The gods have answered our prayers: We no longer need to venture to Callowhill to indulge in the famed Pizzeria Vetri. The newly opened Rittenhouse location caters to a younger crowd with a welcoming and modern open floor–plan with trendy vibes. The only caveats are the mildly tacky stock–photo– esque pictures and windows that open onto a relatively ugly parking lot. But if you're into industrialism, you might just spin the view as fringe.
The playlist is slow enough so you can hear your friends gossip, but fratty enough to seem distracted if a date ends up sucking. There's also free wif, but honestly your hands will be too busy stuffing your face to dare touching your phone. If you manage to wait long enough before eating to get an Insta in, you have better self–control than a celiac at this restaurant.
Order the Nutella Pizza first ($12)—you won't regret it. The chocolate and marshmallows will wake up your sweet tooth for sure, but they work well with the comparatively savory crepe base. For a more unconventional Italian dish, ask for a Rotolo ($4.5) to try a pizza dough, mortadella, ricotta and pistachio pesto combo.
While it sounds lame to get a salad at a place like this, the refreshing taste will help you ease your way into the inevitable second round of pizza. Try the Arugula Salad ($8) for mouth watering pesto, cheese, coal roasted potatoes with olives to top it of with a kick.
Just because Pope Francis is gone doesn’t mean you can’t keep the celebration going with the Il Papa Pizza ($18). Topped with black mission fig, lardo, pecorino romano, mozzarella, parmigiano, basil and oregano, this pizza is truly #blessed. But also maybe sinful? Try it out and report back.
Make sure you take a good look at their specials so you don’t miss out on decadent mélanges like brown–butter roasted pears, thyme and gorgonzola or the fall themed butternut squash, smoked pancetta and ricotta. And since we know you were wondering, yes, Pizzeria Vetri does have the full package. We promise you’ll finish the meal with no crust left behind.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Location: 1615 Chancellor Street
@pizzeriavetri
TL;DR: If you're looking for a contemporary meal in Rittenhouse that isn't incredibly pricey, Pizzeria Vetri is your place. The atmosphere is chill, and the food won’t let you down.
Don't miss: The Arugula Salad, and whatever their special is.
Skip: The Margherita Pizza ($14). You've had it before. But that's not all bad news— running to Fresh Grocer and investing in some fresh basil, quality mozzarella, tomatoes and pre–made pizza dough is pretty easy and will save you money.
Bonus points: The waiters are all really attractive, young and cool. Go to make friends with them.
