Elma

Wow. The meal I had at Elma was honestly one of the first ones I ever had that I had to lick the plate clean. Not only was the food amazing, the service was superb and the atmosphere was so welcoming and full of great energy. If Philadelphia had a Michelin Star ranking it would be shocking if this place didn’t have two of them. The food was that good. I can’t wait to come back again and again and again and again. It is literally worth every single penny. Keep in mind, I very rarely leave reviews but this place was so amazing, I just had to.

My boyfriend and I came here for the first time for an elevated date night. Wow!!!! Service was lovely and chill. No frills and authentic. Food spoke for itself. We loved the full tasting menu. Definitely coming back!

Elma is seriously something special. The pre-fixe menu is so well thought out, it’s like each dish has its own little story to tell. The way they pair flavors is insane—it’s creative but never over the top, and everything just works. Every course feels like it was made to blow you away, and it does. The space itself is small and cozy, which makes it feel kind of exclusive, like you’re at a private dinner with just a few lucky people. The vibe is relaxed but cool—like the kind of place where everything just feels right without trying too hard. If you’re into amazing food and a chill, intimate atmosphere, Elma is the spot. It’s one of those places that just gets it.

Elma is fantastic. Nardone has deftly created what this city genuinely lacks, a chef-driven dining experience where the creativity and intentionality far exceeds expectation. In a city full of contrived concepts that are driven by mouth breathing food writers, Elma maintains a level of authenticity that is quite refreshing. The food was thoughtful and genuine, Chef Nardone and his staff, warm and inviting. I highly recommend Elma for a casual night of dining where the star of the show is the food and not a performance.

We made a trip to Fishtown to dine at Elma after meeting James. His dedication and passion for ingredients, cooking and what it means to bring people together through food is extremely apparent. Each meal is intertwined with attention to detail & conflicting ingredients that work beautifully to tell a story. James marries his heritage and food perfectly through those stories. Un lavoro ben fatto!

Our experiences at Elma have been nothing short of spectacular. The tasting menu was an exquisite journey through unique flavors and beautifully presented dishes. Each course was thoughtfully curated. The intimate, cozy setting of this small BYOB spot added to the charm, making it feel like a hidden gem in the neighborhood. The staff was attentive and knowledgeable, enhancing our dining experience!

GO TO ELMA! Seriously I cannot say enough great things about this place. My wife and I went for her birthday last August and had such an amazing time that we decided to go again for my birthday this week. Both services were truly outstanding. The seatings are so intimate and personal that it literally feels like Chef James and his team are cooking for you in their own home. They go above and beyond in their service and the quality and creativity of the food. You can taste just how much passion there is in this tiny little spot. But the real standout for us is that they will make modifications based on dietary restrictions. My wife is pescatarian, and so we are often at the mercy of restaurants with this format. But Chef James not only caters to her needs, he specifically crafts incredible dishes exclusively for her. If we could afford it, we’d eat here every month. Seriously, GO TO ELMA!

The staff at Elma was so knowledgeable and kind. They accommodated my guests nut allergy and answered all of our questions. Moreover, the food was absolutely incredible. Zero notes. I tried like three new things yesterday and, as someone who cooks, is already wanting to find ways to incorporate them into my own food. We left very full and inspired.

Food excellent preparation according to our taste not too hot Service too Lovely interior

What an experience! Elma has the option for 4 or 6 course menu and I am so glad we picked the 6! The service is incredible and James and the rest of the team made our experience top notch. The food was incredible and just enough to keep us wanting (and having room) for more. I love that it's a BYOB and love the small intimate setting of the restaurant. Can't wait to come back!

We had an incredible experience at Elma! Chef Nardone ensures he and his staff are only delivering the best, with their pre-fix/rotating menu. For 6 courses at $100 a head, it's also very reasonable (+BYO). It is pretty cool to see what they created out of a small space. It is an intimate setting, thoughtfully done and clean...bringing in only 2 seatings a night with a max of 12 people. Simple decor, but the open concept is brilliant, as you have a consistent sneak peek into the kitchen and preparation. Also has a solid playlist going throughout your meal. Their dishes covered the gamut - fish, pork, beef, pasta, shellfish, etc. What a ride! Everything was delicious, but if you've followed the chef at all, you know pasta has deep roots into his culinary expertise, so those dishes stood out to me the most. Major love for their one server who took care of all the tables. She was super attentive to any small need, personable, and very friendly. Definitely made the overall dinner that much greater! Something really cool that they do, is they will use ingredients from the night before to then serve creative breakfast concepts the following morning. You gotta love the sustainable approach, but it also gives you a chance to double down on something you may have particularly liked and try it in a new dish. As a small side note, reservations can go pretty quick and a nice feature is paying upfront when you make the reservation (including tip). As you close out dinner, it was much appreciated to just get up and go.

We had dinner at Elma on Oct-27. We had been wanting to try it for some time and were excited that the stars finally aligned. I was a little surprised to find only one other couple at the 8:30 seating. The owner/chef was super friendly and told us about some recent and upcoming changes. For starters, apparently they had been requiring the full cost of dinner when booking. That has changed to only charging $50/person. Secondly, they have started allowing for day of/ last minute reservations. In the future, they will also be introducing some more traditional ala carte options to make the menu more accessible. Apparently this place really listens to their customers' feedback! The menu on the night we ate their consisted of steak tartare, crab cake, ricotta gnudi, barchette, an optional tagliatelle in a bolognese bianco (which we opted for), a NY Strip, and raspberry tart for dessert. Everything was incredible, but our favs were the steak tartare (mine) and the ricotta gnudi (my wife's). The optional tagliatelle was served family style and in my eagerness to dive in, I forgot to take a pic. I had never had a bolognese bianco before and, except for being super stuffed at the end of the meal, was very glad we opted for it. In general, all of the dishes were unique and the flavors were well balanced. The courses were well paced and the staff was super attentive. At each course I grew more surprised that the place was not at capacity - people really don't know what they are missing. We will definitely be going back!

Had dinner on Elma on 7-15. The food was spectacular! Crab gnudi and the semolina cake were particular favorites. Incredible value for money - as other reviewers have said, they could be charging way more for what you get. And love that it is BYO! Note that, because the meal is prepaid, there is no need to settle up at the restaurant. (Kind of wish they had explained that, it was a little confusing at the end.) Also, the AC was broken when we were there - but they did have fans going and the door propped open to circulate air. Minor service critiques aside, we had a great experience. Will definitely be back!

We absolutely love Elma!! If we could afford it we would go every month when they change their menu!! For now we will continue to come here for special occasions and look forward to it every time!! Wish we could give it honors because it deserves more than 5 stars

Great spot. Authentic Italian fare. Super small spot but well executed. Looking forward to coming back here.

What an inspired and inspiring new restaurant for our neighborhood. The dinner tasting menu at Elma is all the things you want in a fine dining experience (and please don't avoid Elma for fear of the worst excesses in this strata of restaurant): unpretentious, inventive, seasonal (without being over predictable because of it), delicious, occasionally challenging but never atypical just for the sake of it. Elma isn't trying too hard but it's definitely trying in the right places. We'll be back for the next menu set and we'll bring two bottles of wine this time because it's an experience that deserves to be savored.

Next level deliciousness in a setting reminiscent of your own kitchen. The space was so intimate, we were able to conduct a running conversation with the staff. Take advantage of the BYO option...this place is not to be missed.

We had a wonderful dinner and dining experience this evening at Elma! My goodness...every course was thoughtfully designed and amazing. Lots of seafood tonight and everything was just delicious. And add a fantastic blueberry dessert...wow. The staff is so great...very friendly and also so informative if you are curious about their preparation and technique. Highly recommend!!