
A tiny prix fixe dining room from owners of Southwark serving four courses of modern Italian fare.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 705 S 4th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Phone: (267) 858-9232
Website: http://ambraphilly.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: resy.com
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Ambra – Philadelphia
Ambra – Philadelphia – a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant
Ambra Restaurant (@ambraphilly) · Philadelphia, PA – Instagram
Reviews
Food. I like the dessert dish of peach very much. The courses showcase some culinary skills, but I am looking for more sophisticated ingredients and transformations at the price point of 300$ per person. Disappointingly, I found the savory dishes are way over powered by butter.
While sitting in the kitchen, I noticed that the chefs are reusing their utensils across that they tasted the dishes, which is disturbingly not hygienic to me.
One of the highlights was getting to dine in the kitchen. It was a rare treat to experience things up close, and the interaction with the chef was both personal and insightful as each dish was described. You can tell the team takes pride in what they do.
Service was excellent from start to finish—attentive without being overbearing. The wine list was a standout as well: detailed, curated, and refreshingly different. Mostly biodynamic bottle from small family-run wineries in Europe, but they said they also have a domestic selection.
Highly recommend this place! Just make sure to book ahead. We’ll definitely be coming back.
Ambra offers a single seating per night, featuring a multi-course tasting menu and wine pairings, with the entire experience lasting approximately 3.5 hours. That might sound long on paper, but trust me – the evening flies by. Every course was beautifully presented and full of flavor, with clear Italian influence but lots of creative, modern touches. The wine pairings were fantastic — each one felt like it elevated the dish in a really thoughtful way.
The setting is also what makes Ambra special. Everyone sits around a communal table, which honestly could have gone either way, but ended up being such a highlight. Besides the couple we came with, we met two other couples during dinner, and we all ended up really hitting it off. It felt more like a dinner party than a restaurant — but with food and wine on another level.
Service was smooth, attentive, and well-paced. The team knew the dishes and wines inside and out, and they explained everything with just the right amount of detail – never too much, never too little. It’s clear they care deeply about what they do, and it shows in every part of the experience.
If you’re looking for a special night out – something beyond the usual dinner – I can’t recommend Ambra enough. Between the food, the wine, the setting, and the great company, it was truly unforgettable. Already looking forward to going back.
Highly recomended!
7 courses plus a few extra small bites were hands down – 100% – delicious. Not one bad note. The dishes were all unique and playful and beautiful. Those who know me know that I don’t like fishy fish (smell of fish turns me off) – but the few fish dishes were perfectly presented and seasoned and delicious. I’m already thinking about how I can get a full entree of their Smoked Swordfish – and their Sourdough Rigatoni Al Limone – as I almost embarrassingly licked the dishes clean. And the dessert! Oy! So good!
We did the wine pairing, of course – all organic and biodynamic wines. Our server described each pairing’s vineyard and producers – providing us an opportunity to learn about each wine. This added a perfect conversational and friendly vibe to the evening.
Our seats were at the kitchen counter, providing another opportunity to talk with the Chef Chris D’Ambro and to learn about each dish and the ingredients. Super sweet friendly passionate chef. There are 4 seats at the counter – and the two other guests and us chatted throughout the evening (maybe too much – sorry Chef!).
The experience was worth every penny. Further proof that Philly’s food scene is insane. Mostly due, to not only the delicious and unique to Philly (chef said one of the dishes that he “italian-ized” that dish ), but to the community-focused and friendly service – a neighborhood vibe – that we are all here at this moment, enjoying this time together. Sappy, I know, but Philly delivers on good food, community and compassion – and Ambra hits that perfectly. I’m already thinking of setting up the Resy notification for the summer when veggie produce is ripe and yummy.
Updated!!!! We went back to Ambra on Friday evening. Again sat at the kitchen counter and again had an amazing meal! Watching Chris create every course with such care and precision was beyond inspiring. Each taste was exceptional added to by the visual presentations. I just wish I had taken more pictures — but I was so intent on that first bite that I simply forgot. Bravo Chris and Marina!!!! They say that the second time doing anything never meets the memory of the first – but you broke that “rule”. Time two was just as remarkable as the first!!!
Most importantly, the food (and wine) was truly INCREDIBLE. A meal we and all of our guests will never forget.
Thank you for everything, y’all!
Shannon Collins Photography
For 10+ years my wife and I have been spending our money on food experiences. We’ve been to restaurants of Top Chefs, Iron Chefs, food celebrities, Philly’s Top 50 List, James Beard winners, Michelin Star winners, and even a 3-Star Michelin restaurant in San Francisco.
All those experiences, while delicious, fall behind the experience I had at Ambra. My family and I attended the Chef’s Counter in the kitchen at Ambra. We were five feet away from the magic. We felt like a part of the kitchen. We were the only diners in the room. We had a 7-course menu with wine pairing for each course. The food and wine were a 10/10. This “Philly Fancy” spot had better food and service than all three Michelin restaurants we visited in San Francisco.
We watched Chef Chris, an unpretentious, approachable, and extremely talented chef call tickets, cook food, plate food, mentor his chefs, serve and explain his dishes to us (so cool), and do just about every task you could think of in a kitchen. Chef Chris made the night so memorable for us with his personality alongside the creativity of flavors and ingredients in his menu.
Shannon, our main server, was well versed with the wines being served and was personable. She was in our area, in the kitchen, delivering to the dining hall, and completing random tasks to help the chefs/staff. She was extremely versatile. We thoroughly enjoyed conversing with her all evening. She expertly handled our “feisty guest.”
All the other chefs at their stations were poised and a pleasure to watch. Their talents and attention to detail was admirable.
I got everything I could have asked for and more while dining at Ambra. I had the most spectacular meal in a comfortable and unique setting with a live reality show right in front of me.
Thank you to everyone at Ambra! I wish you all continued success!
(also ignore the bots)