Il Fiore In Bryn Mawr Is Sexy, Swanky And Delicious

by Michele Gargiulo, Food + Wine Editor

Il Fiore in Bryn Mawr is sexy, swanky and delicious. The restaurant formerly known as Fiore Rosso is now a posh eatery that combines old-school steakhouse glam with a gorgeous menu that, while petite, offers big flavors and perfectly prepared dishes.

Il Fiore’s new top toque is executive chef Marie Lavizzo-Mourey, a veteran of kitchens led by Michael Solomonov and Marc Vetri. Although Lavizzo-Mourey spent a lot to time in the Vetri-verse, il Fiore’s menu is 100% her own.

“Marc Vetri was never an owner. He was a creative consultant,” explained Gina Alfano, il Fiore’s general manager. “After Chef Vetri’s consulting was over, people still thought this was one of his restaurants.” Alfano and Lavizzo-Mourey state that Vetri is not involved at all with il Fiore. “It was an easy transition, and he checks in with us all the time,” Lavizzo-Mourey said. “But we are trying to make clear that this is not his restaurant.”

Lavizzo-Mourey’s Il Fiore menu features antipasti like an amazing proscuitto board, mozzarella fritta and fiore sausage. Salads include a fantastic tomato burrata while the new, 10-inch pizzas offer traditional Margherita, pepperoni and pizza of the day. The housemade pastas are divine, especially the shrimp scampi. Entrees range from chicken parmagiana to king salmon with taleggio cream, acorn squash and basil. A grilled pork chop is served with cauliflower, broccolini and amaro agrodolce, and the 8 oz. filet, 14 oz. striploin and 32 oz. dry-aged, bone-in ribeye round out the steak options.

The physical transformation of il Fiore was led by renowned designer Barbara Balongue of Balongue Design in Wayne. Known for her work at Autograph Brasserie, Rosalie, and several White Dog Cafés, Balongue creates harmonious blends of modern elegance and glamourous charm.

“Ninety percent of the interior was redesigned,” explains Alfano. The new layout features more green accents, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. “The stark white walls were disconnected from the art on them. Some of the art stayed, but some definitely went.”

The bar also got a glow up. The Bryn Mawr Sour is a tasty twist on a whiskey sour. One Instagrammable treat is the Limoncello flight, a trio of house-made flavors served in grappa glasses. Our flight had strawberry, melon and traditionally flavored Limoncello, all of which were delicious.

This transformation was no small feat. Alfano, who joined the team in May 2024, is an alum of Fearless Restaurants and brings a wealth of experience to il Fiore. Alfano set the stage for the spotlight to shine on Lavizzo-Mourey, a culinary star whose food is amazing and whose journey is nothing short of inspiring.

Lavizzo-Mourey’s talent was recognized during a high school culinary competition. Her dish wowed one of the judges: celebrity chef Michael Solomonov. The acclaimed chef behind Zahav and a host of other Philadelphia restaurants was impressed by her skills. “He said, ‘Whoever made this dish has to come work for me,’” Lavizzo-Mourey remembers. “And I did.”

Freshly graduated from high school, she started working in Zahav’s kitchen and learning from Solomonov. Eventually, she wanted to get a formal degree from a culinary school. Solomonov believed in her so much that he paid for Lavizzo-Mourey to attend Walnut Hill College, also known as The Restaurant School in Philadelphia.

After earning her degree, Lavizzo-Mourey worked with Solomonov again, and worked in kitchens with some of the city’s A-list chefs, including Jean-Marie Lacroix and, eventually, Marc Vetri.

Lavizzo-Mourey remembers working with Vetri on the line at The Fitler Club. “He was such a great mentor and great to work with in the actual kitchen,” she said. “He let me run service and acted as a sous chef. I remember him saying, ‘What’s next chef? What’s next?’ in a way that was challenging me to step up and lead … but I knew he was there to support me if anything went wrong.”

So when Vetri was hired as a creative consultant for Fiore Rosso, he called Lavizzo-Mourey and asked if she wanted to work at the Bryn Mawr restaurant.

After years of being in a supporting role to other executive chefs, she stepped into a leadership role and made Il Fiore her own creation. “I have learned from the best and I’m grateful for everything they taught me,” she says. “But now, this is my kitchen.”

And we love it.

For more information, visit il Fiore’s website.

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