2 Italian Eateries In Philly Named Among Nation's Best

PHILADELPHIA — Two popular Philadelphia Italian restaurants were recently ranked among the best in the country, according to a new survey.

The Daily Meal's "America's 50 Best Italian Restaurants" list included Osteria and Vetri Cucina.

Osteria came in at No. 38.

Here's what The Daily Meal says about Osteria:

The more casual, trattoria-like off shoot of Philly's legendary Vetri, Osteria is a big, lively place where the pizzas are terrific (try the octopus and smoked mozzarella) and the cooking is homey but first-rate, with items like mafaldine with beef and porcini ragu to spit-toasted duck with pomegranate and treviso. Homey and inviting, since opening in 2007 it’s racked up countless accolades, including a 2010 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic for its chef, Jeff Michaud.

Vetri Cucina was ranked No. 3.

Here's what they said:

In this little jewel box of a place, now 20 years old, chef Marc Vetri offers diners sophisticated, hand-crafted Italian and Italianate specialties, including house-milled pastas made with sustainably-grown grain, served only in the form of multi-course tasting menus. Available items are listed under Antipasti, Pasta, Secondi, and Dolce (dessert); and chef de cuisine Matt Buehler's menu changes daily. But you might end up with, for instance, roasted cauliflower with bagna cauda, lumache with duck ragù, guinea hen with seasonal mushrooms, and chocolate polenta soufflé for dessert. All is served with precision and grace, and there is a wine cellar of more than 2,500 bottles to choose from.

Read the full list at The Daily Meal.