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Where to find Philadelphia’s best outdoor dining

A photo of Red logo
by Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme
Updated May 11, 2023

Despite tighter city regulations, outdoor dining options continue to mushroom across the City of Brotherly Love. Plentiful patios, streetside perches, and rooftop escapes distinguish Philadelphia’s thriving alfresco restaurant scene.

The city’s most adored French restaurant draws crowds for its sidewalk tables and Rittenhouse Square Park views. A Mexican spot in Fishtown stands out for a spacious outdoor lounge, ideal for sipping an Oaxacan old fashioned. In West Philly, a Southern American icon is known for a patio that channels a greenhouse.

There’s no better way to take a bite out of Philadelphia’s irrepressible food culture now that the warmer weather is here. Read on for a guide to 8 restaurants that nail outdoor dining.

A photo of Positano Coast by Aldo Lamberti restaurant
4.6
4.6 (3721)
$30 and under
Italian
Old City
About the restaurant

Take a mini-break to the Amalfi Coast at this Old City gem, where the front and back patios are umbrella-shaded and adorned with tropical plants, flowers, and palm trees. The southern Italian food tastes even better when devoured outdoors, including spicy fried calamari, smoked salmon flatbread, and tuna tartare. If you’re after a buzzier vibe, come on the weekends when DJs set a party scene.


Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined 5 days ago
Great food and great vibes.
A photo of Parc restaurant
4.8
4.8 (16031)
$31 to $50
French
Rittenhouse Square
About the restaurant

Philadelphia’s most adored French restaurant is also home to one of the city’s most sought-after outdoor dining perches. Parc reaches its atmospheric peak in the spring and summer, with the dining room windows flung open and the corner teeming with people hopeful for a table. The bustling sidewalk tables sit across the street from Rittenhouse Square Park, and the restaurant takes full advantage of its setting. There’s no better place to enjoy a flawlessly cooked cheese Gruyère omelet or steak frites while people watching.


Top review
CharlieFvip
Dined 3 days ago
Went there for my anniversary & they were so kind and accommodating. The restaurant was beautiful at night and the staff were quick & helpful with the menu. Our food and drinks were served so fast and everything was delicious.
A photo of Booker's Restaurant and Bar restaurant
4.5
4.5 (1458)
$30 and under
American
University City
About the restaurant

Booker’s lush patio has a one-of-a-kind greenhouse vibe, thanks to a sturdy pergola that’s crisscrossed with ample flowers, vines, and greenery. Comfortable outdoor tables and chairs make it the type of place city dwellers want to linger—as does the homey food. Consider the beef andouille sausage and shrimp with grits for brunch or get a plate of fried fish sliders and soak in the sunshine. And learn about the restaurant’s storied past while you’re here: The iconic Cedar Park spot is named for Booker Wright, a server at a whites-only restaurant in 1960s Mississippi (the subject of a 2012 documentary).


Top review
Andrew
Dined 3 days ago
This was our second time and it just was as wonderful this time as the first. And the food was fantastic!!
A photo of La Llorona Cantina restaurant
4.7
4.7 (143)
$30 and under
Mexican
South Philly
About the restaurant

La Llorona has an extra-wide pavement for a dining area bedecked with lights, and there are enough plants to make it feel like a green haven in concrete-heavy South Philly. The cantina-style menu offers standout tacos, nachos, and ceviche. Try the pollo en su mole (chicken breast with frito beans, red rice, and tortillas) for a taste of the housemade mole sauce, layered with complex flavors. Spirits aficionados, take note: the bar offers a few tequilas you won’t easily find elsewhere.


Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined 4 days ago
Food was excellent- we shared Tacos - al pastor and carne asada. And the passion fruit Margaritas were delicious too. Service was very good and decor was fun.
A photo of Le Virtu restaurant
4.8
4.8 (1953)
$31 to $50
Italian
East Passyunk Avenue
About the restaurant

You’ll find Le Virtù on the quieter end of East Passyunk Avenue, and its sprawling patio is among the best al fresco options in Philadelphia. Tables are well spaced, plants abound, and there are plenty of shaded and sheltered sections so diners can find a spot for their needs. The Abruzzo-focused menu, with its housemade pasta, is another reason to visit Le Virtù at any time of year. Try the maccheroni alla mugnaia—a single, impossibly long strand of pasta tangled in hot peppers, garlic, olive oil, and pecorino.


Top review
monsieurmsvip
Dined 1 day ago
Some great new menu additions go with the old faves. Always works, always succeeds.
A photo of Talula’s Garden restaurant
4.9
4.9 (12278)
$50 and over
American
Washington Square
About the restaurant

Semi-hidden behind a vine-tangled wrought iron fence across from Washington Square Park, the patio at Talula’s Garden feels like a secret garden. The atmosphere is particularly enchanting, lit by paper lanterns and bountiful twinkly lights. Local ingredients feature heavily on the menu, so look for the most seasonal treats, such as ricotta and goat cheese ravioli with arugula, Kennett Square mushrooms, and sage-scented breadcrumbs.


Top review
AbigailV
Dined on Jan 1, 2023
Amazing as always. I took my husband here for his birthday. The staff was kind and thoughtful. The food was great. I had the workaholic drink - it was incredible. We love this place!
A photo of Estia - Philadelphia restaurant
4.8
4.8 (8199)
$50 and over
Greek
Center City
About the restaurant

If there’s a cuisine that is best eaten outside, it’s island-inspired Greek fare. Locust Street and Philadelphia’s bustling theater district are a long way from the Aegean isles, but Estia transports you there with a glass of cold white wine, a platter of dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), and charcoal-grilled octopus. Estia’s spacious sidewalk tables are shaded by an inviting overhang that offers shade on sunny days, while colorful flower boxes give the space a quaint and garden-like ambience.


Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined on Jan 2, 2023
Amazing! Phil our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations. We had Estia chips as an appetizer, delicious and unique. We had six oysters as well. My husband had a white fish and I had the lamb chops overall very delicious and great service would highly recommend.
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