BYOB walking distance from Rittenhouse?

[Mano]

We'd like to try someplace other than Matyson (which we love).

[Capaneus]

We'd like to try someplace other than Matyson (which we love).

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Melograno, at 22nd and Spruce; the little cluster of Italian BYOs around 16th and Spruce, including La Viola, Branzino, Fontana De La Citta, others I'm sure I'm forgetting; Audrey Claire, at 20th and Spruce; Caffe Casta Diva, at 20th and Locust ; La Baia, at 17th and Lombard; Pumpkin, on South just West of 17th; Apamate, on the 1600 block of South; Porcini, in the 2000 block of Sansom.

I think I've got most of those that I would think of as "Rittenhouse". I like Pumpkin, Apamate, Melograno, La Viola, Casta Diva and Branzino. I don't actively dislike any of the others, though the only meal I've had at La Baia was dreadful - others have since convinced me it was atypical.

[KatieLoeb]

But if you love Matyson (as we all do), does one need to stray? The menu seems to vary often from week to week. Jus' sayin'...

Melograno or Bronzino would be secondary choices for me. Don't order anything that requires a temperature at Bronzino and you should be fine. My past experiences there have led me to conclude they just don't do "medium rare" or whatever properly. The pastas and veal dishes that don't require something to be cooked specifically to my liking have all been excellent.

[Mano]

But if you love Matyson (as we all do), does one need to stray?  The menu seems to vary often from week to week.  Jus' sayin'...

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We're celebrating out 25th with a night at the Rittenhouse and the megabrunch the next a.m. My bride would like to try someplace other than Matyson. Surely I should accommodate such an easy request.

Thanks for the recs. we've been to several and have always wanted to try others, Caffe Casta Diva, in particular.

[I_call_the_duck]

All suggestions are great, but I'll put my two cents in for Melograno and Casta Diva.

Melograno does not take reservations, so be prepared to either go early or wait.

Casta Diva makes a great gnocchi. And their duck is one of my favorite non-Chinese style ducks in the city.

Hope you have a nice anniversary.

[Mano]

We made reservations at Caffe Casta Diva and will be going in two weekends.

Thursday was our actual anniversary and we went local to Justeat By BrownGold. We used to go regularly but with a price increase a year ago we stayed away. The food was good, as usual and we brought along a special wine, 1994 La Jota 13th Anniversary Cabernet Howell Mountain. The wine had aged as wonderfully as our marriage and we surprised ourselves by drinking almost the entire bottle.