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La Carta · Winter 2026

The Seasonal Menu

A considered Italian dinner composed by Chef Marco Bellini — hand-rolled pasta, a wood-fired hearth, and a 240-label Italian cellar poured by the glass beside the river.

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A Note from the Chef

From the marble counter in the open cucina.

Welcome. Each season I write this menu the way my mother wrote hers in Bologna — by walking the market first, then asking what the river is doing. This winter, the river is quiet, the farms above Phoenixville have given us braising greens, black trumpet mushrooms, and the last of the butternut, and our four pasta makers are rolling nine fresh shapes every morning on the marble counter, just past the front door.

Roughly seventy percent of what you will eat tonight was raised within ninety miles of this room. The rest comes from named Italian producers we have visited ourselves — the sea urchin from a co-op in Sardinia, the 24-month Parmigiano from a single caseificio in Emilia, the olive oil from a hillside grove outside Lucca. It is a quiet menu. It is meant to be read slowly.

— Marco Bellini, Chef-Owner

First & Second Course

Antipasti & Paste

To begin, and the daily hand-rolled pasta program — nine fresh shapes made each morning on the marble counter, served in the candlelit dining room or, weather permitting, on the river deck.

Polpo al Forno

28

Roasted Octopus, Charred Fennel, Smoked Paprika, Salsa Verde

Octopus braised low, finished in the wood-fired hearth. Fennel pulled at the last minute over live coals.

Carpaccio di Manzo

24

Grass-Fed Beef Carpaccio, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Cured Egg Yolk, Wild Arugula

Local Chester County beef, sliced to order; black trumpets foraged by Hilltop Mushrooms in Elverson.

Tortellini in Brodo

22

Hand-Rolled Tortellini, Capon Broth, 24-Month Parmigiano-Reggiano

Ninety-six tortellini to the portion, pinched by hand at the marble counter; broth simmered overnight.

Chitarra al Tartufo

34

Square-Cut Chitarra, Brown Butter, Winter Black Truffle, Farm Egg Yolk

Chitarra cut on the wired frame at service; truffle shaved at the table.

Third & Fourth Course

Secondi & Dolci

From the wood-fired hearth — the only permanent Forni Ceky installation of its kind in the region — and the pastry chef's small, deliberate desserts.

Branzino in Crosta di Sale

46

Whole Salt-Crusted Branzino, Lemon, Wild Oregano, River-Rock Potatoes

Cracked tableside from the herb salt crust; filleted in the pan.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

per lb / 78

32-oz Wood-Fired T-Bone, Tuscan Olive Oil, Rosemary, Sea Salt

Finished over the imported Forni Ceky hearth; rested twelve minutes before serving, for two.

Torta della Nonna

14

Pine-Nut & Lemon Custard Tart, Crème Fraîche, Candied Citron

Pastry chef Allegra's grandmother's recipe, baked in the wood oven for a crackled crust.

Affogato al Caffè

12

House-Made Fennel-Seed Gelato, Double Espresso, Amaretti Crumble

Espresso poured at the table over the gelato, which is churned daily by Allegra.

A printed menu is presented at the table. This list reflects the current season; dishes evolve as the farms and the river dictate. Guests with dietary restrictions are warmly accommodated — please mention at booking.

Sommelier Elena Rossi pouring a taste at the bar
Elena Rossi, MS Candidate — Sommelier

The Sommelier's Reading

Three pairings, chosen course by course.

Our 240-label all-Italian wine list is recognized by Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence every year since 2014, and in 2023 was named Best Italian Wine List, Mid-Atlantic by Wine & Spirits Today. Elena reads the menu the way Marco cooks it — by region, by producer, by what the river is doing.

  1. With the Polpo & the Carpaccio

    Vermentino di Sardegna — Argiolas, "Costamolino," 2023

    A bright, briny Vermentino that lifts the smoked paprika and matches the salinity of the cured yolk.

  2. With the Tortellini & the Chitarra

    Lambrusco di Sorbara — Paltrinieri, "Leclisse," 2022

    A pale, lightly sparkling red with the structure to stand up to brown butter and black truffle.

  3. With the Branzino & the Bistecca

    Barolo — G.D. Vajra, "Albe," 2019

    The classic Piedmontese pairing — rose, tar, and tannin against the wood-fired hearth.

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