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While Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood is packed with history, it’s also an epicenter of dining and nightlife in the city. Restaurants in Old City cover a spectrum of international influences, from Pan-Asian fusion at Buddakan to classic Italian at LaScala’s, Japanese food at Haru Sushi and French Mediterranean flavors at Patou, Old Original Bookbinders, one of Philadephia’s most famous restaurants, features a menu of steaks, chops and seafood, including sushi, and has served some of the nation’s most prominent characters. Many of Philadelphia’s Old City restaurants like Bleu Martini, Cebu and Beneluxx Tasting Room have vibrant bar scenes, gathering well-dressed crowds on weekends for a little dining, drinking and dancing.
Old City Restaurants
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217-19 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Spanish, Tapas / Small Plates.
With Amada, owner/chef Jose Garces brings traditional Spanish tapas to Philadelphia, along with several other traditional Spanish and Mediterranean dishes, including the house specialty: a whole roasted suckling pig (that must be ordered in advance). As a restaurant, Amada takes the tradition of tapas to new levels with its selection of only seasonal, local ingredients.
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33 S. 3rd St. Lower Level, Philadelphia PA 19106
Comfort Food, Gastro Pub, Fondue.
Beneluxx is set in a Philadelphia basement, and features an eclectic wine list and one of the city's widest selections of beers on tap and in the bottle. The cuisine is an aside to the beer at Beneluxx, with fondues, pizzas, crepes, gourmet cheeses and chocolates sold by the ounce. Each table at Beneluxx of Philadelphia features a one-of-a-kind glass rinsing station in order to encourage tasting of multiple beers and wines.
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7 N. 3rd St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Contemporary American, Organic.
Located in the heart of the Old City district of Philadelphia, Bistro 7 is a fine contemporary American restaurant that features exclusively locally farmed, fresh, organic seasonal ingredients. Bistro 7 is also one of Philadelphia's numerous BYOB restaurants, where guests are encouraged to bring their own alcohol if they wish.
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24 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia PA 19106
American, Fusion / Eclectic.
Swanky is the word that perhaps best sums up the Bleu Martini, a restaurant and lounge peppered with tiger-stripe velvet furniture and located in the heart of Philadelphia's Old City restaurant district. In addition to the contemporary American and Asian fusion cuisine, the Bleu Martini lives up to its name with a menu of specialty martinis that range from classics to dessert martinis.
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325 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Asian.
With locations in several prominent American cities, celebrity restaurateur Stephen Starr's Buddakan comes to Philadelphia featuring the signature high-modern Zen inspired décor and the contemporary Pan-Asian fusion cuisine that’s garnered rave reviews from Philadelphia restaurant goers and national food critics. Buddakan of Philadelphia also features a cocktail lounge, in which the restaurant bartenders mix drinks of a similar flavor philosophy as the menu.
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35 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Indian.
Café Spice comes to Philadelphia via New York City, where the original Café Spice set the stage for the now nationally viable Café Spice brand. Café Spice of Philadelphia is fashioned after the original, and features the signature regional Indian cuisine that's gained the restaurant its acclaimed reputation. The vibrant atmosphere, exhibition kitchen and expansive bar complement dining experiences at this Philadelphia restaurant.
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123 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
American, Tapas / Small Plates.
This unique Philadelphia concept restaurant is a truly colonial endeavor. Named for the island of Cebu in the Philippines, Cebu restaurant brings traditional Philippine flavors together with Spanish flavors and traditions. The result is an eclectic fusion menu including a selection of Philippine-style tapas. Cebu converts from a restaurant to a popular Philadelphia nightclub in the evenings, featuring live DJ's and dancing nightly.
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10 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Cuban, Latin American, Caribbean.
This Old City Philadelphia restaurant brings the atmosphere of 1940's Havana to the city of brotherly love. Cuba Libre features contemporary Cuban cuisine, and boasts one of the widest selections of rum in all of Philadelphia. Cuba Libre is a nightlife destination in Philadelphia on the weekends, encouraging an upscale-casual dress code on Friday and Saturday nights.
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312 Race St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Seafood.
DiNardo's Famous Seafood is a Philadelphia institution, serving up seasonal crabs and other Atlantic shellfish with an emphasis on keeping it simple, and keeping Philadelphia restaurant goers full. DiNardo's famous seafood encourages Philadelphia guests to come in and get messy, with crabs and clams served up by the dozen. Monday night is all-you-can-eat seafood night, available for a scant $30.
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241 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Italian.
Dolce is a stylish and vibrant Italian restaurant perhaps better known for its late-night dining scene. The cuisine at Dolce is fairly traditional Italian cuisine, with appetizers and desserts earning critical acclaim from Philadelphia restaurant critics. Dolce features a large bar area, and extensive wine and cocktail lists, respectively.
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136 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Belgian, American.
Eulogy Belgian Tavern is known in Philadelphia for its Belgian and contemporary American menu, in particular for such items as the mussels with varietal sauces and the "Napoleon burger." Most interestingly, Eulogy Belgian Tavern of Philadelphia has earned a national reputation for its selection of beers, with over 300 bottled varieties to accompany 25 taps.
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15 S. 3rd St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Contemporary American, Organic.
FARMiCiA is a contemporary Philadelphia restaurant that features an exclusive emphasis on local, seasonal farmed ingredients. Within its walls, FARMiCiA offers the Philadelphia restaurant scene the Metropolitan Café, which features fresh daily pastries and breakfast items, as well as the Farm Bar, with late-night dining options and an extensive cocktail menu.
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241-243 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19004
Sushi, Japanese, Asian.
Quickly gaining a reputation as one of the finest sushi restaurants in all of Philadelphia, Haru Sushi has brought its Manhattan success to the city of brotherly love. Featuring a spacious main dining room beneath a high, beamed ceiling, Haru Sushi of Philadelphia also offers a separate sushi bar for those wishing to get up close and personal with the Japanese chefs and a separate cocktail lounge.
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8 S. Front St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Italian.
This Philadelphia institution is indeed family owned and operated, as it has been since first opening its doors in 1976. La Famiglia Ristorante has garnered a reputation for being one of the finest Italian restaurants in a city full of Italian restaurants. La Famiglia Ristorante has won numerous awards from such organizations as Wine Spectator and Mobil Travel, in addition to the approval of Philadelphia restaurant critics.
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615 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Italian, American.
Just a block away from the Liberty Bell, LaScala's is located in the heart of Philadelphia's Old City. LaScala's serves classic Italian dishes, including pizzas, salads, paninis, pastas and Italian entrees prepared with local meats and seafoods. LaScala's of Philadelphia is both a family-friendly restaurant and an pleasant location for a romantic meal or a private business lunch.
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125 Walnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Seafood, Steak, Sushi.
Old Original Bookbinders is perhaps one of the most famous restaurants in Philadelphia, catering to some of the nation's most prominent personalities over the latter half of the 20th century. Old Bookbinders serves up fine steaks, chops and seafood in seasonal preparations, and this Philadelphia institution also features a dinner-only sushi bar.
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239 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
American, Fusion / Eclectic.
One of the trendier restaurants in all of Philadelphia, Paradigm features high-modern interior design and with custom Italian lighting centered around the restaurant's massive granite bar. Paradigm serves global fusion cuisine, with fresh seasonal ingredients imported from as far as Australia. Paradigm also features some of the more unique bathrooms in Philadelphia, with glass "peek-a-boo" doors that are clear when open and opaque when locked.
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312 Market St., Philadelphia PA 19106
French, Mediterranean.
The second restaurant venture of chef Patrice Rames, Patou offers homage to the French Riviera, featuring seasonal preparations of French and Mediterranean flavors. Patou, along with its lively bar, is also a popular Old City Philadelphia nightspot with high ceilings, impressive art collection and massive open kitchen with wood burning ovens.
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207 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Contemporary American, Seafood.
Philadelphia Fish & Co. has been a successful Philadelphia restaurant for over 25 years, with their signature takes on fresh global seafood prepared in all manner of health-conscious ways, including over a mesquite grill. Philadelphia Fish & Co. also features a popular bar with a more casual bar menu, including the award-winning Philadelphia Fish & Co. burger.
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212 Walnut St. 2nd Floor, Philadelphia PA 19106
Italian, Small Plates, Seafood.
This lavish Italian restaurant venture of local Italian restaurateur Aldo Lamberti boasts]s eye-popping interior features said to take the Philadelphia restaurant-goer on a tour of Italy. Positano Coast by Aldo Lamberti features innovative Italian cuisine served via small plates, meant to be shared amongst the table, with an emphasis on Mediterranean seafood.
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14 N. Front St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Italian.
Ristorante Panorama is located inside the elegant Penn's View Hotel of Philadelphia. Ristorante Panorama serves traditional Italian cuisine, with influences primarily stemming from the northern regions. Featuring one of the most extensive list of wines by the glass of any Philadelphia Italian restaurant, Ristorante Panorama is built around its wine bar which features a unique 127-bottle wine dispenser.
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20 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia PA 19106
International, Comfort Food.
Serrano & Tin Angel is a famed Philadelphia restaurant and music club located in the Old City neighborhood. Serrano, the restaurant, serves up truly global comfort food fusion plates, from Vietnamese to Moroccan to Mediterranean to American traditions and everything in between. Tin Angel, on the second floor of the Philadelphia restaurant, is an acoustic music "cafe," with a reputation for launching some fairly important music careers.
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10 S. Front St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Asian, Sushi, Fusion / Eclectic.
Swanky Bubbles of Philadelphia does its best at living up to its name with menus featuring Pan-Asian cuisine, eclectic sushi and—of course—a broad selection of champagne and sparklig wine. The food at Swanky Bubbles is fit for sharing, especially dishes such as the surf and turf roll, with beef, lobster, scallion, cream cheese and spicy sauce. Swanky Bubbles is a favorite amongst late-night Philadelphia restaurant goers, serving the full menu nightly until 1am.
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232 Market St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Mediterranean, French.
This Stephan Starr opus is one of the most recognized restaurants in all of Philadelphia, if not the entire East Coast. Tangerine features several unique dining rooms, with the state-of-the-art ambiance that the famed Stephan Starr has made ubiquitous in all of his concept restaurants. The cuisine at Tangerine is Mediterranean fusion, served small-plate style to encourage sharing.
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117-121 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106
Contemporary American.
This upscale restaurant and brewpub features contemporary American cuisine and hand-crafted beer brewed onsite. The Philadelphia location of the Triumph Brewing Company is in the center of Old City, walking distance from historical Philadelphia destinations such as the Liberty Bell. Triumph Brewing Company of Philadelphia also features live music on the weekends.
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