Prix fixe tasting menus are becoming locally popular among restaurateurs — who gain the advantage of some evenness with diners’ selections — and patrons — who can sample dishes they may not ordinarily try. The Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Jenn Ladd sampled 15 tasting menus in the Phila. suburbs and noted three in Montgomery County that are tip-top.

Tasting menus took hold on the Phila.-area culinary scene during the pandemic. Restaurant owners could navigate supply chain kinks and price fluctuations on ingredients by offering diners a set menu at a fixed price.

Surprisingly, the business model yielded some bold experiments in the area’s professional kitchens: Chefs received a steady supply of predictable ingredients, yet found creative ways to reinvent them into specialties.

And diners lapped them up.

 The Montgomery County recommended prix fixe tasting menus for 2022 are:

• Autana, Ardmore
  • Father-daughter chef duo Levi and María José Hernández excel at their Venezuelan menu. The set menu combines table servings with diner-ordered specific dishes.
•  Sushi Hatsu, Ambler
  • This BYOB had a tough time during the pandemic but is charging back wholeheartedly. The quality reputation of its chefs before lockdowns is drawing customers again.
• Upstairs at Pinto, Glenside
  • Once a month, the chef and a beverage manager collaborate on a five-course meal with cocktail pairings and storytelling. It’s a unique — and delicious — pairing.

For a deeper dive into these tasty tasting menus, see The Philadelphia Inquirer.