Restaurant Details

When Fiore Fine Foods uprooted from South Philadelphia and moved to East Kensington, chefs Ed Crochet and Justine MacNeil eliminated dinner service, changing the restaurant to a daytime cafe. Fans worried that the shift would destroy the soul of the Italian joint that they loved, but those fears were overblown: While the new Fiore dishes up excellent Italian pastries and coffee (don't sleep on the maritozzi and the shakerato), the real star is the handmade pasta, some of the best in the city — no small feat when that city is Philly. The menu rotates often, but on a recent visit, some favorite entries included a spiced pork ragù over capunti, gnocchi with preserved lemon and pesto, and a peppery eggplant Parmesan sandwich barely contained by a garlic buttered roll. Finish your lunch (or, hey, breakfast, since pasta is served starting at 8 a.m.) with a scoop of the gelato — if you’re too full, they offer pints to go.