I found myself at Bellini Grill, an Italian BYOB in Center City, for a friend’s birthday.
Our group — comprised of about a dozen people — was seated at a big table near the door. Since we were there on a Friday night, the restaurant was crowded and there were other tables pushed together for other big groups like ours. We ran into other people we knew and it somehow seemed like the entire Penn student body was eating at the same restaurant.
I then noticed a couple sitting at a table next to us, directly next to the window. Not only did it work for us, but the restaurant seemed like a fitting place for a more intimate dinner as well.
When we were seated, I noticed the large selection of meats, salads, pasta and vegetables on the menu. With traditional antipasto offerings like fried calamari ($8.25), caprese salad ($6.50), clams in a white or red sauce ($8.50) and a long list of entrees, it was difficult to decide what to order. All entrees were under $20, with at New York strip steak at $18.75 and Penne Bellini (penne with mushroom, peas and bacon in a pink cream sauce) at $11.75, but the generous appetizers convinced me to share the tomato bruschetta ($5.50) rather than order both courses for myself.
Once I noticed gnocchi on the menu, my decision was made fairly quickly — they had two types of gnocchi, gorgonzola and Bolognese. I chose the gorgonzola gnocchi and a companion chose the Bolognese.
Our servers were attentive and helpful, answering our questions about each of the dishes and chatting in Italian with a friend who had spent time in Florence last summer. Apart from a mix-up with my dinner — for some reason it didn’t come out with the rest of the entrees at my table — the service was quick and we barely had to wait.
As for my gnocchi, it was excellent. The dish was fairly large but manageable and with help from the delicious appetizers, I was quite full by the time I was finished.
Even though we were too full for dessert, we indulged in the crème brulee ($7.75). Again, the options were very traditional, ranging from cannolis to tiramisu, all homemade, all around $6. Needless to say, the crème brulee was gone in a matter of minutes.
On a cold Friday night in January, Bellini Grill was loud but cozy, busy but welcoming — the perfect place to go with a big group of friends.
Bellini Grill 220 S. 16th St. (215) 545-1191 Don’t Miss: The gorgonzola gnocchi Skip: The New York strip steak Bottom Line: Conventional BYO perfect for big groups on a budget
