All Churches in Philadelphia
If you love Paris in the springtime, Parc is a veritable grand cru.
With Parc, famed restaurateur Stephen Starr brings a certain je ne sais quoi to Rittenhouse Square. Parc offers an authentic French bistro experience, fully equipped with a chic Parisian ambiance and gorgeous sidewalk seating overlooking the Square.
Cuisine
Parc menu encourages a joyful dining experience, where croissants, champagne and conversation are enjoyed in equal measure.
Sample hors d’oeuvres include salade lyonnaise with warm bacon vinaigrette and poached egg, escargots served in their shells with hazelnut butter and a crispy duck confit with frisée salad and pickled chanterelles.
Outstanding entrées include boeuf bourguignon with fresh buttered pasta and steak frites with peppercorn sauce. A variety of plats du jour are also offered, including a seafood-rich bouillabaisse on Fridays and a sumptuous coq au vin, perfect for Sunday night suppers.
And what´s an authentic French meal without wine? More than 160 expertly chosen varietals are offered by the bottle, with more than 20 available by the glass.
See and Be Seen
With seating for more than 75 at its sidewalk and window seating, Parc has instantly become one of the best places in Philadelphia for alfresco drinking and dining.
The awning-covered seating wraps around the restaurant´s two sides and overlooks Rittenhouse Square, one of Philadelphia´s most popular public spaces.
Atmosphere
The aroma of freshly baked breads fills the air as one enters Parc´s casual front room, which is clad in hand-laid Parisian tiles in shades of ecru and green.
Red leather banquettes flanked by frosted glass offer subtle intimacy, while well-worn wooden chairs, reclaimed bistro tables and mahogany paneled walls give the room a sense of place.
The more formal dining room provides a slightly more sophisticated experience while maintaining the energy and emotion of a bustling brasserie.
To put it simply, Parc is nothing short of an authentic Parisian dining experience – right here in the heart of Rittenhouse Square.
Percy Street Barbecue sees the South Street debut of restaurateurs Steven Cook and Michael Solomonov (Zahav, Xochitl).
Serving a straightforward selection of slowly smoked meats and homey side dishes alongside craft beers and tasty cocktails, Percy Street is an ideal venue for Chef Erin OShea much-lauded Southern cooking, and is on its way to become the city top spot for barbecue.
Working with J&R smokers sourced from Texas, Chef O´shea and her crack team of barbecue wizards headed down to Texas – tested no fewer than 20 beef briskets – as they perfected the ideal balance of salt, smoke and seasoning. Check out this video about their culinary field trip to the Lone Star State.
The Eats
That Brisket which is Percy Street´s signature dish, served – as is the custom in Texas – by the half pound or pound, in three distinct cuts: Moist, Lean and Burnt Ends.
Other menu items include: Spare Ribs; house-made Sausage; half or whole Chicken; and Pork Belly, all slowly smoked and served with white bread and pickles. Sides, available small or large, include: Pinto Beans; Green Bean Casserole, Root beer Chili, Coleslaw; Collard Greens; Macaroni and Cheese; and Vegan Chili.
The Drinks
In keeping with their bare-bones, Texas-frontier aesthetic, Percy Street´s craft beers are served exclusively on draft at the poured concrete bar, lit from above by illuminated green glass beer growlers. Beers include Sly Fox Rauchbier (available in Pennsylvania exclusively at the restaurant) as well as a hand-crafted Root Beer from Yard´s Brewing Company.
Cocktails include: FM 423, with Tito handmade vodka, peach juice and sweet tea; Jack & Ginger, with Jack Daniels, Canton ginger liqueur, lime cordial and ginger ale; and Cherry Cola, with Beam rye, cherry Heering, DiSaronno and cola.
Atmosphere
Percy Street´s simple, rustic decor was created by Elisabeth Knapp, who also designed Cook and Solomonov Xochitl and Zahav restaurants.
Her frontier-influenced design focuses on the fire engine red smokers, visible through a window in the dining room and bar area. The restaurant features light wood floors, weathered red paint, a working jukebox and custom “blackboard walls,” large panels of schoolhouse blackboards that can be rearranged to create private dining areas throughout the 80-seat space.
Seating in the form of repurposed church pews, and bare light bulbs overhead in the dining room lend to the restaurant Texas-esque aesthetic.
The Fountain Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia has received seemingly every type of accolade there is, from top honors in Gourmet magazine to Forbes Travel Guide´s 2010 Five Star award to a perfect Five Diamond rating from AAA. It´s been a Philadelphia favorite for special occasion meals for decades.
Additionally rated as the best restaurant in Philadelphia by Zagat´s, the Fountain Restaurant overlooks the majestic Swann Memorial Fountain sculpture by Alexander Stirling Calder in the center of Logan Square. You´ll also enjoy sweeping views of the grand Benjamin Franklin Parkway and its gorgeous Beaux Arts architecture.
Fountain is definitely an incredibly romantic restaurant, so if you´re visiting with a special someone, you will surely impress them with a meal at Fountain.
You can order a la carte or select the prix fix option to enjoy the “spontaneous tastes” menu which gives the chef control of a few courses. The menu changes regularly, but you can expect to see globaly influenced items like Pan-fried Veal Sweetbreads, Braised Dover Sole Roulade, Sautéed Venison Medallions and Roasted Australian Lamb Saddle.