Stella Sera
8630 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19118
Stella Sera Menu
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Antipasti & Insalate
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Fresh Homemade Pasta
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Entrees
Healthy Meal suggestions for Stella Sera
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Antipasti & Insalate
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Fresh Homemade Pasta
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Entrees
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Address :
8630 Germantown Ave
Philadelphia, PA, 19118 - Phone (215) 248-1980
- Website https://www.stellasera.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual, Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
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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Maria M.
I have been here now several times and can't believe I haven't reviewed this place so far. It is hard to say for sure if my review is influenced by the fact that there are very few quality restaurants in Chestnut Hill, but Stella Sera ranks in the top two. I can say that I have truly enjoyed every single course I have ever been served here. The service is always courteous, friendly and efficient. Recently we ate there on a Saturday night and, sure, service was a bit slower than on a weeknight. It was still as accommodating as one could expect given the crowd. The food is truly delicious and this is coming from an Italian-American woman who has worked in the business and her 84-year-old Italian dad who has no time for poor food. Their portions are more than adequate, the bread is good, the seasonings are just right. I don't know what more I could ask for.
(5)Seth L.
There was nothing horrible and nothing spectacular about my dinner. The polenta with mushrooms appetizer tasted primarily of cream and salt. The yellow fin special was plain, and while they encouraged me to have it rare, it was medium cooked. At this price point you can get a much tastier and fresher meal on Germantown Ave down in Mount Airy at the phenomenal Trattoria Moma.
(3)Nicole P.
I had a great dinner here with friends! First, the staff was great with finding parking and picking out the perfect cozy table to sit at. The food was delicious! We started off with the salad and the bread is great! Ask for balsamic on the side to dip in! Amazing. I decided to get the home-made pasta with vodka sauce (to die for) and my friend got gnocchi which was WOW! Also, such great deserts! we had the creme brulee and tiramisu! So good. I definitely recommend this restaurant! Will be back soon! :)
(5)Michael M.
My partner and I had an excellent gourmet meal tonight at Stella Sera in Chestnut Hill. The Portabella Mushroom with shrimp and lump crabmeat was a great starter. My entree was pan blackened Mako Shark steak. Seasoned perfectly, very tender and a large portion size. The Chef/owner even came out to my table after the meal to ensure we had a great experience here. Table service was very prompt and professional. It is nice to know that places like this exist where the chef cares that his patrons have an excellent dining experience. It is without reservation that I recommend you give this chef an opportunity to show you his gourmet italian flare.
(5)Ida G.
With Valentine's Day falling on a weekday this year, we decided to keep it local and try something new. The deep blues and twinkling lights of Stella Sera had been beckoning us for months, so it was an easy choice. Our table was ready when we arrived at 8pm so we were seated immediately, almost directly opposite an exceptional guitarist who played ballads the entire evening. I'm not sure whether he was a regular feature or brought in for the occasion. The only let down occurred within the first five minutes, when we learned they were BYOB only and we hadn't thought to bring a bottle. It would have been nice of them to let us know when they called to confirm our reservation two days earlier. Luckily, there's a Wine and Spirits virtually right across the street, so the boyfriend was able to go there and back while I was still on my first piece of warm bread. I started with the Stella Sera, a delightfully presented smoked salmon and goat cheese salad that probably would have been great on a bagel. See my photo upload. The boyfriend had calamari in sauce that didn't look as good but tastes delicious. My veal medallions and crab meat were not very interesting, but I did have a bite of the boyfriend's perfectly medium rare fillet mignon. The portions were large, especially for a fancy pants restaurant, but the desserts looked too good to pass up. The boyfriend had a solidly good creme brulee, and I made as much of a dent as I could in my very rich dark and white chocolate mousse. Our cappuccinos were weak but enjoyable. At the end of the night, they gave the check to him and a single red rose to me. Take that, feminism.
(4)Nicholas W.
Went to Stella Sera with some friends this past week. The restaurant is very nice, it's clean, the servers are very attentive and good at what they do. In my opinion the menu is limited for an Italian restaurant. The pappardelle pasta was good and cooked just right.
(3)Elena C.
So we finally got around to eating a meal at Stella Sera and I'm so glad we made the effort to come back! We had a lovely, romantic meal and discovered a great new Italian place to frequent. The atmosphere is dark and charming and I like that they don't over stuff their space with tables. Service was attentive but not overly in your face which is very much appreciated. Slight complaint: Our table was all the way in the back of the restaurant, right next to the curtain the staff is constantly walking past to get drinks and such and every time they walked past it would hit me. Kind of annoying and I wish it had been tacked down or something. However, once the food arrived I was distracted enough that it didn't matter. :) I started off with the Caesar salad and T got the Carciofo which were grilled artichokes with capers and lemon garlic wine sauce. The artichokes were incredible. The Caesar was good and not overly dressed. For dinner I got the Funghi with filet tips, truffle oil, and a mushroom medley. Wow. After that was served I have no idea what happened for the next twenty minutes as I slowly devoured my plate of pasta. Heavenly and rich and the serving was a perfect size. T got the Sera pasta which was covered with lump and fresh veggies such as asparagus, sun dried tomatoes, and lemon garlic sauce. He really enjoyed his as well. While mine was rich and filling, his was light but hearty. We skipped dessert because we had some leftover Coldstone in the freezer but next time we'll be sure to take part and report back! Amazing!
(5)Gerard C.
While the place is small, there is a coziness that greets you. The menu is varied and the pasta is homemade, they offer all your favorites. Everything is well prepared-like skipping to Tuscany for a meal. It is a BYOB, but there is a wine store across the street. I highly recommend this neighborhood location where the locals guard their secret.
(5)Adrienne K.
My experience at Stella Sera was very different from all these reviews. They could have just had an "off" Saturday night but it was in fact, extremely off then. It's not a new business from what I can tell so unless the manager or chef walked out, I'm not sure what the reasons were for the poor service... I went in with my parents on a Saturday night and we were promptly seated after our 8 pm reservation but had to ask the waiter to uncork the wine. He never told us what the specials were; I had to ask him. We waited for 15-20 minutes before the server came back to take our order. We ordered the artichoke heart appetizer and jumbo lump crabmeat appetizer. 30-40 minutes later after asking our server where the appetizers were, the artichokes and a calamari dish appeared. The server thought we wanted the calamari instead of the crabmeat appetizer but who could blame him? We could barely hear ourselves think let alone talk in the restaurant. We were so hungry though we didn't even attempt to send it back. There was no spectacular presentation with the appetizers, it was almost like they had just thrown it on the plate from a big pot in the kitchen. I couldn't really blame him though - the place was so loud with people talking we could barely hear ourselves. Not only did the appetizers take 40 minutes to get to our table, the artichokes were way too salty and the calamari was so spicy it masked the flavors of the dish. After the appetizers, we sat around for 30+ more minutes while waiting for our entrees. I'm usually pretty patient but I was so hungry I had eaten the entire basket of bread and was about to start knawing my arm off. The server said he would go check with the kitchen and told us "every meal is prepared to order"...yes as most restaurants do. I'm not a big fan of leaving a restaurant in the middle of dinner service but no tables around us had received their entrees either so I knew we would be waiting some time. We asked for the server to speak to the manager. The man who originally poured us water and whom I had to ask what the specials were came over and asked us if everything was ok. I'm guessing he was not in fact the manager because he was not very professional. We said we just wanted the check and to leave and he said he would go check with the kitchen. He came back up and all he said was "The kitchen said it's fine." Yes... I was just as confused as you are. So overall, very disappointing. I usually give places a second chance and having been a server and bartender myself, I would never blame the waitstaff or make them feel at fault but there is a missing link in this chain. I was not impressed with the atmosphere, food, or service, especially at prices like that. I would recommend you bring your expensive bottle of wine some place where you can enjoy it with your meal and not drink the entire bottle before the entrees come out.
(1)Joshua R.
Excellent food and service. Owner and staff are very friendly and accommodating. I have been dining here since the place opened. Great neighborhood establishment.
(4)Phillip R.
great meal last night! had the fungji entre, was rich in flavor, and the homemade pasta was cooked perfectly! great BYO in the cute chestnut hill area.
(4)Brian B.
Food was decent. The fact that its a BYOB is great. Environment is a little stuffy and they definitely cater to an older crowd.
(3)Esther H.
Another Chestnut Hill gem! Their homemade pasta is delicious and has the perfect texture that you look for at a good Italian restaurant. Our party of 6 arrived late to our reservation unfortunately because of the weather conditions that evening. The staff still greeted us and seated us with friendly faces. I had their pasta dish that comes in a white sauce topped with crab meat, asparagus, and roasted tomatoes (sorry I'm unable to remember what it was called and it's not on their website's menu). It was a lighter option but still very flavorful and delicious. However, the star on their menu has to be their pasta in a cream sauce of beef and mushrooms. Three members of our party ordered this dish and everyone made sure to have a bite of it. Rich and creamy deliciousness!
(5)A B.
Went there last night with my wife for Valentine's day so I was understanding of a shortened menu. The food wasn't bad, but quite a bit more expensive than what was delivered. $20 for a bowl of gorgonzola gnocchi?
(3)Eric P.
Nice little italian BYOB in Chestnut Hill. Very attentive service and food is very good. Eggplant appetizer is very good and the gnocchi is cooked perfectly, nice and pillowy. If they have the Branzino entree, make sure to get it. I'd say this is the best Italian restaurant in the area.
(5)I am Nicole r.
I found this place to be excellent. Its is a bybo and they have a wine& sprits store accross the street . The staff was really accomodating ,friendly ,and gave great service. Now the food was seasoned to perfection I ordered a fettuce pasta dish in a light cream sauce with mushrooms seasoned perfect, not too much sauce , which a lot of americanized italian places do and kills the many other flavors of the dish. with grilled chicken on the side seasoned perfect as I wanted to experience the dish as the chef intended ,but needed some meat , my mouth was so happy for my choice. The chef put his heart into his food and the details where evident from the care he took in the correct balnce . I had a long walk at Valley Green Park , and arrived at the in between time( 2pm-5pm). This is my luck to get hungry during these times and limits where I can go. But here in this cozy little niche of germantown ave, I found this little place with a good customer base as it quickly filled up with people who had resevation as i was finishing my meal. They gave me and my companion a complentary glass of wine as it was my first time there and I didnot know it was a byob. They were so nice. I will update on the other dishes I had there soon. Ciao for now! ps . if you arent there on in between time I would make a reservation as it fills up fast in this cozy romantic spot in the eves.
(3)Rob S.
Eh. Just eh. Was better before the split.
(2)Charles P.
What an amazing dinner! The wonderful ambiance of this restaurant was enough for me, but when they brought out our food, I was mesmorized by the flavors! The owner/chef came out to greet us and he shared a nice glass of limoncello with us. You will not be disappointed in any way if you come here for dinner. Everything we ate tasted like the chef prepared each dish with a little bit of "love" in every bite.
(5)David T.
My wife and I ate there last night for the first time and were not disappointed. Very good food and excellent service. I have no idea how we missed this place for so long. Both of us are light eaters so we split two appetizers, had one salad each and of course our cappuccinos which were served piping hot along with two delicious deserts. The total bill was $80 which we felt more than reasonable. We will definitely be back.
(5)Nate S.
This is a wonderful little Italian restaurant in Chestnut Hill. The service is excellent and you're well taken care of the moment you walk in. The food is the winner though. The chefs here earn a 10 out of 10 stars in my book. They put the extra time into making your meal perfect...and you can tell. The pasta is homemade and the desserts are as delicious to look as they are to eat. My only complaint...and it's a small one...was the noise and the size of the restaurant. It's small, so make a reservation.
(4)Andi M.
I absolutely love this restaurant! The food is always fresh and delicious, with unique dishes and perfectly combined flavors. The service is attentive, friendly and professional. Furthermore, the romantic environment (from the dim lighting to the artwork) makes it a wonderful date spot. I have also been there with my girlfriends, and it was a fun place to spend time talking over a bottle of wine and savory food.
(5)Michael F.
I love this place. Always a great meal at a good price. Very good Italian food and great free bread!. Very small restaurant with very good ambience and mood. My go to for a good Italian meal. I love the chicken parm and sausage & peas with white sauce.
(5)Kara G.
Great little Italian BYOB. Offers a 10% discount if you pay cash. Service is a little slow but it's the sort of place where you stay and dine rather than eating and running. I had linguine with crab, sun-dried tomatoes, and asparagus in a lemon-white wine sauce. My brother had a chicken dish which he ate in about three minutes - he loved it. My dish was full of huge chunks of crabmeat and the sauce was light and not too tangy. My dad had the calamari appetizer that I tasted, and the sauce was flavorful with a spicy finish. Waiters were attentive - water glasses stayed full, crumbs got swept up. I definitely recommend it.
(4)Chris D.
My wife and I recently tried Stella Sera after having a not so good experience last year when this location was operated under another name (Bocelli). This time was much better... the place is small so we made a reservation for a Friday night. When we arrived, almost all tables were filled but our table was ready. The server was very good (he said he was new to this restaurant and I wish I could recall his name!). We started with an order of the risotto balls... these were very good. I had the paparadelle with bolognese sauce whic was very good. My wife had blackened salmon which was also very good. All in all we enjoyed our dinner and will dine at Stella Sera again!
(4)Marc B.
Excellent neighborhood gem! We had escarole soup special (unbelievable), spinach salad special (also very good), bolognese over fresh fettuccine (for a usually heavy dish, this was really light and delicious -- one of the best I've had) and chicken and artichoke in white wine off the menu (excellent). Service couldn't have been better. Nice and very accommodating. Prices were reasonable as well. We'll surely be back.
(5)Erik R.
Quaint doesn't describe this place.... Loud and crowded does. Great cuisine at a moderate price would equate to a proper description too. They really need to look into expanding though. This place is waaaay too small and waaaay too loud for such good food. They are turning over tables like it's Starbucks. But, I will say if you're not a fan of close quarters with your peer diners then this isn't the place for you. Otherwise you should definitely check it out. I think a great advertising point for Stella [Stellaaaaaaa... Street Car Named Desire/ Elaine] is that one of their signature dishes is a type of fish that is baked in a breaded shell, then fileted right in front of your eyes. If you've never seen a fish fileted live, then this is quite an experience you will not forget and will want to see for yourself. All of the food so so fresh. Like their vegetable garden is somewhere in the rear and they have a small farming pool to catch their fish from. It was so good.
(4)Genevieve R.
We have now tried this restaurant twice. The service is good, as is the decor (the bathroom is especially cool!). Unfortunately, the food has consistently been underwhelming. The pasta dishes I've tried are not flavorful at all, and the rest of the entrees we've tried have been OK but nothing special. I don't think we'll be going back.
(2)Suq M.
Great food and menu selection. Desserts are to die for, especially the flourless choc cake. All home made. Nice atmosphere, though a little loud due to the confined space. Great bathroom...yes really. Service is always good. It is a BYOB too, which is a good thing.
(4)Kellyann C.
Love it here!!! Homemade pastas and gnocchi that are pillows of air. The vodka sauce is velvety and rich without being heavy or burdensome. The melanzane appetizer is a treat! Try to make a reservation, but if you don't, they will try to seat you as soon as they can. Their menu isn't fussy and can be navigated by the pickiest of eaters. We love it! Don't miss it.
(5)Eric H.
We were looking for someplace new to try with some friends and stumbled upon Stella Sera through online reviews, which were generally very positive, so we decided to give it a try. The restaurant is small BYO, but does not feel crowded. The service was fantastic, very accommodating, but never rushed. All of our food was wonderful and timed perfectly. Three of us had spinach salads, and I had the carpaccio to start.. For entries I had the duck which was prepared absolutely perfectly. My wife had the bronzino which was salt caked and filleted table side (and delicious). Our friends both had pastas which they said was excellent. Overall exactly what we were looking for, great good, great service in a nice atmosphere. Will definitely be back.
(5)Michelle Y.
Nice Italian restaurant tucked away in the adorable Chestnut Hill area. Everything is made to order, which is nice for people who like to change specific things in the dish. Our table shared the Caprese salad and Arancini. All delicious and fresh. For my entree, I had veal medallions in a Cognac Cream Sauce. The veal was cooked well and the sauce added a nice touch. For dessert we have the hazelnut mousse, which tasted like creamy Ferrero Rocher (my fave). I also had a cappuccino which was actually one of the best I've had.
(4)Emily S.
I've been wanting to try Stella Sera for about 2 years... and it definitely did not disappoint. Made a reservation for 2 on a Saturday night at 6:30pm. There were only 3 other tables there when we came in but it filled up throughout the hour & a half we were there. I would suggest making a reservation as there are only about 12 tables total - & it's BYO so bring your own wine. I forget the actual name of the appetizer we got but it was basically fried risotto with mozzarella & marinara. It came out as 3 decent sized fried balls. They were delicious. I got the filet - which I asked to be cooked medium... it came out more on the medium-well side but it was fine. It's an Italian place... I should have known better :) BUT, the sauce & jumbo lump crab meat & mushrooms on top of the filet was amazing. It was served with sliced potatoes & green beans. My bf got the gnocchi & it was served in a butternut squash sauce... so good. I almost wish I would have gotten the gnocchi because they were pillowy & delicious. I'd definitely come back for those alone. We also got a side of homemade pasta with marinara sauce. It was good but I've had better homemade pasta at some other places. I have to admit, I expected to be there awhile since all the food is made to order but we were in and out within an hour & a half. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Ana N.
The food itself was definitely in my top Italian eats list, but the dinner I had here was beyond problematic. I had the Carbonara with a side of Polenta. Creamy, delicious, flavors were on point, pasta was super fresh. My meal was delicious and the only reason why they didn't get a two from me. We arrived at 6:45pm and didn't get our food until 8:30pm. Our party of six received our dishes all at different times, the longest wait was 10 mins in between. Most of us got fresh pasta, no one had meat in their dishes except for me and even then it was just pancetta in my spaghetti. We didn't get bread for the first 20 mins of sitting there and we felt like the wait staff consistently ignored our table. Four other groups came after us and were served first. The place only has about 12 tables!! They outright warn you on their menu about the wait time but "making everything fresh" does not excuse you from a two hour wait and bad service. Don't tell me two of our friend's dishes had to be redone 20 minutes after the first plates hit the table because the kitchen "messed up the batch" I really commend them for the quality of the food being produced but this was not a good night for us. Fine Dining (fine dining prices, anyway) is about the total experience, not just what's on your plate.
(3)Diane G.
Great BYOB. Specials are always a good bet, service very good. Small restaurant so tables are tight. Too pricey but at least you're not paying for drinks. Parking can be a problem so plan for a little waking time.
(4)Brianna D.
My husband and I had dinner here with another couple last night. It was fabulous! The food was excellent. We shared two plates of calamari - it was very tender and both the red and white sauces were flavorful. Because the pasta is homemade - and everything is made to order - we all got a pasta dish. The gnocchi was light and the portions were a nice size. I got the Bolognese - highly recommend! It's a BYOB, so remember to bring your favorite wine :) Make a reservation, especially on the weekend. It's a small spot. We can't wait to go back!
(5)Marilyn K.
We had a great dinner. A BYOB, which contains the cost, we had a high end meal with a beautiful presentation. We started with roasted pepper purée soup with Parmesan fondue swirl and my friend had light as a feather ricotta gnocchi with salmon in a beamy orange sauce. I had Bronzino filet over canaloni beans with several outstanding sauces. We both cleared our plates even though the amounts were more than adequate. Desert - raspberry cannoli with chocolate sauce. The restaurant is small (around 60 seats) so a reservation is recommended.
(4)