Bring Your Own.

Going out to dinner isn't cheap.  When you want to have a couple drinks along with your appetizer or entree that can nearly double the bill.  Why would you want to pay anywhere from $8 - $12 a drink? It's absurd, and frankly, we can't afford that.  That’s why some genius introduced the idea of a BYO (or BYOB). Is there anything really better than walking into a restaurant for a good meal while holding your own bottle of wine?  Not that I know of. And thankfully, Philadelphia has got plenty of them.

Two in particular seem to be favorites amoung the college crowd:  La Viola located at 253 S. 16^th Street and La Fontana della Citta at 1701 Spruce Street. These two restaurants are located in the same general vicinity and offer the same types of fare.  La Viola has great food and friendly service for very reasonable prices.  For under $40, you can have an excellent three course meal while enjoying every last morsel.  Even better?  You can bring your own drinks. Score.  Just a word of advice:  it's cash only.  But no worries!  They have an ATM outside, just in case you forget!

La Fontana della Citta is a great spot for going with a group of friends or on a date night.  The staff here are unbelievably friendly and helpful (with a bit of a heavy accent).  With menu options ranging in price, there's nothing more expensive than $30 on the menu.  They're also a BYO.  (I've gone with the classiest of jugs of wine on multiple occasions).  It can be crowded, so if you make a reservation, you still could wait a bit.  But I promise it'll be worth it.

So, if you're looking for some great Italian food, and a few places to sit back and sip on some of your favorite wine, head to one of these two great locations.  You won't be disappointed Buon Appetito!