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At the metaphorical heart of James Beard Award-winning chef Greg Vernick’s eponymous Sant Vil restaurant, a wood-fired oven turns out warmly comforting yet imaginative dinner fare.
Vernick, who worked with luminary Jean-Georges Vongrichten and traveled the world to train chefs for the latter’s global restaurant group, came back to his hometown to open his own place in 2012.
The bi-level restaurant on Walnut Street maintains a casual, unruffled atmosphere, yet the hard-to-reserve tables in the minimalist dining rooms are worthy of any special occasion. Without a limiting theme or too-narrow a culinary focus, Vernick allows his cooking — seasonal, inclusive and inspired — to lead.
The effect is that a diner can show up any night and expect a perfectly executed, memorably original meal, beginning with a dish like fromage blanc and pickled kumquats on toast and ending with a “nightcap” espresso milk punch.
Encompassing both delicate and hearty eats, familiar elements and unexpected preparations, Vernick’s cooking can be hard to define.
A diner can show up any night and expect a perfectly executed, memorably original meal.
The common denominator here would be precision and craveability. Dinner might begin with a selection from the raw bar such as the delicate Arctic char crudo with crispy skin or one of the above-mentioned toasts, for which Vernick has gained national renown.
Roasted vegetables or a homemade pasta with duck prosciutto might come next, followed by a spice-rubbed pork chop with spicy carrot mustard, or one of the city’s most divine roast chickens.
Desserts take a deceptively simple theme like Jewish apple cake and update it with fanciful flourishes — in this case, honey ice cream and chamomile caramel.
The beverage program shows as much thoughtful consideration as the kitchen—seasonal cocktails remix classics with surprising ingredients like chicory root, and Vernick is often frequented by the city’s most serious bartenders.
The wine selection, available by the glass, and to a larger extent, by the bottle, focuses on European makers.
The common denominator of Vernick's cooking would be precision and craveability. — Photo courtesy Vernick Food & Drink
The restaurant accommodates its neighborhood clientele by saving a portion of seats for walk-ins, but most weekend tables get claimed a month out.
Plan to reserve well ahead or go at an unorthodox hour. It’s always a good idea to call the restaurant to check for last-minute cancellations or to be put on the waiting list.
One of Philly’s brightest food stars, Vernick captures the essence of the local dining scene. His restaurant is sophisticated and understated, absolutely forward-looking while still honoring the fact that, above all, dinner has to satisfy.
While the food is some of the city’s most compelling, it’s also accessible, and the service manages the ideal balance between affable and assured.
Bottom line: Vernick Food and Drink represents an accomplished chef’s singular vision, consistently thrilling diners night after night.
At Vernick Food & Drink, the service manages the ideal balance between affable and assured. — Photo courtesy Vernick Food & Drink
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