Bucks County(3,258)
Central Pennsylvania(222)
Delaware(3,832)
Gettysburg(162)
Hershey / Harrisburg(2,914)
Lancaster County(1,357)
Lehigh Valley(3,563)
New Jersey Suburbs(7,318)
Philadelphia(41,385)
Art Museum(1,113)
Bella Vista(73)
Center City(18,563)
American(1,668)
Asian(315)
Brazilian Steakhouse(792)
Chinese(172)
Comfort Food(721)
Contemporary American(1,654)
Continental(209)
Cuban(651)
European(409)
Fondue(160)
French(427)
French / Indian(322)
Gastro Pub(683)
Greek(685)
Indian(37)
Irish(33)
Italian(2,623)
Japanese(492)
Latin American(340)
Mediterranean(935)
Mexican(177)
Seafood(1,140)
Spanish(270)
Steak(1,561)
Steakhouse(884)
Sushi(37)
Vegetarian(440)
Chester(23)
Chestnut Hill(1,067)
Chinatown(67)
East Falls(109)
Manayunk(602)
Northeast Philly(157)
Northern Liberties(367)
Northwest Philly(46)
Old City(5,059)
Penn's Landing(695)
Plymouth Meeting(593)
Queen Village(454)
Rittenhouse Square(5,694)
Society Hill(580)
South Philly(1,891)
University City(1,862)
Washington Square(1,524)
Reading/Berks County(197)
Trenton(604)
Western Suburbs(19,510)
York(51)
Find Restaurants in Your Area
Select a Location
- Alabama
- Anchorage
- Arkansas
- Asheville / W. North Carolina
- Atlanta / Georgia
- Atlantic Canada
- Atlantic City
- Austin
- Baja California
- Baltimore / Maryland
- Beijing
- Boston / New England
- Calgary / Southern Alberta
- California Central Coast
- Caribbean
- Charlotte
- Chicago / Illinois
- Chihuahua
- Cincinnati / Dayton
- Cleveland / Akron / Canton
- Coastal North Carolina
- Columbus
- Corpus Christi / McAllen
- Dallas - Fort Worth
- Demoland
- Denver / Colorado
- Detroit / Eastern Michigan
- Dubai
- East Tennessee
- Edmonton / Northern Alberta
- El Paso
- El Salvador
- Exclusive
- Fresno / San Joaquin Valley
- Grand Rapids / Western Michigan
- Greensboro / Winston Salem / Highpoint
- Hawaii
- Hong Kong / Macau
- Houston
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Jackson Hole / Wyoming
- Jacksonville / Northeast Florida
- Kansas City
- Kentucky
- Key West / Florida Keys
- Lake of the Ozarks
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles / Orange County
- Los Cabos
- Malaysia
- Manitoba / Saskatchewan
- Memphis
- Mexico / Mexico City
- Miami / Southeast Florida
- Minneapolis - St. Paul
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Montreal / Quebec
- Nashville
- Nebraska
- New Mexico
- New Orleans / Louisiana
- New York / Tri-State Area
- North Dakota
- Northern Michigan / Upper Peninsula
- Northwest Florida
- Oklahoma
- Orlando / Central Florida East
- Ottawa
- Palm Springs / Palm Desert Cities
- Philadelphia / New Jersey Suburbs
- Phoenix / Arizona
- Pinehurst
- Pittsburgh
- Portland / Oregon
- Portugal
- Puerto Vallarta
- Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill
- Sacramento / Sacramento Valley
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Scranton / Poconos
- Seattle / Eastern Washington
- Shanghai
- Singapore
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Southwest Florida
- Southwest Indiana / Tri-State Area
- Springfield / Branson
- St. Louis
- Switzerland
- Tahoe / Reno Area
- Tampa / Central Florida West
- Texas Panhandle
- Toledo
- Toronto / SW Ontario
- Utah
- Vancouver / British Columbia
- Villa de Muerte
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C. Area
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Yosemite / Mammoth Lakes
Most Reviewed Restaurants
Top-Rated Restaurants
Reserve now:
Novita Bistro BYOBReservations
Restaurant Reviews List >
Philadelphia / New Jersey Suburbs Restaurant Reviews >
Philadelphia Restaurant Reviews >
Center City Restaurant Reviews >
Mediterranean Restaurant Reviews
Novita Bistro BYOB Reviews List
Novita Bistro BYOB
Novita Bistro is a casual, BYOB with Mediterranean influenced dishes located at 1608 South Street in the Graduate Hospital section of Center City Philadelphia.
Novita was established in 2008 by Moroccan born Hassan Zanzoul This space was recently transformed into a quaint BYOB seating up to 40 guests & featuring an open kitchen.
Chef Hassan Zanzoul developed a love of Mediterranean food while he worked as a chef in Taormina, Italy from 1987 until 1996. Upon his return, Hassan received formal training in Italian & French cuisine from the French Culinary Institute in New York City. While working toward his certification, he was selected to go to Paris to complete an internship. Before moving to Philadelphia, Hassan worked as Executive Chef at Silver Spoon Cafe in Branchburg, New Jersey.
Novita’s menu includes simple, traditional dishes combining fresh ingredients from local vendors with rich herbs & spices.
We hope to see you soon!
See more Novita Bistro BYOB details
Novita was established in 2008 by Moroccan born Hassan Zanzoul This space was recently transformed into a quaint BYOB seating up to 40 guests & featuring an open kitchen.
Chef Hassan Zanzoul developed a love of Mediterranean food while he worked as a chef in Taormina, Italy from 1987 until 1996. Upon his return, Hassan received formal training in Italian & French cuisine from the French Culinary Institute in New York City. While working toward his certification, he was selected to go to Paris to complete an internship. Before moving to Philadelphia, Hassan worked as Executive Chef at Silver Spoon Cafe in Branchburg, New Jersey.
Novita’s menu includes simple, traditional dishes combining fresh ingredients from local vendors with rich herbs & spices.
We hope to see you soon!
30 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
3.6
/
5
Rating Breakdown 30 reviews
5 stars
(5)
4 stars
(12)
3 stars
(9)
2 stars
(4)
1 star
(0)
Food
(Very Good)
3.5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.7
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- neighborhood gem(18)
- fit for foodies(10)
- good for groups(6)
- special occasion(4)
- romantic(3)
- great for brunch(1)
Novita Bistro BYOB Reviews List
Review 1 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"4th visit. Always good. Staff friendly. Great atmisphere"
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 2 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great byob!
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Great food and place. Seating is slightly crunched in this small byob, but our group of six had a wonderful experience. The food was very unique and delicious . I would highly recommend trying this place out!"
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 3 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"My dining companion and I were the only two patrons in the restaurant until after we finished eating. We couldnt understand why until two huge groups of people came in as we finished our wine. The food was awesome."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: good for groups, romantic, neighborhood gem, special occasion
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 4 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
The food was bland, nothing
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The food was bland, nothing special. The appetizers were perhaps frozen beforehand (shrimp)? The Short Ribs were way to salty. We didn't finish our meal. There was nobody in the restaurant. We tried to engage the staff to give our feedback but they didn't seem interested. This is a good candidate for the Restaurant IMPOSSIBLE show. With all of the new and high quality restaurants you have to stay ahead of the curve or you'll be left behind. We wouldn't go back given the choices we have and especially right in the neighborhood."
Dined on 03/20/2013
2011
Share:
-1point
0of 1voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 5 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
We had a great meal and service
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We had a great meal and service was very good We all loved the food Our only complaint was they did not take credit cards and we did not know this so we had to scrample for cash"
Dined on 03/09/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 6 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Food was fine but a bit lacking
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Food was fine but a bit lacking in interesting tastes: chicken tagine was good comfort food but couldn't taste the advertised preserved lemon, shrimp pilpil similarly just small shrimp in tomatoey sauce whose flavor wasn't shown off by the small amount that would coat the shrimp (much better when bread dipped in it, though...). On the other hand, salad w/ fig dressing was terrific. Service a bit below the expected level for a nice BYO: one server for a few too many tables, we weren't offered a special that most other tables before and after us were, water was slow to appear (not just at our table), couldn't get our check despite looming symphony start."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2008
Special Features: neighborhood gem
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 7 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Good
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"It was good. The good was good. It wasn't "excellent", it was just good. The quality of the food was superb. But the flavor was just a tad off. For example, the lamb shank was fall off the bone tender, but the flavor was just a bit bland and the Cous Cous was very dry. I would try it again."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2010
Special Features: neighborhood gem
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 8 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great food, nice vibe, friendly
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Great food, nice vibe, friendly funny and good service. I highly recommend it."
Dined on 02/23/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 9 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
The food was great - traditional
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The food was great - traditional Italian and nice serve servings at reasonable prices. A large party arrived early and the waiter asked us to finish up and leave so they could have our table - thought this was really poor service and definitely changed the experience for us."
Dined on 02/22/2013
2009
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 10 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Expected so much more!
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"I chose this restaurant based on all of the positive reviews it received. I would have given it more praise if it hadn't been for several key issues. First, the restaurant has a very limited, small menu. Two Key items were unavailable and our server admitted that they had sold out the previous night and whomever shopped didn't get enough. Come on, really? Second, there was only one waiter for the entire restaurant and though it is a small space, they would have benefited with an additional server. 2 out of the four entrees happend to be excellent. I just feel in order for a restaurant to receive a high rating, both the service and the food needs to be on point. With better attention to detail, this place could be a gem."
Dined on 01/19/2013
2007
Special Features: romantic
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 11 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
The Moroccoan dishes were
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The Moroccoan dishes were especially good. They have great options for anyone willing to try something new and for foodies."
Dined on 02/01/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, late-night find, neighborhood gem
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 12 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
we were not very impressed
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"we were not very impressed with quality and price-too expensive for what it was. will not go back"
Dined on 01/26/2013
2008
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Review 13 for Novita Bistro BYOB
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Very nice experience. Lamb
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Very nice experience. Lamb and Salmon excellent."
Dined on 01/24/2013
2011
Special Features: neighborhood gem
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Thank you! You have successfully submitted a comment for this review.
Ratings-Only Reviews for Novita Bistro BYOB
Based on the average of (17) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
3.7
/
5
1 out of 2 recommend this product
Food
(Very Good)
3.5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.6
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic