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12 of Philadelphia’s outstanding spots for celebrating special occasions

A photo of Red logo
by Joy Manning
Updated September 22, 2022

Maybe you got engaged on the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art or just picked up the keys to your first rowhouse. It could be that your kid is (finally) toilet trained, or that your noisy neighbor moved away. Sometimes, simply surviving another Tuesday can be an occasion to celebrate over a restaurant meal.

It doesn’t have to be fancy. What makes an occasion special isn’t an arbitrary date on the calendar—it’s the decision to celebrate. Luckily, Philadelphia bursts with places where the food and atmosphere lend themselves to living it up. Grab dinner and a jazz show at a swinging North Broad Street faithful. Opt for a quieter night at a critically acclaimed, plant-based gem in Midtown Village. Or splurge on a swanky steakhouse that presides over a corner of Rittenhouse Park.

Whether you’re after an intimate spot for an anniversary date or a convivial atmosphere for a boisterous reunion, Philadelphia has you covered with these 12 celebration-worthy restaurants.

A photo of Estia - Philadelphia restaurant
4.8
4.8 (8199)
$50 and over
Greek
Center City
About the restaurant

Bringing a taste of Greece to three locations across Philadelphia and New Jersey, Estia is a Mediterranean restaurant with seafood sourced from the Aegean sea. A selection of whole fish comes charcoal-grilled with capers, lemon juice, and olive oil. Traditional Greek finds include spanakopita (phyllo pastry filled with spinach, leek, scallion, and feta) and moussaka (beef casserole layered with potatoes, eggplant, and bechamel sauce). A celebration isn’t complete without drinks, and Estia has an extensive wine menu of more than 300 wines in its Philly location.


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.
A photo of Amada PHL restaurant
4.7
4.7 (8346)
$31 to $50
Spanish
Old City
About the restaurant

Iron Chef Jose Garces’s first restaurant, Amada, is a deep dive into Andalusian cuisine, complete with tapas, charcuterie, paella, and suckling pig. There are classics such as serrano ham croquettes, paprika aioli patatas bravas, grilled octopus, and garlic shrimp. Start your weekend on the right foot at happy hour Thursday through Saturday with $5 tapas and house-made sangrias. To wrap up a fantastic weekend, return on Sundays for half-priced bottles of wine and a special selection of $7 tapas—or try all nine for $45.


Top review
AnneV
Dined on Jan 2, 2023
We did the 9 course tasting for $65 and a 1L carafe of wine for $25 - really great value for such a highly rated restaurant. Most of the tapas were excellent. The dessert was a dry roll - That was the only really disappointing part that was quite out of line with the rest of the meal. Beautiful classy interior and on-point wait staff.
A photo of Jean-Georges Philadelphia Tasting Menu restaurant
4.9
4.9 (1114)
$50 and over
Fusion / Eclectic
Center City
About the restaurant

After a long closure, the dazzling Jean-Georges Philadelphia is back. Its Comcast Technology Center location means sweeping city views. To that, add one of the most inventive menus in town, and it’s an obvious candidate for the most special of special-occasion meals. Floor-to-ceiling windows display panoramic vistas and cushy horseshoe banquettes provide unusually spacious and comfortable seating. Diners have two options for their tasting menu: “from land and sea,” which is for omnivores and includes meat and seafood, or “from the earth,” a vegetarian feast. Both include a selection of iconic dishes that Jean-Georges restaurants are known for, such as egg toast with caviar and herbs, as well as new seasonal dishes. At $198 per person, not including drinks, it’s now one of the most expensive tasting menu experiences in the city. But reservations disappear quickly so book in advance if you want to celebrate something special in the sky.


Top review
HungryDadvip
Dined on Nov 22, 2023
Fantastic special meal! A beautiful view of the city!
A photo of Veda - Modern Indian Bistro restaurant
4.4
4.4 (971)
$31 to $50
Indian
Center City
About the restaurant

This Indian restaurant is a modern-meets-traditional gem in Rittenhouse Square. The cocktail menu stands out, with inventive drinks including the drunken lassi made with mango lassi, chile powder, and dark rum or the Punjabi sour with whisky, amaretto, citrus juices, bitters, and a Scotch rinse. You can also pair flights of whiskey with rich curries, which are all gluten-free. Dip onion and sage naan into lamb rogan josh (tender lamb pieces in a Kashmiri red chile sauce) and chicken korma (boneless chicken in a blend of almond and cardamom sauce). Veda is the whole special occasion package with flavors of a home-cooked meal in stylish digs.


Top review
ElijahT
Dined 5 days ago
One of the best restaurants of any cuisine I have been to anywhere in the world. If you’re considering it, go!
A photo of Fork - Philadelphia restaurant
4.7
4.7 (4796)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Old City
About the restaurant

It takes something special for any restaurant to flourish for decades, and Old City’s Fork has that X factor in spades. The restaurant marks its 25th anniversary this year. Led by visionary restaurateur Ellen Yin, Fork has evolved with the neighborhood around it. From the very start, it’s been one of Philadelphia’s best restaurants to celebrate special occasions. The elegant setting features art, plants, and chandelier lighting. It’s a scene worthy of birthdays, anniversaries, going away gatherings, and other moments you want to etch into your memory. The menu is inspired by local farmers and the seasonal ingredients of the Mid-Atlantic region. Oysters with rosé-peppercorn mignonette, house-made charcuterie, and dry-aged, bone-in steak served with bone marrow, roasted garlic, potato pave, and chimichurri are especially flavorful ways to celebrate. The attentive and expert service is one more touch that places Fork in a league of its own.


Top review
PhillipHvip
Dined on Jan 1, 2023
Excellent choice for an evening meal!
A photo of Talula’s Garden restaurant
4.9
4.9 (12280)
$50 and over
American
Washington Square
About the restaurant

Talula’s Garden is Philadelphia’s answer to San Francisco’s Chez Panisse; owner Aimee Olexy is an East Coast counterpart to Alice Waters. Here, it’s all about embracing the best of seasonal ingredients from nearby farms. The restaurant is an indoor-outdoor space, but a table in the eponymous garden, lush with plants and twinkling with lights, is the place to be for celebrations. Olexy’s passion for artisan cheese is apparent in her ever-changing cheese board, titled accurately on the menu as a “master class.” Start with the mushroom soup, made from Pennsylvania-grown mushrooms, miso, and herbs, topped with brioche croutons and garlic-thyme cream. Smoked pork belly with roasted peaches, bok choy, and peanuts and pan-roasted salmon with summer corn, butter beans, and zucchini are entrees that make the most of the fleeting seasonal bounty.


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 El Vez restaurant
4.7
4.7 (6684)
$30 and under
Mexican / Southwestern
Center City
About the restaurant

The life of the party, El Vez is a Mexican restaurant decked out with a spinning neon bike elevated as the centerpiece of the bar. The festive vibes are also fueled by a sprawling wall of miniature Calavera figurines against plush couches. Dive into five different types of guacamole and an array of tacos, or get the taco tasting platter with chicken, steak, carnitas, mahi-mahi, and árabes (slow-roasted lamb with morita chile). Don’t sleep on the sides of lime chipotle and queso fresco grilled corn. This is the spot for lively group celebrations such as birthdays and family reunions.


Top review
EricQ
Dined on Jan 1, 2023
Delicious food and great drink. Service attention was a tad lacking, but otherwise helpful.
A photo of Positano Coast by Aldo Lamberti restaurant
4.6
4.6 (3723)
$30 and under
Italian
Old City
About the restaurant

After a recent renovation that transformed this Old City stalwart, Positano Coast feels more festive than ever. The interior blooms with bold colors and warm woodwork. Combined with the Italianate art, the new interior design instantly activates vacation vibes. The classic Italian plates remain a reason to visit. For something appropriately luxurious, try the chilled lobster with avocado and mango, or go all-in with Aldo’s seafood harvest, a feast of oysters on the half shelf, top-neck clams, shrimp cocktail, and seafood salad. House-made pastas, such as sea urchin linguine with crab, are always a good choice for a special night. Toast to whatever you’re celebrating with the process cocktail, a mix of vodka and hibiscus made bubbly with prosecco.


Top review
CityLady52vip
Dined 1 day ago
I love Positano Coast..... but last night did not really enjoy what I ordered as much as usual. Maybe my fault. Exception was octopus artichoke app which was excellent. The bronzino was a small portion with skin on and loads of mushrooms. I saw someone else getting a large whole bronzino looked much better. Didn't see that on menu. The pasta with meat red sauce featured dense rod like pasta very heavy. Dessert was great. Ambience and service excellent.
A photo of Barclay Prime restaurant
4.8
4.8 (4987)
$50 and over
Steakhouse
Rittenhouse Square
About the restaurant

Nothing says big night out like a swanky steakhouse. Barclay Prime, on the corner of Rittenhouse Square Park, is the place to sip a Manhattan and sink your teeth into some of the best beef on offer in Philadelphia. The dining room is awash in serene shades of sage and blue. Tabletops are cool marble, and the walls are lined with bookcases for a refreshingly adult and library-like vibe. The menu brings a subtle modern touch to steakhouse classics. Start with caviar and blini with all the traditional accompaniments including egg, red onion, crème fraîche, and chives, or try the iconic wedge salad with bacon and blue cheese. The main draw is the steak and there are more than 10 options on the menu. Choose from a wide variety of cuts and sizes as well as American or Japanese wagyu. There are five steak sauces for those who want to gild the lily. Side dishes skew rich and nostalgic. Go for the tater tots and creamed spinach to round out the perfect steakhouse meal.


Top review
Robertvip
Dined on Jan 2, 2023
This is the best meal we have had in quite awhile! Everything was excellent, from the salad and the best hamachi crudo ever to the filets oscar we had, cooked perfectly and loaded with lump crabmeat! Add that to some great cocktails and it was the perfect dinner to start 2023 off with!!! Cheers!
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