Tale of the Tape: Lo Spiedo


Marc Vetri’s seventh restaurant, Lo Spiedo officially opens today. Located just inside the gates at the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia, Lo Spiedo aims to be a lunch option for the Navy Yard’s 11,000 plus employees as well as a dinner destination for Philadelphia diners.

The Lo Spiedo Space

  • Lo Spiedo is located in building 500, an old gatehouse, just inside the Broad Street gate of the Navy Yard.
  • Designed by Michael Gruber Design, who previously designed Osteria, Amis and Alla Spina.
  • Bi-level space:
    • Zinc-topped bar, somewhat open kitchen and some seating occupy the first floor.
      • Intricate tile floor impresses.
    • Second floor offers additional tables and a private room.
      • The second floor offers murals by the artist, Dave “Distort” Sol, who also did the graffiti at Alla Spina.
  • A patio will offer seating for 60 come next spring.


The Food at Lo Spiedo

  • Lo Spiedo means “the spit” in Italian, much of the food cooks on the kitchen’s grill and rotisserie.
  • Scott Calhoun, previously sous chef at Osteria, runs the kitchen.
  • The grill is put to good use with the spiedini (skewers) and with the main courses including a really impressive rotisserie chicken that is slathered with lemon and olive oil.
  • Dishes run from $1.25 for a grilled chicken wing to $120 for a 36-ounce Creekstone Fiorentina steak to share.
  • A selection of five panini, will appeal to Navy Yard, lunchers range from $12 for the chopped pork shoulder sandwich to $15 for the “New England style” octopus roll.
  • Only three pastas are on the menu.
  • Opening food menu at Lo Spiedo.


The Drinks at Lo Spiedo

  • Beverage director Steve Wildy and bartender Stephen Warner have created a beverage program that will appeal to the happy hour crowd as well as those who might just want to have one drink at lunch.
  • Lo Spiedo makes its own ginger beer and tonic.
    • The tonic is shown off in the gin and tonic, which is immediately among the city’s finest.
    • Drink the ginger beer for an invigorating lunchtime non-cocktail or combine it with the Bullfrog Brewery’s Blackberry Juju for a shandy that weighs in at about 2.5% ABV.
  • Lo Spiedo offers three beers and two wines on tap.
  • Full Drink menu at Lo Spiedo.


Lo Spiedo is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday and for dinner on weekends.

Lo Spiedo [Foobooz]