Welcome to Restaurant Report, a new Glenside Local column by Sarah Maiellano, a longtime restaurant and travel journalist with a deep knowledge of the Philly region’s dining scene.
This edition’s top question: What’s Philly’s favorite cuisine?
Easy – Italian.
We love our pasta, calamari, chicken parm, cannoli, and tiramisu. I was spoiled by the fresh pasta situation when I lived in Center City, so it’s one of the first things I look for in the suburbs. Here are two under-the-radar Italian spots that have been impressing me lately.
Enza
Enza, in Wyndmoor, is the kind of place that makes you double-check you didn’t accidentally drive into the city. Shrimp scampi is the order – saffron bucatini, cherry tomatoes, and a creamy, garlicky sauce that hits every comfort-food note without turning heavy. You’ll also find the classics done right (bolognese, chicken Alfredo, pillowy gnocchi), plus pizza and favorites like chicken parmesan, eggplant rollatini, and cinnamon cannoli.
Enza is about an eight-minute drive from Glenside.
Enza Pizzeria
Enza Cauliflower
Credit Sarah Maiellano
Enza Shrimp Scampi
Credit Sarah Maiellano
Enza Pasta
Credit Sarah Maiellano
Enza Meatballs
Credit Sarah Maiellano
Enza Pizzeria
P Square and Macaroni’s
P Square is the indoor-outdoor trattoria tucked behind Macaroni’s, the longtime Northeast Philly favorite, and it’s worth knowing for the space alone: there’s a large glass-enclosed bar that might be one of the nicest places in the area to post up for a drink. The move is pizza with an elegant, bubbly crust, pasta, a couple of apps, and a glass of Italian wine – easy, unfussy, and exactly what you want when you’re trying to turn “let’s grab dinner” into a night out.
Macaroni’s itself got a swanky renovation in 2024, and the menu is broad in a good way: branzino, gnocchi pomodoro, Caprese salad, meatballs, lobster ravioli.
From Elkins Park, P Square is about 19 minutes away – a touch farther from Glenside, but still in “short drive” territory.
PSquare
Credit Macaroni’s
PSquare
Credit Macaroni’s
Macaronis
Credit Macaronis
Macaroni’s
Credit Daniel Isayeff
Macaroni’s
Credit Daniel Isayeff
Who’s hungry?
Before the comments section and inbox light up: yes, we have plenty of Italian food right here and in nearby Jenkintown – Le Onde, Trio’s, Via 417, TreVi, Bella’s, Pizza Wheel.
But these two have stood out lately as especially worth the quick drive, and the full bars help. When you’re craving that Center City / East Passyunk / Fishtown kind of Italian dinner – the one that feels a little bit like an occasion – these are two of the closest options nearby.
For Restaurant Report’s February edition, “Is Elkins Park poised to become a coffee shop town?“, you can click here.
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Dining and Cooking