The Sena family has been part of Philadelphia culture since the auspiciously patriotic year of 1976, and it shows. All three of their ventures -- the ornately Old World La Famiglia, the mural-rich wine bistro Panorama and the boutique-y Penn’s View Hotel -- face the Delaware riverfront, which at the Bicentennial represented the hope for the city’s future. Today, Penn’s Landing hasn’t panned out to be the vibrant community retreat City Hall imagined. But La Famiglia, the Senas’ original Old City venture, is as stalwart as ever, deliberately rooted in customs that impart a formality of fine dining to longtime loyalists as well as curious passers-through. Regulars who know the menu -- in which veal, cream sauces and homemade pastas are heavily featured -- will have no problem navigating the choices. They might even splurge on the signature rack of lamb, a meal best topped off with a rum-rich mascarpone tart. Newcomers, however, should heed the advice of the tie-and-vested servers, and opt for the specials, to which the kitchen attends most carefully. Pillowy porcini gnocchi, whole Branzino filleted tableside, creamy burrata and tomato salad represent some of the freshest finds from the kitchen. Such daily offerings are further enhanced by servers’ suggestions from the dictionary-thick wine list, a historic tome if ever there were one.