By A.D. AMOROSI
Executive chef and culinary entrepreneur Marc Vetri is known nationally for his annual Great Chefs Event for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and his Eatiquette program that provides healthy dining options to school cafeterias. This week, however, Vetri and his business partner Jeff Benjamin won acclaim for something more personal: Vetri's self-titled boutique restaurant at 1312 Spruce Street in Philadelphia was named the Best Italian Restaurant in America by Time Out Magazine.
Vetri is having a fascinating winter 2015 as, in November, he sold his restaurant empire hot spots – except for Vetri – to Urban Outfitters for a widely reported $20 million price tag; the package included Philly-area dining destinations Alla Spina, Osteria and Lo Spiedo. The Time Out accolade highlights Vetri's wisdom in NOT including his flagship restaurant in the Urban Outfitters deal. Vetri's chef-tasting-menu-only service and exotic yet rustic Italian fare is always filled with dishes like capretto with soft polenta, Barolo-poached venison, innovative looks at pasta such as his malted wheat malloreddus with cotechino and his famed fettuccine with octopus ragu.
A Vetri alumnus came in at Number 20 on the same Time Out list, as Zeppoli in Collingswood, NJ, got a nod - its Executive chef-owner Joey Baldino worked for Vetri back in the day.
Photo ©A.D. Amorosi 2015
Posted on Thursday, December 3, 2015
