Gran Caffe L'Aquila Philadelphia Italian Restaurant

4.8

2171 Reviews

$31 to $50

Italian

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 28, 2024

9:00 PM

Booked 67 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Neighborhood gem
Great for fine wines

For parties of 5 or larger, please contact the restaurant directly by visiting www.grancaffelaquila.com or calling 215.568.5600

Authentic Italian Restaurant, Caffe, Bar, Luxury Italian Market, & Italian Culture School. The culinary and wine program is based on all 20 regions of Italy including wine, cocktail, and beer selections crafted by award winning culinary and wine director Riccardo Longo. The experience also featuring Gelato from the Italian Gelato Champion Maestro Stefano Biasini as well as award winning coffee roasted in house. Private events including Lunch, Dinner, Apertivo, and Tasting Menus designed to each groups desires. Best of Philly Readers Choice Best Italian Restaurant Winner and Gambero Rosso rated Top Italian Restaurants in the world; Featuring an expertly trained staff and authentic environment.
2nd Floor Reservations are for Lunch & Dinner service only.
Dessert service may be provided on our first level anytime.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian, Seafood, Vegetarian
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 8:00 am–11:00 am Lunch Daily 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm
Phone number
(215) 568-5600
Website
http://www.grancaffelaquila.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Catering
Half Tray Platters available for our entire menu. Each half tray serves 4-6 guests. <br /> <br />Specialty catering orders may be requested! Visit grancaffelaquila.com or call the restaurant and ask to speak to a manager.
Private party facilities
Allow us to host your next event. Our expertly trained staff will provide a dynamic dining experience for you and your guests - Birthdays, Anniversary, Rehearsal Dinner, Family Reunion, Office Gatherings, you name it and we host it! Private sit down events available from 8-85 guests,Private stand up events available from 40 to 150 guests.

Location
1716 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103-5132
Neighborhood
Center City
Cross street
In between 17th and 18th Street on Chestnut
Parking details
Parking garages located on 17th street after Market before Chestnut,On Sansom Street between 17th & 18th.Valet Available through Sofitel Hotel.Limited metered street parking available.
Public transit
Stop for the #42, #21, and #9 located at 18th street, and 17th street. Stop for the #2 bus at 17th and Chestnut
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Experiences

New Years in Venezia, Veneto 12/27/24-1/6/25
Dec 27, 2024 - Jan 6, 2025
Experience the authentic New Years table of Riccardo Longo's family (Lunch or dinner) from December 27-January 6. Gran Caffe L'Aquila will recreate authentic dishes from Riccardo Longo's holiday table. All specialties can be ordered a la carte (regular menu also available). Authentic wines and desserts will be featured to enhance your dining experience. As a bonus "COTECHINO" the traditional authentic Italian New Years dish which brings good luck & fortune will be featured as well. Reserve your seats today for this beloved Italian tradition.

Popular dishes

Arancini$14.50
Three Sicilian rice balls, veal & pork ragu peas, mozzarella, tomato
Carciofi Fritti$14.50
Flash fried artichokes, fresh squeezed lemon
Scamorza$13.90
Fire roasted aged mozzarella, prosciutto
Melanzana Parmigiana$15.50
Eggplant, ricotta, fior di latte mozzarella, tomato sauce
Cozze Tarantina$17.90
Mussels, tomato, garlic, pepperoncino
Fritto Misto$18.90
Semolina crusted calamari, shrimp, zucchini
Polipo$18.90
Citrus Grilled Puglian octopus
Torta Granchio$19.90
Italian crab cake infused with fresh herbs & mascarpone served with a small cucumber fresco & finished with a gastronomic roasted red pepper

Insalata e Zuppa

Virtù Abruzzese$11.90
Iconic soup of Abruzzo featuring 7 vegetables, 7 legumes, & 7 pastas with accents of pancetta & aromatic herbs
Casa$11.90
Endive, arugula, radicchio, lemon vinaigrette
Panzanella Tropeana$13.90
Greens, tomato, cucumber Tropea onion, red onion, fresh basil, crostini
Cesarina$14.50
Kale, romaine, creamy Parmigiano dressing
Pera$15.90
Baby greens, pear, grapes, dried cherries, pine nuts, goat cheese, shallot vinaigrette
Insalata di Mare$18.90
Chilled seafood salad, shrimp, calamari, scungilli, scallops

Pasta

Chitarra$19.90
Guitar pasta, tomato, Guanciale (Italian bacon), onion, pecorino
Paccheri Datterini Gialli$20.90
Jumbo rigatoni, yellow tomato, garlic, parmigiano
Gnocchi alla Bava$21.90
Hand rolled potato & ricotta, fontina cream, wild mushrooms
Tagliatelle alla Panna$22.50
Northern Italian cream sauce, speck, peas, parmigiano
Carbonara$24.50
Spaghetti tossed with pecorino romano, cheese egg, Guanciale & cracked black pepper topped with a gastronomic Italian bacon gelato
Agnolotti$25.50
Torino style Ravioli filled with veal, pork, & vegetables. Butter sage sauce topped with our gastronomic black and white truffle gelato
Pappardelle al Ragu$26.90
Ribbon pasta, slow cooked pork, veal, lamb & chicken ragu
Sugo Della Domenica$27.90
Longo family Sunday sauce, slow cooked tomato sauce, wild boar meatballs, veal braciola, sausage & lamb. Served with homemade flour & water fusilli pasta

Carne

Cinghiale$15.90
Wild boar & long hot pepper meatballs, tomato sugo
Salsiccia Bolzanese$17.90
Grilled sweet & spicy Italian sausage served with homemade sauerkraut & a spicy grain mustard gastronomic gelato
Arrosticini Biasini$21.90
Lamb-bacon skewers, gastronomic Italian long hot pepper gelato
Pollo Mattone$23.90
Free range 1/2 chicken, roasted under a terracotta brick, asparagus, potato
Braciole$29.90
Veal braciola, tagliatelle, tomato sugo
Vitello Saltimbocca$30.90
Veal, prosciutto, sage, white wine sauce, potato, asparagus

Pesce

Spaghetti Vongole$25.90
Fresh wild clams, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley
Pescatrice Puttanesca$25.90
Fresh monk fish, tomato, garlic, olive, anchovy, capers, chitarra pasta
Cannelloni di Pesce$25.90
Homemade pasta tubes filled w/ fresh shrimp, crab, baranzino, scallops, ricotta, tomato-besciamella
Salmone in Placca$29.90
Fire grilled salmon, herb crust,on a cedar plank with asparagus & rosemary potatoes
Zuppa di Pesce$28.90
Clams, mussels, calamari, salmon monkfish, broth tomato, tagliolini
Branzino$33.90
Fire roasted, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, herbs, lemon, fennel

Panini

Capri$10.90
Focaccia, fior di latte mozzarella, tomato, pesto
Parma$10.90
Italian baguette, Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano, arugula
Bologna$10.90
Italian baguette, Mortadella, roast pepper
Abruzzo$10.90
Ventricina spicy salami, shaved pecorino on toasted casereccio bread

Verdura

Cauliflower Caponata$8.90
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes$8.90
Funghi$8.90
garlic sautéed cremini & portobello mushrooms
Fire Grilled Asparagus$8.90
Roasted Sweet Peppers$8.90
Truffled Patatine Fritte$8.90
Thin cut fries tossed with parmigiano & truffle
Sauteed Broccoli Rabe$12.50
Tambo$10.90
Garlic & oil sauteed spicy longhots

Gelato

Small$6.60
Medium$7.90
Large$9.90
Pint$12.90

Desserts

Cannolo con Ricotta di Pecora$7.50
Sicilian sheep ricotta, candied fruit
Gran Gala Creme Brulee$8.90
Gran Panna Cotta$8.90
Espresso, Italian chocolate, sambuca hint
Strawberry Zabaglione$8.90
Fresh strawberries, homemade zabaglione crema
Crostata di Frutta$8.90
Baked tart, homemade custard, seasonal berries
Tiramisu ai Frutti di Bosco$9.70
Lady fingers, wild berries, mascarpone
Tiramisu Classico$9.70
Lady fingers, espresso, mascarpone
Budino di Pane$9.70
Brioche bread pudding, nutella, dark chocolate, banana, with fior di latte gelato
Ricotta Cheese Cake$9.70
infused with amarena cherries & served warm with fior di latte gelato
Mousse al Cioccolato$9.50
infused with Italian Fragolino (wild strawberry)
Macedonia$9.50
Seasonal fruit salad

Caffe

Espresso$3.35
Espresso Doppio$4.60
Espresso Sambuca$6.90
Espresso Anisette$6.90
Cappuccino$4.29
Iced Cappuccino$4.59
Latte$4.79
Cortado$3.99
Drip Coffee$3.35
Iced Coffee$3.79
Artisanal Teas$3.99
Artisanal Italian Hot Chocolate$6.99
Cornetto Plain$3.75
Cornetto Almond$4.39
Cornetto Crema$4.39
Cornetto Nutella$4.39
Cornetto Salato$6.79
Girelle$3.99
Bomboloni$3.50

Bevande

Phony Negroni$7.50
Limonata$3.99
Aranciata$3.99
Chinotto$3.99
Aranciata Rossa$3.99
Bergotto$3.99
Fresh Squeezed OJ$5.90

What 2,171 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.5Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Philadelphia County
Most Booked 1000-Point Tables
Philadelphia
Most Booked 1000-Point Tables

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Gran Caffe L'Aquila in Philadelphia offers an authentic Italian dining experience with "stellar" food, service, and ambiance. Guests rave about its "delicious" gelato and "excellent" pasta. The attentive staff, including notable servers like Mimo and Tomaso, enhance the warm atmosphere, making it a "must-visit" destination for Italian cuisine lovers.

2,172 Reviews

A
Ali Berk
New York City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful Italian place. Downstairs has a bar and a grocery section. Upstairs is dining. The staff is really polite, food is good. Overall, a great Italian food experience.
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F
Frank
VIP
Philadelphia
14 reviews
5.0
14 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The New Year’s menu selections were outstanding. Planning to go back by 1/6 when the menu ends. Best Italian restaurant around.
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K
Kristen
Philadelphia
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Staff is always so welcoming. Food is amazing. P.S. save room for dessert!
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J
John
VIP
Philadelphia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Everyone was amazing on the serving staff from the Hostess to the bartender to the incredible server Roberta. The manager was solicitous and attentive. The wine was other worldly and the food obscenely delicious. Cannot wait to take more of my family there
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s
stacey
Washington DC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
The overall experience was okay, but I won't go back. Some of the food was only luke warm and a bowl of plain pasta with olive oil was ridiculously overpriced at $19. A few bright spots - the gelato and tiramisu were delicious and the fried artichokes were well prepared. It was pretty noisy at 5pm, I can't imagine how noisy it gets later in the evening.
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D
Diana
Washington DC
21 reviews
5.0
21 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
This is an authentic Italian restaurant, one which rival most good restaurants in Italy’s what a find! As someone who lives in Italy half the year, this restaurant deserves to be a destination. I ate there twice in three days.
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E
Eileen
VIP
Philadelphia
99 reviews
4.0
99 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu>. Pleasant lunch!
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c
claudia
Philadelphia
35 reviews
3.0
35 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
I love the restaurant, really I do. Today was different. The pasta was so salty, i could not eat it. I sent it back. The replacement came and it was fine. The server was gracious and immediately rectified the situation. Just an off day I presume. It is a wonderful place!
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E
Edward
VIP
Minneapolis
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We’ve been patronizing the restaurant since before COVID, both the restaurant and the grocery. Consistently, the food, service, and overall dining experience are excellent. On this particular occasion, there were three of celebrating a birthday. From start to finish, the service could not have been better — efficient, friendly, and helpful. All three of us had the special Branzino dish, and each had a different salad or appetizer. The dishes all exceeded our high expectations. We could not stay for dessert, but purchased a pint of the Desire gelato for consumption at home. Needless to say, the gelato was over-the-top.
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J
Jenevieve
San Diego
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful service and great food! Our favorite Italian restaurant in Philadelphia
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FAQs

Gran Caffe L'Aquila Philadelphia Italian Restaurant offers delivery in partnership with Postmates and Uber Eats. Gran Caffe L'Aquila Philadelphia Italian Restaurant also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (215) 568-5600.

Gran Caffe L'Aquila Philadelphia Italian Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 2171 OpenTable diners.