Corio comes from three alums of Vernick, who set down an Italian-backbone menu — house-made pasta and pizza, sandwiches, and chef-driven bites — in University City, a part of Philadelphia that hasn't had much in the way of sit-down Italian outside a campus cafeteria.
The pizzas run seasonal and Neapolitan-style, thin and bubbly-crusted, with a margherita and pies topped with tender potatoes among the regulars. Crispy, spicy wings and a creamy gemelli have built a following too, though the pastas overall carry a reputation among regulars for being hit-or-miss even as the pies stay consistent.
It operates as a neighborhood restaurant with bar seating and a happy hour, and despite sitting on a college campus, the room reads more grown-up than collegiate. Philadelphia Magazine and The Philadelphia Inquirer both named Corio a best new restaurant.
The pizzas run seasonal and Neapolitan-style, thin and bubbly-crusted, with a margherita and pies topped with tender potatoes among the regulars. Crispy, spicy wings and a creamy gemelli have built a following too, though the pastas overall carry a reputation among regulars for being hit-or-miss even as the pies stay consistent.
It operates as a neighborhood restaurant with bar seating and a happy hour, and despite sitting on a college campus, the room reads more grown-up than collegiate. Philadelphia Magazine and The Philadelphia Inquirer both named Corio a best new restaurant.