“This sunny, sunflower-themed Italian restaurant has deep roots in Philly: It was loved when it first opened in Center City on Locust Street, and the A.C. location is a go-to non-casino dining destination. We are psyched it’s back in town, with spiffy new digs at the Symphony House, where crudos and carpacchio steal the show” – Philadelphia Magazine
Here is some really good news for the theater crowd and all others who appreciate superior Italian cuisine. Girasole is back in Philadelphia; quite appropriately at the Symphony House, and yes, Franco Iovino and daughter Michelle have made the triumphant return after closing their original location at 13th and Locust Street in 2004.
The restaurant is predictably beautiful, which is what one expects from the Iovino brothers (Gino in Atlantic City, and Franco in the City of Brotherly Love). The front door opens to a lively and dramatic bar and the Versace banquettes give it that modern and glamorous feeling. What is most predictable is the food, and the all-female kitchen (with chefs Angela and Michelle) keep the folks coming back, and of course, their salt-baked, whole Brazino remains a house favorite. The pastas and the desserts are equally as popular.
Girasole is a Mediterranean influenced restaurant, and that’s a good (and healthy thing). It remains a family affair, and keep in mind that “Girasole” is the Italian word for “Sunflower”. The sun is shining again in Downtown Philadelphia!