Positano Coast is a Brunch Escape

June 28th, 2023

Authored by Nina Wilson and Dynisha Murray

With its open floor plan, floor to ceiling windows, art deco styling and deep blue and white motifs, Positano Coast transports you from the streets of Philadelphia, to a Mediterranean getaway on the Amalfi Coast. The restaurant is one of many in a hospitality group owned by Aldo Lamberti, who is a known restaurateur in the area. Lamberti, who came to the US at 13 years old in 1963, grew up in the restaurant industry as his father owned and operated a pizza shop in Brooklyn (Lambertis). When Aldo entered his twenties, he went back to Italy to learn about signature Northern Italian cuisine and then returned to the US in 1985. Soon after his return, he opened his first restaurant, Tutti Toscani in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The restaurant soon became a local favorite, and from there he opened Caffee Aldo Lamberti, amongst other restaurants in the subsequent years.

Positano coast, initially opened under the name Pizza Blitz in 1991, before the concept changed to Lamberti’s Cucina in 1997, to finally becoming the restaurant we know it as today, in 2005 (Wooder Ice).

We visited Positano Coast on Saturday, May 20th, 2023. It was a beautifully bright and sunny spring day. We made reservations in advance and were quickly seated. For drinks, we ordered the Espresso and Chocolate Martinis ($15 per drink). Then we ordered Tuna Tartare ($18), Rigatoni ($23), Zucchini Frittata ($17), and the Apple Tartlet ($14).

Drinks

Espresso and Chocolate Martinis

There is nothing that we love more than a good espresso martini. When done right, it’s the perfect balance of alcohol and coffee that just as refreshing as a morning cup of coffee. This Espresso Martini contained espresso, vanilla vodka, and Irish cream. Upon first sip, you could definitely taste the alcohol, which gave the drink a bit of kick, but it was smooth and refreshing. There were notes of chocolate, as well as a nutty flavor present. The drink had a good balance of vodka and espresso. There was a slight bitterness that came from the espresso too, which was nice. We rated this martini a 3.5 out of 5.

We’re gonna talk about the chocolate martini here as well, since they’re similar in concept. The drink contained grey goose vanilla vodka, Godiva liquor, and Frangelico. This was also a potent drink much like the espresso martini, but maybe not as strong. It was reminiscent of a boozy chocolate milk, and a little thick and rich which we really liked. Thus why we gave this martini a 3.95 out of 5.

Appetizer

Tuna Tartare

We were excited for this one. Especially because Dynisha had never had Tuna Tartare, and I have. Considering that Aldo Lamberti as a brand is known for it’s fresh and delicious seafood, our expectations were set reasonably high. This dish contained avocado, chives and jalapeno and the presentation was exquisite although a bit impractical.

The flavors were very subtle and the dish as a whole was very light and fresh. The tuna didn’t taste the freshest and it didn’t look fresh either. I personally, was not crazy about the crackers that came with the tartare, mainly because they were very light and kind of flimsy. There was a spicy jalapeno sauce, which was good, but the plating made it difficult to scoop up. To sum it up, this dish was just okay. For an $18 price point, we expected the tuna to taste fresher. So we rated this dish a 3.12 out of 5.

Entrees

Apple Tartlet

This caught our eye , because it sounded unlike anything we had ordered for brunch before. The menu describes it as a pastry crust, sliced apples, almond cream, and sea salt caramel gelato. The presentation of this dish was adorable, however once we got past taking photos and videos, it did get a bit cold.

The apples were perfectly cooked and weren’t too sweet or bitter. The pastry had a flaky and crunchy exterior, which nicely juxtapositioned the soft gooey goodness of the apple filling on the inside. The ice cream was smooth, creamy, and had a bit of a nutty element to it. Overall this was really good. We would recommend getting a sweet cocktail with it, like the chocolate martini, or the espresso martini as either one would pair well with it. Our final score is 4.0 out of 5.

Zucchini Fritatta

The description alone made our mouths water. This frittata included potatoes, tomatoes, onions, goat cheese, a side of mixed greens and obviously zucchini. The presentation of the dish was really nice and simple and added to the overall appeal.

We’ll start with the Pros. This dish was well executed. The frittata was fluffy, the ingredients inside were cooked just right. And the side salad of greens nicely broke up the rich umami of the fritatta by having an acidic bite. The point of contention between me and Dynisha was the goat cheese. Dynisha is not fan of goat cheese, and felt that there was too much of it and that it overpowered the dish. However, I love goat cheese so I thought the goat cheese was a nice touch. If the goat cheese became too rich you could have a bit of the side salad to break it up. That minor disagreement aside, we agreed that this dish was extremely bland. And it was it’s good execution and presentation that led us to give it a 3 out of 5.

Rigatoni

How can you have brunch at an Italian restaurant and not get pasta? It’s borderline sacrilegious not to. This dish contained spicy vodka sauce, sun dried tomatoes, and breadcrumbs. Presentation was clean and simple.

The pasta was well cooked. The sauce was thin but seasoned. It probably had a typical Italian blend of seasonings in it with maybe a bit of cayenne pepper or peper flakes, which was delicious. It was a good balance between spicy and creamy. The sun dried tomatoes really elevated the dish and added a different flavor dimension. Overall, we rated this dish a 3.74 out of 5.

In Conclusion..

Positano Coast, has an established history of hard work and delicious food. Our server was attentive and really nice. The ambiance in the restaurant was gorgeous. You were instantly transported to the shores of the Amalfi coast.

However, the food was… okay. For some dishes, it definitely felt like it wasn't quite worth the price. But there were other dishes that were worth it and more. Our final score of Positano coast is a 3.55 out of 5. We’re not sure if we would spend money to go back, but they do offer other menus outside of brunch, and those might be a bit better.

What do you guys think? Would you check out Positano Coast? Let us know in the comments below. Please follow us on our social medias!

Until next time,

XOXO

The Brunch Besties