Ralph's Italian Restaurant

"Ralph's is another of the many traditional Italian restaurants people flock to for giant portions of chicken parm and marinated red peppers with anchovies. Open since 1900, it’s always full of tourists taking pictures of the incredible second-floor dining room. Frankly, the food is lackluster, but Ralph’s isn’t a classic because it has great gravy. It's a classic because the floor has original tiles, the servers are welcoming (they've seen everything), the house wine is cheap, and sometimes it just feels good to eat a mountain of mediocre spaghetti." - alison kessler, candis mclean

"Ralph’s is another South Philly institution — it allegedly originated in 1900 and therefore claims to be the oldest Italian restaurant in the country. (It’s complicated.) Ralph’s is also still family-run and much of its staff has been around for decades. More than a few celebrities have come through the door, including Frank Sinatra, Taylor Swift, and Joe Biden (though not all at once); devoted diners keep coming back for sausage and peppers, mussels, pasta, and veal parm. You can make reservations online for indoor and outdoor seating." - Ernest Owens

"You know the touristy places we just talked about? Ralph’s is one of them. But considering the South Philly icon is one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the country, what else can you expect? It has an antique appeal—wood-trimmed walls have black and white photos of Italy, and the floors are covered in the original subway tiles. All of the food comes in huge portions, from spaghetti in red gravy and shrimp scampi. Overall it’s pretty lackluster, but it’s all about the experience of such a historic place. Just be happy they survived prohibition—the wine list is still large.  " - candis mclean

"You know the touristy places we sometimes talk about? Ralph’s is one of them. But considering the South Philly icon is one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the country, what else can you expect? It has an antique appeal—wood-trimmed walls have black and white photos of Italy, and the floors are covered in the original subway tiles. All of the food comes in huge portions, from spaghetti in red gravy and shrimp scampi. Overall it’s pretty lackluster, but it’s all about the experience of such a historic place. Just be happy they survived prohibition—the wine list is still large." - Candis R. McLean

"You’ll probably see a few tourists when you go to Ralph’s in South Philly, but considering it’s one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the country (it opened in 1900) and one of the best in Philadelphia, what else can you expect? As soon as you walk through the front door, you feel like you’re stepping back in time—the wood-trimmed walls are decorated with black and white photos of Italy, and the floors still have the original subway tiles. All of the food comes in huge portions, from spaghetti in red gravy and shrimp scampi to one of the best veal parms in the city. And because all the portions are so big, you can expect to leave with lunch for the next day." - Candis Mclean