At Murph’s, Puglian chef Francesco Bellastelli cooks up a nightly menu of pastas like strozzapreti with cherry tomatoes and burrata and tagliatelle bolognese in the back of — if you can believe it — an Irish bar. If that sounds like something that could only happen in Philly that’s because, well, it could only happen in Philly.

With starters like an heirloom tomato panzanella salad and honey grilled peaches with stracciatella, House-made pastas include lumache with corn and porcini butter, and mains like grilled branzino and chicken Milanese round out the menu, A Mano is always sure to be an amazing Italian meal. To get the full A Mano experience, opt for the four course family style Abbondanza menu.

The Italy-Philly connection is strong at Center City’s bi-level Gran Caffe L’Aquila, a recreation of an Italian cafe destroyed in the 2009 earthquake that hit Abruzzo. The entire restaurant was designed and built in Italy before being shipped to Philly, along with its co-owners, Stefano Biasini and Michele Morelli. Biasini is a world champion gelato maker and even finds ways to incorporate the sweet stuff into savory entrees (think: truffle gelato melting over buttery pasta). Stop in for a scoop from the case in the front, or settle into one of the restaurants’ indoor or outdoor tables for the full experience.

Trattoria Carina is the perfect neighborhood Italian spot. Start off the meal with a well made Aperol spritz and then move on to a chopped salad or charcuterie plate before digging into mains like spicy crab arrabbiata or gemelli with butternut squash. The all-Italian wine list keeps things reasonable with nothing over $60 a bottle.

First-timers at Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran’s Little Nonna’s risk whiplash spinning their heads to watch the mile-high spaghetti and meatballs pass by. The Sunday gravy, served daily, is also a long-running favorite: braised beef short ribs, meatballs, fennel sausage, and broccoli rabe in a four-hour San Marzano marinara over pasta. Sidewalk, patio, and dining room tables are available via Resy.

For more than a century, Ralph’s has been a Philly institution. This place isn’t just locally famous: It’s considered the oldest Italian restaurant in the country. More than a few celebrities have come through the door, including Frank Sinatra, Taylor Swift, and Joe Biden (not all at once). Devoted diners keep coming back for sausage and peppers, mussels, pasta, and veal parm. Ralph’s is still family-run and much of its staff has been around for decades. Reservations are available for indoor and outdoor seating.

For 50 plus years, this intimate Italian spot has been welcoming diners with generous portions of linguine pescatore, veal parmigiana, and a Bosses chicken, a paillard topped with sweet and hot peppers. No word on whether or not Saloon’s signature chicken was a favorite of restaurant regular and noted mob boss, Joey Merlino. Reserve tables in the dining room or bar through OpenTable.

Marc Vetri’s Italian Market pasta bar is perennially packed and for good reason. From creative cocktails like the Dirty Pasta Water Martini to a tight menu full of fantastic small plates and gorgeous handmade pastas, there’s a lot to love about this former butcher shop turned dining destination. Reservations are available through Tock.

Since 1963, the throwback Villa di Roma has been an Italian Market favorite for hearty pasta dinners. The red sauce is so popular that the restaurant even sells it by the jar. But it’s not just spaghetti here. The menu includes enough veal, seafood, chicken, sausage, and steak entrees to make choosing just one a challenge.

Is something automatically more fun when it has a secret, exclusive vibe? Maybe, but it helps when one of the region’s best Italian chefs is at the helm. A hundred years ago a group of expats from a town in Italy started a club in a South Philly rowhome and named it after an Italian painter. In 2016, chef Joey Baldino — known for his Collingswood destination spot Zeppoli — inherited the club from his uncle and now runs it as a members-only restaurant and bar. Those lucky enough to hold a membership card feast on raviolo, spiedini, spaghetti with crabs, and tricolor spumoni.

Housed in a former gramophone shop on Dickinson Street, Victor Cafe is Philadelphia’s premier destination for red sauce Italian and live opera. Choose from a menu of straightforward Italian classics like linguine with clams and veal saltimbocca and enjoy an evening of being serenaded by opera singing servers. Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant.

You’d be forgiven for thinking a reservation at Irwin’s is all about the view — at Bok Building, there’s nothing like it — but it’s Michael Vincent Ferreri’s family-style dorade, fritto misto, and handmade pastas that really take the cake. Reservations can be made through Resy.

Situated in deep South Philly, this cozy corner Italian joint opened in 2000 but feels like it’s been around forever. L’Angolo’s menu is a homage to the cuisine of Puglia — think Southern Italian dishes like grilled sausage spiedini and penne melanzane. L’Angolo is BYOB so be sure to grab a couple bottles of Puglian wine to bring with you. Call the restaurant for reservations.