La Viola
253 S 16th St
Philadelphia,
PA 19102
(215) 735-8630
Cash only
On Friday, I stopped by La Viola for dinner wtih two of my friends. It had been a long work week for all three of us and an impromptu dinner in center city was necessary.
I've frequented La Viola on numerous occassions and realized I'd never written about it so here we go.
It's a small, more intimate restaurant that allows byob. This fact is not lost upon the young professional crowd and/or the college crowd. We were fortunate enough to be able to get a table immediately. Parties that arrived after us were not so lucky and by the time our appetizers were served, there was a line and a crowd waiting outside the door.
Foodwise, everything was delicious and the price point is very reasonable. Ambiance and decor leaves a tiny bit to be desired if you're looking for a quiet dining experience. They definitely fill the restaurants smaller space and the restaurant becomes quite noisy, although you could argue the free flowing bottles of byo wine might have something to do with it as well. Lastly, this restaurant is cash only which to me is only a minor inconvenience as long as your party is aware.
Even though we made an impromput stop, I suspect I'll be back next time most likely with a bottle of wine or two to keep up with the rest of the patrons.
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| La Viola - Calamari |
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| La Viola - Caesar Salad |
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| La Viola - Mussels in White Wine Sauce |
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| La Viola - Penne with Vodka Sauce and Panchetta |
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| La Viola - Lobster Raviolli |
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| La Viola - Gnocchi |
