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Mon-Wed. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 12:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
One of my favorite Italian restaurants. I have been going here for 3-4 years and I have yet to have a bad meal. This place is good for the single diner, two, a couple of friends, or a lively family.
Their chicken parm is my favorite dish. Also the stuffed mussels were excellent. The baked rigatoni was also quite good.
I also enjoy their pizzas. The food and the service here are consistent and steady.
Also the owner does a good job of making you feel welcome and appreciated.
The bathrooms were also nice and clean.
I've walked down this block of South Street countless times, and it never registered that there was an Italian restaurant nestled in between the crazy sneaker stores.
It's nice to see a place with a good range of things on their menu, price-wise. You could get two pasta dishes, like gnocchi with pesto and the special pumpkin ravioli, like we did, plus dessert, and spend close to $40. Or you could get a pizza for like $15. The bread was yummy and complimentary salads were a nice surprise. Our pastas were good; not quite the light fluffy just freshly made texture, but better than the just out of the freezer taste; the pesto sauce was excellent, very basil-y. The tiramisu was light and flavorful. The front of the house guy was really nice and seemed to know everyone who walked in the door. And our waiter, who barely cleared the top of our high cafe table, was energetic and incredibly entertaining. Definitely a good place to head back to on another I-don't-feel-like-cooking night.
I stumbled upon this place a few weeks ago - well I shouldn't say stumbled upon. I've walked past it for years, but never took the time to peek in. With a very unassuming storefront, this place doesn't stand out in the crush of South Street. But in any case, I actually took the plunge and walked in, and I wouldn't have thought that I would find an honest-to-goodness Italian restaurant on South Street....but I did.
The dining area is small but bouncing with energy, and despite the fact that the place was full both nights I was there, it didn't feel crammed. Last night I was with a group of four and we were seated at a tabled in the back corner. The host was so concerned about our space that he gave us an additional table to "spread out". He also took our coats and polled us about the temperature of the dining room, which was a bit warm when we walked in, but was soon fixed. There was even an accordion player to add a bit of ambiance.
The food is satisfying and affordable. We ordered the grilled calamari for the table to start and all of our dinners came with a house salad, and of course, a basket of bread. I love grilled calamari, but am often hesitant to order as it can be so easily over cooked, etc. The calamari here was not the best I've ever had, but pretty darn good, and didn't arrive drowning in oil or butter. I had linguini and clams in a white sauce (again, not drowning in sauce), and my dinner companions ordered the veal parm, fettucini alfredo, and the backed rigatoni. We polished off the meal with a cannoli, which had one of the more flavorful shells I've tasted, and a round of coffees.
The staff is warm and accommodating without being overbearing, and the aforementioned host stopped by each table in the dining room to check on the diners and their meals. Oh and the best part? Tuesdays and Fridays the restaurant is BYOB!
Went here with a group of five for dinner. They were very brisk about pulling together two small tables for us and getting everyone comfortable; the host came back a little while later and was very concerned that I hadn't taken my coat off my shoulders -- I guess he'd closed the door, then turned up the heat, but I still hadn't taken it off (I'm always cold).
We started with an antipasti plate of cheeses, bread, house-roasted red peppers and a bowl of olive oil blessed with oregano. Everything was excellent, especially the peppers. They also gave us a small metal container of grated parmesan with a hinged lid that called to my mind the visor on a medieval suit of armor (cos I'm a nerd like that), which some members of the party had perhaps too much fun playing with but that's okay. The parmesan was a great addition to everything from the bread to the peppers.
A couple of us had the nightly special of pumpkin ravioli with a nutmeg-butter sauce. I felt like the pasta was just slightly tough but liked the nutmeg (since you don't get it in savory dishes too frequently); overall, more successful than not in my mind, though someone else who'd ordered it wasn't really happy (she'd been expecting a cream sauce or something rather than just nutmeg and butter on top).
Another friend got the gnocchi with white sauce, of which I snuck a taste: I liked the garlicky white sauce and the gnocchi were soft and well cooked, not doughy or tough.
Our waiter was slightly weird; he seemed to fawn a bit and gave the other girls a weird vibe (I was a bit out of this loop as I was sitting with my back generally to the room, and thus to him, but he was having a hard time grasping when pouring from our bottle of wine that all I needed was enough for a toast, i.e. a sip's worth, since I was not drinking.)
Overall, La Fourno is a good choice for Italian in a warm setting. Mangia Bene!
Under new management! It seems to have been a good thing for the business: La Fourno looks like it has a healthy flow of customers and they've jazzed up the menu a bit since I last remember it. I've been coming to the restaurant since it opened for their delicious brick oven pizzas and decent prices. We ate here as a family after my 8th grade graduation. It's in our neighborhood, so it's a short walk for a great budget-friendly Italian night out. They also deliver, sweet! My sister knows a lot about that.
On our most recent visit, the four of us lunched here and everyone liked what they got. I had a Caesar salad, which had a LOT of grated parmigiano reggiano, but it was very refreshing. My mom had a sausage panini and couldn't finish it, but she took the other half home for lunch the next day. My dad had a pasta dish which he loved, and my sister got a spinach pizza. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly, and even the owner came over to our table to inform us of the wines he had on sale. We didn't partake, but appreciated the extra attention, I guess. Keep it up, La Fourno!
My gnocchi in gorgonzola sauce were little clouds of deliciousness. My friend's lobster ravioli was full of flavor and I practically had to roll her home. And to top it off, salad and bread came WITH my entree.
The service was schmooz-y (which I totally love) and prompt. I don't think we waited more than 3 minutes between courses of bread, salad, and entree. I will definitely be back with another Italian margarita in hand!
This place was terrible. I got a chicken pasta dish that was just meh and my boyfriend ordered spaghetti and meatballs. It was a chef boyardee kind of spaghetti- and tasted like it was out of the can.
The atmosphere is good, I guess, but it still doesn't make up for the lackluster food.
My boyfriend and I's favorite little "italian date night place." I love their Polenta with Portobella mushroom sauce. Very good, and I am picky about my polenta. I also love the Gnocchi with cream sauce, and penne arabiata. Can't go wrong with any of their ravioli's, and the pizzas are also great. Delish tiramisu and canolli's. Very pretty inside - casual but romantic too! I love sitting downstairs - brick walls, candles, and cool art.
This is what you'd expect. Legitimate Italian food for a reasonable price. I haven't actually eaten in the restaurant, but I've had their delivery, which was prompt and satisfactory. I wouldn't be opposed to eating in the restaurant, except it's South Street-tourist allure could make it crappy. If I wanted really authentic Italian, I'd head further south, but, all around, I have no complaints.
My favorite go-to italian place. The food is delicous, reasonably priced, and the service is excellent! I mean, seriously, i wish i was treated like this everywhere i dined. The only time we've ever had a problem with the waitstaff was when two servers wanted to wait on our table and brought us double the drinks. woohoo.
i go for the pasta (not the pizza) and everything i've tried has been great. i wouldn't say that it's the best italian that i've ever had, but i always have a nice dining experience when i'm there. there was one dish that was extrordinary, but i can't remember the name of it. It's a chicken and mushroom dish with a balsamic vinegarette reduction and it's absolutely amazing.
the dining room is a bit small, so i wouldn't recommend coming here with a group. but with a date - yes! with your parents - yes! by yourself - yes!
Decentttt food - nothing to rave about, but it's a cute location. Can easily see this becoming someone's little "spot" to go to on a frequent basis, but since I don't live in Philly, that won't be me!
Started with the Stuffed Mussels (decided over just the mussels)...They weren't bad but flavors didn't stick out much. At $11 for 6 mussels (considering the normal mussels dish probably has more), i expected some flavor kick to them.
The pizza we got was Fra Diavolo - definitely a good pick (cheers to me haha jk). But the mix of italian sausage, pepperoni, and hot cherry peppers fit really well. Don't get this if you can't take spicy though.
The Penne Pomodori was the most surprising, and not in a good way. It came in the tiniest bowl and I was sure that they had accidentally given us a side order of spaghetti, as opposed to the tasty description I had read on the menu. After being reassured twice it was the right dish, I enjoyed the flavor well, but was still a little offset. Many of the pasta dishes from ppl around us seemed much more elaborate/larger/fuller.
I recommend trying a bit of everything and seeing if the flavors match what you're looking for. You might find that one little spot you're looking for ;)
This was a great surprise. We went to Philadelphia for a concert last Friday at the TLA, and were wandering around looking for a place which served food, had real tables, and preferably a liquor license (the closest place was Joe's, which I was warned against).
Bar, sex shop, bar, bar, cheap jewelry/clothing store, bar, bar, should we turn around? Then we got a whiff of something which smelled good, looked up, and we were at La Fourno (calling it a pizza place is a bit of a misnomer, as it's a trattoria)
Immediately seated at their last open table (it was 7 on a Friday), we looked for drinks. I started with their espresso martini--espresso, frangelico, vodka--($9) and Jim had the first of 2 glasses of montepulciano ($8 each).
Caprese Salad: not your traditional tomato/mozzerlla/basil version, but one which was more like a chopped salad with the addition of cucumbers, red onions and red leaf lettuce with a generous amount of balsamic vinagrette. I found it a little salty and oily, but my husband loved it.
Mussels in red sauce: these were perfect. Hot, tender, larger than what we've had recently (I was afraid there was a PEI mussel shortage because most we'd gotten recently were tiny, but not here!), well seasoned. They forgot to bring us bread to dip into the mussels, which was probably fine because Jim is doing the (evil) low-carb thing.
Side of meatballs (the owner stopped by to make sure the kitchen hadn't made a mistake because the pasta was "missing"). Good. Basic veal/beef/pork mixture with a wonderfully chunky and tangy sauce.
Grilled tiger shrimp: these were absolutely perfect. I wasn't even hungry, but ate more than my share because they were so good.
Other drinks: there was a pomegranate cocktail which was too sweet for me; I requested soda water to be added to lighten the sweetness. I followed this up with a request for a modified java junkie (vodka shaken with a touch of frangelico and kahlua, speared cherry).
Total including tax and tip: $90
My only criticism is that everything was served too quickly, so our table filled up (fortunately, we had a 4-top for the 2 of us). We didn't really mind, but did have to rearrange the plates a few times in order to reach some items which were just brought out.
Other items of note: en route to the restrooms upstairs are gowns, kimonos, etc. I'm not sure if it was from someone's mother (most of the dresses would have been at home on the Dynasty set) or a thin drag queen, but the prices were $15 each.
There's a fixed-price menu which we may try next time, but we certainly left happy and in good spirits.
I really love La Fourno!
I happened to walk in there when it was raining hard on South street. I was very lucky to find this great restaurant. I used to live in Philly, and I know many good restaurants but La Fourno is one of my favorite restaurant.
I really like La Fourno because
1. Very cozy. Feels like a neighborhood restaurant in Italy!
2. Very nice staff. Attentive, knowledgeable, professional and Friendly!
3. Great thin crust pizza
4. Great Appetizers such as Mozzarella ala La Fourno, Bruschetta and Prosciutto wrapped Melon.
5. Great Desserts such as Homemade Cannoli, Tiramisu and Napoleo Milfel
6. Good wine by glass choices (you can sample them before ordering!)
I really like La Fourno. I really like South Street. I really miss Philly.....
A true pleasure everytime I go... Pizza is as good as it gets & the service is there everytime you need it. Very consistant food, service, everything. Intimate atmosphere and pride from the owners as they are usally there and conversating with the customers. I will be back for sure and most definitly with friends!
we were in the mood for italian and didn't feel like going very far, so thought why not check out la fourno? only a few blocks away in the middle of electronics and lacy lady stores, i didn't expect much. but when we got inside it seemed pretty comfortable and authentic.
sat down and the owner/host immediately went into a 5 minute monologue on their $30 specials. needless to say i felt bad when i ordered the $8.95 penne pomodori, one of the few vegan items on the menu. my date ordered a salad and we also had some bruschetta.
before we got our order in though we met our server. he seemed to be working on some kind of comedy routine; he was full of quips. not that i mind a little fun, but between him and the owner/host-guy we were checked on like 37 times during the half hour we were there, each time with a little comedic flair. for a while we thought we were on candid camera, which in hindsight would have been pretty awesome.
back to the food: i thought it was a good value overall as we were totally full (in addition to what we ordered they brought out complimentary bread and seasoned olive oil) for less than $30 total. however, my penne pomodori was dry - it looked like it was pre-prepared and reheated, or sitting under a heat lamp for awhile. still for $9, i'll take it.
overall the food was ok, and not ridiculously expensive either. the server experience was a little weird, but i think if they learn to chill a little the space would feel pretty cozy and relaxing. i'll be trying a bunch of other italian restaurants before i go back here though.
The service was wonderful and the food was good. The veal and chicken parmesan was very nice and the linguini side was a nice surprise. The surprise was lack of marinara and instead pasta tossed in oil, garlic and parsley.
The chianti wine was also quite nice at a $32 price point.
I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a good italian meal on south street.
Bon Apetito
Unexpected but a great little Italian dinner stop.
Open kitchen in the front and a handful of tables in the back. It is not a fine dining establishment but it's not pizza joint either.
The food here was surprising good and affordable so this is an easy choice for a simple dinner.
Their pastas and pizzas are pretty incredible, and they usually have some special that the owners created in Italy (or learned there) like their special bread appetizer. Ask the waitress what is authentic or good and I am sure you won't be disappointed.
We were walking along South street, around 8pm on a weekday night. We were just looking for a nice pizza and some wine. When we stopped by La Fourno to check out their menu displayed, we were cordially invited inside by a staff member.
The restaurant was completely empty, but the staff made a couple of jokes about where to sit. We laughed and took a seat. Apparently, they have upstairs seating, and some customers dining up there.
What started off as a friendly meal, quickly turned otherwise. After being seated, our server came up to tell us " I just got shit from the kitchen, and you need to put your order in ASAP. The kitchen is closing in 15 minutes."
We put in an order for a pizza, a beer and a glass of wine. We were politely and abiding.
After being getting our drinks, the entire restaurant began it's clean up for the night. The music was cut off, and it became so noisy with the clatter of cleaning, that I had to struggle to hear the person across from me talking.
Our pizza arrived and it was pretty pathetic. Basically, frozen vegetables with a can of tomatoes thrown on top. The thin crust turned soggy in all of the water from the toppings. We attempted to enjoy this, while smelling Windex and 409, which was being used to clean the bar behind us.
I politely inquired if the music could be turned back on, since we were eating.
After that, our server laid on the sarcasm quite thickly. After dinner, I ordered an espresso martini as an after dinner drink. (It was one of the worst martini's I think I've ever had, unfortunately).
As we were leaving, our server said to me, "Have a good night, and watch the alcohol. Don't drink too much."
Uh, what?
Overall, their initial friendliness turned in to unprofessional sarcasm. Couple that with a rude staff that can't wait 20 minutes for their lone customers in that section to finish a meal, and with unimpressive food and it's just not worth it.
I'd think, since we are in a recession they'd be happy to have us for a meal and be polite in order to get us to return.
Next time frankly, I'll get a frozen pizza next time and a bottle of wine from the store. The food and the service would be far superior.
I like the food at LaFourno. It's tasty and reasonably priced.
But the service just kinda creeped my out. Yeah, we went pretty late, so we were some of the last people in the restaurant. But I just want to enjoy a nice quiet dinner with my girlfriend. You don't have to keep checking on us every five minutes.
So it's probably a good place to go with friends, especially if its busy. Me, I think I'm gonna look a little harder for a quiet dinner spot on South Street next time.
Charming, romantic, comfortable atmosphere. Good pasta selections, generous portions (we could both only eat half of our entres). I had the porchini rigatoni with a cream sauce-delish! And great prices!
The staff was very helpful, and was observant without hovering. Our Server was very funny and knowlegeable about ingredients. I would recommend this for a sweet date night.
i found this place through usairways dividend dining points. the menu looked good so i thought i would give it a try....
i must of walked by this place 100 times and never noticed it before. i'm glad i found it though because it was delicious!
we started our meal with a house salad and bruschetta. both were delicious. the salad came piled high with artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, mushrooms, olives, cucumbers, and all that other yummy stuff. the dressing was amazing as well. my only complaint is that the peppers were too mushy.
we had two pizzas as well. one was a spicy sausage and pepperoni pizza which was nice. the second was much much better. it featured spinach, broccoli, tomato, mushrooms, garlic, and i can't even remember what else but as i said was YUMMY. my only gripe is that for as many vegetable based toppings they gave the crust of the pizza could have been thicker or at least crispier. it was a little soggy due to the veggies.
service was great too.
all in all a great find! go check it out!
I really love this little Italian restaurant. We had lived in the area a year before we stumbled upon it. The bread is always fresh and warm, the food in amazing (Pasta Primavera is a must) and the service is great. They even made room for us at 7pm on Valentine's Day. They know us by name now so it's even more enjoyable. Very reasonably priced. Whenever I walk down South Street and see people looking at the menu i want to yell "Go in already!!"
Only OK. Got home delivery, so maybe that was part of it. Salad only average. Greens were cut, with hard cores left in. Pasta was average. There are better options, including on South Street. Core de Roma is better.
Can't comment on the service because we always order for delivery, but in this Wookiee's opinion, the Florentine pie is the city's best - a masterful concoction of fresh tomato, mozzarella, olive oil, oregano, black olives and perfectly salted prosciutto. I would eat Bantha meat for a week just to afford one twenty inch pie on a Friday night. For appetizers, the grilled calamari is outstanding, with a competent salad selection to boot.
When we decided to go to LaFourno, my expectations were not high. I mean, resonable prices, BYOB on Friday (no corking fee), the hundred thousandth italian restaurant....... Wow, I mean this is a place that I will truly come back to. Panarama, schanarama. This place out shines all the italian restaurants that I have been to in Phila. Don't get me wrong, it is a casual italian restaurant, I mean don't expect to take someone on a fancy first date here. BYOB on Tues & Fri., though they serve alcohol. We came here on Labor Day, they had a prix fixe menu special for $25. We started off with some delicious warm bread, homemade I think. They serve a house salad, with again an awesome balsamic vinagrette. The app was mussels casino, again good and nice portion size. The Lobster Ravoli was like none I have ever had, it had a sweetness, and a taste that was unlike your standard Lob. Rav. I will seriously dream about it. Last but not least, they we had cannoli for dessert. It is bought locally and was fantastic. I definitely recommend this place, its awesome. It will become one of my go to restaurants.
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Performing Arts
Neighborhood: Bella Vista
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
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