The Victor Cafe

I’m wary of restaurant recommendations that mention the food as an afterthought. In the case of South Philadelphia’s Victor Cafe, my pre-dining research turned up a number of reviews that invariably zeroed in on the off-menu speciality of the house: its opera-singing wait staff. And the truth is, food at the Victor Cafe is decidedly not the draw. But the odd thing is that I left the place last Saturday night feeling it was worth the visit.

Billing itself as the “music lover’s rendezvous,” the Victor Cafe spices up your dinner with arias on the side. The performances are given by the wait staff who respond in turn to a bell, the signal that a musical interlude is about to be served up. The stage is a small landing that bridges sets of steps separating the Victor Cafe’s two dining areas. When the singing begins, accompanied by piped-in recordings, forks go down, table service stops, and for a few brief minutes, the singing waiter is the star. Transitions are seamless: once the aria is delivered, the singer is back in character as your attentive waiter. As the website says, the Victor Cafe is “a unique dining experience.”

In a word, the food at The Victor Cafe is ok. In two words, it’s overpriced ok. But don’t let that keep you away. Order a simple pasta. Enjoy the house chianti. You may even find yourself giving your singing waiter a big bravo and a nice tip.

The Victor Cafe, 1303 Dickinson St., Philadelphia, PA 215-468-3040