Strolli's?

[bethb]

There used to be a wonderfully inexpensive restaurant named Strolli's in Philly. We're planning a trip and wanted to include a stop there for old time (poor student days) sake, but don't remember exactly where it was. Does it still exist?

[KatieLoeb]

There used to be a wonderfully inexpensive restaurant named Strolli's in Philly.  We're planning a trip and wanted to include a stop there for old time (poor student days) sake, but don't remember exactly where it was.  Does it still exist?

This place has been closed for YEARS. And yes - it was cheap as dirt for good homemade-type Italian food. It was at 15th & Mole Streets in South Philly. Like stepping into a time warp. A cup of pastina soup was like 95 cents. A bowl was $1.25 or so! You could eat like a skinny Italian kid in there with a pushy Nonna saying "MANGIA! You're much too thin!, etc." and still not spend $10.00. Place was wonderful and I truly miss it.

[Holly Moore]

Strolli's opened a second place somewhere in the burbs. Went there once. Just wasn't Strolli's.

Really miss the place.

[Mummer]

Grandpop Strolli, I think his name was/is John, pulled out his mandolin late in the evening. Just the thing your Italian Pop-Pop was supposed to do.

[Rich Pawlak]

Oh how I miss Strolli's. In college it was one of the great places to dine on a student budget and still feel like you went someplace special.

And it was.

[Greg Salisbury]

Ohhh, baby. Strolli's was such a great place. Cheap, cheap wine flowing without even a cursory look at IDs, really good ravioli, braciole, the "dangerous" location (hey, to a kid from Westchester, 15th and Dickinson was just a step or two below 225th and Gun Hill Rd.). It was like being invited to partake of this amazing secret culinary life of Philadelphians. It does make me wonder how I would feel about the food now, fifteen years down the road.

[KatieLoeb]

It does make me wonder how I would feel about the food now, fifteen years down the road.

Greg - I'm right there with you. I suspect my palate is a bit more sophisticated now than it was in college. At least I HOPE it is, given my chosen profession and responsibilities...

Nonetheless, Strolli's was such a fun place for a cheap date (I had several there, back in the day) and it was so much like eating at Nonna's, if you had a Nonna (which I did not), so I just loved it!

[Rich Pawlak]

Sophisticated palate or not, what Strolli's served was very good Italian food, and yes, it was VERY much like MY nonna's, ESPECIALLY the ravioli, gnocchi and braciole. But I never told her that, she would have killed me for the comparison.

[Holly Moore]

I would assume a sophisticated palate to be one that recognized excellence and mediocrity in everything from a hot dog to high cuisine including homestyle Italian.

Agreeing with myself I go on to suggest that, for what it was, a sophisticated pallete would indeed have appreciated the cuisine at Strolli's.