So long story short, I was stuck at PHL for a number of hours and was looking for a place to eat, drink, and relax.
First off, I realize that this place is predominantly a wine bar and my expectations for food was pretty low initially. Â However, after I read the various reviews, I decided to give it a shot because a number of people recommended the pork tacos. Â Unfortunately, I've had excellent tacos in Mexico at local taquerias and what Vino Volo served is an embarrassment to all tacos around the world. Â It was obvious that the white corn tortillas were previously frozen and improperly warmed up because it did not taste like it was actually cooked. Â The "braised pork" was little better than striated cardboard. Â It was dry, tasteless, and tough to swallow... literally. Â The only thing that made the meal palatable were the minuscule lime wedges that came with the meal.
If the food wasn't bad enough, I question the ability and knowledge of the waitstaff. Â We had ordered a Shiraz, which according to the menu was a straight Shiraz. Â What arrived was actually a blend that wasn't aerated or allowed to breath. Â The bouquet of the Shiraz was nothing like the typical Shiraz and produced a gag reaction from me just by getting a whiff of it from 3 feet away. Â I would have chalked it up to my personal preferences if it wasn't for the fact that I actually like most Shiraz.
The service was just OK. Â The waiter was semi-attentive, which isn't a bad thing since I hate being overly bothered when I'm trying to enjoy (or in this case, choke down) a meal. Â For being in the middle of an airport, the seating and ambiance was fantastic. Â However, like someone else mentioned, the seating wasn't conducive to eating, and I do not like to be forced to recline that far from the table while drinking wine (since I sip them instead of gulp them).
Vino Volo is located in the PHL airport. They have an excellent wine selection and some great, although few, menu choices. You should check the menu first just to make sure that they have something you like.
First, what I love about this place is that it's like a tiny oasis in the hustle and bustle of the airport. The chairs are extremely comfortable and the atmosphere inviting, which is so rare for an airport restaurant.
They had various flights of wine tastings but I stuck with a single glass of Riesling. I tried the "small" portions of the smoked salmon bites and pork tacos. Â Both were delicious. The smoked salmon was raw on top of what tasted like a piece of Melba toast with some aioli. The tacos were in corn tortillas, which are far more authentic than the flour kind!
If I ever had time to kill in this airport, this is where I'd spend it! Overall a great spot!
The place was empty but so was the airport so I thought I'd give it a shot. Don't go here! While the portions were the right size for me....very small...the prices were high for the taste. The mixed green salad was fresh, but the pasta was rubbery. I bet it has been sitting under a heat lamp for hours. The wine ....I could have bought a better bottle for the price of one glass. At a place that has vino as part of the name I would expect all the wines to taste great.
Review Source:Everyone dreads the airport experience: waiting on line, taking your shoes off, going through that weird x-ray machine where you have to lift your arms. Â But I always look forward to stopping for a glass of wine at Vino Volo. Â Who knew that a cozy winebar would be located in an airport! Â You don't feel like you are in the airport anymore. Â The servers are friendly. Â The wine choices are great and reasonably priced. Â And, I had picked up a sandwich from somewhere else and they let me eat it there while I sipped my wine! :) Â It is always a nice start to a trip when I stop into Vino Volo, and a great excuse for getting to the airport early.
Review Source:Wine lovers rejoice! Vino Volo (can I call them "Double V"?) is an oasis in the bustle of Philadelphia International Airport. Ever since hearing about this place, I'd been eager to have an excuse to take a flight, just so I could try VV. The service is awesome.
Since I didn't know when the next time we would be in PHL would be, we decided to go the flight route. We had two wine flights, one with a California theme and one with a winter theme. Each came with a helpful informational paper coaster, and the waitress took the time to explain each individual wine. Nice touch!
The food was great, and a notch above your typical airport food fare. Since half-sizes were available, we decided to go for them so we could get a wider variety of food. All of the meat was well-cured, definitely feeling like "food to be enjoyed with wine." We went for the braised pork tacos, brie and prosciutto sandwich, and smoked salmon rolls - the salmon was especially delicious, but I enjoyed all of them.
Veni vidi vici. Vino Volo. You're gonna love the Double V.
I'm a fan of Vino Volo in general. This particular location has been my campground more often than I'd like due to flight delays at PHL. There is no better place to spend time in the airport while waiting for a flight. The wine selection changes frequently and always offers some gems. The flights are well-chosen and help you better understand different wine varieties. The staff is friendly and helpful for recommendations. The food is tasty--I especially like the chorizo chickpea chili and the chicken sandwich. It is a bit pricy for wine, but the quality exceeds other airport options by so much that I hardly mind. I do wish this location had more seating.
Review Source:I discovered the first Vino Volo about two years ago in the Oakland airport. Â I am thrilled that they have expanded to many locations. Â I love the tasting menu - you get three wines from one of the selected groupings. Â Very relaxing, not something normal to airports. Â I didn't eat this time but the food pairings I have had in the past have been great and a good match to the wines.
Review Source:LOVE Vino Volo! Â I'm so happy this establishment graces a few terminals at the Philly airport, it is so nice to have a place to sit and have a decent glass of wine and some quality food to eat before a flight and not be stuck in some greasy bar drinking overpriced beer.
I've tried a few of their salads, and I always love the cheese plate, which features three different cheeses, some marcona almonds, chutney, a few pieces of dried fruit and some toasted bread, the perfect snack to enjoy with some wine.
And to top it off, more than one time I've been here, I have gotten a free pour! Â The staff is great, and I've had a few times where I had an hour to kill before the flight, so a few glasses of wine later I pay my tab and realize they only charged me for two instead of three, or one instead of two.
Stressful flight day. Â Knew that if I held out and made it to PHL I could find me some vino. Â Ordered a flight of three CA Kings for 13.00 and if rocked. Â Ordered small grilled chicken salad with vinaigrette dressing, pine nuts and dried cranberries. Don't forget goat cheese. Â Should have ordered another flight to taste!!!! Â The small salad was 6. Â The three tasting flight was 13. Â Stick with what they know best. Â Wine!!! The salad size wasn't the issue. Â It was the poor pint size piece of chicken smaller than my thumb that was the issue. Â Â Â
Had to chase my waiter for my water chaser. Not cool. Â He basically had a section of five tables. Â To his defense it is obvious this area is part of Vino Volo but here plops this extra trashy couple who just "wanna hang here" till he finishes his smelly sub from the food court. Â Nice. Â Would I come back? Â Yes. Â You're traveling. It's stressful. The good options ate healthy with the nutrition content available. Â Plus, the chairs are super comfy just ask the icky couple fitting next to me. Â They didn't come for what Vino Volo is best known for..,,,
My favorite airport food joint  -- can't beat great sandwiches and great selection of wine. Service is super fast with knowledgeable staff about the wine.
Brunello 2005 has been my favorite after trying multiple here. Brie and prosciutto sandwich is much better than most of the airport junk.
A rather relaxing oasis in the hustle and bustle of the airport. While no establishment at an airport doesn't gauge you, Vino Volo is relatively speaking, reasonably priced for its wines by the glass, flights and small plates. Staff rather knowledgeable and helpful.
The waiter with a beard teetered on the edge of pretentiousness when he attempted to debate the merits of Sonoma Dry Creek Italian varietals with me despite my demonstration of in depth knowledge and personal relationships with local vintners.
I kept seeing the place at all these other airports and never went, since I didn't think it was anything special... now after going at the Philadelphia airport on my way back from a 10-day work trip, I will definitely be back here. Â Just a nice laid back, "classy" airport bar... not that i'm looking for classy in my sweats, sneakers and hoodie, but it was just different from your normal airport bar & grill. Â I tried the "Off the Beaten Path" flight which included 3 white wines from places you wouldn't normally think of... India, Africa and I can't remember the third, but all were pretty good. Definitely get their Smoked Salmon Rolls, not sushi but rolled salmon on a crostini with crabmeat (opt for the regular size... trust me, it's worth it)... between the wine and these rolls it was a perfect small dinner and then onto my flight. Â I just hung out at the bar, but the rest of the guests all seemed very comfy in the nice modern chairs. Â Anyways, check it out next time you're at one of the many airports that has one in there.
Review Source:Ya know... for a wine bar in the airport, we were pleasantly surprised! The wine selection is great! The food was delicious. I had a salad and olive plate. My husband had the chicken sandwich. SO GOOD. Someone next to us had truffle macaroni and cheese. It smelled heavenly!
I'll definitely be back... but I have to agree with Eva. I wish I knew before hand how much they didn't suck!!!!!!!!
The perfect getaway from the chaos of traveling. I've seen many of these throughout airports but never had enough time to stop by since i'm always getting to my gate in the nick of time.
The decor is very modern and the chairs are comfy and perfect for some good people watching. The wine is probably overpriced but hey, you're at an airport.
I tried the salmon on baguette to start and then had the half salad with goat cheese, cranberries and chicken. It's nice to finally have more healthy options at the airport, I'm a fan for sure.
Now if only I can get to the airport early every time so I can have a glass of wine before every flight!
Why do they not have one of these in all the airports I go to??!!!
It was great to have a couple glasses of wine and some small bites to eat before getting on the plane. Â Our waitress was friendly, the wine was good, and the proscuitto and brie sandwich was pretty awesome.
And, the chairs are extremely comfortable. Â Next time I am at an airport with a Vino Volo, I will be there in a heartbeat.
Vino Volo makes your stay at the airport an enjoyable experience. I ordered the braised pork tacos and a lovely little cabernet sauvignon to celebrate my upcoming long-haul flight to Europe in Philly. I also found their location in Washington Dulles while traveling long-haul through Dulles. It's like a blessed bastion of peaceful civilization in the midst of airport chaos. Try the olives. Try the almonds. Try the food. Try the wine. Sit in the comfy chairs. Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. Or don't and just breathe and sip your wine. Enjoy. Enjoy.
Review Source:This is the best place to pass time at the airport. I have been to a vino volo last year at the Detroit airport. The area at the Detroit airport was nicer than this one. But nevertheless, I enjoyed both places.
I had the wine club selection tasting. I chose this because of a Dierberg Pinot Noir that it featured. It was so good! But, the top winner was...the Siena by Ferrari-Carano! It's a sangiovese / malbec blend. I had an extra glass of that. Yum! Â
BTW, I paired the reds with a flour less chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. OMG, so good! They need to have this at every airport!
Such a great idea. Sat in the 'patio', enjoyed two glasses of wine while waiting on my flight.
Great wine list, and I liked the 'flight' idea, although, my neighbor complained about the small sip she got per glass. I didn't eat, there was nothing on the menu that really interested me. Service was ok, only one bartender on, and she seemed a bit frazzled by the late lunch crowd.
So yes, it's in an airport. Â But it's surprisingly good for what it is.
+ Clean, modern design
+ Spacious, you're not sitting on top of the next person
+ Professional staff
+ Thoughtful menu - hands-down the best option for eating, drinking, and/or killing time in the PHL Terminal D
  * Skip the pork tacos - total boredom
  * Go straight to the brie & prosciutto sandwich - heaven in your mouth Â
- minus one star for a complete lack of moderately-priced full-bodied reds - the cheapest cabernet was $15. Â I'm about to board a giant bus with wings and pack myself into the sardined-economy section, clearly I am made of sensibility and not money.
Excellent lunch at Vino Vole in Philly airport. Â We had cured olives which were delicious, Marconi almonds (to die for) roasted with rosemary then a roasted chicken salad. Â Fab! Â Totally satisfying and so happy to have found it. Â The atmosphere is fantastic with jazz playing, perfect service and excellent food. Â Love it! Â Must try the chocolate and cheesecake duo for the perfect ending. Â I have fallen in love with Philly again.
Review Source:This is my freaking oasis. Cozy chair, glass of wine, free wifi - what more can a lady want when she's got an hour to kill at the airport?
I breezed through security today and made a beeline here, only to see it completely empty. A glance at the time...yep, not quite noon. Sigh. I took my shamed self elsewhere for lunch, and was thrilled to see Vino Volo filling up a half hour later. No one wants to be the first person at the wine bar in the airport before noon.
Minor criticisms: there needs to be less absurdly priced wine ($30 a glass) and way more mid-range ($10). I had to choose a petite syrah from the three in the "cheapo" section ($9) that definitely could've stood to have more body. But who am I kidding? I'm drinking wine in the airport at noon. Whatever.
Wow I had no idea this place existed. Such a better option than the usual airport sports bar. Plus less volume but same amount of booze means I'm less lucky to have to pee at 30,000 feet which is always a plus!
They have a nice collection of world wines, not just California's or French. Plus they offer flights to try 3 at once. I had a glass of pinot grigio to pair with my mixed green salad with goat cheese tossed with champagne vinaigrette (still shocked I ate this at the airport). Unfortunately the greens were a little wilty but that was the only issue with my experience. I also had the world value wines tasting which was nice to give opportunity to try more than one wine. I liked the Chilean wine best .
Their menu was varied and offered pairings with wine. Staff was attentive enough, prices were good. I'll definitely be back next time I fly out of phl.
I love this concept!! Â --wine tastings at the airport!!
Visiting this wine bar was a real treat and definitely helped pass the time on my 2 hour layover. Â I was very surprised at the fine caliber of wines they had to offer. Â The flights are excellent. Â I tried a 'central coast' flight and each and every one was a hit! Â
Friendly staff, clean area, good stemware, wonderful wine. Â Definitely looking forward to my next layover - Cheers to Vino Volo!
STOP. Stop here if you would like a relaxing or engaging experience
while waiting for you flight at Philadelphia International Airport. Have a wine flight for that red-eye and perhaps the pork tacos. The chicken samy is "meh" as is the vanilla bean cheescake but the wines are great and much attention has been paid to giving you info on what you are having. The mixed greens for five bucks is a great way to get salad greens outside of other chains. If they had Italian espresso, well- I would stay longer. Perhaps it is best if they don't. Servers are always polite and a step above what one finds at airports. The big guy we had with a mustache and beard was a dream.
This restaurant has completely changed my expectations of airport food. I used to be content with a hurried slice of greasy pizza, but no longer. A Vino Volo brie sandwich is now the standard to beat.
But it's not just the food. In PHL's chaotic "Philadelphia Marketplace" their little restaurant was a tranquil sanctuary. People aren't jostling you, carts aren't beeping at you, and CNN's Rick Sanchez isn't guffawing idiotically about the latest celebrity "news." It's just you and some quality food and some top notch wine.
Ah, the wine. I am a huge fan of wine flights. Comparing three wines lets me appreciate each more fully that I would without the perspective of immediate contrast. Some wine bars seem to assemble their flights at random, and some by pseudo-arbitrary criteria like "country" or "continent." But the Vino Volo flights are masterfully assembled: each is unique, but in a way that emphasizes their differences. Pick something that sounds good, and you won't go wrong.
Yet all this wonderfulness comes at a price. Two wine flights, two entrées, and one glass of wine plus tip came to $72. Vino Volo was so nice that I know I will be back, but at that price make sure you have the time to really soak it in.
I was pretty stressed out from some delayed flights when I strolled past Vino Volo. I passed it up and then came back because it just looked so relaxing. I stopped in for about an hour. I got the "Old World Whites" flight which was lovely. I paired it with the brie and prosciutto sandwich (wow!) and ended with the Chocolate Cheesecake Duo. It came to a little under $30, which I thought was plenty reasonable for the lovely atmosphere and the good attitude I came out with. I highly recommend!
I almost bought a bottle (bottles are 4x the glass price, btw), but I didn't quite have the money... But that option is available too, if you just fall in love with one.
I was waiting for a flight and wasn't in the mood for beer, and I happened to walk by this wine bar. Very happy I found it. It has a nice little selection of wines and the food menu looks like things that would compliment the drinks nicely.
Nice open set up too. I would definitely go back on my next flight out of Philly.
I have flown though PHL for years, and have never found anything to enjoyably pass the time. Tonight I had a couple of hours so I tried Vino Volo - a place I had seen in the past, but never thought to try. They have added a seating area outside the main wine bar that almost feels like "outside". They have padded wicker chairs and wooden tables with umbrellas overhead. The tables for two are close, but once you sit down you feel like you're in this little private spot in the middle of a busy terminal.
Their wines were great, and the food was surprisingly good - excellent for an airport. I started with a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and salmon/crab crostini. Very tasty. After a nice leisurely time with my food, wine and iPad, I decided to go for a chocolate cake and Zinfandel. Again, very very good. After spending about 90 minutes in my little private nook, I felt relaxed, refreshed, and wishing I had been able to enjoy it with my wife. Ii will definitely be back. Vino Volo is a good reason to connect through Philadelphia in the late afternoon or evening.
I wavered between a 3 and a 4 on this one, finally agreeing that 'I'm a fan.' I had a 2-hour layover in Philly around lunch time. I knew I wouldn't have time for lunch after I arrived in DC. So I went in to Vino Volo for a quick bite.
Here's what I like about it. Creative food choices. I had a garbanzo, chorizo chili. It was very good. I also like that you can get half order, which was just about what I wanted.
One frustration: I wanted an espresso after I finished my food. No espresso. In fact, no coffee at all. OK, I thought, there must be a Starbucks or something else in the concourse. Wrong-o. So no coffee at all that lunch.
I think it's interesting how many of the other reviewers gave this a 5-star rating. In a very objective sense, I don't think it deserves it. It compares favorably to most of the other choices for airport food. But I don't think I'd give it 5 stars compared to other wine bars that you might choose to go to.
And yes, even though it was lunch, I did have a glass of wine. I picked a California red, very moderately priced, that went very well with my chili.
Matt and I usually get to the airport with tons of time to spare, so recently before we boarded our plane to Pittsburgh, we stopped at Vino Volo for a quick drink and bite to eat. This wine bar chain currently has locations in about 10 airports in the U.S. and it's a welcome change to the overwhelming fast food options you usually get.
There is an impressive, albeit small, wine list with some fun flight options. (Heh, get it?) Â Matt's artisan cured meats (small size for $8) were yummy but really just made him more hungry for a real dinner. My brie & prosciutto sandwich (small size for $6) was surprisingly tasty. The brie was slightly melted and warm and the fig spread was ooey and gooey (in a good way).
It's nice to have Vino Volo in the Philly airport, because when we were early in Pittsburgh coming home, we sat in a Friday's. Not as nice.
Vino Volo offers wine, victuals, and women[1].
Zoomed through PHL security and decided to stop in Vino Volo. Just sit somewhere, and a server will help you. (I chose the bar.)
This charming wine bar - even for an airport terminal - has patio and dining room seating. Many diners were on cell phones or notebooks, but all had glasses handy. (It's privately-owned, and there's another PHL location. This one, in Terminal D, has been open since December.)
Aside from wine, you can order various small plates. I tried the braised pork tacos ($5, for a half order; full is $9), with "South American spices" (who knows what that is, exactly), served with a fresh cabbage slaw. Tender meat, a spritz of lime added flavor. The corn tortillas a bit doughy for me, but wine made it all better.
Wine flights are available so I went for their Mediterranean "Discovery" flight ($12): three glasses came out, each atop a label. I sampled a Spanish Flor d'Englora, Garnacha/Carinera, Montsant (2006) which had a happy, delightful aroma; a Lebanese Massaya, Cinsault/Cabernet, Bekaa Valley (2006); and a pungent Italian Terredora di Paolo, Aglianico, Campania (2007), with a bite.
Chatted with helpful bartender Adam, and fellow patrons (Dan and John, passing through, and a local woman). John saw me snapping photos and remarked, "Facebook quality!" to which I answered, "better, actually".
Vino Volo provides a temporary refuge from hectic process of travel, and a place to unwind.
[1] Okay, there was only one young lady, but I partook in plenty of oenological delights all the same.
Wine bars are great. Â Good wine bars are even better. Â Even a low-caliber place in an airport would be a blessing, but Vino Volo in Philly airport is at least twice as nice as it needs to be.
Clever, knowledgable waitstaff, tasty snacks, and a good variety of tasty, reasonably-priced offerings makes this a must-do. Â I echo the reviewer who lamented not having this sort of thing during his consulting career; my liver thanks that circumstance, but not my palette.
If there were a Vino Volo in every airport, I might've considered prolonging my consulting career. Â This place is fabulous! Â Great wines, great prices, great snacks, and friendly service. Â Next time I'm at PHL, I might actually hope for a flight delay, only to indulge in some Vino Volo goodness.
Review Source:I sit in an airport terminal receiving messages about a broken aircraft, but I am content.
What a happy moment when I realized my favorite layover haunt from IAD is now in PHL, and in an expanded form. Not just a wine bar, but a larger seating area plus outside "patio" overlooking the Philadelphia Marketplace and the peoplemovers. Yes, you *can* get a cheesesteak there, but it's overpriced and not as authentic as it should be. There's the Independence brewpub, but beer + food can make for rougher flying in cramped and strapped-down conditions. Ah, but wine and small plates is perfect.
I skipped the salad this time and went for a full bowl of chorizo and chick pea chili. It was excellent--rich and spicy, served with crostini, and complemented well by the rich "Autumn Flight" of white and red wines. I also found a new favorite wine in that flight: a Columbia Valley red blend that was aggressive and tasty as hell. Yeah, I'll have a second glass of that. The snacks and salads were updated since my last visit, and all looked good. It's expensive, sure (a real dinner would have paired the $12 chili with at least a $6-$8 salad and maybe something else), but shit, it's an airport: you're once again trapped inside a crowded but strangely limited shopping mall, forced to pay whatever prices and eat whatever crap the local port authority deems kickback-worthy--and people with guns threaten you if you complain too much. At least this establishment is a place you'd want to patronize outside of localized martial law!
It's less crowded than the IAD location, and has the same comfortable leather seats. I'll call this 4.5 stars, because the lack only one amenity: a stylish but legible flight status screen.
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