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The scarpinocc at Vetri Cucina in Philadelphia, Pa. on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
The scarpinocc at Vetri Cucina in Philadelphia, Pa. on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
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Vetri Cucina

Center CityItalian, Tasting Menu$$$$

After 25 years, the classic pasta split — spinach gnocchi in sage brown butter and truffled almond tortelloni — is no less magnetic. “It’s so beautiful I almost don’t want to eat it,” cooed the movie mogul celebrating an anniversary at the table beside us before devouring it along with a greatest-hits album of Vetri Cucina favorites, including a salt-baked branzino. The standbys, including the truffled sweet onion crepe, smoked baby goat with polenta, and molten pistachio cake, would be enough to keep this elegant Spruce Street townhouse on a list of fine-dining splurges, bolstered by smooth, veteran service and top-notch Italian wines. While newer menu items can be less consistent, I’m glad Vetri’s kitchen keeps pushing, because they score more often than not, especially with seasonal pastas like crab-filled culurgiones, masa orecchioni with wild boar mole ragù, or the butterfly-shaped scarpinocc with artichoke crema.

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The Inquirer aims to represent the geographic, cultural, and culinary diversity of the region in its coverage. Inquirer staffers and contributors do not accept free or comped meals — all meals are paid for by the Inquirer. All dining recommendations are made solely by the Inquirer editorial staffers and contributors based on their reporting and expertise, without input from advertisers or outside interests.