Rittenhouse Square Restaurants

La Viola, Italian for "the viola," a string instrument known for producing a deep and sonorous sound, is one of Philadelphia's excellent bring-your-own-bottle establishments, serving a harmonious blend of moderately priced Italian fare. The restaurant, a tiny, single-room establishment located in Center City near Rittenhouse Square and the theater district, offers a unique and lively experience, where diners complement La Viola's flavorful selections with favorite wine choices toted through the BYO’s doors.

Rittenhouse Square is home to the Parisian oasis, Parc Brasserie. Capturing the true essence of sophisticated café cuisine, Parc presents guests with a comfortingly satisfying menu of French classics. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served up with a fitting degree of care, and flavor, as Parc maintains the Starr Restaurants’ high standards for quality and service. From the Onion Soup to the Beef Bourguignon, the bliss is in the bite. Linger over a comforting café au lait on the patio or enjoy a leisurely sip of wine at the zinc bar at Parc Brasserie – that Parisian holiday is only …

Established in 1999, The Black Sheep has quickly risen to the top as a favorite Irish pubs in Philly. This tavern has a rather historic feel due to its antique fireplace, bar, and three story colonial house located near Rittenhouse Square. The Black Sheep serves a wide variety of food and drinks alongside traditional Irish fare and house specialties. With entrees ranging from Guinness Braised Beef Stew to the Crab Cake Sandwich, this place guarantees a unique dining experience. The Philadelphia landmark also hosts private events and invites guests to stop by for a lunch, dinner, happy hour, drinks, or …

Tequilas shows the highbrow side of Mexico’s popular elixir. Soak in a margarita at the outdoor tables, perfectly situated for watching well-put-together Rittenhouse folk cross the corner of Locust and 16th. Inside, a high-ceilinged space provides an elegant backdrop for Owner David Suro’s classic vision. He brought the fruits of his homeland to Philadelphia in 1986, establishing a Mexican presence in the city’s culinary spectrum. Other spots around town have since twisted Mexican fare into a modern adventure, but chef Claudio Soto’s plates continue to showcase a brute traditionalism that brings diners to the root of it all.

Friday Saturday Sunday started on a dare and became a Center City dining establishment known best for its wine list, the Tank Bar (a second-floor bar set before a jumbo fish tank), and its cream of mushroom soup. Located near Rittenhouse Square, the restaurant features dishes including pork chops, crab cakes, duck and butternut squash ravioli. Low-lit dining rooms are cozy enough to be romantic; they are also ideal for getting together with friends for dinner and a bottle of wine. The wine list offers about 70 varieties, all sold only $10 over cost.

Pumpkin, coined from the pet name of husband and wife co-owners Ian Moroney and Hillary Bor, offers an adventurous menu that changes daily – dishes can include snails, cardoon, and homemade banana gelato. The intimate 28-seat restaurant in the city’s Graduate Hospital area also serves up the sort of comfortable charm that comes of candle lighting, small tables, and attentive service from employees that include members of Moroney’s family. This neighborhood restaurant is well suited for a second date, a second anniversary or a couple of hours catching up with old friends. With an ever changing menu that boasts farm-to-table …

Audrey Claire is a small New American gem in the heart of elegant Rittenhouse Square. Owner Audrey Claire Taichman gives the restaurant its name and also its minimalist elegance, which engulfs guests with bare white walls and palatable heat from the open kitchen. Executive Chef Kiong Banh mixes up traditional New American cuisine, creating simple yet inventive dishes such as Roasted Leg of Lamb with Cranberry-Rosemary Puree. Taichman's conceptual direction coupled with Bahn's insistence on excellence and innovation ensure that Audrey Claire’s atmosphere and menu remain sophisticated without being pretentious, and unique while retaining simplicity and quality.

Situated in Philadelphia’s ritziest neighborhood, Rouge takes on the persona of a Parisian café with ease and elegance. Rittenhouse Square is chichi central, and the undeniable draw of this city favorite isn’t the food – it’s the view. Whether you’re looking outside at the bustling park or inside at the attractively attired clientele, Rouge is a place to see and be seen. The menu is upscale comfort – American with a French flair – and the prices are an obvious reflection of its trendy reputation. Where image and appetites collide, Rouge guarantees a truly unique dining experience for all of …

Meritage Restaurant and Wine Bar, located in Rittenhouse Square, offers a contemporary, seasonally-driven fusion menu that incorporates traditional French techniques and Asian flavors. Specializing in small plates, the restaurant allows diners to share and enjoy a variety of dishes. Don’t be fooled by the food— Owners Michele DiPietro and Irene Landy are similarly committed to providing an award-winning selection of wines at affordable prices. Local vegetables and produce are hand-picked from Lancaster and Chester County Farms for diners to enjoy while taking in the sophisticated décor and savoring the flavor of truly fresh ingredients.

Located in the prestigious Rittenhouse Hotel, gazing over downtown Philadelphia's most elegant square, Lacroix has become a landmark of its own right - with an air of graceful distinction. Romantic and evocative, the dining room beckons with the luminous glow of candlelight. Guests are invited to indulge in the world-class menu, composed of the freshest ingredients of the Eastern seaboard. This composition of International Progressive cuisine, prepared with profound expertise by Master Chef Jon Cichon, includes mouth watering additions such as Elysian Fields Lamb Carpaccio and Hudson Valley Duck.

Located inside the posh Barclay residence on Rittenhouse Square, Barclay Prime is Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr’s steakhouse concept. The upscale steakhouse is both classic and contemporary: while its walls are lined with old-fashioned bookshelves, its chairs are utterly modern, designed in bright green and white leather. The same goes for its menu, where executive chef Jeffery Froehler offers traditional signature steaks like dry aged rib eye and New York strip, alongside more creative, fun items like kobe beef sliders and tater tots. With its swanky décor, decadent menu, and first-class service, Barclay Prime is the perfect spot for that special …

A great steak is a culinary art form, and while many restaurants strive for such excellence, few actually achieve it. For decades, the Prime Rib has been pleasing diners with the highest quality meats and seafood in Baltimore and Washington D.C.; in 1997, it took up shop in Philadelphia. Elegant, classic and undeniably upscale, the Prime Rib has established itself as a beloved favorite among the discerning Rittenhouse crowd, proving that nothing beats a perfectly cooked steak and a well-made cocktail.

Part of a family of steakhouses committed to quality, Smith & Wollensky is founded on a tradition of excellence. At the Philadelphia location, Executive Chef Patrick Dwyer partakes in Smith & Wollensky tradition, hand-butchering and dry aging USDA Prime beef on premises. Whether feasting on Dwyer’s steaks or opting for fresh seafood or other Smith & Wollensky classics, diners are promised an extravagant experience. The two-story restaurant, located inside the Rittenhouse Hotel, offers a classic setting paired with stunning views of Rittenhouse Square.

Devon Seafood Grill offers “global aquatic cuisine,” with ingredients and flavors from all corners of the world. Chef Jitendra Gulgule serves up creative interpretations of market-fresh Pacific and Atlantic fish and shellfish, presenting both daily and seasonal specials and signature classics. An oyster bar and extensive wine cellar add to the experience, as does the comfortably elegant setting.

Nestled in the center of majestic brownstones, contemporary cafes, and the natural beauty of Rittenhouse Square lies Twenty Manning. The modern dining room, outdoor café, and spacious bar gives a location for every diner’s taste. A bevy of seafood creations like spicy calamari, sushi dishes and oysters work for starters, however, the entrees get more into the Asian-fusion mix, offering roasted duck and seared Szechuan salmon.

Ernesto's 1521 Café has been serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch to a hip neighborhood clientele in its historic rowhouse, since its opening in 1992. Try the succulent and signature osso buco and seafood cioppino. Freshly prepared Italian selections with daily specials are presented by Chef Lewis Rice, Jr. with desserts lovingly created and prepared from decades old family recipes by Livia, Ernesto's mother.

Not only is the Kimmel Center home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, it is also the home of Cadence restaurant. Voted “Best Roof Deck” in Philadelphia by Philadelphia Weekly, Cadence offers a spectacular view of Broad St. and the Avenue of the Arts from two-tiers up. Serving Contemporary French cuisine in a retro-chic atmosphere, this restaurant is open for lunch or dinner on days when the Verizon Hall hosts performances. Cadence’s menu changes seasonally, ensuring that guest’s receive the freshest, in-season ingredients.