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Name: Cucina Forte
Address: 768 S 8th St, Philadelphia, PA, 19147
Telephone: (215) 238-0778
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.95

Cucina Forte

768 S 8th St, Philadelphia, PA, 19147

(215) 238-0778
Store is closed

Cucina Forte Menu

Antipasti

Antipasto

Bandiera Italiano

Prosciutto Con Melone

Steamed Clams

Mussels

Portobello

Grilled Calamari

Fried Calamari

Antipasto

Bandiera Italiano

Prosciutto Con Melone

Steamed Clams

Mussels

Portobello

Grilled Calamari

Fried Calamari
Zuppa

Maria's Dream Soup

Zuppa Del Giorno

Maria's Dream Soup

Zuppa Del Giorno
Insalate

Mista Salad

Greek Salad

Spinach Salad

Tricolore Salad

Mista with Chicken Salad

Mista Salad

Greek Salad

Spinach Salad

Tricolore Salad

Mista with Chicken Salad
Entree's

Spaghetti Alle Vongole

Linguini Ai Calamari

Risotto Ai Porcini

Risotto Alla Veneta

Spaghetti Alle Vongole

Linguini Ai Calamari

Risotto Ai Porcini

Risotto Alla Veneta
Carni

Agnello Alla Griglia

Filet Mignon

Vitello Alla Griglia

Pollo Vita

Pollo Alla Forte

Vitello Al Limone

Involtini Di Vitello

Saltimbocca Di Vitello

Agnello Alla Griglia

Filet Mignon

Vitello Alla Griglia

Pollo Vita

Pollo Alla Forte

Vitello Al Limone

Involtini Di Vitello

Saltimbocca Di Vitello
Pasta

Agnolotti Alla Pesto

Ravioli

Penne Al Pomodoro

Tacconelli Ai Porcini

Agnolotti Alla Pesto

Ravioli

Penne Al Pomodoro

Tacconelli Ai Porcini
Maria's Famous Gnocchi

Gnocchi Agli Spinaci

Gnocchi Alla Ricotta

Gnocchi Agli Spinaci

Gnocchi Alla Ricotta
Pesce

Gamberi Gafara

Scampi Squisiti

Salmone Ai Profumo Di Bosco

Salmone Alla Griglia

Zuppa Di Pesce

Gamberi Gafara

Scampi Squisiti

Salmone Ai Profumo Di Bosco

Salmone Alla Griglia

Zuppa Di Pesce

Healthy Meal suggestions for Cucina Forte

Antipasti

Antipasto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bandiera Italiano [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Prosciutto Con Melone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Clams [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mussels [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Portobello [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Calamari [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Calamari [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Antipasto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bandiera Italiano [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Prosciutto Con Melone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Clams [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mussels [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Portobello [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Calamari [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Calamari [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Zuppa

Maria's Dream Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Zuppa Del Giorno [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Maria's Dream Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Zuppa Del Giorno [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Insalate

Mista Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spinach Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tricolore Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mista with Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mista Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spinach Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tricolore Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mista with Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entree's

Spaghetti Alle Vongole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguini Ai Calamari [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Risotto Ai Porcini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Risotto Alla Veneta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spaghetti Alle Vongole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguini Ai Calamari [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Risotto Ai Porcini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Risotto Alla Veneta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Carni

Agnello Alla Griglia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Filet Mignon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vitello Alla Griglia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo Vita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo Alla Forte [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vitello Al Limone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Involtini Di Vitello [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Saltimbocca Di Vitello [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Agnello Alla Griglia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Filet Mignon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vitello Alla Griglia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo Vita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo Alla Forte [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vitello Al Limone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Involtini Di Vitello [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Saltimbocca Di Vitello [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pasta

Agnolotti Alla Pesto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Penne Al Pomodoro [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tacconelli Ai Porcini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Agnolotti Alla Pesto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Penne Al Pomodoro [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tacconelli Ai Porcini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Maria's Famous Gnocchi

Gnocchi Agli Spinaci [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gnocchi Alla Ricotta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gnocchi Agli Spinaci [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gnocchi Alla Ricotta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pesce

Gamberi Gafara [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scampi Squisiti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmone Ai Profumo Di Bosco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmone Alla Griglia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Zuppa Di Pesce [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gamberi Gafara [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scampi Squisiti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmone Ai Profumo Di Bosco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmone Alla Griglia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Zuppa Di Pesce [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Jim D.

Certainly in the top 3 Italian eateries in Philly!
(5)
Elizabeth H.

This review is long overdue since I've been coming here roughly every two weeks for years now. If that right there doesn't demonstrate how I love this place, let me tell you about it. Authentic. BYOB. The staff is very friendly. There are always specials, often they bring back things that the customers like to order regularly. Homemade bread and pasta. It's intimate and dim, not too formal. Here's what I suggest... Bring some wine, relax. Order the gnocchi. Try to resist eating all the bread since the entree portions are large. Drink more, laugh. Despite scarfing down too much food, order the tiramisu. Walk the long way home as you've just now carb-loaded on the most delicious italian food.
(5)
Valentino G.

I brought my girlfriend here for our first anniversary and the reviews don't lie about the food, we were both equally impressed. The hand made gnocchi was to die for! The Gorgonzola was so delicious and my girlfriend loved the gnocchi in marinara! Lastly if your going to get a soup you have to get Maria's Dream Soup so so good, I didn't even want to share. I will definitely be back to enjoy more of the homemade Italian cooking!
(5)
Mallory D.

I definitely have mixed feelings about Cucina Forte. As far as Italian South Philly BYOBs go, it is right up there in terms of ambiance, selection, and service. And they have great bread and olive oil. Maybe my expectations were too high after all the hype, but I thought the gnocchi was just ok. I ordered the spinach gnocchi in Gorgonzola sauce, and was a little underwhelmed. It was good,but after reading all the glowing reviews and hearing about how awesome the gnocchi was from our server, I was disappointed. My husband ordered some sort of chicken and Prosciutto dish which was delicious. However, this leads me to my second issue: price points. My husband's dinner was $24. Reasonable price for that type of meal. But my gnocchi was $23. I don't understand. While our dinner was good, it wasnt great. And unfortunately there are too many great options around to come back.
(3)
Michael O.

We wanted to find a uniquely authentic Italian restaurant that was not on the "tourist trap" list. We were hosting a couple from our college days, who had never been to Philadelphia before. Reviews in "Yelp" made this one of our top picks. We were not disappointed at all. We were greeted by the host Vinny, who gave us personal attention as he took our wine and chilled it until we were ready to order. We started with the gnocchi as our appetizers. It was fantastic! The main courses were well prepared and delicious. Suggest you order the ricotta cheese cake, it was fluffy.
(5)
Nina S.

This is a great neighborhood BYOB! I went last Saturday night with a group of friends and we had a wonderful meal and great experience at Cucina Forte! We were a party of 5 so we made reservations but there were a few empty tables. I recommend making a reservation to be on the safe side since it's a pretty small restaurant. Our server was friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. he rattled off so many amazing specials and they all sounded amazing but we all ordered off the regular menu. The menu is traditional Italian food with a large selection of homemade pasta. I heard they were known for their gnocchi so I just had to give it a try. I ordered a mix of the ricotta gnocchi and spinach gnocchi in one dish with Gorgonzola cheese sauce. I asked to add grilled chicken to the dish to add some protein so that it was more fulfilling for me and the server had no problem accommodating the request. My friends ordered the gnocchi with marinara sauce and pesto sauce. Both were very tasty choices! The marinara was my favorite but I was happy with my selection since I added chicken to the dish it went well together. I skipped dessert but ordered a cappuccino. It was a really great way to end the meal! I can't wait to come back and try more menu selections!
(4)
Steve P.

Ate there again last night, and had a teriffic meal as usual. Grilled spiced chicken was moist and tasty, and the eggplant, spinach and crab special was excellent. Always a friendly and fun place to go.
(5)
Paul M.

Food was OK. I've better gnochi, for sure. Server was just ok. Can't understand why, when bringing me grated cheese he failed to offer it to the other 5 people at our table. Also, VERY noisy. w We won't be returning.
(3)
C P.

This is by far my favorite BYOB in Philadelphia. The quarters are small but the food and atmostphere are worth it. Don't forget to order the gnocchi's with white and red sauce.
(5)
Ann V.

This place is wonderful. Everything I tried that night was so delicious!! As everyone else has stated, get the gnocchi. I'm not a fan of gnocchi but I loved it here. It was so soft and the sauce they had on top was amazing. We will most definitely be returning. Soon.
(5)
Rachel S.

I love it here! After dining on two separate occasions, I feel I can accurately review the joint. Terrific service. Fabulous gnocci. Crab and eggplant dish was disappointing, but everything else was good. Reasonable pricing and BYOB is always great. Cozy without being cramped. Parking can be a bitch w/ 2 hour limits. Great for groups. Make a reservation, they can get busy on the wknds.
(4)
Joey R.

My husband and I love eating at BYOs near our neighborhood and this one caught our eye while we had a once-in-a-while night out. The ratings were great but unfortunately the food was not even close to our expectations. The bread was moldy, and specials of fresh fettuccine with shrimp too full of burnt garlic and the veal special saltinbocca was just average. We had high expectations but this was below average overall.
(1)
Tiffany H.

Came here with a restaurant.com gift certificate. It was pretty empty, but the environment was nice. The hostess/waitress combo was extremely sweet and helpful. A lot of the things on the menu had seafood in them that I wanted to try, but my boyfriend hates seafood. She told us everything was made to order and that any pasta I wanted, we could sub in the fish and shrimp for chicken/lamb/beef/etc. That was really nice and something we took advantage of. We got 2 appetizer-sized pastas and an entrÃ©e. The award winning gnocchi? Understandably award-winning. Almost didn't even taste like pasta. We chose the gorgonzola sauce. We had a second pasta that were the purse-shaped pastas.. also delicious. Honestly though, our entrÃ©e was a little underwhelming. We got some sort of lamb chop but it was very blah. A nice, simple place to come. Also it appears to be a BYO which is nice.
(3)
Bri H.

We walked in on Thursday night around 8pm with no reservation and were able to snag a seat. The place wasn't super crowded, but quickly filled up when a large party arrived. I liked the atmosphere immediately. Cozy, super friendly service, delicious fresh bread to start out the meal...can't go wrong! Get the gnocchi. Wow. I went with the gnocchi alla ricotta. They are the biggest gnocchi I've ever seen and also the softest, most delicate I've ever tasted. I chose the full entree size and went with the gorgonzola sauce. It was delicious but got to be a little too heavy for my liking (duh, what was I thinking, ordering a giant plate full of cheese sauce) but I was determined to press on; I couldn't bear the thought of letting any of the gnocchi go to waste! We also got the grilled calamari appetizer: simple, fresh, tasty. My boyfriend had the Gamberi Gafara for an entree and said it was some of the best pasta he's had, and that includes pasta eaten in Italy. Tip: go to restaurant.com and sometimes you can get $25 gift certificates to Cucina Forte for as low as $2, depending on the sale. After my dinner here, I immediately bought another gift certificate (this time paid $4 for a $25 gift cert). I will definitely return!
(5)
Lindsey B.

My family and I are HUGE foodies. We go everywhere and anywhere to try the latest and greatest, and Cucina Forte, by far, exceeded our expectations. The ambiance was lovely with a very warm, cozy, intimate setting. As soon as we sat down, Gloria tended to our drinks and gave us insight to the menu. She was extremely helpful and very friendly. We began with a bunch of appetizers - antipasto, broccoli rabe with shrimp, fried calamari, and gnocchi (one marinara and one gorgonzola cream) - and they were ALL delicious. The gnocchi (just like most of the reviewers will agree) were amazing! I would HIGHLY recommend the gnocchi with gorgonzola cream. For dinner, I got a tuna special. That's usually my "go to" entree when I want to compare restaurants. Well, Cucina Forte cooked up one of the most flavorful tuna dishes I've ever had. We went there to celebrate my birthday, and at the end of the evening, I was greeted (by Gloria AND the oh-so-adorable owner, Maria) with a slice of HEAVENLY cake...that honestly tasted like a chocolate marshmallow. We got to chatting with Gloria and Maria, and it was like being with family. We spent the last half hour of our visit just being in the company of great people. I would go back to Cucina Forte over and over...and over and over again! It's DEFINITELY on our list of restaurants to revisit. Hands down!
(5)
C M.

When our group arrived this place was completely empty - worrying me a bit at first. Eventually more patrons arrived and it became more lively. The restaurant itself was a little dark and dated but we had a fantastic meal and the service was great. We ordered the antipasto and grilled calamari - both were delicious! We had heard the gnocchi was "award winning" so we ordered some to share. We got the "misto" which was half marinara half Gorgonzola sauce. They were out of this world delicious. I ordered the special sea bass entree and it was very tasty and not to mention a large portion. I'll be back for the gnocchi alone! Everything we ate was delicious. If you come here go to Restaurant.com before and get the $10 for $25 offer.
(4)
Sammy S.

This food was good but not great. I think the people I dined with would agree with me. I had the gnocchi which was very good but I thought it could have been better. The gnocchi was melt in your mouth, however the sauce was unimpressive and bland. I also shared the spaghetti vongole, it was good but the sauce was a little garlicky (good if you like garlic. The restaurant is BYOB so be prepared. In conclusion, good but still underwhelming.
(3)
Natalie S.

Went last week for dinner & everything was amazing, starting with the service. There were 6 of us and we all had something different & every entree was beyond delicious. We shared 3 appetizers which were all specials & were plenty for 6 people to share. Our waiter,Adam was adorable & very knowledgable of the specials. We will be going back again for sure
(5)
Jennifer S.

We stopped here for a very last minute dinner and they were able to accommodate us (it was early). What a lucky break! The atmosphere was ho-hum and the bread was cold--and I can never say cold bread is good bread; HOWEVER, I cannot say enough good things about the gnocchi. They were, quite simply, the best gnocchi I've EVER had. I would tell you that their secret was to inject them with helium had I not met the sweet Italian grandma who came here from Italy some 30 years ago and had been making them ever since. They were that light. They were that fluffy. Both me and J ordered them-- his were plain with half red sauce and half gorgonzola cream and mine were spinach in a blush sauce. I couldn't finish them (the portions aren't stingy), but I tried. I really tried. I'd happily go back and try again if the opportunity presented itself.
(4)
Megan A.

This is one of the best BYOB's that I have even been to. Very small and inviting. Went with my husband, teenage daughter and a friend. This could also be a great date place. Staff and owner were extremely friendly. Food was awesome!! OMG the gnocchi has to be one of the best things I ever ate. We got half red and half Gorgonzola cream sauce. I was in Heaven. My husband who doesn't even eat gorgonzola loved them. Dipping the bread in the sauce was the best part. Everything we ate was so good. No room for dessert and I heard that their cannolis are to die for! Next time I will save room for dessert!
(5)
Matt R.

Had a lovely dinner here last Friday. Cozy little place with friendly, personal service and classic, homemade Italian fare. For starters we ordered the two antipasto dishes from the specials: eggplant with an aged balsamic reduction topped with crab and peppers and other stuff that I can't quite recall. It was excellent. The other starter was the traditional buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad. A classic dish executed perfectly. For our mains the table ordered two "Saltimbocca Di Vitello" dishes from the menu and two specials; a Chilean Sea Bass and a lobster ravioli. Having tasted each the veal stole the show. The tender veal wrapped in prosciutto was excellent in the creamy but not overly rich sauce. The generous portions allowed me to enjoy it again the following day. The seafood dishes were very good as well but not as inspiring as the veal. I'm someone who regularly orders from the specials; this meal reminded me that gems are also found in print. Lastly, the comfortable ambiance supplemented by classical music and friendly service topped off a very enjoyable dinner. With so many great Italian options in town it can be hard to distinguish one from another. And while Cucina Forte follows a familiar format it does it well; reminding us why we love South Philly byobs in the first place.
(4)
Tina N.

I had some family visiting from ATL and since they're originally from Philly, they missed good Italian food. Because the options are many, and visit time was short, the pressure was on to find a good place hearty cozy friendly byob that wasn't too overwhelming. This was my first time here, but Yelp never fails me. Our party came in bits and pieces, some later than others. But we were seated, bottles were opened, and bread was served to allow us to enjoy the wait with present company. Our waitress, maybe the owner, patiently read through and re-read through the specials for all of us as we arrived. I think we all ended up ordering off the specials menu, because she sold the items like Jay-Z sells water to a whale. My tuna dish was great, my friends' lobster with gnocchi was fantastic, the multiple appetizers we got were delicious. The one complaint came from the Chilean sea bass people who said it was overcooked. I think the steak was more under cook than requested, but it was ordered for take out so perhaps they were trying to account for the travel time (I don't know, doesn't it cook in it's own heat or something?) Last piece of advice, get the tiramisu.
(3)
JasonJennifer S.

Best gnocchi I have ever had. Perfect amount of body. Not to hard not to soft. Goldilocks would be proud.
(5)
Andrew S.

Wow!!! Can't remember the last time i had Italian food being this good, just excellent all around. BYOB is a nice add, had 2 specials, grilled seafood appetizer with langostino, scallop, squid, shrimp & broccoli rabe. I'm not a fan of squid & rabe, but everything tasted great, especially the langostino & scallops, grilled to perfection. Also had the lobster fre diablo with gnocchi, too spicy for our neighbors, but we loved ours. Again, not a fan of gnocchi but this stuff melts in your mouth like buffalo mozzarella cheese. We also had linguine & clams. Just great all around. Make a reservation on weekends. We will be back!
(5)
Derrek D.

Was sight seeing in Philly for the weekend and found this place based on Yelp reviews. Food and service were good. We started with the gnocci alla ricotta w/ marinara - they were good, but nothing that memorable - I'd try something else next time and don't understand the many rave reviews about them. For my entree I had the lobster ravioli special. I liked mine. It was a good sized portion and came with shrimp as well. My girlfriend ordered the filet w/ gorgonzola sauce special. It was good and came with a lot of veggies. The sauce was really strong and not for those who don't love the gorgonzola flavor. My only problem was the cost. For two of us it came out to be $85 before tip. I understand we ordered two specials, but it just seemed a bit on the expensive side for each dish. The server didn't tell the prices of the specials. I hate it when they do that, but I should have asked. *I will say this however, that there were a few dishes for only $16-17. We could have had a much cheaper bill had we chosen differently. So, if you are looking to stay closer to a $50-60 dinner, choose wisely.
(3)
S K.

Pleasant atmosphere and nice staff. Food is decent too, though nothing to write home about. For this price, I would much rather go to osteria or monsu.
(3)
Mandy H.

I really enjoyed my visit to Cucina Forte last Friday. I made a reservation beforehand for an early dinner at 5:45. However, we were going to be an hour late due to some horrible traffic, so I called ahead to let the host know. He told me he would hold the table and to get there safely. I thought that was very nice. When we got to the restaurant at 6:30 we were seated right away. We ordered the clams in red sauce to begin. I had the Gamberi Gafara and my boyfriend had one of the specials which was a homemade past filled with cheese and basil in a white sauce with mushrooms and shrimp. Both were tasty. We didn't have any desert as they had a limited menu and we were in the mood for gelato. Unfortunately that was not on the menu. The service here was really great. After our appetizer arrived the restaurant really started to fill up and there was a wait for a table. I would recommend coming here if you're looking for some authentic Italian. Oh and its a BYOB!
(4)
Bella M.

extra YUM. We went there recently again and it was just even better than I remember. Just go. Have the gnocchi. Have the seafood dishes, which are incredibly fresh and delicious. My son is a "just plain" kindof kid...they obliged and only put olive oil on the gnocchi and he asked for a second helping! They also added chicken to a pasta dish for me, and will do just about anything to make you happy. The service is excellent- friendly, attentive, without being pretentious. Perfect little south philly Italian restaurant. Oh, and it's BYOB!
(5)
Rebecca B.

The 4th star is for the ridiculous gnocchi--so light and delicious. Had the special ricotta gnocchi with bolognase sauce which was surprisingly light and full of flavor. The spinach gnocchi were also great. Gorgonzola sauce was very heavy and salty so not for me, but my fellow dinner loved it. The tacconelli ai porcini and mozzarella salads were good but really needed salt. fresh baked bread was also delicious. Atmosphere was low key but the loud party next to us showed that it's good for big celebrations. While we didn't order dessert I overheard the waiter telling another table he had covered theirs which made a very nice impression on me. Overall a pleasant dining experience.
(4)
Ted C.

Out of all the BYOB's i've been too so far I really enjoyed this one the best. Food was amazing. Lobster Ravioli Special was yummy. My friend got some Veal dish with lemon butter wine sauce which they were kind enough to replace with chicken and that was also excellent. The chicken was a little heavy on the oil but nevertheless it was still very delicious. Prices were reasonable for the quality of food. I immediately told myself I would come back.
(5)
Owen F.

Cozy, friendly, attentive service, and great quality food. It's not a huge place, and we went on a Saturday night so it was packed with fun-having, loud people. We don't always go for that kind of backdrop, but it worked perfectly here. Will definitely go back. Also - the gorgonzola gnocchi is crazy good.
(4)
bill c.

An absolute jewel!! I had the spinach gnocchi with half red & half white sauce and it was really, really good. Wife had the veal in white wine & lemon and that was very good as well. We started off with the white mussels (excellent) and the buffala mozzarella special which was especially good. No room for dessert this time. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal at this nice BYOB. The owners were super friendly. They even took our restaurant.com coupon which made this meal a steal! Will definitely return.
(5)
Kim K.

Gorgeous dining experience, amiable and helpful waiter service. The food here is out of this world. If you're looking to splurge on some excellent Italian, you've found the right place. The spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce was delightful (the sauce was not overwhelming, and the gnocchi was incredibly tender). My friends also thoroughly enjoyed their dishes. Overall, a fantastic meal.
(5)
Courtney C.

My all-time favorite BYOB. My cousin found this place 4 or so years ago and we have made it tradition to meet up at least once a year with all the cousins and head back. From the moment I make my reservation, I get excited because I know how amazing, no matter what I order, will be. You can NEVER go wrong the the gnocchi. The BEST I have ever had. I usually get half with red sauce and half with alfredo for a nice mix. The food is wonderful, the atmosphere is very cozy and quaint with about 10 tables and the service is superb. It's hard to have room for dessert but you have to try the ricotta cheesecake. To die for!!
(5)
Michelle C.

Walking into Cucina Forte about fifteen minutes early for my girls' night, it seemed evident that we were going to have excellent service. How did I come to this conclusion? I was the only person in the entire restaurant. A few minutes later, my friends arrived and we were asked to choose our table. For the remainder of the evening, we dined in privacy... well, sort of. Everything we talked about was heard loud-and-clear by our server, considering she was the only other person in the room. Still, that didn't stop our conversation from heading straight towards the gutter, once a couple glasses of wine were consumed. I don't think she minded, considering she chimed in at various points and we discovered a shared interest in Bret Michaels' Rock of Love. As we were the only patrons that evening, we were instructed to order anything we wanted and how we wanted it. We shared a gnocchi platter to start. Half was spinach with a pomodoro-type sauce and the other half was cheese with a gorgonzola cream sauce. Sweet Jesus. If I could go back and have this dish as my entrÃ©e, I would. Unfortunately, I choose the tilapia special, which sounded better than it tasted. The white wine sauce lacked flavor, so I squeezed some lemon to give it a much-needed kick. Still, the fish was extremely bland (even for tilapia) and the chopped tomatoes in the sauce were mushy and lacked any taste of acidity that tomatoes usually provide. There was also some sort of spice that tasted very strongly of Christmas trees. 'Tis the season and all, but pine is best in the form of trees, cones or sol. Dessert was better. We shared a flourless chocolate cake that was so satisfyingly rich, we did not finish it. That's right- four girls did not finish a single piece of cake. Someone call the Guinness Book, I think we have a winner. We also shared the gelato, in chocolate hazelnut and peanut butter flavors. It was so delish, I almost excused the piece of hazelnut shell that found its way into my mouth... almost. Bottom line, I would like to try this restaurant again but I would be pickier about my entrÃ©e. It seems that pasta and gnocchi rule the menu, while proteins take a back seat. My advice would be to choose wisely, and beware the hazelnut shells.
(3)
Dana M.

We went on a Wednesday night and there were only a few other couples. The waitress was very friendly and helpful. The decor was warm and comfortable. The restaurant specialty was gnocchi. Best gnocchi I ever had, and I'm glad we ordered it as an appetizer. Next time I would get it as my main course. We ordered 3 dishes and they were all timed perfectly, not too close together.
(5)
Justin B.

We endeavored to Cucina Forte at the recommendation of our local foodie friends. It didn't disappoint! First, everything was made to order, so if you didn't like an ingredient or wanted to add something, they had no problems with it. I went with the lobster ravioli w/shrimp, in a cream sauce. OH MY GOD! Literally, it was the best ravioli I've ever had. Chunks of real lobster and huge shrimp in this basil sauce was like ecstasy. If you're ever in Philly and in the mood for a great Italian, this place is a must.
(5)
Bruce G.

We tried Cucina Forte for the first time last week . What a terrific restaurant. The food was delicious! Our waiter Vinnie was very enthusiastic and extremely competent. He recommended the gnocchi, an excellent choice. The best in Philadelphia. I can't wait to eat there again.
(4)
Sarah P.

I'm a little torn about a rating to give Cucina Forte- some aspects of it are 5-star, and other aspects of it are 3-star, so I'll settle for a solid 4. On one hand, I love that the funky decor and lighting give the place an authentic feel. The service is very friendly as well. I've had the same waitress every time I've been here, and she does an excellent job of remembering repeat customers. She even gave my friend and I complimentary glasses of wine the last time I was here! Very sweet of her. Although the presentation isn't the prettiest, the gnocchi here is some of the best I've had in terms of melt-in-your-mouth texture. However, I think the prices are a bit steep for a neighborhood spot like Cucina Forte. The last time I was here, my friend and I split a salad, an appetizer, and 2 gnocchi entrees and ended up paying 40$ each! We searched the receipt for contributing factors to this surprisingly high price and discovered that the buffalo mozzarella appetizer we split was 15$. The quality of the cheese, olives, and sundried tomatoes on the plate didn't really live up to that price, unfortunately. Still, I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a BYOB dinner spot near the Italian Market, I'd just advise them to ask about the prices for the specials before ordering.
(4)
Jamie N.

Delicious food, great service. The noise level could be better.
(4)
Christina G.

I was here on Saturday night with 4 friends. Service was great. I loved our waiter. They had our table ready for us when we arrived as we had a reservation. They had so many good specials and I wanted to try them all. I ordered the assorted fish Fra Diavolo. I've ordered this dish at about every Italian restaurant in the area and this is my favorite Fra Diavolo based on the amount and assortment of fish. At most other places, including one offender in the Italian market, they give you a huge pile of pasta with just a few mussels and clams. Here they give you a nice assortment of fish and a generous portion. Seriously there was as much seafood as there was pasta on my plate. I've also ordered the mussel appetizer to go before and it was very good. I usually am not a huge fan of shrimp scampi but my boyfriend ordered it and it was very good. I tried my friend's gnocchi and it was awesome. I love their menu and love that they give you the option of ordering either a smaller gnocchi for $15 or larger one for about $24. And you can do 1/2 of one kind of gnocchi and half with another kind of gnocchi. And they make everything made to order so they will even do substitutes if you request. Our waiter literally said, "If we have the ingredient in our kitchen, we will be happy to make it for you." Even if you aren't in the mood for gnocchi, serious order yourself a small plate of it and you won't be disappointed. We also brought our own assortment of wine, beer and vodka. My boyfriend commented that "our waiter was the best bartender he ever had" because he kept our drinks on ice and had another one of my boyfriend's beers ready for him without even asking. The ambience of the place is very good although it can get noisy when they are packed. The employees are all really great and I love giving my business to good people. And they accept credit cards- YAY!
(5)
Adam N.

The manager called to address my review. I thought we were going to resolve the incorrect bill. But instead, I got a text photo of the check. I'm confused at this point. It was good they followed up, but they are still telling me we ordered food we didn't....
(2)
Ryan W.

Outstanding!!! Best mussels, gnocchi, and their marinara sauce is a meal in itself. Best Italian restaurant in philly.
(5)
Rachel B.

ANYONE IN THE AREA LOOKING FOR A GREAT ITALIAN MEAL- THIS IS THE SPOT!! We are from Connecticut and stopped here unexpectedly after spending the day in Philly. I am very particular when it comes to my food, I'd even go as far as to say I am high-maintenance. It was a Saturday at 5:45pm and we were told reservations were needed but they accommodated us without them. I felt a little under dressed considering we had just come from the flyers game & we had jeans & jerseys on but staff was very friendly & treated us like every other customer there. Service was exceptional. Maria, the owner & chef, is amazing. The restaurant is cozy. Words can not express how phenomenal the food was. We didn't know that it was B.Y.O.B but there is a liquor store 2 blocks away so no worries. We brought a bottle of wine and our waiter opened and poured it for us. We ordered 2 appetizers, the garlic clams, which were cooked perfectly, they weren't chewy or tough, & the eggplant special, which was eggplant, roasted red peppers, spinach & crab meat in a balsamic reduction. We were both in awe with the flavors and quality of each dish. For entrees we got veal saltimbocco with grilled vegetables, which is our usual when we eat Italian & the filet special, which had a crab gorgonzola sauce on top. Both meats were cooked how was ordered them. The flavors complimented everything on the dish & exploded in your mouth. We finished dinner with espresso & tiramisu. Tiramisu is my favorite dessert & this was the best I've ever had. I had the table next to us take a bite because I couldn't believe how amazing & creamy it was (they were strangers & tried it too & agreed). Pricing is normal for the quality & portion size. I can not say enough good about this restaurant. Our entire meal we kept saying how unbelievable this meal is to each other. Every aspect of our experience was heaven. We will definitely be back sooner than later.
(5)
Emily L.

Despite all of the good reviews, my friends and I DID NOT LEAVE HAPPY! We came in very excited, having been friends who studied together in Florence, Italy, and were looking forward to an amazing Italian meal. The service started out nice, however it did not end well. After spending around $110 on apps, entrees, and desserts, we felt as though we were being pushed out of the door. Our check was dropped off at the table, without so much as a "Thank you," or "Will that be all?" Then when the three of us put our credit cards in the serving book, we were told -AFTER THE MEAL- that they would have to charge us $5 each to split the check more than two ways. When the server/ (what seemed to be) part-owner returned with the checks, I informed him that we were caught unaware and he responded with, "Don't worry about it." Ummm, that's reassuring, thanks buddy. What could have been a delightful meal with old friends was quickly ruined by rude, unthoughtful, and rushed service. I only wish that I could erase that last 10 minutes of my meal from my memory, and then this 1 star rating would've been 3 or 4. I DO NOT RECOMMEND EATING HERE. The food was not even that great, take it from someone who has had the real thing, and for what it was, it was very overpriced. I encourage you to try one of the other 50 Italian restaurants in Philly. It's Philly, you can get pretty close to authentic Italian from a place that has better food, cheaper prices, and better service!
(1)
Jill T.

Holy cow! The gnocchi are AMAZING! Our waitress was not kidding when she said they are known for their gnocchi. We shared the spinach gnocchi with the Gorgonzola cream sauce as well as the Bufala Mozzarella special- with roasted artichokes, tomato, and capers. Both apps were amazing! The gnocchi were like little spinach pillows floating in a sea of delicious Gorgonzola cheese, and the bufala mozzarella- well I'm always a fan, but the capers were a really nice addition to my classic favorite. For my entree I opted for one of their specials. I still have no idea what it was called, but it was fantastic! It was some sort of homemade pasta dumplings filled with fontina cheese and spinach(?) in a white wine sauce with mushrooms and shrimp. Fabulous!!! My mom had the ricotta gnocchi in marinara sauce and they were just as good as our appetizer! Service was very good as well. Our waitress was really friendly and helpful with ordering. I'll definitely be back! Perhaps to have the gnocchi as my entree!
(5)
Steve S.

Without a doubt, you have to get the gnocchi. We had it as an appetizer with two different sauces. I like the red sauce better and next time I go back I will order it as an entree. They were amazing. This is a great date restaurant. It's small, but not cramped like every other Italian place in the city where you are eating on top of another table. The service is excellent, great portions and byob. I went for the first time with a restaurant.com certificate and now I will definitely be back.
(4)
E.J. C.

Great Italian BYO. If you want a delicious Italian meal that that isn't that expensive, you must try Cucina Forte. Got a reservation easily, but the place was still packed. The waiters are very friendly and helpful. They really make you feel like you are at home. The food is really good. The mixed green salad, though just a regular salad, was fresh and had a nice balsamic dressing. The mussels were tasty. They were cooked in a white wine and butter sauce with some sage. Make sure to get some extra bread to sop up the sauce. But the gnocchi was really the star. They are big, light, and fluffy, and plenty filling. You have the choice of ricotta or spinach gnocchi with either a marinara or gorgonzola sauce. The only con is that it can get quite noisy. But overall, a friendly waitstaff, good food, and a smile on your face when you leave.
(4)
Beth R.

My BYO of the month club came here for June, and it was A-OK, to use Yelp's rating. I've concluded that I'm getting spoiled by Philly's awesome restaurant scene, as I landed on a 3 star rating here.. I guess I just feel like there are Italian BYOs that are in the same price range but better. (L'Angolo, Salento, Radicchio, Bistro la Baia, Melograno, to name a few) I tried 2 apps, the mussels marinara and tomato & fresh mozarella salad. Both were pretty standard, I'd give them a solid "B". My entree, the highly recommended ricotta gnocchi with marinara, lived up to expectations. They were larger than most gnocchi I've seen and melted in my mouth. The chocolate cake was better than the Tiramisu. Dinner took a while. I felt like there was a lot of looking around waiting for the next thing to happen. By the end, we were the only table in the restaurant, but it still took a while to get the check. It was also really loud, even though it was a weeknight. We were struggling to hear each other. They do take credit cards, which is appreciated!
(3)
The Hungry Scientist I.

The food was good. My wife had the gnocchi which were fantastic, nice pillow texture with great flavor. I had a veal chop stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella it had a great grilled flavor to it and the stuffing in no way took away from the taste of the meat which it sometimes can. Everything was delicious and the staff was friendly to our party. The problem was the bill came to $110 a couple and no one ordered a dessert. For a BYO I found that a little outrageous. Upon closer inspection of our bill I noticed many people (including myself) had ordered a special. Yup, the average price point for a special was about $40. Yes 40 frakkin dollars!!! My veal chop was $45!!!! Now if I go to Ruth Chris or Morton's where the restaurant has an expensive ambiance, a swanky location and the waitstaff waits hand and foot I'll pay that kind of money for a steak without complaints. I do not in anyway expect to pay that kind of money for a veal chop at a casual BYO Italian joint in South Philly. I'm just not that keen on being taken advantage of like that. As my one friend said, "highway robbery" or as my wife said "who do they think they are kidding." I went up to the manager and told him that if you are going to charge that kind of money for a special you have to tell people price out of common decency. His response was that if you got that steak in center city it would cost $90. For $90 I can get a Kobe beef steak with a side of truffles... So enjoy BUT WATCH OUT FOR THE SPECIALS THEY WILL BREAK THE BANK!!!!
(3)
nancy s.

The food at Cucina Forte was very, very good. Our son and his girlfriend had eaten there twice before and encouraged us to join them for an evening. Yes the gnocchi is great--light and fluffy because it is made with ricotta, not potatoes. The pasta was made fresh and cooked perfectly. The chef and owner is a 74 year old woman who prepares the food with loving attention. The timing is good. The portions are generous. Our party of 4 shared 3 appetizers (they all sounded so good! and were good) and then 3 full diners and one appetizer for a main dish. All were good, the grilled portabella mushroom was smothered in crab...it was a bit rich, probably better as a shared appetizer. The osso buco was tender and flavorful, the veal dish and the lobster tail in spicy red sauce were terrific. Dessert was a ricotta cheesecake-terrific. The check came to $190 without tip so it wasn't cheap but we ordered mostly from the specials so the price would be less if you stuck to the regular menu. Sinatra and Dean Martin in the background sets the mood. There were only 3 other tables on a Friday night so it was cozy and relaxing. We will be back!
(4)
Rob S.

We went there this evening to celebrate our 30th Anniversary. we started with the dream soup, which even on a fairly warm day was "dreamy"...it was excellent. My wife and I shared the home made Ricotta Gnocchi with the Gorgonzola Cream Sauce which was hands down the best Gnocchi I have ever tasted. we also shared the Sacchetti, stuffed with prosciutto and fontina with mushrooms, shrimp in white wine sauce which was also exceptional. We shared a desert, one of my favorites, Ricotta Cheesecake (home made). After 30 years of marriage and eating out a lot, this was one of our best meals ever. Run don't walk to Cucina Forte....You will have to get there before me....
(5)
Lauren H.

I went here on a double date, and came across this place completely by accident. We we originally going to Cent'Anni around the corner, but all the lights were off... (hopefully they didn't succumb to this horrible economic situation... that's a five star restaurant in my book!) Anyways, this was very similar to our original destination, and that's a good thing. Same intimate, perfectly lighted (not too light, not too dark) atmosphere, byob (!!), and yummy yummy italian food. We started off with the spinach gnocchi in gorgonzola sauce, which was delicious. The filling kind of had the consistency of a new container of Play-doh, but I didn't mind. The sauce was AMAZING. We also got basket after basket of home-made bread, which was PERFECT. Perfectly moist and soft on the inside, with a nice crust on the outside, loved loved LOVED! We also had fried calamari, which I'd pass on next time... nothing special about it. The calamari at Alma de Cuba is way way better. My entree was one of the specials, lobster ravioli with jumbo shrimp in a cream sauce, soooo good. It didn't look like much food initially, but I was full when I was done. My boyfriend had the Pollo Alla Forte, which he said was delicious. He had a side of spaghetti, and be warned... it is SPICY. Spicy in a way that coats your mouth, and takes a couple gulps of water (or wine) to get rid of. Every bite. He didn't finish it. The best part was that it was BYOB. They open the wine for you, put it on ice, and you go to town. We came prepared, and brought 2 large bottles with us, so we were feeling pretty wonderful when we left. Overall, a great place to go with some friends.
(4)
Leah G.

So confused as to why this place has not been on my radar screen before . . . . everyone raves about the gnocchi, the raving is well-deserved, you must get at least just for your appetizer. I cannot remember the name of my entree, but I will describe it, perfect little pillows of pasta with prosciutto and cheese. This was a special, it should become a mainstay. My dining partners could not keep their hands off my plate.
(4)
Lou V.

The food at Cucina Forte is very well prepared. I've had gnocchi at many places in the past. Cucina Forte could be one of, if not, THEE best gnocchi I've ever tasted. Great job to the well-seasoned chef Maria for her delicious dishes. I'm going to take my dad tonight (who is an immigrant from Italy) for his birthday dinner. I look forward to another really good meal.
(5)
Jeffrey B.

Delicious food, cozy atmosphere, and friendly yet non-intrusive servers. The menu is primarily seafood, although more extensive than most BYOs.The calamari was excellent--perfectly breaded and lightly fried.
(4)
Pat H.

good food. Gets noisy with large parties, Had two dinner specials and two dinner salad specials, fried calamari, gnocchi. All pleased. Would have liked more bread but never got the opportunity to ask for it. They recite specials which I wish they would have on a board or typed up. Waiter was not sure of the price of one of the specials, gave me a ballpark. How can you offer something and not know the price.
(4)
Alicia Y.

My friend suggested italian, i found a restaurant.com certificate for cucina forte and that's where we ended up! Needless to say we LOVED it! It was a little quiet but we loved the atmosphere. Our server was great and extremely friendly. I had the gnocchi which is obviously "famous" for a reason, it was the best! I highly reccomend checking this place out.
(5)
Asuka N.

I had dinner here last weekend with a couple of friends. For a Saturday evening, it was surprisingly empty when we came around 7:15 PM or so. We were seated at the window (likely because our extremely casual clothing was a bit out of place), and the menus were given to us. I would have appreciated the specials being told to the table a bit slower; we didn't end up ordering any, but I also had little idea of what was available after the waiter had told us. On the advice of one of our party who had previously been there, we got the gnocchi (both the spinach and the ricotta), the tacconell al porcini (my suggestion), and the pesto ravioli. All of the dishes were fantastic; the gnocchi in particular was a highlight. I'm not sure how it's made, but the gnocchi is really rich and has a dense, flavorful middle. The tacconell was also a revelation; the long, thin noodles tasted very good in the cream sauce, and the porcini mushrooms added a nice touch of flavor that allowed it to stand out against the sauce (which wasn't as rich as an alfredo). The ravioli was probably the weakest dish, but even so it tasted better than most I've had. Put together, those 3 dishes were under $20 each, so it was a very affordable dinner for the price. The atmosphere is a bit quiet, but once more parties started flowing in later on, you could speak at normal levels without feeling too out of place. My one recommendation is that this place is more towards the dressy end of casual; I felt a bit out of place in my shorts, polo shirt, and sandals. I'd recommend wearing at least jeans and loafers (not sneakers).
(4)
Maribeth W.

The place was very quaint and was cozy and intimate on a Wednesday night! I wanted to try everything on the menu, but settled for a buffalo cheese salad and spinach ravioli. The bread was delicious and we devoured 2 servings of it! I made sure to not eat all the ravioli so I could have some for today, still tastes just as good now! The service was great and the woman was very friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely go!
(5)
Shannon O.

Echoing several other reviews: I kind of just stumbled upon this place with a friend after a day of Bella Vista thrifting. We were so pleasantly surprised! The gnocchi is out of this world, especially with the gorgonzola sauce. Not too soft, not too firm, jussst right. I came back when my sister was in town a week later, knowing it was a quiet spot to kick back and spend a few hours. The server remembered me, and even gave me an affectionate arm on the shoulder, which normally would be weird, but here you feel like family. Recently I visited Cucina Forte a third time with my boyfriend for Valentine's Day. We had decided there was no way we were spending Valentines Day at a hyped up bedazzled place, and much preferred the quiet calm of this place. Even his discerning palate loved the home made bread with perfect crust, the gnocchi (again), our eggplant salad, and the lamb with rosemary and capers that was a perfectly cooked and marinated. Go here on a day when you don't want a scene, you just want to relax and have a nice dinner with friends.
(4)
Lucy H.

This is one of our favorite spots in Phila. My husband I have had dinner here twice now, and both times were fantastic. The gnocchi was great and my favorite is the Pasta Fagioli soup, absolutely the best I've ever had. I will definitely go back, when we can go with friends! I would recommend to anyone who wants an out of the way, great Italian place to eat.
(4)
Alexa R.

"Do you think they would judge me if I used the rest of the bread basket to sop up this gorgonzola cream sauce?" I whispered to my husband after we finished our gnocchi appetizer at Cucina Forte last night. We had a gift certificate to Cucina Forte and decided to make last night a date night. Cucina Forte is cozy, warm and our server Gloria was amazing. We talked to her about the neighborhood and other local restaurants for about ten minutes before we realized we didn't order a meal. She was so nice - I felt like I had known her for years. The menu is wonderful, with both healthier and not-so-healthy options. I started with a simple salad and then had crab meat stuffed eggplant for my entree. My husband had the aforementioned gnocchi (they were so accommodating, offering him the option to try both sauces! We couldn't decide which we liked better), the clams, and the veal medallions. He laughed because after a new bite, I kept remarking, "This tastes just like my grandmother's, only a little better." We ended our meal by splitting tiramisu. I think the food quality of Cucina Forte far surpasses Villa da Roma and the prices are much more wallet-friendly than Dante and Luigis. If you go, please do not even think of skipping the gnocchi and cross your fingers that you get Gloria as your server! Centianni!
(5)
Paul D.

If the experience ended the way it started, this review would have been much lower. I made an 8 o'clock reservation for 7 people, a few of my guests arrived on time/early and were seated. Unfortunately, due to traffic created by a festival on South Street, my wife and I had to call the restaurant and tell them we would be a few minutes late. The restaurant then proceeded to tell the other guests that they needed to get up because we were not all there and wait outside, and they would get them another table when we arrived. Needless to say this was pretty embarrassing to my friends and very frustrating to me when I arrived a few minutes later, to me, that was an inexcusably rude way to handle the situation. Other than that, the only problem was being seated at the end of a table, where they threw an extra chair, and being constantly bumped into and having to move so people could get by...another result of overbooking. After the initial debacle with our table everything got better as the night progressed. The food was awesome, the service was very good and everyone enjoyed the evening. After getting the whole experience, I can only assume that this was indeed an exception for this place and not the rule, I worked in the restaurant business for a long time so I do understand that these nights happen. All in all I would absolutely reccomend the place...just make sure you don't go on a night when they overbook.
(4)
Mike G.

This was the 8th destination for the foodie group and we had a great time at Cucina Forte. It was our smallest group yet though it certainly didn't feel like it. The restaurant was a cozy atmosphere and Pina and the staff offered us warm welcomes and one long table for our food-ie night. As our group arrived, we enjoyed the homemade bread and antipasto plates and my sister made some friends with some regular patrons sitting nearby that I too had the pleasure to meet. Talking to them was like talking to family members at a reunion. They were glad to see us there, discovering what they'd known to be gem of an eating destination, a local secret, if you will, that they were glad to share. The menu, as promised was very good. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the color of the dishes, the freshness of the ingredients and the presentation on each plate. The service was flawless, very attentive without being intrusive and this restaurant was not empty on this particular Thursday. Of course, as some of us were sitting near the far end of the table, away from the kitchen, we secretly mumbled our resentment and justified bitter envy of the dessert portions for the first half of the table. As the dessert plates were delivered to each person starting near the kitchen and finally towards our end - closer to the door, we noticed how the serving sizes of the Ricotta Cheese cake progressively (or regressively?) shrank. Perhaps this was a result of the inherent generosity of the servers realizing that there was a risk of running out. If such thoughts even occurred to us at the time they simply didn't deter our jealous whispers . As it turns out, the comparatively puny serving of fluffly creamy ricotta cheese cake and an admittedly decent serving of the super rich fudgey homemade double chocolate mousse cake for our end of the table was... ahem... um... more than enough. Sure, I myself looked halfway down the table at Elaine's mountain of cheesecake on her plate and back at my small dab and thought ..... well, never mind what I thought. Truth is, I never even finished mine. Dessert and excellent coffee at the end of such a good meal had me more than content before I could finish. Oh, and it's true, the gnocchi in their homemade marinara sauce is as light as a feather and super for a second course. I look forward to returning to try the spinach gnoochi next time.
(3)
Dave S.

This place is small and loud perfect for a Saturday night with friends out to have a good time and get a great meal. The wait staff was awesome very witty and willing to have fun with our table. We had a party of 10 and they all enjoyed the time spent in this great feel at home Italian eatery. Thanks guys for making it an enjoyable night.
(5)
Rick J.

Excellent. Best Italian eatery we've been to in 20yrs. Forget all the touristy place, go here
(5)
Wil R.

Hands down one of my favorite Italian places in this lovely city of ours. The staff is wicked friendly and they are very accomodating to doing half portions, spicy, or whatever way you want it - they definitely have some of my favorite bread as well, and they keep it coming. I always try something new there and I am never disappointed. The wait times usually aren't too bad either.
(5)
Tom T.

Went here on a Friday night on a whim (and we had some discount coupon) but I am glad we did. The food was outstanding. We had an appetizer of grilled baby squid as good as I've ever had and an eggplant app that was also very tasty. The real highlight was the saccetti (sp?) pasta , little sacks which were stuffed with fontina cheese and prosciutto and served in a delicious light sauce with shrimp. I can't wait to go back. Very reasonable pricing for this quality and a BYO to boot. Thoe chef and owner Maria is literally a liitle old italian lady (well not so old maybe) who can really cook.
(5)
Rich L.

Haven't been here in a long time and wanted to return to try the gnocchi. Food overall pretty decent. Certainly nowhere close to the best Italian in the city but for the prices ok. Gnocchi bolognese was a special and although I make better bolognese sauce, I can't make gnocchi this good. Big deterrent for us was the noise level. Basically wrecked the evening. Will not return because of it, that' s how loud it was.
(4)
Mai H.

Everything we had was delicious. We started with the mixed greens salad and portabello mushroom-loved the smokey mushroom with crab meat. My husband had the gnocchi in marinara. Very fluffy and soft. I had the lamb chops at a perfect medium. We ended with ricotta cheesecake and tiramisu which were both awesome. The cheesecake just came out if the oven. The waiter was great. He gave me ample time to finish my wine and digest a bit before bringing out desset. I will definitely go back.
(5)
Jacqueline W.

Good Italian food. The entrees are a little pricey but its a BYOB. YUUUMMY eggplant and crabmeat appetizer. Everything tasted very fresh. And the staff was nice and attentive. Cute and cozy interior..may be best to call for reservations if its a Friday or Saturday at dinner, althought they seem to serve quickly. Reason enough to visit South Philly =)
(4)
Rose B.

Made reservations for a Thursday night... don't need to make a res during the week, only on weekends as we pretty much had the restaurant to ourselves. This is a great restaurant to go to when you want to feel like your Italian grandmother was feeding you. Definitely upscale comfort food. The gnochi was great (had it both ways - with gorgonzola and marinara). Prices are a bit high ... more on the $$$ scale (at 22-35 per entree). Good that this is a BYOB as our bill averaged to $45 a piece with tip. Location is quaint with areas of interest nearby to walk ... you'll need to after this meal. However, there is no place to park. You may want to find parking lot nearby and walk.
(4)
Allison E.

Food was just ok. We started with an order of the gnocchi which is good, however ordering the half Gorgonzola and half marinara sauce, I thought it would have been served on two different plates. NOPE. Just plopped the sauces one to the left side, one to the right side. The two bled together and ruined it for me. The chicken al forte was again, OK. It stated there was crab meat atop the chicken along with mushrooms...mushrooms yes, crab meat no. For a BYOB it's ok. A nice plus is they accept credit cards. Would I go again? No.
(2)
Katy D.

I have to give this place only 3 even though the gnocci was delicious. My husband and I kind of stumbled in on it without a reservation. They sat us anyway at a table near the door. The food took forever to come out because every table was occupied. Then, as we are waiting for our food other people that HAD made reservations had to wait about 3 inches next to our table and stand there for about 30 minutes while the staff took forever to clear and reset the open table. It was awkward and uncomfortable and the staff should really know if they can take someone without a reservation or not. I respect a place more if they turn me away, knowing it will be better for everyone than to try to cram us in at the cost of patrons with reservations. However, the food WAS good. Highly recommend the gnocci. Also, we didn't know it was BYO so the host gave us some White Zinfandel. Normally, I wouldn't drink the stuff, but I was kind of touched by the generosity.
(3)
James H.

The gnocci is to die for and the rest of the menu is terrific. The owner and staff are exceptional. Quant atmosphere and a perfect fall/winter hang out. Highly recommended!
(4)
Sal C.

Wife and I went for the first time last night. The gnocchi live up to their reputation - light and fluffy, not leaden like most. Also had an excellent pasta dish with shrimp, olives, cherry tomatoes and feta. Service was very attentive and friendly (although there seemed to be only one woman working - if the place was more crowded we might not have gotten so much attention). Took care of our wine without hassle and with no corkage fee. Only negative - our coconut sorbet was the same exact stuff we picked up at Costco a few weeks before. The type packaged in the half shell? Yup, it was OK, but we were surprised given all the their nice touches to get a store bought dessert. Still, we will be back.
(4)
hilary m.

cucina forte has some pretty authentic italian food. the menu has stayed the same for a while now which isnt a bad thing. there are so many great meals to eat here. the ricotta gnochhi is something that really stands out. it sounds like such a simple thing but it is really good. if you come here for nothing else come here for the home-made bread. BYOB
(3)
Ray D.

I feel a little bad giving this place 3 stars because I like it a little better than that but it's just not worthy of 4 stars. The dream soup is a great way to start your dinner here. The gnocchi is probably the best I've ever had. It's very light but filled with flavor. I recommend selecting the Gorgonzola sauce. Don't be afraid to order the gnocchi as an appetizer for the table. The veal chop is a great entree that always seems to deliver. Extremely solid BYO for above average Italian food.
(3)
Chris D.

I spent 2 hours researching where to take my wife on Saturday night. We decided on Cucina Forte. The reviews were good and the Zagat gave them a great score for food. I'm not sure if we hit an off night or what but we were very disappointed. The eggplant appetizer was bland and just barely warm. It tasted as though it was made early in the day and warmed in a microwave! It had that uneven temperature indicative of microwave heating. It also needed some salt & pepper ~ which they dont put on the tables. I had the filet mignon special that appeared to have been grilled earlier in the day and then warmed. It seemed like it was steamed (or microwaved?)... The gnocchi were good but the sauce bland and they were barely warm... the saving grace of the night was a nice restaurant atmosphere, the wine we brought and Vinny our waiter. He was top notch... unfortunately, the server isn't enough to bring us back.
(2)
Tom Q.

This place is amazing! Fantastic food, great service. The place looks dicey from the outside, and the inside is a bit better. I have never been disappointed here. The Gnochi is delicious, fairly ligh with a cream sauce. The grilled Calamari is awesome as well. Prices are a bit high, but worth it. It's never crowded on a weeknight and usually not bad on a weekend. All in all, two thumbs up!
(4)
Bill W.

I'm feeling some regret over the fact that I've only been here twice in the past 10 years, even though both meals were excellent. As some reviewers have pointed out, maybe it's not the *best* Italian in the city, but honestly, what is? If there were an obvious consensus we'd all be eating there every Saturday night. The fact is Cucina Forte has way more hits than misses on their menu, and the service is friendly and reliable. We tried a few pastas on the last visit and all were above average. Also I don't normally order steak in an Italian spot but the Filet was cooked and seasoned perfectly, one of the highlights. And BYO of course is a (+). We will be back.
(4)
Tina T.

My husband and I came here after having a bad experience at Little Fish. This is a small BYOB in south Philly. Luckily, it wasn't too busy on a Friday and we were seated immediately. We ordered the grilled calamari (delicious), marinara gniocchi (bland to me, but very tender- perfect texture), shrimp risotto, veal saltimbocca (both very good). Prices were very reasonable and our server, Gary was very polite and attentive. Our only issue, and it was enough to knock a star or two was the inability for the restaurant to manage their 12 top in the same small space. It was a very loud, obnoxious group yelling over each other. Clearly, they were having a great time but it was so disruptive to our meal. Most of the time, my husband and I couldn't hear each other speaking without having to yell ourselves. We complained but it didn't change anything. Such a shame, too, as this really affects people's experiences.
(3)
Kyle S.

Went here for the first time on a whim with my boyfriend, and we were very pleased! We went around 6:30 on a Wednesday, and only one table was filled (by a party who apparently knew the people who run the place, always a good sign), but that's to be expected on a Wednesday night in February. Our wine was promptly opened, and our waitress listed off a bewildering amount of specials, all of which sounded delicious. We decided to order the fontina cheese-stuffed dumplings as an appetizer, I ordered the veal saltimbocca as an entree, and my boyfriend made his own entree out of two appetizers, the mussels and the gnocchi (both kinds). Our dumplings came out after not too long of a wait, and they were delicious. Plenty of tender, cheesy dumplings, a fair amount of mushrooms, and two shrimp, all in a delicious sauce. After this, we were both excited for our entrees, and we were not disappointed. My veal saltimbocca came in the form of three healthy sized veal medallions, each topped with a generous slice of proscuitto, melted cheese, and a wonderful sage cream sauce. It wasn't an enormous amount of food, but I was very full after eating it. My boyfriend greatly enjoyed his enormous quantity of mussels, drenched in a delicious red sauce (which we sopped up with bread later). The gnocchi was the lightest and fluffiest I have ever had, without a doubt, and well worth its reputation. I preferred the regular ricotta gnocchi in the gorganzola sauce, but my boyfriend preferred the spinach gnocchi in the red sauce. Both were excellent, but I think either would be a bit much to order as an entree. Overall, a very solid Italian BYOB. I would describe their food in general as "fancy comfort food", in that many of the dishes are more original than a traditional macaroni-and-gravy Italian restaurant (like Villa di Roma), but they aren't the culinary equivalent of haute couture either. We will absolutely be back.
(4)
Kristen M.

Dining partner and I came across Cucina Forte after another well known Italian Market restaurant was closed for the July 4th weekend, and we are so glad we did! We wandered in a little before 6pm without a reservation to a small restaurant with about 4 tables filled. We were seated with our two other dining companions. We ordered the fried calamari as an appetizer, which was hands down THE BEST either of us have ever consumed. The breading was light and crispy without over seasoning which happens often with calamari. I ordered the spinach pasta with porcini mushrooms and asparagus in a light cream sauce, dining partner had the veal medallions, our companions had the spinach gnocchi and spaghetti with clams. Service was good, our waters were constantly refilled. We all very much enjoyed our dishes. It's a great BYOB spot, highly recommended.
(4)
Peter C.

Everything was going great, until I got the check. I had ordered the veal chop special (veal chop stuffed with cheese and prosciutto with green beans) and had expected it to be priced in line with their other entrees (at or near $25). Maybe it would be like $35 bucks tops, no biggie right? Guess again. My special alone came out to be $48. Granted, I could have asked, but come on, $48! It was good, but the veal certainly didn't warrant that price tag. Went with a few friends and we really enjoyed our experience until we were all blown away when the server gave us our check. I would recommend this nice little BYO, but don't get burned like I did and ask for prices on their specials.
(3)
Chris H.

Best gnocchi I've ever had with many, many options .... Stuffed veal chop special fantastic ..... BYOB .....
(4)
JC J.

I'm not sure why this place has 4 stars. Other than being a BYOB, this restaurant has no remarkable features. The food was very mediocre. My friends and I ordered the gnocchi, which is apparently what this restaurant is known for. The pasta was fine, but nothing special. None of us finished our meals. My plate was mostly a mess of cheese and sauce, and I could barely decipher or appreciate the gnocchi pieces. The service started off nice, but the waiter was fairly rude to us towards the end of the meal. I assume he wanted to close up the restaurant (it was 10ish), which I completely understand, but he couldn't have been less subtle about it. Because of his curt conduct, we ended our meal on an uncomfortable note, which made me not want to go back to this restaurant again.
(2)
Elisabet R.

The ambiance was very cute and welcoming! Overall, we enjoyed our time and meal. It's BYO, so our large party had a great dinner! The mozzarella appetizer was great with a little balsamic added to it. Likewise, the pasta fazul was my absolute favorite (though, it is not as soupy as one would expect)-- the noodles are hand made and perfectly aldente and the flavor was delicious!! The spinach gnocchi were ok, and the portion sizes were quite generous.
(3)
Razzed U.

Went here for dinner on a Sat evening. The place was mostly empty but we had been eager to try it for so long, so we were happy to get the extra attn from the wait staff. Food was pretty good -The filet was pretty good, although the crab sauce it was in was overwhelming the flavor. - the gnocchi Gorgonzola were excellent, get them! - the lamb chops were flavorful & cooked perfectly. But they were fatty Price - quite expensive, $40 for a filet, really? It's not Morton's. Ambience - the decor is ok. They are trying at least. Old school charm w some fancy updates. But the NEON flashing open sign, just tacky! - the party of 5 across the restaurant were obnoxious, to the point that we were talking about it w the table next to us. The manager & staff just allowed it, ignoring that it was distruptive to everyone else. We won't be back. Probably would've gone back again for the food but the 'vibe' was weird
(3)
Eddie A.

This is the second time that I have been here. It was just as good this time as it was last time! Small and inviting! This time we went as a "date" night celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary. We started with fried calamari, it was perfect. I had the lobster ravioli with shrimp and a cream sauce and my wife had orecchiette filled with fontina cheese with shrimp, wild mushrooms, and spinach. They were both phenomenal!! Of course, I think mine was better!! We shared a bottle of white wine and topped it off with coffee and ricotta cheese cake. If I had to make one complaint it would be put cannoli back on the dessert menu. It is south philly and I expect a cannoli :)
(5)
JB B.

Great gnocchi. My chicken forte was just ok. My wife's lamb chops came out COLD. With how difficult it is to park in this neighborhood, and without valet parking here, and considering we were underwhelmed with the food,it's just not worth the trip from south jersey.
(3)
Brian T.

Ended up randomly stopping in for dinner and REALLY enjoyed the our meal. They were able to seat us as a walk in, which is GREAT on a Saturday night. Our server was very good, consistent and made sure our visit went as smooth as possible. he also kept m beers chilled (it's BYO) which is great. We started with the grilled calimari appetizer that was cooked PERFECT! It had this great smokiness to it from the grill and wsan't overvooked. It came with this balsamic reduction that was perfect with it. I ordered the veal saltimbocca and an appetizer portion of the gnocchi alla ricotta with tomato sauce. My wife had the crab risotto. The gnocchi were great, more like Gnudi that gnocchi but in the best way possible. It could have used a bit more flavor in the sauce, but overall a great dish. I also realy enjoyed my saltimbocca. I will say for the price ($24) it was a bit small and they decided to randomly add a slice of potato adn a slice of griled eggplant on my plate, not sure why. My wife really enjoyed her risotto as well. the only drawback for this place was the noise level. there was a large group in there that were literaly screaming for most of the time. I couldn't even hear my wife talking to me, which makes it impossible to really enjoy your meal. the server did try to quite them down, but it didn't make a diference. I'd say great place to go get a meal but it can be super noisy so don't expect a quiet meal. all in all, the food was good and the service was spot on.
(3)
Brian M.

I really can't believe we just ate at the same restaurant as anyone here who gave this place more than 1 star! My girlfriend wanted to take me out to eat and we decided on a local Italian place which was closed and finally settled on trying this place out. Upon entering the atmosphere was strange and there was some strange lighting situation going on. Anyway we ordered gnocchi for appetizer, spinach pasta with porcini mushrooms and the veal medallions. Bread came out with oil and salt and pepper, which should have been a sign, no herbs or anything, salt and pepper?! Really?! The gnocchi was fairly decent except for seeing mice running around while eating it. Yes mice running all over the dining room. The porcini pasta was disgusting, the mushrooms seemed unclean with actual dirt or sand still on them. Tasted gross, my GF could not eat it and we said something, decided to be nice and pick another dish. Veal medallions were gross, no where near a $20-$30 plate restaurant, mice, spoiled mushrooms, bland veal just bad bad bad all around! Before the new dish came out we saw more mice running around the dining room and heard they chitting making mice noises, we had enough and told the waitress we were leaving, we don't want the new dish and that our experience has been horrible. When we arrived it seemed like another party was having some words with the waitress also. One if them walked out and another approached the counter and was mentioning something to the waitress. We gave this place many chances while we were there but it failed miserably. Finally we left without paying as the waitress said "just go, just leave".....horrible experience
(1)
Alison L.

The gnocchi here is the best I've ever had. Like little pillows of heaven. Our waitress recommended we have half with the gorgonzola and half with the red sauce, which was a great choice. The only downside to this restaurant is the ambiance: super cheesy. I think they were going for romance, but took it a step too far. They were also playing the Phantom of the Opera Broadway recording while we were here, which is an odd choice.
(4)
Yin L.

Came with my fiance and her parents for pre-mother's day dinner -- and the worst dining experience of my life. To be fair, the food was really good - no complaints there. And the guy who refilled our water and cleared our table - he was friendly and attentive. But our main server - he did not seem interested in actually serving us. After we ordered appetizers, he asked if we were ready to order entrees. He really didn't care, because when we said that we would prefer to wait a bit more, he said it would be best to order asap because it was a busy Sat night. When my fiancee's mom asked if she could order a half-portion of the risotto, the server said, "we don't generally do that on a Saturday night" -- this was after we had already ordered two appetizers. My fiancee's mom, who doesn't like to upset people, was so flustered that she ordered the full portion salmon instead. "I felt so intimidated," she told me. I did not have those qualms - so I walked up to the waiter and asked if we could change it to the half-portion risotto. He refused, saying now that it was "policy." When I asked for his manager, he claimed that he *was* the manager. I told him that I would let other diners know about this "policy" on Yelp. He said, "fine." And things kept going downhill. He got my fiancee's order wrong. She told him. Our server looked at us, said OK and left. No offer to replace the order. No apology. No nothing. This experience left our entire party seething. For the first time in my life, I left $0 in tip. Apparently, the server/manager cared more about getting us out of there than the reputation of his restaurant. And he succeeded -- we hurried out after spending just over an hour for our mother's day dinner. My fiancee's mom wondered if we weren't dressed well enough. I wondered if it was racism (I am Chinese; my fiancee's family is Jewish). To this day, we still don't understand what had happened. But I will never go back again.
(1)
Olivia R.

I went to this place for my birthday and they could not have been more accommodating! We had a group of about 15 and they called a few times to check in and make sure everything was set - they even knew my name when I called back to confirm! We went there on the later side so there was only one other party, which was probably a good thing because a bunch of college kids can often get a bit too noisy for other diners. However, the waitress was very nice and did not mind our loud volume at all (she actually seemed amused by it). The food was pretty good...I definitely recommend either of the gnocchis. The only thing was that it was a little overpriced for not a huge plate of food. Great BYO place though - I'm surprised more people don't know about it!
(4)
Jean M.

Cute BYOB, great for girls night out, or a date. Loved the warm fresh baked bread, the homemade pasta, and the sense that I was eating in someone's living room with twinkling mood lighting. Enjoyed the buffalo mozzarella with artichoke hearts the gnocchi was nice, but the lobster shrimp ravioli is where it's at!
(4)

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Address : 768 S 8th St
Philadelphia, PA, 19147
Phone (215) 238-0778
Website https://www.cucinaforte.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

Claim Restaurant

Italian Cuisine

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.

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Cucina Forte

768 S 8th St, Philadelphia, PA, 19147

Cucina Forte Menu

Antipasti

Zuppa

Insalate

Entree's

Carni

Pasta

Maria's Famous Gnocchi

Pesce

Healthy Meal suggestions for Cucina Forte

Antipasti

Zuppa

Insalate

Entree's

Carni

Pasta

Maria's Famous Gnocchi

Pesce

Jim D.

Elizabeth H.

Valentino G.

Mallory D.

Michael O.

Nina S.

Steve P.

Paul M.

C P.

Ann V.

Rachel S.

Joey R.

Tiffany H.

Bri H.

Lindsey B.

C M.

Sammy S.

Natalie S.

Jennifer S.

Megan A.

Matt R.

Tina N.

JasonJennifer S.

Andrew S.

Derrek D.

S K.

Mandy H.

Bella M.

Rebecca B.

Ted C.

Owen F.

bill c.

Kim K.

Courtney C.

Michelle C.

Dana M.

Justin B.

Bruce G.

Sarah P.

Jamie N.

Christina G.

Adam N.

Ryan W.

Rachel B.

Emily L.

Jill T.

Steve S.

E.J. C.

Beth R.

The Hungry Scientist I.

nancy s.

Rob S.

Lauren H.

Leah G.

Lou V.

Jeffrey B.

Pat H.

Alicia Y.

Asuka N.