Chef Drew is a little tired of the Dover sole.
No need to panic, fish fans. Dover sole, the long-time signature dish at Chef Andrew Masciangelo’s popular Gulph Mills haunt Savona, is still available, even as the restaurant reopened this September after a summertime physical and conceptual renovation. However, it’s currently a special, not a permanent menu item, perhaps reflecting this confessed ennui. And with so many delicious new dishes to cook, who can blame him?
Savona may have just reopened for business, but it has a long and storied history. Hamilton enthusiasts (aka: all of us) will be delighted to note that the building once served as Aaron Burr’s headquarters during the Revolutionary War. But in terms of the more recent past, Savona has been a leader in sophisticated dining on the Philadelphia Main Line since its 1997 opening. The Italian-leaning menu was heavy on fish and seafood—including that Dover sole we mentioned—and the atmosphere was formal.
Then in 2008 the recession hit, and like many luxury industries, fine dining took a hit among cash-strapped consumers. Savona responded by creating a second “Bar Savona” menu, which offered what Masciangelo described as “everyday Italian cuisine” as at a more accessible price point. For the past eight years, the two disparate menus lived side-by-side in harmony, with seating divided between the fine dining and casual services.
Still, eight years is a long time in the restaurant business. A change was needed.
The Savona re-envisioning was initially sparked by a physical transformation—the kitchen needed new equipment. And once the kitchen was updated, the Savona team didn’t want to stop there. They renovated the entire restaurant, most notably by installing a centerpiece glass wall in the bar area that allows diners to watch the talented kitchen staff at work.
But more importantly, Savona decided to collapse the two menus into one, removing the artificial divide between “fine dining” and “casual dining.” The aim is for all guests to enjoy high-quality food with impeccable service, while still experiencing the relaxed atmosphere that characterized the Bar Savona concept.
As Savona co-owner Evan Lambert explained it, “Once again, it’s time for fine dining to be reinvented. Guests are looking for super high quality food, sharp service and an exciting design and tabletop all in a relaxed, casual and sophisticated setting. The renovation at Savona has been created to fulfill on meeting and/or surpassing those expectations.”
Savona has historically specialized in fish and seafood, and that tradition holds true in the current menu. Guests can order perfectly seared whole fish served with olive tapenade, peperonata and tomato composta garnishes or nibble on raw fish and shellfish from the new crudo selection.
However, diners can also feast on thin crust pizzas and hearty casseroles freshly baked in the kitchen’s new wood-fired oven. In Masciangelo’s words, Savona “brought it all back together with a little bit of what everyone likes from every menu.”
New food choices aren’t the only additions that guests at Savona can look forward to. Under sommelier Michele Konopi’s expert guidance, Savona has also expanded its wine list. With over 1,200 bottles to choose from, the restaurant currently boasts the largest wine collection in the state of Pennsylvania.
As it edges into its third decade of existence, the passion the restaurateurs have for the revitalized Savona is evident. Lambert declared, “We’ve been here 19 years and we want to be here another 20 years.”
If Savona continues to be a trailblazer in modern fine dining, you can bet they’ll make it.
Find Savona at 100 Old Gulph Rd. in Gulph Mills; phone: (610) 520-1200.
- Fish photo: Jordyn Kimelheim
- Remaining photos: Savona
