing that we did not want to roll out of there we chose to split an Anitipasti We ordered the GNOCCHI ALLA ROMANA SEMOLINA DUMPLIN It was delicious, to say the least. It was light with plenty of flavor adding with it being served on a MUSHROOM TRIFOLI GOAT CHEESE SAUCE. I ordered from the Primi section in which I chose the: CACIO E PEPE PECORINO ROMANA CRACKED BLACK PEPPER OLIVE OIL. Let's just say, if you like pasta and you like cheese, you cannot go wrong in ordering this. As my brother-in-law stated to me, "this is how al dente is supposed to taste." My main course was the special of the night, which was PAN SEARED SALMON OVER PUREED CAULIFLOWER. It was very tasty and really enjoyed the lightness of the pureed cauliflower. Overall good portions on all the dishes. We did end up getting desert, remember this was a birthday dinner. I chose the assorted GELATO. I know, lame but really by this time I was stuffed but wanted to try the Gelato. The waiter was very kind knowing I was watching my calories and chose to give me FOUR different flavors, CHOCOLATE/VANILLA/SEA SALT CARAMEL/HAZLENUT. It was great experience and will most likely go back in the future. The bill between the 6 of us, came out to be $80 couple not including the 20% after tax tip. Good times!!!
(4)
Lydia B.
This is a yummy BYOB in the heart of Bryn Mawr basically next to the brynmawr movie theater (bmfi). We had a perfectly paced, delicious meal. The portions were not overwhelming like a "typical Italian" restaurant and everyone loved their dishes. I loved the Burrata appetizer with prosciutto and arugula. This was above average and fresh and delicious... I remember thinking I was so happy I wasn't sharing it with anyone. I had the gnocchi and mushroom appetizer for my dinner. It was a great size for appetizer but not quite big enough for a hearty meal. I could have licked my plate because it was so tasty. The gnocchi was not exactly formed in a gnocchi shape, so I'm not exactly sure why it is even called it gnocchi but I guess they have to call it something (calling it blobs of yummy white stuff probably would not suffice). I feel like really good servers who are friendly and attentive could take a meal to the next level which is what happened last night. The waiters were so great that it made me want to come back to the restaurant next week. My husband and I are always up for a fun Byob. I think that fact that we had our large group upstairs helped with the cool feel and kept he notice level to a minimum. Bottom line= I loved it!
(4)
Frank G.
Great pasta. Excellent service. Beautiful ambiance. Finally, a restaurant in Bryn Mawr that meets my center city expectations. We can't wait to come back.
(5)
Gerald F.
As good as melograno. Crepes delish. Lasagna bechamel was amazing. Vongol pasta clamasious. Great place. I really loved this way to get to all my senses.
(5)
Amber M.
I came here with a group, and we were seating in the upstairs dining room, which was very lovely and quiet compared to the downstairs. The gnocchi was to die for, as was the pork loin and chocolate cake. A little overpriced for what you get -- I know it's finer dining than I'm used to, but $12 for 4 little gnocchi pieces is steep. I didn't like the rosemary creme brulee either, but that might be a personal taste. Our waiter (his name escapes me) was well-versed in the menu and very reliable. He and the cook were exceptionally accommodating to our guests with special dietary needs (one kosher, one allergic to nuts).
(4)
Michael A.
Very solid Italian. The gnocchi is excellent, I wouldn't miss this dish. Pork is good, heathy portion and very flavorful. Large profiteroles makes for a great dessert.
The room is quaint, but small and oh so loud! We were tucked into a corner and even there, it was a challenge to maintain conversation. Our server was pleasant, but disappeared for long stretches. The pacing was quite slow, as well. Our salads were good, but would have benefitted from a a bit more dressing. My friends had steak and lasagna and ate every bit of it. My carbonara was so salty, it was hard to get down. The pancetta must have permeated the sauce to a severe degree, because it tasted like it was cooked in ocean water. I would have sent it back, but didn't want to embarrass my dining partner who chose the place. We shared dessert and each had coffee..it was an avg. of $50/person. Not worth it for my meal.
(3)
Sam A.
Love Fraschetta - the main line needs more places like this. Maybe this is a 4.25 star review, but for the area it's 6. Fresh and authentic combined with owners that care about their guests and are from the area. Pasta here is second to none especially the bucatini. Just like their other spot in town (Melograno), this is a great pick.
(5)
Mary B.
Yum!! Backwards. The tiramesu was the lightest, fluffiest I've ever eaten. I had the meat balls and gnocchi - aka Polpette Al Sugo. Melt in my mouth. They make gnocchi from air they're so light. Started with the Porchetta which is sliced, very thin, roast suckling pig w some pine nuts, arugula and balsamic. Again. Melt in my mouth. I don't know if I actually chewed tonight! I tasted my companion's salad special of their Caesar salad - different than I thought and very tasty. My other table mate had the sausage and white beans w a slight kick. I mean who thinks these combinations up? Angels that's who. I'll return and try everything. I'll just tuck a bottle of red under my arm and off to gastric heaven I'll go. Simply lovely!
(5)
Eddie P.
I think "dislike it" might be too harsh- another star conveys that "it's okay" and that's not accurate either. Would I go back? Not by choice, but would agree to go with a friend. Here's why: As other's have written the service is poor. Slow and dismissive. My wife asked a couple questions about food preparations and the waiter couldn't have looked more impatient. An odd sight was the hostess sitting at a table to have her full dinner- including a stemware filled with red wine left behind earlier in the night. Of the 6 dishes we tried, only 1 I thought was okay: meatballs & gnocchi only because the red sauce was tasty. The meatballs were slightly dry. The dishes that failed - Sweetbreads: overly dense texture and didn't look fried to order. Also had slightly cooled by the time it got to the table - Mushroom & Parsley: tasteless - Sea Bass: Fresh, yet tasteless - Fried Artichoke: didn't seem fresh - Stewed Octopus & Capers: way too salty and slightly fishy I would tolerate the food if the service was good. Heck, I could tolerate the service if the food were good. As it stands, both are sub-par so I feel no motivation to return. ps- I didn't find it overly loud, but we came at the end of the night so the room wasn't quite full.
(2)
Foodimus M.
Finally, Italian food nearby that's not only edible, it's delectable. I feel compelled to write a same-day review after eating there tonight because I was perusing the other reviews after-the-fact (and I mean, ALL the reviews, not recommended especially) and felt compelled to respond. We went in just after 5 without a reservation on a Monday night and were seated immediately (+1) by an appropriately friendly hostess. I noticed there was bench seating with that sort of communal vibe along one wall, which I hate (-1), but we were placed at a solo table next to another wall so that worked out. I really like the decor - some review commented snarkily that it looked homemade but to me it seemed thoroughly premeditated if not professionally interior(ly?)-designed. Our waitress was prompt with the menus, the hostess brought us our own pitcher of water (+1) and refilled the pitcher once during the meal. I noticed the other waiter explaining the menu to his table which our waitress did not do but I don't particularly need help reading or deciding so that's not really a criticism, just an observation. A busboy came out and offered us oil along with a bread basket of mixed sourdough slices and warm foccacia (+1). Our food came out reasonably quickly after ordering and at appropriate intervals (+1)...almost as soon as the first set of plates were removed our meals arrived. The starters were both delicious, as were the mains (+1). I was limited in my selections because I don't have a very adventurous palate as far as things like sweet breads or liver go, but I will definitely be back to try more things and bring my family to celebrate the arrival of a new culinary offering in the area. As we were leaving it was filling up, and I can definitely believe it would be annoyingly noisy anytime beyond 6:30, especially with all the deaf geriatrics BYO being drunk. But who's fault is that? It's not glamorous, but my dining-out life is very calm and quiet because I regularly behave like a geriatric myself - eating right around 5pm seems to be the happiest hour. ... I don't know where the people eating at this trendy but basically hole in the wall Bryn Mawr spot have been eating their Italian food all along, but the places I can think of in the immediate vicinity leave MUCH to be desired. There was that time I got stretchy cold calamari at that one place, and then there's that other place that shrunk their menu and wait staff and inflated their prices over the last few years. If you have complaints about service, noise, or prices, you'd better not go to the other few selections either. All that being said, can you really expect a small start up in Bryn Mawr to have a flawless opening and perform at 100% from the word go? Any new place, I don't care who's in charge, has or should have kinks that need working out. I've never been to a restaurant opening night or waited on a red carpet to get in somewhere but I would be more reserved in my judgment than some here if I did. Do yourself a favor, disregard the negative reviews and go see for yourself. It's not downtown, it's not Manhattan, and it's certainly not Italy, but it is really good food worth the price tag and the trip, especially if you're already local.
(4)
Kirsten F.
My husband and I have been twice, and we have not had dish we didn't love. The staff is friendly and have added to our experience. The octopus stew is out of this world good. If they do meatballs on special, get them! So tender and savory. The clam linguine is an essential with every order. For entrees, our favorites are the chicken and steak. And don't leave without getting the tiramisu for dessert.
I was dying to go, but wary, based on the wildly conflicting reviews. Now I understand. Fraschetta is a frustrating conundrum, like a felt tip mustache on an otherwise beautiful portrait. So close to a 4, but I can't do it. The kitchen was the artist, the food the painting. A pointillist delight of solid Italian flavors and precise techniques. By comparison, the front of the house was a big, hairy handlebar manscape in magic marker that just didn't belong. Ms Hostess, please smile, greet, and introduce yourself to people who are coming to drop some coin. Costs nothing, but is priceless. Mr Server, you were very nice and friendly, but a more sophisticated tableside approach could elevate the dining experience, like a great frame or matting. The rooms were loud, crowded. I could not decide if the open views to service areas, the creepy stairs to the second floor, and the DIY decor overall were chic or not. Apps - We shared sweet breads, porchetta, zucchini blossoms, and salamis. Each demonstrated a deft touch, refined touches, commitment to fresh. Portions were small. Mains - A great gnocchi special with almond pesto, sea bass, carbonara, sugo and meatballs were highlights. A halfhearted mixed grill and a $32 "dry-aged" rib eye were not. Not sure what chef was aiming for with well done lamb kebabs or sausage patty. If the steak was aged, any funk was lost in an oddly sweet glace. Dessert - A good crème brulee, excellent panacotta with blueberries and anise, a crumbly ricotta cake and unremarkable bitter chocolate torte with chopped strawberry. More yum than ho-hum, but I'll opt for an extra app or some cheese next time. We'll go back on a slower night. Definitely a good place for a big table so you can taste lots of stuff. And yes, they do take MC and VISA ....
(3)
Adam C.
As a recent transplant from Manhattan and a former resident of Italy, Fraschetta is a breath of fresh air from what I've found as the usual Italian restaurants on the Main Line: massive, deathly quiet, geriatric , replete with over-garlicked Italian-American red sauce fare and soggy, overcooked pasta. Fraschetta is a truly authentic Roman trattoria, and by far the best authentic italian food on the Main Line and among the best in the Philadelphia area. By authentic, that includes intimate (critics would say small and overly informal) and lively (critics would say 'loud') . It's not a place for a business dinner or a quiet chat, it's for a lively, fun meal with family (including children) and friends. if you don't like that, please don't go and ruin the ambience for the rest of us. The owners Luca and Rose make you feel like you are eating with family (though I would note the restaurant does lose something when Rose is not there to greet people). As for the food: The single most important thing I can say is that the pasta is cooked perfectly al dente, something impossible to find elsewhere in this city. The menu more broadly is faily tipica Romana, with some innovations. There are notable standouts on the menu: the fiori di zucca (cheese-stuffed, flash fried zucchini flowers), the gnocchi appetizer over mushrooms, the house salad misticanza which is perfectly crisp and dressed with a citrusy and salty dressing, the bucatini amatriciana is wonderful, as are the braised whole artichokes. The brodetto of abbachio (baby lamb stew) is deceptive, with a subtle marrying of earthy and beautifully braised lamb with sweet, velvety tomatoes. So, I dismiss the naysayers as those who either want a quiet spot, or who miss the perfect subtlety and authenticity of the food. Either way, all it means is a slightly easier chance to get a reservation in what is already a routinely packed guestbook.
(5)
BostonBestEats X.
[Sounds like we were there on the same Saturday night 10/20/13 as the irate 1-star review from John K below, but had a very different experience...] Based on LaBan's very positive 3-bell review, four of us went for dinner at Fraschetta on Saturday for the first time. philly.com/philly/column… I thought all the food was uniformly good to very good, and the service was friendly and attentive (an ex-Melograno server, who admittedly recognized one of us as a regular downtown). However, there was a bit of a wait for our secondi as the restaurant filled up and the kitchen probably got backlogged. Portion sizes seemed perfect to me, and definitely not what I would call skimpy (in fact we took leftovers home). We had 3 shared apps, 4 primi, 4 secondi, two shared desserts, and a couple of coffees, which came to $61/person, not counting tip, which seemed reasonable. I can see why the reviews here are variable, which did cause me some initial concern, since they serve pasta made in-house from scratch, extremely al dente, and generally lightly sauced. This may not appeal to some who prefer their pasta more well-done and drowned in sauce. I'm not saying you are wrong if that's what you like, but to each his own... [Actually, it may in fact be a little too al dente for me.] I will definitely go back, although Fraschetta is not quite in the same league as some of our downtown favorites, like Modo Mio for example (I can't compare it to Melograno, since I've never been). But still very good for the 'burbs. Interestingly, Philly Mag's Victor Fiorillo wrote in a short blurb that, although he generally liked the food, it was so noisy he will never return. We had an early 5:45PM reservation, but even later when it was completely full we didn't find the noise level too excessive and were able to carry on our conversation without having to yell (certainly very energetic, but not out of line with many of our small BYOBs). Again, this may be something some customers are not used to, or won't tolerate, but it's pretty much SOP at a lot of small BYOBs downtown. phillymag.com/foobooz/20… Unfortunately, for BYOBing, their stems are not very good, but fortunately we brought our own. Also, it's annoying that they don't seem to have a website (and so I won't be able to accurately describe the dishes we enjoyed), and it took me a while to figure out that they use Rezbook, not OpenTable, for reservations. For some reason the moderators won't let me add the reservation link to the business profile, so here it is: rez.opentable.com/reserv… A nice looking space, with a decent amount of room between the tables, so we never felt too cramped and could fit all our glasses and bottles on the table. On-street parking was easy, but we had an early res so YMMV. Also, THEY DO ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS (this must have changed since most of the reviews below were written).
(4)
Joe G.
My wife and I ate here for our second time last night and enjoyed the experience as much if not more than the first. We stayed away for a long time from this BYOB because of some early bad reviews (and specifically excessive noise level which is something of a pet peeve for us) but the place has clearly addressed any early hiccups and has become an absolute charmer. Noise level wasn't an issue, even with a packed house. Service was terrific-- attentive, fun, friendly, unfussy (no tableside lectures on the provenance of every ingredient from self-satisfied hipsters). The hostess/co-owner greeted us as if we were old friends though there's no way she could have remembered us. And the food really reminded us of trattoria meals eaten in the back streets of Rome. (We've lived in Italy.) The stewed octopus (antipasto) and oxtail ragu (primi) were particular standouts and worth returning for in cold weather. We plan to become regulars.
(5)
Glenn M.
I brought my entire family to Fraschetta for my graduation from law school and everyone loved it. The food was delicious, the server was extremely knowledgeable and attentive, and the atmosphere was perfect. I just found my new favorite restaurant on the main line!
(5)
Richard B.
Yea .... It's loud , as one should expect on a Sat night but so are so many better restaurants. Its better for 2 or 4 persons. The wait staff is reasonably attentive. Prices are fair . The food is consistently flavorful, and portions are adequate and shareable. It's a nice dinner choice addition to the area.
(4)
Philip M.
Great decor - -minimalist urban chick on the mainline! Great handcrafted food. Tastes like they make everything from scratch. Was expecting a lot less given all the puzzling negative reviews that seem to be sorted on the top????
(5)
B E.
Great, great pasta and just plain great Italian food (reason for the 5 stars). That said, now for the "whole truth." BUT the noise level---Friday and Saturday eves, especially---on the 1st floor is so-o bad that I could not hear my husband, who was across the table from me. They need to rearrange the tables and have MORE space between them (even if you lose some money). The upstairs, am told, has more space, but it is reached via a steep set of steps (no elevator). BUT after reading the reviews on this page, the upstairs layout seems awful and bad too. We now go for lunch (limited menu that should include an antipasta or more dishes, but still very good). We want to eat here, but only at lunch (not on crowded nights). Service is good but rushed on those "awful" crowded eves. Too bad the space/design/layout, etc. of this spot does NOT match the fine food---this restaurant needs to move to another spot.
(5)
Ed G.
Just had dinner at Fraschetta and I'm not certain I would go back or recommend it. The food was good, portions were small. The staff was very nice however the dinner was not relaxing. They want to turn the tables quickly so your rushed..plan on eating fast and save conversations for another time. Very disappointed !
(3)
Megan T.
I will start out by saying I love the owners' other restaurant, Melograno. really LOVE It. I think this is why I was so disappointed with Fraschetta. I approached it with high expectations. That being said, there were high-lights to our evening. The first waitress we had while we were waiting for out seat was wonderful. She brought over wine glasses and menus to look at along with something to snack on. Once we moved, we had a different waitress that set the tone. I requested that the lamb pancetta in the carbonara be replaced with a pork pancetta. A simple request, considering they serve pancetta in other dishes. Apparently not. I was told, "Luca does not allow for substitutions", she followed with sharing that she would get in trouble if she even asked. So, she never did ask. Even though we moved on and placed out order, the server continued to bring up that I wanted to make the request, referred to me as the "pancetta lady" and called me high maintenance. It made for an uncomfortable evening. It is also disheartening that a restauranteur of a new establishment would be so rigid in his cooking to not allow for small accommodation. The food was okay, not up to Melograno's standards. I'm not sue if we will be back.
(2)
Tom G.
Rude ride rude. 8 pm reservation. Stood around for 10 minutes and they acted as though we were invisible. Though a table for two sat open downstairs, they took us upstairs and pointed to a table in the middle of a hallway. When we said no - it's our 31st anaversery they got rude. This treatment my work for them in Philly. What a lousy evening. 4 people before us got pretty similar treatment. Others they sat elbow to elbow at a board at the front window. Pretty clear it is about these owners trying to take advantage of whom ever will let them.
(1)
Sam P.
RUDE, Loud, RUDE, Loud, do not honor reservations, RUDE, Loud. Management just does seem to care about service, customers, running a quality service business. All they seem to care about is jamming as many people thru the door as possible. No interest in a quality service product. Too bad. There seems to be a major disconnect between the kitchen and the front staff including the owner, Rose. Rose is totally RUDE!!! I will NEVER visit this establishment again, the food is good but if you want to spend time in a restaurant to be insulted by the owner, have butts in your face thru your meal because management overbooks. If you want to leave with a headache because of the insane sounds, be insulted by management, have questionable service from the wait staff, then this is your place. I suggest there are many establishments offering equal to better food taste but with exceptional service deserving of your business.
(1)
Pat R.
Don't you hate it when people say "I really wanted to love this place, but ... " ? But I really wanted to love this place, but ... Reasons I wanted to love it: It's a BYO, which is an especially nice feature when your hubster has so much wine in the basement that you can barely walk to the washer. Also, the restaurant is quite handsome, in an understated, natural-looking way. We were also pleasantly surprised that it was NOT super-loud, after reading all the Yelp complaints about that. (Maybe it was quieter because we went pretty early on a Saturday night?) The service was attentive and pleasant. But alas the food was only "good," definitely not great. Most disappointing: the short ribs, described to me as tender, were anything but. Oddly, they seemed tender to the fork, but when you actually started chewing ... not. Stringy and dry. Also, the bed of polenta was on the gluey side. For my primi, I had gnocchi ... three gnocchi. OK, they were large. But still. Three? The hub had cuttlefish for his primi - he thought it was good, not great. But he also said it was very spicy, although neither the menu nor the server gave any hint of this. He was very happy with his porchetta, though; I also enjoyed my taste of it. Alas, one "very good" dish out of four won't send us back to a restaurant. ... I'm always up for dessert, even if it means intentionally not finishing my meal (but taking it home for lunch the next day). Sadly, nothing on the dessert menu tempted me even slightly, which is a rarity; and two days later, my leftover short ribs are still in the fridge.
(3)
Julia M.
We were so excited to try Fraschetta, as Melagrano had been one of our favorites in Philly. What a disappointment! We went with friends last night and although it was loud in the restaurant, that wasn't what spoiled the evening for us. We were generally unimpressed with the food. We had the soft shell crab special, stuffed "bruschetta", and a salad for appetizers. They were all fine, but nothing knocked our socks off. The soft shell crab was the best of the three, but even that was a bit heavily fried. The entrees were wholly underwhelming. Even the presentation was boring and without imagination. A friend ordered the mixed meats and it came on a plate on top of a pile of polenta - there was nothing beautiful about the presentation. It just looked like a pile of meat. The meat was salty and overcooked - particularly the sausage. My husband's pork was ok, but it too was overcooked. My friend's pasta had to have been the disappointment of the evening. I think the pasta I had cooked for my children that evening looked better than what they served. I had the best of the 4, with a lamb "stew", but even that suffered from lack of creativity. The sauce was gelatinous and the lamb was dry. The artichoke was delicious, but strangely served on a separate plate and I did not understand how the lamb and artichoke were supposed to complement each other. This dish too, was terribly presented. Our server was cold, unhelpful, and generally unapologetic about the food. I would like to think that it was a bad night at the restaurant, but the owner/chef was there slaving away in the kitchen. If the top chef can't cook his own dishes, what hope is there for the rest of the staff? We walked away wishing we had just gone to Paramour for a lovely evening on the porch with their consistently delicious food or Savona. Until I hear it's changed for the better from dependable sources, we won't be heading back there again. It's a shame - I would love to see Bryn Mawr have a great spot. Curious to see the result of the Craig LaBan review (apparently, he's heading over there on October 6th).
(1)
Nick D.
Tough review to write. I am torn on a few levels. To start, it was very tight and loud. I went on a Thursday night and sat upstairs. There appeared to be only one waiter handling the whole 2nd floor, which obviously was not ideal as it was at capacity. It took a very long time for him to even take our order, then a long wait for each course and subsequently the check. In addition, dinner for two before tip was $72 (and it's a BYO so no alcohol). Split a gnocchi dish that was $11 for three gnocchi. Kind of crazy. That said, the food was excellent. Although expensive, that gnocchi dish was delicious. I had the mixed gill platter, sausage, lamb skewers, chicken thigh and polenta. E very item was awesome. Also tried the stuffed pork tenderloin. Equally good. Great to see such a high caliber option in the area, but the service was weak and it was pricey for what you get. Still, I would like to go again. The main take away for me, is the food was great.
(4)
Spb S.
Perhaps it was a bad night. But, my family and I recently had what can only be described as an overpriced, mediocre meal. The food lacked depth of flavor--and in some cases all flavor--and was blandly uninspired. For example, the carbonara was a lukewarm, dry, clumpy mess absolutely devoid of any flavor. My young, teen niece said it best: "Even EasyMac is better than this!" While it's unfair to compare this restaurant to the likes of, say, one of the Vetri restaurants, it is fair to say it's worth the drive into Philadelphia to experience something so sublime as almost any dish at Osteria. Essentially, our party of 6 wasted almost $400 that night. And, there's the problem: at $30-$40 per person, the experience would fade as fast as the meal's flavor; at over $60 per person, it becomes memorable for the wrong reasons.
(1)
Tina C.
Disappointing. The decor was lovely and so convenient for me but the food was very meh and the wait staff a bit pretentious. We ask them to give us the antipasti plate that they usually only serve at night. They were more than willing, but when it came, the vegetables tasted rancid, especially the zucchini. The grilled tuna salad was replaced by swordfish which was ok except the arugula looked like it's been sitting in a bag for too long. The saving grace was the lentil soup. Too bad, I wanted to like it but just couldn't
(2)
Brian H.
Huh? I've read some of the less than stellar reviews on this place and wonder WTF. Fraschetta is a hit, as far as I am concerned. This is authentic Roman cooking, trust me, I know ;-) I have to preface by saying Melograno is one of my favorite Philly BYOB's (see my list of Fave BYOB's) and this new Main Line addition follows in their footsteps... including, but not limited to, the transposition of one of their excellent servers, Melissa, who took care of us Saturday evening. We sat upstairs, not noisy, plenty of room, large windows, and servers were all around, the decor plain, eclectic and tasteful. Although the lighting was being adjusted at least 5 times through our meal, it made for a few jokes at our table. The food was wonderful, as expected (I don't pay attention to YELP reviewers who have less than 3 reviews in 3 years, some people are just miserable motherfuckers and you just have to learn to live around them). The bread was excellent, a couple pieces of Italian with the desired crispy crust, and a couple pieces of salted focaccia with the GOOD olive oil, that was one of my previous dislikes at Melograno, the less than flavorful olive oil. Apps: The crispy sweetbreads were just that, crispy and tender at the same time, with surrounding texture-complimenting, thin sliced onion compote. Also the stuffed zucchini blossom filled with a wonderful soft cheese served on paper thin slices of fresh zucchini, again, the balance of taste and textures rise to the foodie quest. Entree and Pasta: Grilled, tender, moist (I love not-dry fish) swordfish served atop white beans, so wonderful yet simple. Luca doesn't throw 50 flavors at you in one dish, just a couple so you can focus on simplistic brilliance. The rigatoni carbonara with the home made lamb-belly pancetta, the cheese clinging to every al dente bite was very good also. Dessert: Chef's grandmother's recipe for the Ricotta cake with pine nuts, I believe they were, was a wonderful, homey finish to a very good experience. Somebody please smack those complaining Mainliners upside the head, the ones who don't get this place, and wake them up to authentic Roman fare and tell them to stop stereotyping. Sheeesh!
(4)
Alex P.
Visited on a Saturday evening at 9 0'Clock just after catching a film at the Bryn Mawr Cinema which is about 175 feet away Veggie antipasto was superb with perfectly grilled eggplant and wonderful cheeses Carbonara was decent but for presentation purposes the yolk should be served on top of the pasta ... and the pancetta should not have to be identified with a microscope Overall a nice experience and for dinner and a movie on a cold mid January night the convenience can't be beat
(3)
Katharine B.
Tiny and loud, but the food is worth it. Cash only, and BYOB. Last minute on a Friday night and the best I could get was a 9pm reservation. That was a blessing in disguise because when we got there, the place felt a little cramped with not one seat open, and, as others have mentioned, it was super loud, although I didn't feel I had to shout. We chose to sit at the front window counter but were offered and moved into a comfortable table by the time our apps arrived. As people left and no one filled the empty seats, the place felt cozy and the noise level dropped. Now the food. YUM! We shared the porchetta as our appetizer. It was small, but extremely tasty and we had plenty of food coming, so that was fine actually. If you've been to Italian feasts in the area, you would not recognize this as the familiar porchetta sandwich, but it was sliced and plated with a balsamic reduction and pine nuts. First course we diverged. He ordered the linguine with clam sauce which he loved and I got the pasta special, a hand cut pasta with fava bean pesto. I wasn't sure what to expect, but was not disappointed. The flavors were fresh and popped. Our main was shared, a pork tenderloin dish. Very tasty, but I could have stopped at the pasta. The pork was tender and served with a little mash that was surpisingly light.
(5)
Brendan O.
Finally! The Main Line gets to enjoy the same level of fresh, high quality Italian food in a comfortable BYO atmosphere that Center City has enjoyed for decades. Rose and Luca Demontis' second establishment (after the LaBan-3-bell-winning Melograno) is warm and inviting, with an unpretentious but flawlessly executed menu. Best restaurant on the Main Line!
(5)
Elaine V.
I would really put this at a 2.5, it wasn't terrible, just not impressive given how much we were both looking forward to trying this new spot. Maybe we just hit them on an off night, but we won't be going back anytime soon. We arrived for our 7pm reservation on a Saturday and were seated promptly, however, the hostess could not have been less warm if she had tried. No smile, no energy. All of the reviews calling the space small and loud are spot-on, but we were prepared so that didn't detract from our experience, except that maybe the servers could compensate by speaking up a little more. The space has a nice decor, modern yet with enough warm elements to make it feel homey (minus the hostess, that is). Service was ok. There was always someone to fill our water, or clear our plates, so it wasn't that they ignored you. Our waitress just didn't seem really comfortable with the menu. When I asked questions she seemed lost when trying to answer them. She also played up the oh-we're-such-fast-good-friends angle a little too much if that makes sense. Trying to joke and laugh when there wasn't anything funny? It was just odd. She also kept full-on resting her hand on my husband whenever she talked to him...again, just odd. So the food - it was ok. We split an appetizer special that was like Italian rice balls in mariana. There wasn't much depth of flavor to it. Bread was also just ok, needed salt or something. My husband had the Rib Eye (Costata Di Manzo) and I had the Linguine with Clams and Oyster Mushrooms (Linguine Alle Vongole). Both were tasty, but not enough that we'll be knocking down the door to try the rest of their menu.
(2)
J K.
Don't come here if you dislike loud restaurants, this place was so loud on a Saturday night I could barely hear the person across the table from me. Aside from the noise, the restaurant wasjust OK, there were some ups and downs with the food. The porchetta appetizer was very good, but the fried zucchini blossoms were soggy and greasy. Our dining companions had the vegetarian antipasto which was just average. The entrees were also uneven in quality. The best one was a special- rigatoni stuffed with pork in a mushroom cream sauce. The linguini with clams lacked flavor. For dessert, loved the pannacotta with blueberries. Overall, our experience was a mixed bag. I probably won't be back soon because of the noise.
(3)
Alexa R.
My husband, sister in law and brother in law made a reservation here for Saturday night. We were seated upstairs in the bright, airy, clean second floor. I remarked to my SIL: "I wish my house was decorated this way." Our server was wonderful and funny. I also appreciated that once our water glasses were filled, the carafe was left on the table for us to replenish as we saw fit. For our appetizers, we had the vegetarian antipasto, which was a huge hit with the women at the table. The vegetables were perfectly roasted and the white beans were awesome. We also split the gnocchi appetizer, which came three to an order. Our server recognized that we were 4 and added an extra. :) For dinner, I ordered the pork tenderloin, my sister in law ordered the sea bass, my brother in law ordered the rabbit special and my husband had the chicken liver linguine. I have to say, the menu is not your typical, red sauce Italian and we all appreciated that. We were all extremely happy with our dishes. I enjoyed my pork and also enjoyed the bite of pasta I had off of my husband's plate. Although we were all sufficiently sated from our dinners and appetizers, we had tiramisu and the dark chocolate cake for dessert. Awesome! Although it is BYOB, it was 100 per couple.
(4)
Pam A.
Not sure what happened during our meal. The three of us were seated at a cute little table with the most uncomfortable chairs. The place was packed on a Wednesday night at 6:30. What worked great-the mushroom gnocchi appetizer. Wowww! The boys liked their gnocchi and meatballs. So what didn't- the porchetta was nothing special. The veal/mortadella special had an odd texture, but the most disappointing part were the fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with cheese. All you could taste was the fried batter. Sigh.
(3)
AW W.
I went with my family on a Saturday night. Our reservation was Early (6:30) and I didn't find the place to too loud but the noise level had gone quite a bit by the time we left 2nours later (we were sitted upstairs). I found the service to be very good: polite, helpful, but not obtrusive. I didn't feel rushed and I really appreciated that the sever knew to wait until everyone was done,before clearing the table. Nothing worse that one person trying to rush eating, just because the others' plates were cleared! I really enjoyed my meal (cheese antipasto, short rib, and Tiramisu). All very plentiful and tasty! One of my dining companions had the Carbonara and found the pasta too be a bit too much al dente but it was still delicious. I will definitely return!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Thomas L.
Last night we went to Fraschetta to celebrate my wife's birthday. We are always up to trying something new and with it being a BYOB, it was right up our alley. The menu is set up in three categories, Antipasti/Primi/Secondi Knowing that we did not want to roll out of there we chose to split an Anitipasti We ordered the GNOCCHI ALLA ROMANA SEMOLINA DUMPLIN It was delicious, to say the least. It was light with plenty of flavor adding with it being served on a MUSHROOM TRIFOLI GOAT CHEESE SAUCE. I ordered from the Primi section in which I chose the: CACIO E PEPE PECORINO ROMANA CRACKED BLACK PEPPER OLIVE OIL. Let's just say, if you like pasta and you like cheese, you cannot go wrong in ordering this. As my brother-in-law stated to me, "this is how al dente is supposed to taste." My main course was the special of the night, which was PAN SEARED SALMON OVER PUREED CAULIFLOWER. It was very tasty and really enjoyed the lightness of the pureed cauliflower. Overall good portions on all the dishes. We did end up getting desert, remember this was a birthday dinner. I chose the assorted GELATO. I know, lame but really by this time I was stuffed but wanted to try the Gelato. The waiter was very kind knowing I was watching my calories and chose to give me FOUR different flavors, CHOCOLATE/VANILLA/SEA SALT CARAMEL/HAZLENUT. It was great experience and will most likely go back in the future. The bill between the 6 of us, came out to be $80 couple not including the 20% after tax tip. Good times!!!
(4)Lydia B.
This is a yummy BYOB in the heart of Bryn Mawr basically next to the brynmawr movie theater (bmfi). We had a perfectly paced, delicious meal. The portions were not overwhelming like a "typical Italian" restaurant and everyone loved their dishes. I loved the Burrata appetizer with prosciutto and arugula. This was above average and fresh and delicious... I remember thinking I was so happy I wasn't sharing it with anyone. I had the gnocchi and mushroom appetizer for my dinner. It was a great size for appetizer but not quite big enough for a hearty meal. I could have licked my plate because it was so tasty. The gnocchi was not exactly formed in a gnocchi shape, so I'm not exactly sure why it is even called it gnocchi but I guess they have to call it something (calling it blobs of yummy white stuff probably would not suffice). I feel like really good servers who are friendly and attentive could take a meal to the next level which is what happened last night. The waiters were so great that it made me want to come back to the restaurant next week. My husband and I are always up for a fun Byob. I think that fact that we had our large group upstairs helped with the cool feel and kept he notice level to a minimum. Bottom line= I loved it!
(4)Frank G.
Great pasta. Excellent service. Beautiful ambiance. Finally, a restaurant in Bryn Mawr that meets my center city expectations. We can't wait to come back.
(5)Gerald F.
As good as melograno. Crepes delish. Lasagna bechamel was amazing. Vongol pasta clamasious. Great place. I really loved this way to get to all my senses.
(5)Amber M.
I came here with a group, and we were seating in the upstairs dining room, which was very lovely and quiet compared to the downstairs. The gnocchi was to die for, as was the pork loin and chocolate cake. A little overpriced for what you get -- I know it's finer dining than I'm used to, but $12 for 4 little gnocchi pieces is steep. I didn't like the rosemary creme brulee either, but that might be a personal taste. Our waiter (his name escapes me) was well-versed in the menu and very reliable. He and the cook were exceptionally accommodating to our guests with special dietary needs (one kosher, one allergic to nuts).
(4)Michael A.
Very solid Italian. The gnocchi is excellent, I wouldn't miss this dish. Pork is good, heathy portion and very flavorful. Large profiteroles makes for a great dessert.
(5)Joseph C.
We went Saturday night probably our 6th or 7th time there. We have also been patrons of their 1st restaurant in Phila called Melograno. Gianluca owner and Chef just knows how to cook real Italian food. Always fresh, cooked perfect everytime and we both feel we are back home when we go there. His wife Rose runs the front and she is a sweetheart that goes out of her way to make your visit welcoming. Cacio pepe was awesome, special pasta dish was great too and the Polpe in stewed tomatoes was so tender and sweet. The Pork entrée was faboulous and ricotta cheesecake to top everything off. What can I say. Great Restaurant and Nice People Joe C
(5)Kristin N.
The room is quaint, but small and oh so loud! We were tucked into a corner and even there, it was a challenge to maintain conversation. Our server was pleasant, but disappeared for long stretches. The pacing was quite slow, as well. Our salads were good, but would have benefitted from a a bit more dressing. My friends had steak and lasagna and ate every bit of it. My carbonara was so salty, it was hard to get down. The pancetta must have permeated the sauce to a severe degree, because it tasted like it was cooked in ocean water. I would have sent it back, but didn't want to embarrass my dining partner who chose the place. We shared dessert and each had coffee..it was an avg. of $50/person. Not worth it for my meal.
(3)Sam A.
Love Fraschetta - the main line needs more places like this. Maybe this is a 4.25 star review, but for the area it's 6. Fresh and authentic combined with owners that care about their guests and are from the area. Pasta here is second to none especially the bucatini. Just like their other spot in town (Melograno), this is a great pick.
(5)Mary B.
Yum!! Backwards. The tiramesu was the lightest, fluffiest I've ever eaten. I had the meat balls and gnocchi - aka Polpette Al Sugo. Melt in my mouth. They make gnocchi from air they're so light. Started with the Porchetta which is sliced, very thin, roast suckling pig w some pine nuts, arugula and balsamic. Again. Melt in my mouth. I don't know if I actually chewed tonight! I tasted my companion's salad special of their Caesar salad - different than I thought and very tasty. My other table mate had the sausage and white beans w a slight kick. I mean who thinks these combinations up? Angels that's who. I'll return and try everything. I'll just tuck a bottle of red under my arm and off to gastric heaven I'll go. Simply lovely!
(5)Eddie P.
I think "dislike it" might be too harsh- another star conveys that "it's okay" and that's not accurate either. Would I go back? Not by choice, but would agree to go with a friend. Here's why: As other's have written the service is poor. Slow and dismissive. My wife asked a couple questions about food preparations and the waiter couldn't have looked more impatient. An odd sight was the hostess sitting at a table to have her full dinner- including a stemware filled with red wine left behind earlier in the night. Of the 6 dishes we tried, only 1 I thought was okay: meatballs & gnocchi only because the red sauce was tasty. The meatballs were slightly dry. The dishes that failed - Sweetbreads: overly dense texture and didn't look fried to order. Also had slightly cooled by the time it got to the table - Mushroom & Parsley: tasteless - Sea Bass: Fresh, yet tasteless - Fried Artichoke: didn't seem fresh - Stewed Octopus & Capers: way too salty and slightly fishy I would tolerate the food if the service was good. Heck, I could tolerate the service if the food were good. As it stands, both are sub-par so I feel no motivation to return. ps- I didn't find it overly loud, but we came at the end of the night so the room wasn't quite full.
(2)Foodimus M.
Finally, Italian food nearby that's not only edible, it's delectable. I feel compelled to write a same-day review after eating there tonight because I was perusing the other reviews after-the-fact (and I mean, ALL the reviews, not recommended especially) and felt compelled to respond. We went in just after 5 without a reservation on a Monday night and were seated immediately (+1) by an appropriately friendly hostess. I noticed there was bench seating with that sort of communal vibe along one wall, which I hate (-1), but we were placed at a solo table next to another wall so that worked out. I really like the decor - some review commented snarkily that it looked homemade but to me it seemed thoroughly premeditated if not professionally interior(ly?)-designed. Our waitress was prompt with the menus, the hostess brought us our own pitcher of water (+1) and refilled the pitcher once during the meal. I noticed the other waiter explaining the menu to his table which our waitress did not do but I don't particularly need help reading or deciding so that's not really a criticism, just an observation. A busboy came out and offered us oil along with a bread basket of mixed sourdough slices and warm foccacia (+1). Our food came out reasonably quickly after ordering and at appropriate intervals (+1)...almost as soon as the first set of plates were removed our meals arrived. The starters were both delicious, as were the mains (+1). I was limited in my selections because I don't have a very adventurous palate as far as things like sweet breads or liver go, but I will definitely be back to try more things and bring my family to celebrate the arrival of a new culinary offering in the area. As we were leaving it was filling up, and I can definitely believe it would be annoyingly noisy anytime beyond 6:30, especially with all the deaf geriatrics BYO being drunk. But who's fault is that? It's not glamorous, but my dining-out life is very calm and quiet because I regularly behave like a geriatric myself - eating right around 5pm seems to be the happiest hour. ... I don't know where the people eating at this trendy but basically hole in the wall Bryn Mawr spot have been eating their Italian food all along, but the places I can think of in the immediate vicinity leave MUCH to be desired. There was that time I got stretchy cold calamari at that one place, and then there's that other place that shrunk their menu and wait staff and inflated their prices over the last few years. If you have complaints about service, noise, or prices, you'd better not go to the other few selections either. All that being said, can you really expect a small start up in Bryn Mawr to have a flawless opening and perform at 100% from the word go? Any new place, I don't care who's in charge, has or should have kinks that need working out. I've never been to a restaurant opening night or waited on a red carpet to get in somewhere but I would be more reserved in my judgment than some here if I did. Do yourself a favor, disregard the negative reviews and go see for yourself. It's not downtown, it's not Manhattan, and it's certainly not Italy, but it is really good food worth the price tag and the trip, especially if you're already local.
(4)Kirsten F.
My husband and I have been twice, and we have not had dish we didn't love. The staff is friendly and have added to our experience. The octopus stew is out of this world good. If they do meatballs on special, get them! So tender and savory. The clam linguine is an essential with every order. For entrees, our favorites are the chicken and steak. And don't leave without getting the tiramisu for dessert.
(5)Erez H S.
my official restaurant review site with photos: erezschnaittacher.com Fraschetta 1.5 forks 1.5 aprons 2.0 dollars When considering an Italian restaurant in the mainline one is given an innumerable selection of establishments. You have your choices of: upscale, more reasonable, northern Italian (meat), southern Italian (seafood), BOYB, quaint, vibrant, etc. There should, however, be one common feed with Italian: a delicious, no-fuss meal with sauces to soak up with rustic bread. One such restaurant has established itself in the heart of Bryn Mawr. With a long banquette bench stretching most of the floor-level dining room, the space is reminiscent of an Italian café. Tables line either wall with a seating capacity of about 25-30. The menu is selective with a focus on meats but offering a handful of ocean fare and vegetarian options. Ideally a date spot but also nice for a four-top; any larger of a group would be a challenge. The noise level at various points of the meal became pointedly loud. Being a BYOB is always a plus unless, of course, you are craving a cocktail type of night. Service was a quite slow at first; it appeared a single server was responsible for the whole dining room. In all, the meal was delicious and would be worth returning to try other items. Food: we debated between sharing two antipasti and two entrees; sharing a primi pasta and two entrees; sharing a single antipasti, primi and entrée. Our waiter suggested a primi and two entrees. For this trip we went with the lasagna, braised short ribs, and the stuffed pork tenderloin. It is worth mentioning that the bread basket is filled with fresh, crusty focaccia, superb for olive oil and ANYTHING you can sop up. The lasagna was kindly split for us. The pasta was thin, light. The mushroom and eggplant ricotta filling was fluffy and flavorful. The sauce was rich and balanced. It arrived hot and tasted fresh. My wife ordered the braised short -rib; unfortunately, this was the miss for the night. The short-rib itself was rather underdone and not well-butchered. The result was slightly rubbery meat and excess fat. Short-rib should be fork tender with more meat than fat. The polenta was on the clumpy side. Not the creamy, buttery polenta you would expect. The kale was delicious. The stuffed pork was a dish worth ordering again. The meat was soft and well-seasoned, with juicy prosciutto notes. Mashed potatoes and a marsala wine pan sauce that brought it all together. Both entrees were substantial portions. Entrée highlights: the eggplant and stuffed pork tenderloin were delicious. Guests overheard mentioned that the gnocchi appetizer was very good along with the meatballs. The linguini and steak were also suggested. Dessert: did not try. Service: for our 8pm reservation, the restaurant was at the tail-end of the dinner rush. A single waiter was covering all the tables which took about 10 minutes to get our wine opened and water. So a certain attention to service was lacking. Perhaps the restaurant should consider having the hostess assist during the rush to avoid the potential service downfall. Otherwise, bread was delivered, first and second courses timely as well. Price: without the drinks, the average came to $40/person. You'd have to consider if alcohol was served that the average would jump to $60-80 - an above-average price point.
(4)JJ M.
I was dying to go, but wary, based on the wildly conflicting reviews. Now I understand. Fraschetta is a frustrating conundrum, like a felt tip mustache on an otherwise beautiful portrait. So close to a 4, but I can't do it. The kitchen was the artist, the food the painting. A pointillist delight of solid Italian flavors and precise techniques. By comparison, the front of the house was a big, hairy handlebar manscape in magic marker that just didn't belong. Ms Hostess, please smile, greet, and introduce yourself to people who are coming to drop some coin. Costs nothing, but is priceless. Mr Server, you were very nice and friendly, but a more sophisticated tableside approach could elevate the dining experience, like a great frame or matting. The rooms were loud, crowded. I could not decide if the open views to service areas, the creepy stairs to the second floor, and the DIY decor overall were chic or not. Apps - We shared sweet breads, porchetta, zucchini blossoms, and salamis. Each demonstrated a deft touch, refined touches, commitment to fresh. Portions were small. Mains - A great gnocchi special with almond pesto, sea bass, carbonara, sugo and meatballs were highlights. A halfhearted mixed grill and a $32 "dry-aged" rib eye were not. Not sure what chef was aiming for with well done lamb kebabs or sausage patty. If the steak was aged, any funk was lost in an oddly sweet glace. Dessert - A good crème brulee, excellent panacotta with blueberries and anise, a crumbly ricotta cake and unremarkable bitter chocolate torte with chopped strawberry. More yum than ho-hum, but I'll opt for an extra app or some cheese next time. We'll go back on a slower night. Definitely a good place for a big table so you can taste lots of stuff. And yes, they do take MC and VISA ....
(3)Adam C.
As a recent transplant from Manhattan and a former resident of Italy, Fraschetta is a breath of fresh air from what I've found as the usual Italian restaurants on the Main Line: massive, deathly quiet, geriatric , replete with over-garlicked Italian-American red sauce fare and soggy, overcooked pasta. Fraschetta is a truly authentic Roman trattoria, and by far the best authentic italian food on the Main Line and among the best in the Philadelphia area. By authentic, that includes intimate (critics would say small and overly informal) and lively (critics would say 'loud') . It's not a place for a business dinner or a quiet chat, it's for a lively, fun meal with family (including children) and friends. if you don't like that, please don't go and ruin the ambience for the rest of us. The owners Luca and Rose make you feel like you are eating with family (though I would note the restaurant does lose something when Rose is not there to greet people). As for the food: The single most important thing I can say is that the pasta is cooked perfectly al dente, something impossible to find elsewhere in this city. The menu more broadly is faily tipica Romana, with some innovations. There are notable standouts on the menu: the fiori di zucca (cheese-stuffed, flash fried zucchini flowers), the gnocchi appetizer over mushrooms, the house salad misticanza which is perfectly crisp and dressed with a citrusy and salty dressing, the bucatini amatriciana is wonderful, as are the braised whole artichokes. The brodetto of abbachio (baby lamb stew) is deceptive, with a subtle marrying of earthy and beautifully braised lamb with sweet, velvety tomatoes. So, I dismiss the naysayers as those who either want a quiet spot, or who miss the perfect subtlety and authenticity of the food. Either way, all it means is a slightly easier chance to get a reservation in what is already a routinely packed guestbook.
(5)BostonBestEats X.
[Sounds like we were there on the same Saturday night 10/20/13 as the irate 1-star review from John K below, but had a very different experience...] Based on LaBan's very positive 3-bell review, four of us went for dinner at Fraschetta on Saturday for the first time. philly.com/philly/column… I thought all the food was uniformly good to very good, and the service was friendly and attentive (an ex-Melograno server, who admittedly recognized one of us as a regular downtown). However, there was a bit of a wait for our secondi as the restaurant filled up and the kitchen probably got backlogged. Portion sizes seemed perfect to me, and definitely not what I would call skimpy (in fact we took leftovers home). We had 3 shared apps, 4 primi, 4 secondi, two shared desserts, and a couple of coffees, which came to $61/person, not counting tip, which seemed reasonable. I can see why the reviews here are variable, which did cause me some initial concern, since they serve pasta made in-house from scratch, extremely al dente, and generally lightly sauced. This may not appeal to some who prefer their pasta more well-done and drowned in sauce. I'm not saying you are wrong if that's what you like, but to each his own... [Actually, it may in fact be a little too al dente for me.] I will definitely go back, although Fraschetta is not quite in the same league as some of our downtown favorites, like Modo Mio for example (I can't compare it to Melograno, since I've never been). But still very good for the 'burbs. Interestingly, Philly Mag's Victor Fiorillo wrote in a short blurb that, although he generally liked the food, it was so noisy he will never return. We had an early 5:45PM reservation, but even later when it was completely full we didn't find the noise level too excessive and were able to carry on our conversation without having to yell (certainly very energetic, but not out of line with many of our small BYOBs). Again, this may be something some customers are not used to, or won't tolerate, but it's pretty much SOP at a lot of small BYOBs downtown. phillymag.com/foobooz/20… Unfortunately, for BYOBing, their stems are not very good, but fortunately we brought our own. Also, it's annoying that they don't seem to have a website (and so I won't be able to accurately describe the dishes we enjoyed), and it took me a while to figure out that they use Rezbook, not OpenTable, for reservations. For some reason the moderators won't let me add the reservation link to the business profile, so here it is: rez.opentable.com/reserv… A nice looking space, with a decent amount of room between the tables, so we never felt too cramped and could fit all our glasses and bottles on the table. On-street parking was easy, but we had an early res so YMMV. Also, THEY DO ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS (this must have changed since most of the reviews below were written).
(4)Joe G.
My wife and I ate here for our second time last night and enjoyed the experience as much if not more than the first. We stayed away for a long time from this BYOB because of some early bad reviews (and specifically excessive noise level which is something of a pet peeve for us) but the place has clearly addressed any early hiccups and has become an absolute charmer. Noise level wasn't an issue, even with a packed house. Service was terrific-- attentive, fun, friendly, unfussy (no tableside lectures on the provenance of every ingredient from self-satisfied hipsters). The hostess/co-owner greeted us as if we were old friends though there's no way she could have remembered us. And the food really reminded us of trattoria meals eaten in the back streets of Rome. (We've lived in Italy.) The stewed octopus (antipasto) and oxtail ragu (primi) were particular standouts and worth returning for in cold weather. We plan to become regulars.
(5)Glenn M.
I brought my entire family to Fraschetta for my graduation from law school and everyone loved it. The food was delicious, the server was extremely knowledgeable and attentive, and the atmosphere was perfect. I just found my new favorite restaurant on the main line!
(5)Richard B.
Yea .... It's loud , as one should expect on a Sat night but so are so many better restaurants. Its better for 2 or 4 persons. The wait staff is reasonably attentive. Prices are fair . The food is consistently flavorful, and portions are adequate and shareable. It's a nice dinner choice addition to the area.
(4)Philip M.
Great decor - -minimalist urban chick on the mainline! Great handcrafted food. Tastes like they make everything from scratch. Was expecting a lot less given all the puzzling negative reviews that seem to be sorted on the top????
(5)B E.
Great, great pasta and just plain great Italian food (reason for the 5 stars). That said, now for the "whole truth." BUT the noise level---Friday and Saturday eves, especially---on the 1st floor is so-o bad that I could not hear my husband, who was across the table from me. They need to rearrange the tables and have MORE space between them (even if you lose some money). The upstairs, am told, has more space, but it is reached via a steep set of steps (no elevator). BUT after reading the reviews on this page, the upstairs layout seems awful and bad too. We now go for lunch (limited menu that should include an antipasta or more dishes, but still very good). We want to eat here, but only at lunch (not on crowded nights). Service is good but rushed on those "awful" crowded eves. Too bad the space/design/layout, etc. of this spot does NOT match the fine food---this restaurant needs to move to another spot.
(5)Ed G.
Just had dinner at Fraschetta and I'm not certain I would go back or recommend it. The food was good, portions were small. The staff was very nice however the dinner was not relaxing. They want to turn the tables quickly so your rushed..plan on eating fast and save conversations for another time. Very disappointed !
(3)Megan T.
I will start out by saying I love the owners' other restaurant, Melograno. really LOVE It. I think this is why I was so disappointed with Fraschetta. I approached it with high expectations. That being said, there were high-lights to our evening. The first waitress we had while we were waiting for out seat was wonderful. She brought over wine glasses and menus to look at along with something to snack on. Once we moved, we had a different waitress that set the tone. I requested that the lamb pancetta in the carbonara be replaced with a pork pancetta. A simple request, considering they serve pancetta in other dishes. Apparently not. I was told, "Luca does not allow for substitutions", she followed with sharing that she would get in trouble if she even asked. So, she never did ask. Even though we moved on and placed out order, the server continued to bring up that I wanted to make the request, referred to me as the "pancetta lady" and called me high maintenance. It made for an uncomfortable evening. It is also disheartening that a restauranteur of a new establishment would be so rigid in his cooking to not allow for small accommodation. The food was okay, not up to Melograno's standards. I'm not sue if we will be back.
(2)Tom G.
Rude ride rude. 8 pm reservation. Stood around for 10 minutes and they acted as though we were invisible. Though a table for two sat open downstairs, they took us upstairs and pointed to a table in the middle of a hallway. When we said no - it's our 31st anaversery they got rude. This treatment my work for them in Philly. What a lousy evening. 4 people before us got pretty similar treatment. Others they sat elbow to elbow at a board at the front window. Pretty clear it is about these owners trying to take advantage of whom ever will let them.
(1)Sam P.
RUDE, Loud, RUDE, Loud, do not honor reservations, RUDE, Loud. Management just does seem to care about service, customers, running a quality service business. All they seem to care about is jamming as many people thru the door as possible. No interest in a quality service product. Too bad. There seems to be a major disconnect between the kitchen and the front staff including the owner, Rose. Rose is totally RUDE!!! I will NEVER visit this establishment again, the food is good but if you want to spend time in a restaurant to be insulted by the owner, have butts in your face thru your meal because management overbooks. If you want to leave with a headache because of the insane sounds, be insulted by management, have questionable service from the wait staff, then this is your place. I suggest there are many establishments offering equal to better food taste but with exceptional service deserving of your business.
(1)Pat R.
Don't you hate it when people say "I really wanted to love this place, but ... " ? But I really wanted to love this place, but ... Reasons I wanted to love it: It's a BYO, which is an especially nice feature when your hubster has so much wine in the basement that you can barely walk to the washer. Also, the restaurant is quite handsome, in an understated, natural-looking way. We were also pleasantly surprised that it was NOT super-loud, after reading all the Yelp complaints about that. (Maybe it was quieter because we went pretty early on a Saturday night?) The service was attentive and pleasant. But alas the food was only "good," definitely not great. Most disappointing: the short ribs, described to me as tender, were anything but. Oddly, they seemed tender to the fork, but when you actually started chewing ... not. Stringy and dry. Also, the bed of polenta was on the gluey side. For my primi, I had gnocchi ... three gnocchi. OK, they were large. But still. Three? The hub had cuttlefish for his primi - he thought it was good, not great. But he also said it was very spicy, although neither the menu nor the server gave any hint of this. He was very happy with his porchetta, though; I also enjoyed my taste of it. Alas, one "very good" dish out of four won't send us back to a restaurant. ... I'm always up for dessert, even if it means intentionally not finishing my meal (but taking it home for lunch the next day). Sadly, nothing on the dessert menu tempted me even slightly, which is a rarity; and two days later, my leftover short ribs are still in the fridge.
(3)Julia M.
We were so excited to try Fraschetta, as Melagrano had been one of our favorites in Philly. What a disappointment! We went with friends last night and although it was loud in the restaurant, that wasn't what spoiled the evening for us. We were generally unimpressed with the food. We had the soft shell crab special, stuffed "bruschetta", and a salad for appetizers. They were all fine, but nothing knocked our socks off. The soft shell crab was the best of the three, but even that was a bit heavily fried. The entrees were wholly underwhelming. Even the presentation was boring and without imagination. A friend ordered the mixed meats and it came on a plate on top of a pile of polenta - there was nothing beautiful about the presentation. It just looked like a pile of meat. The meat was salty and overcooked - particularly the sausage. My husband's pork was ok, but it too was overcooked. My friend's pasta had to have been the disappointment of the evening. I think the pasta I had cooked for my children that evening looked better than what they served. I had the best of the 4, with a lamb "stew", but even that suffered from lack of creativity. The sauce was gelatinous and the lamb was dry. The artichoke was delicious, but strangely served on a separate plate and I did not understand how the lamb and artichoke were supposed to complement each other. This dish too, was terribly presented. Our server was cold, unhelpful, and generally unapologetic about the food. I would like to think that it was a bad night at the restaurant, but the owner/chef was there slaving away in the kitchen. If the top chef can't cook his own dishes, what hope is there for the rest of the staff? We walked away wishing we had just gone to Paramour for a lovely evening on the porch with their consistently delicious food or Savona. Until I hear it's changed for the better from dependable sources, we won't be heading back there again. It's a shame - I would love to see Bryn Mawr have a great spot. Curious to see the result of the Craig LaBan review (apparently, he's heading over there on October 6th).
(1)Nick D.
Tough review to write. I am torn on a few levels. To start, it was very tight and loud. I went on a Thursday night and sat upstairs. There appeared to be only one waiter handling the whole 2nd floor, which obviously was not ideal as it was at capacity. It took a very long time for him to even take our order, then a long wait for each course and subsequently the check. In addition, dinner for two before tip was $72 (and it's a BYO so no alcohol). Split a gnocchi dish that was $11 for three gnocchi. Kind of crazy. That said, the food was excellent. Although expensive, that gnocchi dish was delicious. I had the mixed gill platter, sausage, lamb skewers, chicken thigh and polenta. E very item was awesome. Also tried the stuffed pork tenderloin. Equally good. Great to see such a high caliber option in the area, but the service was weak and it was pricey for what you get. Still, I would like to go again. The main take away for me, is the food was great.
(4)Spb S.
Perhaps it was a bad night. But, my family and I recently had what can only be described as an overpriced, mediocre meal. The food lacked depth of flavor--and in some cases all flavor--and was blandly uninspired. For example, the carbonara was a lukewarm, dry, clumpy mess absolutely devoid of any flavor. My young, teen niece said it best: "Even EasyMac is better than this!" While it's unfair to compare this restaurant to the likes of, say, one of the Vetri restaurants, it is fair to say it's worth the drive into Philadelphia to experience something so sublime as almost any dish at Osteria. Essentially, our party of 6 wasted almost $400 that night. And, there's the problem: at $30-$40 per person, the experience would fade as fast as the meal's flavor; at over $60 per person, it becomes memorable for the wrong reasons.
(1)Tina C.
Disappointing. The decor was lovely and so convenient for me but the food was very meh and the wait staff a bit pretentious. We ask them to give us the antipasti plate that they usually only serve at night. They were more than willing, but when it came, the vegetables tasted rancid, especially the zucchini. The grilled tuna salad was replaced by swordfish which was ok except the arugula looked like it's been sitting in a bag for too long. The saving grace was the lentil soup. Too bad, I wanted to like it but just couldn't
(2)Brian H.
Huh? I've read some of the less than stellar reviews on this place and wonder WTF. Fraschetta is a hit, as far as I am concerned. This is authentic Roman cooking, trust me, I know ;-) I have to preface by saying Melograno is one of my favorite Philly BYOB's (see my list of Fave BYOB's) and this new Main Line addition follows in their footsteps... including, but not limited to, the transposition of one of their excellent servers, Melissa, who took care of us Saturday evening. We sat upstairs, not noisy, plenty of room, large windows, and servers were all around, the decor plain, eclectic and tasteful. Although the lighting was being adjusted at least 5 times through our meal, it made for a few jokes at our table. The food was wonderful, as expected (I don't pay attention to YELP reviewers who have less than 3 reviews in 3 years, some people are just miserable motherfuckers and you just have to learn to live around them). The bread was excellent, a couple pieces of Italian with the desired crispy crust, and a couple pieces of salted focaccia with the GOOD olive oil, that was one of my previous dislikes at Melograno, the less than flavorful olive oil. Apps: The crispy sweetbreads were just that, crispy and tender at the same time, with surrounding texture-complimenting, thin sliced onion compote. Also the stuffed zucchini blossom filled with a wonderful soft cheese served on paper thin slices of fresh zucchini, again, the balance of taste and textures rise to the foodie quest. Entree and Pasta: Grilled, tender, moist (I love not-dry fish) swordfish served atop white beans, so wonderful yet simple. Luca doesn't throw 50 flavors at you in one dish, just a couple so you can focus on simplistic brilliance. The rigatoni carbonara with the home made lamb-belly pancetta, the cheese clinging to every al dente bite was very good also. Dessert: Chef's grandmother's recipe for the Ricotta cake with pine nuts, I believe they were, was a wonderful, homey finish to a very good experience. Somebody please smack those complaining Mainliners upside the head, the ones who don't get this place, and wake them up to authentic Roman fare and tell them to stop stereotyping. Sheeesh!
(4)Alex P.
Visited on a Saturday evening at 9 0'Clock just after catching a film at the Bryn Mawr Cinema which is about 175 feet away Veggie antipasto was superb with perfectly grilled eggplant and wonderful cheeses Carbonara was decent but for presentation purposes the yolk should be served on top of the pasta ... and the pancetta should not have to be identified with a microscope Overall a nice experience and for dinner and a movie on a cold mid January night the convenience can't be beat
(3)Katharine B.
Tiny and loud, but the food is worth it. Cash only, and BYOB. Last minute on a Friday night and the best I could get was a 9pm reservation. That was a blessing in disguise because when we got there, the place felt a little cramped with not one seat open, and, as others have mentioned, it was super loud, although I didn't feel I had to shout. We chose to sit at the front window counter but were offered and moved into a comfortable table by the time our apps arrived. As people left and no one filled the empty seats, the place felt cozy and the noise level dropped. Now the food. YUM! We shared the porchetta as our appetizer. It was small, but extremely tasty and we had plenty of food coming, so that was fine actually. If you've been to Italian feasts in the area, you would not recognize this as the familiar porchetta sandwich, but it was sliced and plated with a balsamic reduction and pine nuts. First course we diverged. He ordered the linguine with clam sauce which he loved and I got the pasta special, a hand cut pasta with fava bean pesto. I wasn't sure what to expect, but was not disappointed. The flavors were fresh and popped. Our main was shared, a pork tenderloin dish. Very tasty, but I could have stopped at the pasta. The pork was tender and served with a little mash that was surpisingly light.
(5)Brendan O.
Finally! The Main Line gets to enjoy the same level of fresh, high quality Italian food in a comfortable BYO atmosphere that Center City has enjoyed for decades. Rose and Luca Demontis' second establishment (after the LaBan-3-bell-winning Melograno) is warm and inviting, with an unpretentious but flawlessly executed menu. Best restaurant on the Main Line!
(5)Elaine V.
I would really put this at a 2.5, it wasn't terrible, just not impressive given how much we were both looking forward to trying this new spot. Maybe we just hit them on an off night, but we won't be going back anytime soon. We arrived for our 7pm reservation on a Saturday and were seated promptly, however, the hostess could not have been less warm if she had tried. No smile, no energy. All of the reviews calling the space small and loud are spot-on, but we were prepared so that didn't detract from our experience, except that maybe the servers could compensate by speaking up a little more. The space has a nice decor, modern yet with enough warm elements to make it feel homey (minus the hostess, that is). Service was ok. There was always someone to fill our water, or clear our plates, so it wasn't that they ignored you. Our waitress just didn't seem really comfortable with the menu. When I asked questions she seemed lost when trying to answer them. She also played up the oh-we're-such-fast-good-friends angle a little too much if that makes sense. Trying to joke and laugh when there wasn't anything funny? It was just odd. She also kept full-on resting her hand on my husband whenever she talked to him...again, just odd. So the food - it was ok. We split an appetizer special that was like Italian rice balls in mariana. There wasn't much depth of flavor to it. Bread was also just ok, needed salt or something. My husband had the Rib Eye (Costata Di Manzo) and I had the Linguine with Clams and Oyster Mushrooms (Linguine Alle Vongole). Both were tasty, but not enough that we'll be knocking down the door to try the rest of their menu.
(2)J K.
Don't come here if you dislike loud restaurants, this place was so loud on a Saturday night I could barely hear the person across the table from me. Aside from the noise, the restaurant wasjust OK, there were some ups and downs with the food. The porchetta appetizer was very good, but the fried zucchini blossoms were soggy and greasy. Our dining companions had the vegetarian antipasto which was just average. The entrees were also uneven in quality. The best one was a special- rigatoni stuffed with pork in a mushroom cream sauce. The linguini with clams lacked flavor. For dessert, loved the pannacotta with blueberries. Overall, our experience was a mixed bag. I probably won't be back soon because of the noise.
(3)Alexa R.
My husband, sister in law and brother in law made a reservation here for Saturday night. We were seated upstairs in the bright, airy, clean second floor. I remarked to my SIL: "I wish my house was decorated this way." Our server was wonderful and funny. I also appreciated that once our water glasses were filled, the carafe was left on the table for us to replenish as we saw fit. For our appetizers, we had the vegetarian antipasto, which was a huge hit with the women at the table. The vegetables were perfectly roasted and the white beans were awesome. We also split the gnocchi appetizer, which came three to an order. Our server recognized that we were 4 and added an extra. :) For dinner, I ordered the pork tenderloin, my sister in law ordered the sea bass, my brother in law ordered the rabbit special and my husband had the chicken liver linguine. I have to say, the menu is not your typical, red sauce Italian and we all appreciated that. We were all extremely happy with our dishes. I enjoyed my pork and also enjoyed the bite of pasta I had off of my husband's plate. Although we were all sufficiently sated from our dinners and appetizers, we had tiramisu and the dark chocolate cake for dessert. Awesome! Although it is BYOB, it was 100 per couple.
(4)Pam A.
Not sure what happened during our meal. The three of us were seated at a cute little table with the most uncomfortable chairs. The place was packed on a Wednesday night at 6:30. What worked great-the mushroom gnocchi appetizer. Wowww! The boys liked their gnocchi and meatballs. So what didn't- the porchetta was nothing special. The veal/mortadella special had an odd texture, but the most disappointing part were the fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with cheese. All you could taste was the fried batter. Sigh.
(3)AW W.
I went with my family on a Saturday night. Our reservation was Early (6:30) and I didn't find the place to too loud but the noise level had gone quite a bit by the time we left 2nours later (we were sitted upstairs). I found the service to be very good: polite, helpful, but not obtrusive. I didn't feel rushed and I really appreciated that the sever knew to wait until everyone was done,before clearing the table. Nothing worse that one person trying to rush eating, just because the others' plates were cleared! I really enjoyed my meal (cheese antipasto, short rib, and Tiramisu). All very plentiful and tasty! One of my dining companions had the Carbonara and found the pasta too be a bit too much al dente but it was still delicious. I will definitely return!
(4)