The City of Brotherly Love opens its arms to diners. Here are ten special restaurants, from sensually exotic to elegantly grand. Find a special place to share a romantic evening with the one you love.
BEAU MONDE 624 S 6th St Philadelphia, PA 19147 (215) 592-0656
Tues-Fri noon-11pm, Sat 10am-11 pm, Sun 10am-10 pm
The grand fireplace at this sultry, shadowy French boite makes it a magnet for couples canoodling over crepes cooked on imported Breton griddles. The sweet and savory crepes ooze Roquefort, lemon curd, coq au vin, and Nutella, while the jade jewelry box of a dining room oozes a coy sex appeal that’s ideal for first dates. The tight cherry wood tables arranged together like a game of Tetris together encourage footsy with your date (or neighbor), and the café windows that fold open in the warmer months allow roaming eyes to admire the pretty Queen Villagers parading down Bainbridge Street. Avg Cost pp: $35
RED SQUARE The Quarter at Tropicana 2801 Pacific Ave Atlantic City, NJ 08401 (609) 344-9100
Mon-Thurs noon-12am, Fri noon-2am, Sat noon-3am, Sun noon-12am
Little is romantic about the Communist pop-art propaganda that line the walls of Jeffrey Chodorow’s Cold War-chic Red Square in Tropicana’s The Quarter, but just beyond the hostess podium lies Lover’s Lane, a narrow dimly lit alley lined with plush half-moon banquettes. Each alcove is draped with a red velvet curtain that can be closed for—ahem—private dining. Discreet servers knock before entering with dinner. Think Rusky classics like chicken kiev and beef Stroganoff, as well as trendy tastes like the Siberian nachos, airy wonton chips crowned with wasabi-infused tobiko caviar and crème fraiche.
Avg. Cost pp: $75
FITZWATER CAFÉ 728 S 7th St Philadelphia, PA (215) 629-0428
Bright. Sunny. Breezy. Fitzwater Café is the antithesis of its pine-paneled brother Saloon down the street. Inhale the aromas of bracingly strong espresso and ethereal pastries made daily and you could be in Sorrento, Vienna, Provence, or Seville. Morning-after couples with cappuccino mustaches relax on woven rattan chairs over leisurely brunches of lobster omelets and banana napoleons. By night, this corner café lures a mosaic of Bella Vista yups and old-neighborhood characters alike with its smoky roasted peppers, obsidian squid ink linguine, and veal melanzana, a luscious pan-fried veal-and-eggplant special with mozzarella and tomato that regulars reserve along with nightly tables.
Avg. Cost pp: $35
WATER WORKS 640 Water Works Dr, Philadelphia PA (215) 236-9000
With sweeping vistas of Boathouse Row, the Water Works’s outdoor terrace perched atop the Schuylkill River might be the most panoramic new place for a special dinner with that special someone. The sprawling complex—and National Historic Landmark—used to pump H2O to the entire city before being reincarnated as a glorious Grecian temple for Main Liners and Philadelphia high society to worship among crystal chandeliers and a cascading indoor waterfall. Former chef Adan Trinidad is out, replaced by original Water Works consultant Ed Doherty, who will hopefully bring more stability to the Mediterranean kitchen. Here’s hoping the menu will match the views.
Avg Cost pp: $30
TANGERINE 232 Market St, Philadelphia, PA (215) 627-5116
Mon-Thurs 5:30pm-11pm ,Fri-Sat 5:30pm-12am, Sun 5:30pm-10pm
Arabian Nights comes to life at one of restaurant impresario Stephen Starr’s original productions, a catwalk for the city’s glitterati to graze on Moroccan meze and sip lusty cocktails infused with rosewater. Persian lanterns and an entire wall of flickering votives cast shadows across the cavernous Casablanca outfitted in Bedouin bling by New York’s David Schefer Design. Think Afrique pillows, beaded curtains, low-slung sofas, velvet drapes, and intimate alcoves ideal for romantic rendezvous. It doesn’t hurt that the loosely interpreted Middle Eastern plates (harissa gnocchi, short rib spanikopita) also rock that Casaba, so to speak.
Avg Cost pp: $55
POND 175 King Of Prussia Rd, Radnor PA 610-293-9411
Romance lives happily ever after at this storybook manor with a Main Line pedigree. Nestled among flowering gardens and manicured grounds, this sprawling manor that previously housed Passarelle is now white-tablecloth Pond and its casual sister, Bistro Cassis. The generous windows overlooking swans gliding across the tranquil pond shine and the silverware gleams like the jewelry ringing the necks and wrists of the Merion Golf Club crowd. Warm crimsons and creams, a stone hearth, and vaulted ceiling with exposed whitewashed rafters make Pond an elegant-but-comfortable space to enjoy an eclectic menu punctuated by lavender, saffron, truffle, and other flavors of chef/owner Adbe Dahrouch’s Moroccan-French roots.
Avg. Cost pp: $65
RADICCHIO CAFÉ 314 York Avenue, Philadelphia PA (215) 627-6850
Disciples line up for a teensy table at this diminutive BYOB that straddles Old City and Northern Liberties. The Philly bar scene is so close you can hear the bottle service champagne glasses clinking in the distance, but inside this redbrick trattoria strung in bee lights, the crush feels a million miles away. At marble-topped tables huddled close together, couples sip Chianti and play fork footsy with crab-studded corkscrews of fusilli, piles of penne, and light-as-marshmallow gnocchi served by raven-haired waiters with Italian patois. The famous sweet langostinos split and grilled on a wood-fired oven are love at first sight.
Avg Cost pp: $35
RESTAURANT M 225 South 8th Street, Philadelphia PA 215 625 2946
Mon-Thurs, 5:30pm-9:30pm Fri-Sat, 5:30-10pm
Beyond a black wrought iron gate, down a gravel path, and hidden between two restored 18th-century mansions that comprise the colonial-chic Morris House Hotel is a flowering courtyard that’s the setting for Restaurant M, a 2006 newcomer to the Philadelphia dining scene. When the weather’s right, it’s hard to beat one of the iron tables scattered across M’s redbrick patio and grassy lawn. Illuminated by oil lamps and fireflies, this secret Garden of Eden off the hustle of 8th Street dishes up classy American fare (goat cheese-and-onion tarts with roasted Seckel pears, free-range veal chops with maitakes and walnut pesto) alongside dogwood and magnolia trees.
Avg. Cost: $55
MARRAKESH 517 South Leithgow Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 (215) 925-5929 Hours: (Sun-Sat) 5:30 pm-11 pm The first Moroccan restaurant on the East Coast, is tucked away behind South Street on a tiny quiet passageway. Marrakesh is a sensual, exotic adventure where guests lounge on rug covered banquets, surrounded by colorful pillows, in a dimly lit incense-scented room. The evening begins with the hand washing ritual, followed by an authentic Moroccan seven-course feast, and ending with the traditional tea ceremony. Diners indulge in eating with their fingers using pieces of flatbread to scoop up the North African delicacies. Herb infusions of cinnamon, coriander, cumin, mint, and cardamom, along with the sun drenched flavors of almonds, raisins, olives, dates, honey, and fresh fruits from the Mediterranean coast make this restaurant an oasis in the city's south side.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $25 prix fixe menu
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Open, New Years Eve-Open
THE FOUNTAIN RESTAURANT The Four Seasons Hotel, 1 Logan Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 963-1500 Hours: (Sun-Sat) 6:30 am-11 am/11:30 am-2:30 pm/5:45 pm-10:30 pm Nowhere in Philadelphia will you find a more magnificent and dazzling restaurant. Renowned Chef, Jean-Marie Lacroix, is famous for his unrivaled French-American cuisine. Everything is perfect: from the antique service plates to the dazzling floral bouquets, the sublime appetizers to the luscious French desserts, not to mention the attentive, gracious service. The views are spectacular, the service flawless, and the food divine. Even in this magnificent and luxurious setting, there is no feeling of stuffiness, just genuine elegance and warmth.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $60 - $70
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Open, New Years Eve-Open
The Top List of Romantic Restaurants - Philadelphia, PA