L'Angolo Ristorante - Philadelphia, PA

September 25, 2024

The Parm Boys Overall Score: 8.63 / 10

The Vibe

Walking up to a spot with a red awning means one thing: good food is waiting on the other side. L'Angolo delivers an epic, classic hole-in-the-wall vibe that instantly makes you feel like you are in the middle of Italy. When we walked in, the staff was very rude to us—which we absolutely loved, thank you! They were fast and to the point, clearly not looking to chat, which fits the no-nonsense energy perfectly. We even got hit with some complimentary wine (thank you very much) and had a cool moment when they killed the lights for a happy birthday song. Plus, they have a very nice bathroom, which is always a massive win.

The Parm

Let's cut right to it: this parm was the best I’ve had. In fact, for the first time in the history of our quest, we have absolutely nothing bad to say about the parm itself. It was a flawless masterpiece. The appetizers leading up to it went completely crazy, highlighted by a spectacular mushroom dish that was a certified 10/10 app. The only real critiques on the table were about the layout and pairing—we didn't love that they hid the pasta underneath the parm because we always want to see that full, beautiful spread. Also, while the side gnocchi was good on its own, it didn’t pair nicely with the star of the show; a classic spaghetti would’ve been the superior move.

The Highs and Lows

• The Positives:

  • An immaculate, legendary chicken parm—arguably the best of the quest.

  • Epic hole-in-the-wall atmosphere that transports you straight to Italy.

  • Incredible 10/10 mushroom appetizer and a stellar lineup of starters.

  • Brilliantly authentic, fast, and wonderfully "rude" service.

  • Complimentary wine and a great, clean bathroom.

• The Negatives:

  • They hid the pasta under the parm instead of displaying the full glory.

  • The side gnocchi was a weird pairing choice for the parm compared to a classic spaghetti.

  • A slightly greasy cutlet texture on the finish.

  • When we asked for recommendations, they just listed the whole menu.

  • The dessert portions could have been a bit bigger.

  • Salmon... on the mind? (And not quite fitting the red sauce dream).

Closing Thoughts

L'Angolo Ristorante turned in an absolute legendary run. When a kitchen serves up a chicken parm so flawless that we literally have zero complaints about the actual dish, you know you've found holy ground. Fix the pasta presentation, swap the gnocchi for some spaghetti, and this spot is an undisputed hall-of-famer. Take me to parm town!

Scoring

• Shizz's Score: 8.5/10

• Dave's Score: 8.7/10

• Matt's Score: 8.7/10