"Most Italian places in South Philly feel more like tourist traps than actual hangouts. Villa Di Roma is one of the exceptions. This classic Italian Market spot is filled with black and white family photos, oversized menu boards, and waitresses that still call guests "hon." Excited first timers sit alongside regulars who have been eating the chicken parm here since it opened in the ’60s, and red-sauce loving sports fans crowd the bar on gamedays. The menu is long and has everything you’d expect, including softball-sized meatballs in gravy, lemony veal francese, and countless different pasta options. It's Italian comfort food at its best, and you may be lucky enough to hear a grandpa say “be good to your mother” while handing his grandkids $20. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Food Rundown photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Villa Salad It’s creamy, it’s crunchy, and the greenest thing in the restaurant. Always get this shrimp and bacon-packed salad before moving on to mains. Always. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Baked Rigatoni Rigatoni tossed in a tangy tomato sauce and creamy ricotta is topped with a thick layer of mozzarella. It’s gooey on the inside, toasted to a near crunchy finish, and the ultimate comfort dish. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pasta Di Linguine Villa has about 12 specialty pastas on the menu, but this is the one to get. The marinara is actually made with a clam-based broth, so it’s a touch briny, and it’s all topped with a pile of shrimp, clams, mussels, and crab meat. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Chicken Parmigiana It almost feels sacrilegious to come to Villa and not get this dish. Chicken is pounded thin, breaded and fried to a golden brown, and topped with just enough red sauce and almost too much mozzarella. It’s everything you want in a parm—deeply savory, moist chicken, tang and sweetness from the tomatoes, and creamy from all the cheese." - Alison B. Kessler
