Trexertown: Fiorentina Grill (April 2016)

I dined at Fiorentina Grill on a Friday afternoon in mid-April 2016 as part of a large group attending a work function. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner on Mondays through Saturdays (closed Sundays). Reservations are not accepted, except for parties of 10 people or more. Complimentary parking is available in their private parking lot. The proprietors of this restaurant, the DiFiore family, also own nearby Mama’s Italian Grill and Brick Oven Pizza (Mama’s is located in the adjacent Waterside Shoppes strip mall; however, Fiorentina is in a stand-alone building on the next corner) and Mama’s Italian Grill in Berlinsville.

The restaurant is located on Route 100 (Trexlertown Road). Previously, this location housed another Italian restaurant called Mazzola’s II; however, that two-story building was razed and one-story Fiorentina was built, opening in August of 2015. It seats approximately 60+ people inside, with another 60+ people outside. Exposed brick walls and ceramic tile floors, along with many almost floor-to-ceiling windows, create an attractive indoor space, although the tables are a bit close together and the noise level can be a bit loud when the restaurant is full (which it surprisingly was on a Friday afternoon). The restaurant is in the process of installing a canopy to cover the outside patio, which will be an excellent addition; the landscaping surrounding the building is attractive, too. (Note that the patio is located on the Route 100 side of the building, rather than being positioned behind the building where the parking lot is, which would have buffered the sound of passing cars.)

Fiorentina serves Italian food in a comfortable, casual setting. This restaurant is BYOB, although they offer a complimentary glass of wine with any entrée purchase. For private events, Fiorentina offers catering services, including delivery. The restaurant makes its own pasta and pizza. At lunchtime, sandwiches (wraps and paninis), burgers, and salads are available (most priced at $8 or $9), as well as all of the (dinner) entrees on the menu (which are pricey – most pasta dishes are priced at $20+, and protein entrees range from $20 to $49 for the lobster tail). Food is attractively presented and looks appealing. On the day that I visited, I ordered the chicken Milanese panini, and it arrived on a cold unpressed baguette, which was a bit disappointing (I expected pressed bread and semi-warm contents); the accompanying fries, which were presented in a metal holder to retain warmth, were good (and I’m not a huge French fry fan).

If I return, I will sample some of the larger menu items (the pastas and meat entrees), but I will request a seat on the beautiful patio to enjoy the nice weather (albeit with a view of passing cars).

 

August 2017: