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Il Pitore takes over the space that was formerly Noble on the 2000 block of Sansom Street. Chef Chris Painter will be serving guests a refined and authentic taste of regional Italian cuisine complemented by a 200-bottle wine list. (Photos by M. Edlow for GPTMC)

Stephen Starr officially opens his 19th currently operating restaurant in Philadelphia tonight, Il Pittore.

It’s an authentic upscale Italian restaurant that’s taken over Noble American Cookery’s former space. While keeping some of Noble’s key design elements intact, the team has breathed new life into the space, personalizing it with a rustic and warm vibe for a truly homey Italian dining feel.

We got a sneak peek at the restaurant, and it promises to be an awesome addition to the Starr family.

Below, the Il Pittore vitals: the decor, the rooftop garden, Chef Chris Painter’s favorite dishes on the menu and more.

The Location

Il Pittore is located on a thriving block off Rittenhouse Square, one that’s only getting more exciting by the month. Jose Garces’ Tinto and Village Whiskey are just steps away, with Capogiro facing them, the Adrienne Theater is directly across the street and New York’s hugely popular Shake Shack is destined for the corner of 20th & Sansom in 2012.

The Decor

Here’s the set-up: the restaurant seats 85 total, 65 upstairs in the reservation-only, white tablecloth section of the restaurant, and 20 downstairs at a large family-style dining table and a wrap-around food counter.

The Starr team cut in half the gorgeous 400-year old piece of bubinga wood from Cameroon, Africa that Noble shipped from overseas and had crafted into its bar and four of its tabletops; it’s now the downstairs dining table, with beautiful rough-hewn edges that add to the comfortable atmosphere.

That vibe is augmented by the exposed ductwork and beams, subway tile bar backsplash, local reclaimed pine bar, lights made from metal piping and red leather placements at the food counter.

There are also two murals hand-painted by a local artist, replicas of the iconic vintage posters by Italian artist Leonetto Cappiello.

Below, we have the low-down on the food, the 200-strong wine list, future plans the restaurant has and more.

The rustic decor of the restaurant generates a warm, homey vibe perfect for a delicious Italian feast. (Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC)

The Food

Chef Chris Painter is Starr’s longtime culinary director; he developed menus for and opened countless of his restaurants, including Tangerine, Angelina and the new Fishtown beer garden Frankford Hall. And yes, it’s name pays homage to the chef — Il Pittore is Italian for “Painter.”

In preparation for Il Pittore‘s menu development, Painter traveled throughout Italy, drawing inspiration from the towns, eateries and markets he visited.

Throughout his travels, Painter garnered several useful tips about authentic Italian cuisine that inform his work in the Il Pittore kitchen. He picked up the fact that American Italian restaurants roll their pasta too thin, and real Italian pasta is actually thicker in order to avoid sticking. He’s also tried to recreate the pasta textures he ate there, so that he’s using a total of five different pasta doughs, which in turn use various types of flour, not just the standard 00.

A few choice dishes Painter highlighted to us as his favorites include the lightly smoked cod with saffron and spiced calamari salad; lamb sausage with lentils and sundried tomato soffrito, and fennel; and wild boar pappardelle with rosemary and parmesan.

There are four or five vegetarian options on the menu, including mushroom bruschetta, cheese ravioli and pear and ricotta antipasti.

Lastly, pastry chef Vita Shanley is dishing up the dolci, with delicious offerings like fried chocolate Bomboloni with nutella filling and vanilla sauce (a favorite of Painter’s).

Sourcing Locally

The restaurant has maintained the functionality of Noble’s rooftop garden, which will grow herbs, tomatoes, peppers, chilis and beans in the warm months. The herbs move indoors during the fall and winter, lining the inner lip of the skylights upstairs.

Painter also tries to get all his meat from local suppliers; he uses chickens from Lancaster County, and goats and baby pigs from farms throughout the state.

The Drinks

Il Pittore is as serious about their beverages as their food. There’s an in-house sommelier, and a 100% Italian wine list, 200+ strong, along with 18-20 wines by the glass. Imported artisanal beers will be featured like the Italian brewery Menabrea’s “Ambrata” and “Bionda” lagers, while classic Italian cocktails will complete the beverage offerings.

The gorgeous light-filled upstairs dining room, from which diners can view the chef's rooftop garden, truly enhances the dining experience. (Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC)

Future Plans

Painter says Il Pittore plans to offer a six-course chef’s pasta tasting menu starting next week, featuring five pasta courses and a dessert. They’ll also offer a rooftop menu, six courses or so, come summertime.

Also keep your eye out for future partnerships with local organizations like dance company Koresh, who’s hosted performance opening events with other restaurants around town.

Il Pittore
2025 Sansom Street
www.ilpittore.com