Restaurant Alba in Malvern

Excellent in all respects.

Ate here recently with family. Good service and probably some of the best Italian food you can find outside of Philadelphia.

Great food. Service was attentive and polished.

Just had one of the best meals in the greater Philly area. Shay made us two great martinis, and Sean ensured we had a great dinning experience.

Every time I leave Alba, I feel lucky that *somehow* a restaurant whose brilliant cuisine is befitting the most masterful chefs of the big cities ended up in our quaint little burrow of Malvern.

Met the cook got a tour of the kitchen so nice there

As someone (who is Italian) who has 1) eaten at countless high-end restaurants in Philadelphia, and 2) apprenticed (staged) under one of the best chefs/restaurants in Philly (Marc Vetri/Jeff Michaud/Osteria Ristorante), I can assure you dear reader, Alba is the best Italian dining you are going to find outside of Philly in any county (not just Chester)...and I would argue it is as good or better than many Italian restaurants in Philadelphia. Chef Sean is the real deal, hes trained under the likes of Thomas Keller, and hes been getting it done for a long time in Philly and way beyond. The guy can have a restaurant anywhere and be successful; he just happens to be killing it in Malvern. It shocks me this restaurant is not talked about more (which affirms my belief most people wouldnt know good food if it landed on their head; those people go to Limoncello). Alba is not awful, kitschy, over-the-top, goomba Italian food. Its creativity-meets-authentic. Its exceptionally-sourced ingredients. Its well-portioned, beautifully-executed dishes. Its house made pasta nirvana. I am not writing this as a personal friend of Sean or anything, Im not delivering on any favors I owe to him or his restaurant. Im just a guy who loves food and loves to cook, whos eaten at Alba dozens of times, whos just trying to save you from wasting your time and money anywhere else around Chester County. Go to Alba immediately. Cheers.

Apparently if you are walking in after 8PM you need to make a reservation. As we were walking into the restaurant right at the door, a gentleman( I guess the manager) asked if we are here to eat and told us that the kitchen closed 15 mins ago. Kitchen closed at 8:15PM and we were entering at 830PM whereas the restaurant closes at 10PM. It s strange that the kitchen closed 90mins before the close of the restaurant.

I recently had the pleasure of being assisted by Kevin at Alba, and I must say, his service was exceptional. From the moment I walked in, Kevin greeted me with a warm smile and a genuine eagerness to assist. His knowledge of the products and services offered by Alba was impressive, and he was able to answer all of my questions with ease. Not only was Kevin knowledgeable, but he also went above and beyond to ensure that I found exactly what I was looking for. He took the time to understand my needs and preferences, and then guided me through the options available, offering valuable insights along the way. What truly set Kevin apart was his professionalism and genuine care for the customer. He made me feel valued and respected throughout the entire process, and I left Alba feeling satisfied with my purchase and grateful for the outstanding service I received. In conclusion, I cannot recommend Kevin at Alba highly enough. If youre in need of assistance or guidance, look no further Kevin is truly the best in the business.

Visited for the first time this past weekend. Will definitely return. Enjoyed the radicchio pear salad, the pasta special, and wine recommendation. Extensive wine list. Excellent service. We went early (5:15pm) on a Friday. I recommend reservations. Vegetarian options: There were a handful of options. Confirm with server. They are knowledgeable.

Absolutely delicious, hard to choose with so many great options. We didnt go wrong with The Ravioli of Spinach and Paccheri and the Creamy Beef Rib & Pork Sausage Ragu. The Gimlet is a must!!

Food wasnt the best and its not good value for what you get. It is very noisy. I ate at Alba years ago and boycotted it because of a bad experience. This time round was still not a good experience. Oh well, there are other restaurants out there that are better.

Fantastic! Homemade pasta. Chef s special pasta was great. Antipasto was great. Dessert and service both great! Strongly recommend this place!

Its just not that great. Upon entering the restaurant, a tall, slim man behind the front desk locked eyes with me. We held this uncomfortable silence for a few seconds until I asked him How are you? to which he replied Whats the name? to ask if we had a reservation. We did, fortunately. My wife and I were seated promptly and our server, Kim, was friendly enough. She described the wine special - a white Pinot Noir - as something like flat Champagne. We came hungry, so I mentioned as we ordered drinks that there was an appetizer Id like to put in - Kim replied Oh, we take the whole order at once here and walked away. Having worked in hospitality I can understand that - some point of sale systems require that you have the whole order before putting any part of it in (or some places are just very particular about timing their dishes correctly) so its not unheard of to want that. I do wish itd been phrased a little differently. The first courses - octopus with tender baby potatoes & pickled red onion, a warm beet salad, and a burrata bruschetta - came without much delay. The bread for the bruschetta was a bit over-grilled to the point of being a bit burnt, but it was fine. The octopus and the beet salad were both very good - we thoroughly enjoyed those. For our mains, my wife had cacio e pepe and I ordered the cioppino. The cioppino was very tasty - scallops, shrimp, and sea bass. The broth was rich - it could have done with a bit more acid but the flavor was very good. I was disappointed the scallops, despite being cut into quarters, still had the tough adductor muscle on the side. My wifes portion of pasta was laughably small. Again, there is precedent for this - one shouldnt expect to get a Cheesecake Factory-style mountain of pasta covered in cheese when it comes to authentic Italian food - but there were perhaps 3 ounces of cooked pasta on the plate. We wrapped things up with a dessert to go. I havent eaten it yet. Overall, our bill came to just north of $210. Wed received a gift card that covered the majority of it - upon returning, Kim very helpfully circled the original check amount at the table with me as if to remind me to tip on the full amount of the bill. I dunno. The food was definitely the best part of the experience, as it was pretty good. The service and atmosphere were fine - but for over $100 per person I want something better than fine.

Very nice atmosphere. Server was a pleasure. No doubt the dishes are crafted with fresh ingredients, but at these prices I expected to say wow at least once. Profit margins are a bit in your face if Im being completely honest. $27 chicken parm that doesnt include a pasta side is egregious; especially when the execution is under seasoned. The chicken and mortadella filling in the agnolotti was indiscernible from simple cheese filling. Bruschetta was 2 pieces and overwhelmed by the taste of the charred edges. Tip was automatically added to our check, for a party of five. Not 10. Or 16. Five. Rude and pretentious ending to the experience.

Too loud!

An absolutely delicious place to grab pasta!

Have visited several times for special occasions. Food is delicious and usually find something unusual. Excellent staff is friendly, knowledgeable.

This was the best meal I have eaten in PA. I had a similar meal at a Michelin restaurant in Paris and I actually liked this version of pork belly then the traditional meal I had there. When a meal brings happy tears of joy and memories of youth and good times, you know it is something special. The staff was exceptional; Lilly and Frank guided us along our special journey. Thank you!

Best meal I can remember. We had a full Italian coursed meal. Every course was delicious. The staff is professional yet not stuffy. Great wine selection. Great cocktail selection. Id give more stars if I could!

Really good! Wish there was another restaurant like it - but no one else has so many traceable to the farm plates as Alba. It is a shame with so many great farms more restaurants don t do good farm to table

Gazpacho was fabulous, and the preparation of the lamb dish entrée was incredible.

An amazing restaurant! Great food. Price is decent for the quality of the food, service and atmosphere.

Charming and talented bartender!

Great food and even better service. Highly recommend.

Food was good, waitress was great

Cozy spot with amazing food.

Delicious ... always great

Once again - delicious!

The food and drinks were excellent.

Cozy truly is the operative word for this place, from the food to the atmosphere. I m normally hesitant to order pasta out, since making it at home usually ends up tasting better and saving you cash, but I ll make an exception here. Somewhat pricy, but you get what you pay for. Making this a regular spot in the rotation

The only thing that sucks is that I did not come here sooner. Loved the food! And nothing beats a real grill

Fabulous meal. Truly inspired pasta dishes. Lovely staff and atmosphere. Great upscale experience.

Food was delicious and sourced beautifully. Very good service. Our family had a wonderful time.

Great dinner in the bar. Excellent ambience and attentive service.

As always, exceptional food, wine, and service. Alba is a local gem. I hesitate to name entrees we have had because they are all uniformly excellent.

Famous for services!!

Excellent restaurant! Atmosphere is very quaint and cozy. Very interesting menu an had a hard time deciding on what to order! Had the most delicious spaghetti n clams I have ever eaten! Pasta was homemade and very light and there were plenty of whole clams. Many thanks to Holly and Frank for making our dining experience so pleasurable!

A true gem in Malvern. Been going since 2014, every meal we ve had in house and take out is exquisite. Quality is second to none. Drinks are excellent too. Faves are Berkshire pork, pumpkin raviolis, whipped ricotta, and budino. Parking: Easy

Very cozy atmosphere, excellent food and great service our server Eric was awesome. Perfect date night. Definitely coming back!

I was there for a dinner featuring duck and Pinot noirs. Everything was very good and well done.

If there s one thing I know it s Italian food and this place absolutely knocks it out of the park and is borderline flawless. The food is prepared in house with fresh ingredients, the home made pasta is cooked al dente as it should be, and the attention to detail in each dish is outright impressive. Portion sizes are smaller than I wish they were so I recommend you get an appetizer and/or a desert, but the quality of each dish is amazing and the service is top notch. Parking is a bit limited, but sometimes the train station behind the building has free parking. Past that I hope you enjoy a fancy night out at this wonderful addition to the local community.

Amazing restaurant. Its been a while since weve been here, but weve often thought about going back if were in the area again. Delicious!

The owners Sean and Kelly are so very kind, considerate and always a pleasure seeing them and all of their staff just a wonderful place to dine my family and I have been going there

Fantastic meal and excellent service! The wood roasted beet appetizer and the Berkshire pork was amazing!

Awesome food great staff!

The flatbread was good. The pasta in Vodka sauce unfortunately tasted like Chef Boyardee. Our server was a bit rude. Overall it s just very mediocre. The ambiance is ok and from looking at the menu you would think that it would be very fresh, interesting Italian food but it s actually just overpriced macaroni. We cook better Italian at home.

Fantastic service and food. Cute little deck outside.

It was ok. Food was ok. Atmosphere nice.

Delivered product to this establishment and was treated poorly. The owner acted like I was something unpleasant that she found on the sole of her shoe. Sure hope she treats customers better than Inwas.

My sister and I went last night, first time for both of us. That was about 18 hours ago and I am still thinking about the garganelli w/ creamy pesto, sundried tomatoes and crawfish, it was delicious. My sister had the salmon and said it was perfectly cooked. We both ate our entire meal as they were too good to leave on the plate. Frank (more on him later) overheard me mention we were celebrating my sisters bday and made sure there was a candle on the dessert. She got the gelato (peanut butter as Frank suggested) and crossed her fingers that it would be good since one should only order gelato while in Italy... she raved about the gelato! I enjoyed the bite of the biscotti that I ordered and did take it home for later. Now to Frank... he listened, asked questions, was extremely polite, cracked a joke or two and is very handsome... what more could two middle aged woman have asked for?! Thank you Restaurant Alba for a delicious meal, pleasant atmosphere and wonderful service. We will see you again, soon.

Wonderful staff with keen eye for detail and amazing food. Also have delicious drinks, I had a cucumber mint martini, highly recommended. A bit more pricey, but worth it for the quality.

Excellent restaurant!

We had excellent food and a wonderful time!

Good food, smaller portions

My wife and I go here for every special occasion. We love the intimate atmosphere and the food is amazing every time. They literally never miss on any dish. This will always be a staple for us to remember life s greatest moments together. Love Alba

Great food and great service

So good! You will not be disappointed the food and staff are amazing

Pretty upscale

One of our favorite Italian restaurants, and the best in Philly Burbs.

Best Italian in Malvern.

I am traveller and this place is perfect for food, pleasant ambience and excellent service. Even simple green salad has amazing taste. Cannelloni is very delicious as well. Worth to visit.

The food was show under cooked it was horrifying, after I left I called to speak to the owner and the woman answered the phone was show rude, she hung up on me, I would never ever ever again go to that restaurant the service was horrible and so was the food and I hope the owner knows whats going on and fixes the problem

This was a celebratory dinner which we really enjoyed little bits and pieces of new items that we hadnt tried in the past anywhere. We were fortunate enough to have the sommelier as our server.

Was very disappointed with my first visit. Everything we ordered was lackluster. Meaning lacking taste. The service and atmosphere was wonderful but the menu so limited I could barely decide. Will not return... ever!

Very nice! Great food, great selection and great service.

We love restaurant Alba! It was such a special treat to have a fabulous take out meal. When I called to place my order, which was easy & organized, I asked for a wine suggestion and we LOVED the bottle picked out for us! Everything was fresh & delicious- highly recommend.

GREAT food! Amazing drinks. Love sitting outside on the deck.

The staff was most friendly & attentive and the pasta (in-house made) was delicious

Great wine and cocktail selection. Loved the burrata appy. Octopus could be charred a wee bit more. But the pastas were AMAZING - we had the bolognase and short rib. Oh, and the budino was delicious too. We will definitely return!

Always amazingly delicious! Even though the menu is smaller, Restaurant Alba has kept some faves (the grilled octopus is my personal go-to) & theyve done a new twist or 2 on pork. Tonight was pork belly antipasto and all I can say is yum Great signature cocktails too

Very friendly and the food was delicious

A great place for Italian, and the pumpkin ravioli is easily the best dish on the menu. My wife had the chicken parmigiano, and while it was good, she would have preferred a different pasta option with it. Service was good, and I recommend it for great Italian food in Malvern!

Very delicious food, unique flavors, fantastic dining location. My one gripe with it is how overpriced it is for the volume of food provided.

If I had to review just the food, it would be 5 stars. Unfortunately the service was poor and that made for a bad experience. My husband ordered a beer off of the menu and they brought him a replacement with no notification because what he ordered wasn t available. Our friend ordered vodka with a splash of water and they messed that up. Then friends who couldn t join us dropped off wine for us and when that was brought to the table we were informed that the corkage fee is $50 not the usual fee of $20. That put me over the edge.I realize there s a pandemic but we are in your restaurant supporting you and eating your food. Should we be penalized for enjoying our own wine? We will never be back!

Wonderful food!!

It has been a long time since I found a burger unsatisfying, and while I have no doubt that the beef itself was of good quality, if it and the mediocre ketchup are to be the draw for this dish then someone needs to take a hard look in the mirror. The touted homemade ketchup tastes like tomato paste with the inspired choice of a spice with heat that brings nothing else to the table. The burger was audaciously served with nothing but bacon and cheese, fails to be what any burger quintessentially is. In terms of the burger, there is no concern for the assemblage of the all American staple, no other sauces, no crunchy fresh greens, not even an ingredient to help cut through any of the fat brought on by cheese, bacon, and beef. This menu item may very well be a placeholder to help satisfy picky or younger customers, but if the chef has any qualms about it being served then it should remain off menu. Whether we as cooks like it or not, a burger is lowbrow and trying to showcase an individual ingredient is frankly foolhardy. Burgers in general should have each ingredient work in symphony with another, not just serve one ingredient. If the chef is not confident enough to say this is how my dish is to be eaten from the start then theyve already lost. My only other criticism is that the fries come without salt. Only fools want a naked potatoes. I will give Alba one credit, I did not order what Ive heard to be their main focus, seafood and pasta, but I feel that if an item is on the menu it shouldnt be far below their own standards of quality. Edit: It seems my view wasnt well received, to clear up any confusion I hope every worker in the restaurant is fortunate in these hard time. I also hope the chef realizes what their food tastes like. Also that their vinegar based spicy ketchup tastes less like a sour spicy tomato paste. It should also be noted that perhaps being a women isnt the insult one might think it is.

Nothing outstanding. Place is pricey for what you get. Food was tasty. Hubby disappointed no bread served with dinner for an Italian restaurant. Bread was extra, everything a la carte. It was ok. I would not go back.

Good

Creative menu, great service and delicious food.

Excellent food and service, but I did need Google to understand many menu details. #localspot

Food prepared very well and well rounded menu, but under seasoned, service very good

Impeccable rustic Italian dishes, comfy upscale vibe, and friendly professional service. The guinea hen agnolotti is an absolute star -- divine! Everything we had was delicious and well-portioned, from the cocktails to dessert.

Great service, great ambience, but the food was strictly okay. Especially for the high prices.

Delicious food, beautiful place and great service.

Nice beer, Nice pasta. Not a lot of choice for vegetarian.

Great food and atmosphere .

Fresh and flavorful dishes without being too heavy. Good wines as well.

What can you say but 5 stars for this neighborhood favorite. It s our family s go to and that is more than ok. The food is awesome and the service is the same.

The atmosphere was very nice, a place to celebrate an anniversary or go to for date night. The food was spectacular, even if I dont understand a lot of it. Where I was seated was particularly dark, and it was a little bit of a high traffic spot, but thats not a problem for most the seating it seemed. The service was very courtious, and even honored a special request I made with my reservation. The one negative thing I can think of is the service being a little slow, but considering the quality of everything, it does make up for it.

Great place. The ambiance is great for a romantic date night or a nice family meal. The service was amazing. Very friendly and nice. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and wine selection. There is lots to choose from on the menu. Will need to go back and explore more

Always a great place to sit at the bar and have dinner. Service is excellent.

Awesome. Loved the patio

Went for happy hour beer selection was good. Happy Hour Bar menu was not.

Class restaurant all around. (My wife is making rude noises because of the clicking of the phone, so I will stop here.)

I live in Maryland and would gladly make the drive again. Both my friend and I were so pleased with our choices. The food was exceptionally prepared and presented. Fresh fish, exquisitely prepared is a rare treat, especially for lunch. The service was very good. Well done Alba! Roxanne Holcomb

Food is very good. Unique menu options.

My wife and I ventured up King St. to Alba last night during the Malvern Stroll. We were able to grab 2 seats at bar, the bartender quickly took our order, perfect old fashsion and super chilled glass of Chard. I went to host stand to see about a table and was sat within 10 minutes. Orderd the Rigatoni w Short Rib Ragu, pasta was fresh, ragu spot on. My wife went with old school chicken parm w tossed salad which was a nice change from tradional side pasta, extremely satisfied. Overall a great experience at this cozy italian eatery.

Fine dining at its best with excellent and attentive service. I had beef carpaccio, trout and gelato and sorbet for dessert. We will return!

They offer a chef tasting with wine pairing at $70 per. However know where does it say that its by reservation only or during set hours.

Love the menu, love the food, love the service, love the atmosphere!

Just a short stop in for a first time visit. Sat in the bar area. Cozy and warm. Low lightning for a clandestine rendezvous . Had wine and appetizers. All good. Server very friendly and knowledgeable. It is a bit pricey; some may think you dont get enough bang for your buck.

Food and the staff was amazing. I enjoyed every bit. Definitely a must place to visit whe you are in Malvern

Great food and service. Parking is an issue.

One of the top five restaurants in Chester County.

Great food and fine atmosphere.

Always a wonderful meal, with great ingredients, fantastic dishes and service.

Its alright. Desert was good.

Wonderful service! The food really was exceptional.

Best food anywhere.

Wow... wow... WOW - fresh take on classic flavors - excellent attention to details and the best meal Ive had in the greater Philadelphia area!

Always a great meal. Simple and elegant. Great wine list too!

Best for family dinner or special occasion

Alba is a hidden gem; 5-star cuisine in Malvern, just a short trip from Philadelphia!

Exquisite food made with local meats and cheeses. Tantalizing your taste buds with every dish. There is something for everyone.

Great place for a date night.

We happen to belong to the Philadelphia Curling Club in Paoli, so this has become our standard spot for eating before the late games. The appetizers are great, and the pastas are some of the best I have ever had - up there with Vetri and LeVirtu. The bartenders are great so we usually try and get a seat at the bar to chat with them. Really good selection of quality wine by the glass too.

food, ambience and service were outstanding. Tried white truffles for the first time. Awesome!!

Service was excellent. The food was incredible. Weve eaten at the finest restaurants and this food holds its own with any of them. Its not so sophisticated that you dont know what the ingredient names mean, but the execution is second to none.

Very good Italian food. $25 Harvest menu was greatly enjoyed by my group of 6 ladies. The acoustics are wonderful. Table cloths, an oriental rug, sound baffle on ceiling, cotton batting under our table contributed to our enjoyment of conversation.

Great Italian food. Excellent ambiance. Acoustics Very fine. Loved my octopus. Will be back.

I had the stuffed dates and they where exquisite! I would give a 5 star but the tomatoe bisque was not creamy it was watery. The service was great and the chicken was tender and perfectly cooked & coated. The appetizer portions are small ( 4 stuffed dates). Even if watching your figure you really need to order more than 1 if sharing. The entree portions where health conscious portion. (I was with a party of approximately 10 people). Either way theres no denying the food qualities excellence!

Everything exquisite!!!

We went in for lunch on a weekday. We were promptly greeted and shown a table by our server who was friendly, funny, attentive and completely delightful. I ordered the cold cucumber soup which was refreshing and delicious on a hot summer day. I also had the warm tuna salad with spicy arugula, buttery green olives and creamy little potatoes in a lemon vinaigrette. It was excellent. My husband ordered the chicken parmesan and said it was the best hes ever had. It came with a side salad of mixed greens. We shared an assortment of gelato for dessert that were the perfect, decadent ending to the meal. I highly recommend Alba and look forward to our next visit.

I am always impressed and pleased with my meal. My all time favorite is the rabbit agnolotti! It s great because it is large enough to split but also small enough to eat yourself depending on how hungry you are. It s also fairly priced. Everything is very fairly priced in my opinion. One might think it is way too overpriced but the quality of the food is so high that every penny is worth it! Great for special occasions too!

Great place - great atmosphere - great food

Great food. Small restaurant so make reservations.

What a wonderful date night! Fantastic service, environment and food quality that s unmatched in the area. Highly recommend this beautiful place

Always great food and drinks. The staff there (especially the bartenders) are amazing!