Le Castagne

Overpriced bland Italian. Will not be returning! They need to change up a few things here!

Food was great but we were waiting for too long to be noticed. The hostess was too busy texting. Very bad look for her to be the first thing people see when they walk in.

Yum! Their pastas are handmade. The gnocchi is little delicious pillows of heaven. I was there with a large group. The service was spot on great and everything served looked amazing. I will definitely return.

Even among the assortment of great Italian places around town, this one was really good and pleasantly surprised me.
Pasta dishes are very reasonably priced (~$ 18) for a clean, white tablecloth dining atmosphere that is good for a date or a business lunch ranging from nice casual to fancy. All their pastas are handmade, and the dish I got was fantastic, a squid ink spaghetti tossed in a spicy tomato sauce with calamari, shrimp, and other seafood.
My only complaint was that service was slow during lunch, which was surprising considering the place was almost empty. The waitress was also less than attentive. Hopefully that was just an unlucky thing for us!

Just went for restaurant week. TERRIBLE service. We had to wait forever for them to even notice us then every other step of the meal took a long time also. Food was alright. The doughnuts for desert were good. Definitely won’t be going back. Service was a big disappointment. Also, the waiter talked our ears off. Maybe service would be faster if he limited his talking to like two minutes instead of 5 – 10.

Passion. It’s what elevates a casual dining experience to an event. It’s the mark between a restaurant that is phoning in a series of tired, traditional dishes from one that is providing an experience. Le Castagne has passion, and it shows in the quality of the food and the manner of the service.
Antipasti — The Buffalo Mozzarella is fresh and moist, successfully paired with generous prosciutto slices and an apple chimichurri.
La Pasta — Gnocchi with White Truffle Cream sauce. The star of the evening. Almost a tantric dining experience, and if you are going for restaurant week, make this your entrée.
Carne — the Hanger steak was correctly cooked (as rare as the health department allows) and pleasingly joined with caramelized red onion, cannellini and not too much sauce to interfere with the beef.
Dessert — House-​made zeppole frites were warm, light and delicious.
Not every dish hit the mark– this time of year we should be seeing fresher beets than what was on the plate in the Barbabietole Arrosto; the Pollo e Pesto was very light on the pesto and just barely cooked through to the point where we debated sending it back.
The service is what really put this meal over the top. Everyone from our server, to the owner, to the bus staff was attentive, friendly and personal. When we inadvertently received the Gnocchi al Sorrentina, the owner immediately went back into the kitchen and a few minutes later emerged with the treasured white truffle sauced beauties.
We couldn’t finish the three pasta dishes on the table. Knowing that only one person would leave with the coveted white truffle gnocchi, the staff packed each remaining plate away in an unmarked bag for us to randomly choose from, so that we could each savor the anticipation of a private fifth course later on.
Go there this week if you can, but go there.

Extremely impressed, not only with food, but with the impeccable service.
I went with two coworkers for Restaurant Week (entrée/​appetizer/​dessert for $ 35 per person). I don’t have a single complaint about our meal (that’s unusual for me). We got the buffalo mozzarella and beet salad appetizers, the pappardelle and both types of gnocchi (cream sauce and red sauce), and chicken and steak for the entrée. Followed by the cannoli and zeppole for dessert. The best part of the meal was the cream gnocchi. I apologize for my poor use of Italian terminology; these dishes truly did have really beautiful Italian names.
I was extremely impressed with the service and the management. Our server brought out one incorrect pasta dish and had it fixed within three minutes flat. … And we got to try another delicious type of gnocchi (I ain’t even mad). They constantly checked on us and made sure we had everything they needed.
I have been here once before, probably about a year ago, with a large group. No issues then either, but this experience was particularly memorable. The owner told us they’ve changed management within the past two years and the environment is completely different.
This is a great date-​night spot without being stuffy. If you go here, you must try a house-​made pasta dish!

My dinner here was ok. My mom and I came on a weeknight, and it was actually pretty busy. I’ve passed by this place a bunch of times and it always looks empty, but that’s actually because there’s a dining area in the back that you can’t see while walking by. Unfortunately, because it was crowded we had pretty slow service. Also, our waiters (there were 2 who alternated) never shared the night’s specials with us, and while I was eating my meal, I heard about a fish dish that I probably would have ordered instead of my meal.
Anyway, the food was pretty good. They give you 2 types of bread before the meal, a dinner roll and some focaccia. I really like the dipping sauce, too. It was made of sun-​dried tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, I think. For my entrée, I had the truffle gnocchi. The gnocchi was good, but I expected a slightly stronger truffle flavor. Maybe there’s a difference between how white truffles and black truffles taste (they used white), but I’m used to a stronger truffle flavor which I felt was lacking from the dish. My mom ordered the Pollo al Pesto di Arugula. She liked it overall, but would have preferred whole veggies on the side rather than pureed into small piles on the plate. She also thought the chicken tasted a little different, not in a bad way, but maybe that’s because she’s never had organic meat before.

Went here for Restaurant Week in January for lunch, and it left a good impression, but I’m not sure that I would come back for the regular menu. I’m glad I went for restaurant week, bc I probably wouldn’t paid the high prices over some other places in Philly.
BARBABIETOLE MARINATE (beet salad) /​/​The most beautifully plated dish of the meal, and the goat cheese «mousse» was something that I had never tried before. It went really well with the beets, though those were a bit too sweet for my taste.
TAGLIATELLE CON CARNE DI MAIALE BRASATA (pork and mushroom pasta) /​/​I couldn’t ever not like tagliatelle + mushroom. it’s my favorite combo, and it didn’t disappoint me (but it’s not like it astounded me either).
ZEPPOLE & TORTA AL CIOCCOLATO (a donut and a chocolate cake) /​/​Kind of a lackluster ending. Just a regular old chocolate with a donut hole, really.

Two things have made me reevaluate Le Castagne
1. They no longer have smaller and larger portions of the pasta, you’re required to get the full size which is too large even for just an entrée and over $ 20. I liked being able to choose the smaller portion and get a drink and still have an affordable meal for one at the bar when I don’t feel like cooking.
2. Restaurant week is a good deal here but I had a lackluster meal this time. The seafood salad was just really unappetizing. The fish didn’t taste fresh, everything was plated on top of a cream sauce that just overwhelmed the plate. Fresher seafood and maybe a lemon vinegrette would have complimented this plate better. Dessert was just alright. Pasta was delicious.
I live across the street and go here when I’m craving some decadent pasta and a nice glass of wine. The increase in cost has me choosing other restaurants in the area and leaving this as a treat. Most times I’m in there it’s pretty empty so I’m surprised they chose to go this route. I’ll be back just probably not too soon and will stick to the gnocchi and wine.

Had an issue with the reservation.
Booked online through OpenTable, then when I didn’t receive a confirmation, I called in to make sure the reservation was there. The lady who picked up the phone checked that my reservation was in the computer, and confirmed that I would have a table ready for 12 that Friday.
Of course we got there, and they didn’t have record of the reservation. Took standing around with bunch of people, about 10 minutes before they thought to check the canceled reservations spot in the computer, and someone had canceled our reservation!
They didn’t seem eager to fix this problem, and we’re not helpful. They were going to turn us away, but finally caved in and let us stay. I think I would have been fine if the hostess and person assisting her would have been nicer about the mixup; it wasn’t my fault (I called in to confirm even!) and they were acting like it was my fault and that I was seriously putting them out by trying to get a table for my people.
Of course it’s Restaurant Week, so we let the servers know that we were all on our lunch breaks and that we would need split checks at the end. From sitting to getting out it took 2 hours and 15 minutes.
So we got a nice break from work, but still!
Food was solid. Flourless chocolate cake was amazing. It was just a sad circumstance

I had high hopes for this place but unfortunately they fell short. I came for restaurant week with a friend on a Tuesday evening. It was pretty empty inside, there were maybe 5 other tables seated. The décor feels like a steakhouse, not Italian restaurant. It looks like a good place to bring a client or have business dinners as most of the other guests were in suits or business attire.
It took a while for our server to come around and get us water. I found it confusing that the woman who I thought was a host took our wine orders as well as our menu picks, but everything was brought out by a different server who then tended to our table for the rest of the night. I did like that she let me sample the wine before choosing a glass.
I ordered the tagliatelle to start followed by the braised lamb. The tagliatelle was good. The pasta was delicate and the sauce was tasty although it appeared to be swimming in it and the presentation was not the best. The braised lamb was also tasty but for $ 29 at full price, I think it is overpriced as it does not come with any vegetables or starch on the side.
Service was sub par in my opinion for a white tablecloth place. Our server was hard to track down and get his attention even though he was walking around the floor often. It felt almost as if he was purposely avoiding our attention. He gave off a weird vibe, doubting our decisions not to add parmesan to all our dishes and also looking skeptically at the open table dining check I handed to him with the bill.
I will not be returning here. I’ve had better food and service at other Italian restaurants in Philly.

The 4 of us went here to celebrate my dad’s 75^th birthday. I called at 4pm on a Friday night in a panic to see if they could accommodate us at 7pm and if they had veal on the menu (my current reservation place had just called me to say they did not have veal despite my putting it on the Opentable reservation and confirming via phone). They were patient on the phone, answering my questions about veal, and veal piccata, and assured me they could make it.
We were the first table to be seated (and last to leave) and the ambiance was beautiful, relaxing, and extremely elegant. The lighting is soft and flattering. They offered us the window seat and a booth. My dad chose a table in the middle. From the start, the service was perfect. They never missed a beat the entire evening. We started with cocktails which were good. When I asked a question about the wine, he offered good advice and didn’t try to push another wine.
I started with the grilled octopus. It had arugula on top which complimented it. It was grilled just right and not rubbery or mushy. It was yummy. My brother got the started with the buffalo mozzarella and my mom and dad split the beet salad. They offered to split it in the kitchen which was nice. Everyone was happy with their order.
For our pasta course, we all got the half orders. I got the frutti de mare. Delicious! The papardelle Bolognese, tagliatelle and gnocchi Sorrentina were also good.
For my main course, I got the chicken. It was good. But not the best dish on the table. Both my mother and brother got the Wagu steak and are still talking about it. My dad’s veal piccata was worthy of a monumental birthday and that’s all I really cared about. They took the veal chop on the menu and made it into a piccata dish. My dad swears it was the best he ever had. Whew! For sides we got the broccoli rabe and the potato of the day which turned out to be amazing. I don’t remember what it was but it was really good. The only surprising thing was that the veal chop was listed as $ 43 on the menu and I saw on the bill the next day we were charged $ 56.
For dessert we split the zeppole (donut), tiramisu, and cream di castagne. All delicious.
I would highly recommend this restaurant.

First impression: very elegant décor and ambiance. Was there for restaurant week. The menu did not disappoint dispute the limited menu. Had a wide variety of choices.
Went with two girlfriends and every dish we had was satisfying and perfect portions. The gnocchi was incredible. I had the braised lamb over a poached egg. Amazing. Dessert was superb. I would honestly go there just for a cappuccino and dessert.
Service was very good, the dishes came out with enough time in between so you weren’t overwhelmed. If you want a high end italian place to eat, it’s worth it, especially for restaurant week.

We found our rehearsal dinner location!!! Our experience was very good. Came here a couple years ago and thought it would be a good place to explore for our rehearsal dinner. Before we signed though, my fiancé and I wanted to try the place one more time… It did not disappoint. They are recently under new management, which from the vibe of the restaurant is a good thing.
Ordered: their pesto for the bread, yum. We had seconds, that could have been my app. Started with the Italian sausage, the reduction is on point. I just kept going at it. We wanted to make sure we had a good sampling of the menu, so we continued with the gnocchi in marinara sauce, the texture of the gnocchi was perfect. One of the best I had in a long while. And we continued… with veal raviolis in parmesan cream, the flavors we devine. And we continued… with of course my fav pasta pappardelle Bolognese and braised lamb with a poached egg. By this time I couldn’t eat anymore, but one bite of the tender lamb ended the meal. Until dessert of course… zeppole! Order these during the entrée course if you want to get them, takes a bit of time.
Service: our waiter was exceptional, he explained the items well and if he was unsure, he made it a point to follow up with the chef and let us know. The manager met us after our meal and was great at explaining our rehearsal dinner options and put us at ease. Also, sent us out a dessert not on the menu.
Overall: great meal from beginning to end. Can’t wait for our event.

eh, overpriced for the food and experience.
The food was just ok. I had the pork chop and it was nothing special. My mom makes a better one with just flour, salt, pepper and her caste iron skillet. The wine was ok, and the pours were good. Service was ok, but not very attentive, especially since there were more employees than diners in the restaurant. Overall not worth the price. I won’t be back.

Higher end Italian restaurant with a nice ambiance and decent (although pricey) food. Came for Restaurant Week and picked the following to try:
Seafood pasta — 4 stars — clams, mussels, shrimp, smoked bacon and cherry tomatoes (
) Seems like they eliminated the squid ink from this dish, nevertheless, it was quite good.
Timballo d’agnello brasato — 4.5 stars — Slow-​braised lamb, sautéed wild mushrooms on a garlic crostino, topped with a poached egg (
). Unique presentation and delicious lamb meat.
Dessert — panna cotta, cannoli shell with chocolate — 3 stars — The Panna Cotta (Italian Flan) was made in a little dipping sauce Solo cup, in fact there was a «4 OZ» imprint on it! I thought this dessert was slightly skimpy, but it was still well presented and tasted okay.(
)
The $ 35 /​person Restaurant Week menu actually ends up being ~$ 45/​person after you factor in tax and tip. Portions are smaller than if you order off the regular menu, but paying slightly more to sample a variety of dishes was definitely nice. Overall, I would recommend this place for Restaurant Week.

Soooooooo good. This is my third or fourth visit and Le Castagne does not disappoint– homemade gnocchi melt in your mouth, ravioli is packed with flavor, meat dishes are artistically plated and combine unique flavors you wouldn’t expect. Music and décor provide for a modern European vibe. Love the simplistic decoration and high ceilings. Servers here are very attentive without being overbearing and the service/​meal was timed perfectly. Could easily see myself coming here for a business meeting, girls lunch, or date. Portions are good for tasting multiple courses– love ordering appetizers for the table and still being able to finish my main course.
**CAUTION however… Coming during the lunch rush is unbearable and they charge for refills (RUDE)

I was so excited to come here, only to leave a quite disappointed. A friend and I made reservations for restaurant week lunch. Was sat right away, but service didn’t come for a good 10 minutes. It seemed as if there was only one server on or something. Anyway, the hostess did more than our actual server. When the server finally came, all she did was take our order. Didn’t even bother explaining the menu to us, or mention the salmon special. I wish we knew about the salmon bc i probably would have eaten that instead.
Appetizer, I ordered the octopus. This dish was amazing! I loved the flavors and the presentation of it. It was so so delicious! Highly recommended
Then for lunch, I ordered the gnocchi with the white truffle sauce. When she brought it out, it looked like a side dish and not lunch. There was nothing to it. Just gnocchi and cream sauce. Wheres the veggies, or some protein or something! I felt like my $ 20 was thrown down the drain with this extremely weak dish. This should not be offered as a main dish but instead as either appetizers or side item. The flavor of it wasn’t even that great either. I felt as if I could duplicate it at home easily.
Desserts was a combination dessert. I had to take it to go bc I was way over time limit for lunch. Over hour and half for lunch bc of service! Horrible. Maybe I’ll try them for dinner next time but I dunno yet…

The food and the experience were really subpar here. While nothing was really bad, nothing was really good either. In a city filled with good Italian food, this place is definitely forgettable.
The place was empty on a Friday night, definitely a sign. They had a pretty decent selection of wines, and we wound up ordering a bottle. It was pretty good. Our server however was bad. We saw him when he took our order and that was it. Other than that he was non existent.
The beer salad that we ordered was more of a carpaccio, and for the price is was absurd. Not much flavor going on, really not a good dish.
I thought my fiances black pasta with shellfish was ok. The best part to me was the pasta itself. It had retained a nice flavor from the seafood broth. Other than that, it was just ok. The mussels were pretty small, as were the clams, and the shrimp were tough.
My veal hanger steak wasnt seared properly, so the entire dish was chewy. I liked the flavor of the sauce it was served with, but I couldnt get past the chewiness of the meat. The potatoes were very gluely because they had clearly been overwhipped.
Their dessert wasnt very good either. The fried dough balls werent particularly tasty. They just tasted like fried dough, and the sugar coating wasnt even really adding much.
Definitely hit up one of the other amazing Italian restaurants in the city. This one isnt worth your time.