Ralph’s Italian Restaurant, located at 760 S. Ninth St. in the heart of Philadelphia’s Italian Market, was dimly lit but bright with laughter when my boyfriend, Manny Nkrumah ’26 and I visited for dinner one Sunday evening in early March. The mosaic-tiled floor and closely-sat tables reminded me of Italian restaurants in old movies.

When we arrived for our reservation, which you have to make most nights if you want a chance at a table, a host told us to go to the back and up the stairs to the second dining room and ask for Anthony. We bustled our way through the lower dining room to a small archway that led to windy, dark wooden stairs. 

Upstairs was a beautiful, old-school bar engulfed in the same warm lighting. A server, who I presumed was Anthony, showed us to our table. I sat down and stared in awe at the walls, which had different paintings of Italian landmarks. I pulled out my phone to show my boyfriend a picture of a painting I had taken when visiting Rome that appeared identical to the one on the wall. We marveled at the accuracy. 

Our “placemats” were pieces of beige paper with the story of Ralph’s typed in fine black print.  Francesco and Catherine Dispigno and their son, Ralph, immigrated from Sicily to America through Ellis Island in 1893 and put everything they had into restaurants. Today, the fourth and fifth generations of the family run this location, and it is officially the oldest family-operated Italian restaurant in the U.S.

David Rubenstein, a South Philadelphia native who now lives in Rhode Island, worked at Ralph’s as a busboy in the 1970s. Rubenstein was only 14 when he started bussing tables but remembers it as an experience that taught him a lot.

Rubenstein said the homey feeling visitors get from Ralph’s is part of what makes it particularly special.

“What they have is a sincere form of hospitality,” Rubenstein said. “So, when you go there, you really feel like you’re stepping into the family’s home.”

Our waitress, Haley Ryan, said the people who work at Ralph’s are like family. 

“It’s just a positive environment,” Ryan said. “We’re all super close. Everyone here is basically friends of friends, family, but it’s very authentic. And, of course, the food doesn’t knock it either.” 

I was ready to put that to the test. Munching on fresh, sesame-seeded bread, I realized I needed to order a dish with a good dipping sauce. Yes, it was that good. I finally decided on the gnocchi in a blush sauce with shrimp. Manny ordered the penne alla vodka with chicken. To start, we agreed we must try their famous meatballs and a Caesar salad. A glass of red wine was a must as well. 

Ryan came back moments later with a glass that looked just like one my Italian great-aunt used at family dinner parties — smaller than the average wine glass with details engraved on the sides. The glass was filled almost to the brim with red wine, and as it hit my tastebuds, I was greeted with a luscious bitter taste immediately relieved by a dark flavor that I can only describe as the color burgundy.

Minutes later, I faced two giant meatballs on a plate smothered in red sauce with a large scoop of ricotta cheese placed next to them. As I placed the bite into my mouth, the moistness struck me first. The salty and savory notes of the different meats came next, and as I looked inside the piece on my fork, I saw bits of fresh parsley poking out. It was outstanding. 

That consistent quality is what keeps Ralph’s in business, Rubenstein said. 

“Every time you go there, it’s exactly the same,” Rubenstein said. “That meant a lot to me, that when you’re living your life, being consistent is probably the most important thing that you can do because it goes hand-in-hand with integrity. It’s integrity of service, integrity of product, integrity of reputation.” 

I tried another bite, this time with ricotta, which melted in my mouth almost immediately.

Next was my gnocchi. The blush sauce complemented the rich pasta perfectly. I took a hunk of sesame bread and dipped it into the sauce, a combination suggested by Rubenstein. 

Sarcone’s Bakery, located directly next door to Ralph’s, supplies the restaurant’s bread. Rubenstein said Sarcone’s bread and Ralph’s sauce always made the perfect combination. 

“One of my favorite culinary delights was to take a small cup, fill it with that sauce or that gravy and just take the Sarcone bread,” Rubenstein said. “And it’s the most simple flavors, but it brought back so many memories.”

Jim and Lydia Batura were directly next to us, a couple visiting from Long Island for a late Valentine’s Day getaway. Ralph’s was first on their list.

“It was very nondescript from the outside, but you walk in, and it’s just a very homey atmosphere,” Lydia Batura said as her husband nodded in agreement. 

The Baturas had cleaned their plates, both ordering chicken dishes. For them, Ralph’s was a must-visit destination; for regulars, a second home; and for first-timers like Manny and me, a true experience through and through. 

“It’s the oldest for a reason,” Lydia Batura said. 

I had to agree.