Kennett Square Restaurant Guide

Excellent experience overall. the Prix Fixe option is a great way to sample various offerings at a reasonable price. Food is very creative and well-presented. I would not recommend this bistro to folks who crave buffet quantities at the lowest price. Sovana satisfies a desire for quality and is quite worthwhile.

Simply put, this is a really good restaurant that presents a creative menu emphasizing “locally grown” ingredients but has really not yet learned how to cook with them. At first I thought, “this chef is a 60 year old smoker,” because all of my dishes were so salty I could not taste any of the food. But later I realized that if you have been cooking with less than flavorful ingredients for years, it will take a while before you can modify your approach to really let great ingredients shine through. It is a process and, as far as I can tell, it has not yet begun at Sovana Bistro.

I have eaten lunch at Sovana quite a few times - the food is very good creatively done - if they are very busy the service may suffer. My biggest complaint however is with their ridiculous reservation policy - You must leave a message and they supposedly will call you back - I called to see if I actually had a reservation and they didn't know - no-one ever called to confirm .enough to make you not want to go at all.

My family and I went to Sovana last year for my birthday, and the sweetbreads were melt-in-your mouth good. I am very excited to go back again. I'm actually both sad and a little offended at the poor review one person gave this restaurant, as my experience was excellent.

I would like to thank the whole staff for one of the best dinning experiences I have encountered in long time. I live in New Jersey and will come back any time I am in your area. My client from Philadelphia said he will be your regular guest. Thanks again.

Peter Sudek
SUDEK USA INC.

The other diner who reviewed this place sounds really cheap, no offense. I've been here several times and I've never been disappointed. The take something like grilled cheese and make it extraordinary (applewood bacon and apples!!!). Their French onion soup is THE best I've had. It's covered in cheese and has fried onions on top. The steak frites is quite good and appetizers are generally amazing. They make a nice burger and have excellent fries (skinnier variety). Save room for dessert. They get really creative with those and each I've tried has always been nothing short of perfect. Service is usually quite good and the waiters/waitresses are attentive, always making sure you're satisfied and your glass is filled. Sovana closes for a couple of hours, I think maybe between 3:30 and 5:00 or 4:00 and 5:00, for dinner preparations.
Lastly, Craig LaBan gave this place 3 out of 4 bells. I don't take what he says as gospel, really, but I find he's usually right. 3 bells coming from him means a place is really amazing, as 4 is reserved for Lacroix and Le Bec Fin and such. He recently called Sovana one of his new favorites! Give it a try. I hope you won't be disappointed.

The room was so cold that many of the women in the restaurant kept their coats on. It was so dark that we couldn't read the menu. When asked for a small flashlight, the waiter responded with a tiny, tiny candle to match the one on the table. Still couldn't see! For the $25-plus entrees, the portions were appetizer size. We asked to have some wrapped -- when we got home (about a 40 minute drive) we found someone else's "cheaper" leftover!