Dante & Luigi’s — Philadelphia, PA

January 4th, 2024

The Parm Boys Overall Score: 7.77 / 10

The Vibe

We pulled up to this nice, classic spot and the atmosphere immediately gave us some interesting, sleepy hotel-style energy. It’s cozy, but it put the crew in a serious relaxation state of mind. Getting there was a battle in itself—parking in South Philly is an absolute nightmare, and the struggle was so real that Shizz basically ended up parking all the way in Abington. But once we got settled inside, our guy Anthony took amazing care of us and kept the high-energy parm town spirit alive. The appetizers were an absolute home run right out of the gate, highlighted by a spectacular calamari.

The Parm

The kitchen delivered a crispy chicken cutlet, which is always a beautiful, necessary touch for maximum crunch. We scored some really high-quality bites off the plate, but the major heartbreak here was the cheese blanket—it simply wasn't cheesy enough. To make matters a bit more challenging, the red sauce came out with a noticeably sharp, acidic punch. On the bright side, the pasta was finally back on the plate, baby! Although we were thrilled to see the noodles make their return, the pasta itself turned out to be a bit "meh"—nothing to write home about.

The Highs and Lows

• The Positives:

  • Crispy chicken cutlet that held its ground.

  • Excellent first course with spectacular calamari and great apps.

  • The side pasta is officially back on the plate where it belongs.

  • Stellar table-side hospitality from our guy Anthony.

  • The dessert went absolutely crazy, featuring some elite-tier presentation.

• The Negatives:

  • The cheese layer was way too light on the cutlet.

  • The red sauce ran a bit too acidic.

  • The side pasta was incredibly average and lacked excitement.

  • The cozy, slow-paced atmosphere gave off sleepy hotel vibes.

  • Parking logistics in South Philly are a complete headache.

Closing Thoughts

Dante’s & Luigis is a classic, beautiful spot that treats you to spectacular appetizers, elite desserts, and excellent service. We loved seeing the side pasta make a much-needed return to the plate, and the crisp on the cutlet was premium. If they dial back the acidity in the sauce and go twice as heavy on the cheese blanket, they'll have a serious heavyweight contender on their hands.

Scoring

• Shizz's Score: 7.7/10

• Dave's Score: 7.8/10

• Matt's Score: 7.8/10