Rittenhouse Square

Located in the heart of Center City, Rittenhouse Square is known for its green spaces, upscale shopping, and alfresco dining.

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Dope Botanicals is a modern herbal a’plant’ecary, specializing in plant based wellness. Located in Rittenhouse Square, sisters Nakia and Taahirah, bring an urban apothecary to visitors who can experience everything from tonics and teas to delicious smoothies and drinks.

What to Do

Indulge in retail therapy at the chic boutiques, national retailers, and luxury brands located along Chestnut and Walnut streets. Reinvigorate yourself at Dope Botanicals, a “plant’ecary” of wellness remedies. The Rosenbach Museum holds the private collection of noted rare book dealers the Rosenbach brothers, including the only surviving copy of Benjamin Franklin’s first Poor Richard’s Almanack and Bram Stoker’s notes for Dracula.

For late night fun, reserve one of 16 Olympic-grade ping pong tables at SPIN Philadelphia, A Ping Pong Social Club, with a full bar, food menu, DJ booth and bleachers for watching the action. Dance the night away at Howl at the Moon or enjoy an evening of live jazz at Chris’ Jazz Café.  Unlike any other museum, the Mütter Museum houses one of the country’s finest collections of medical artifacts. Witness anatomical specimens, models and medical instruments displayed in a Victorian “cabinet museum” setting like no other. Learn about human anatomy and see relics found nowhere else — like a piece of Albert Einstein’s brain.

Photo courtesy of SPIN Philadelphia

Where to Dine

Start the day with a coffee and a babka at K’Far, or with freshly fried donuts at Federal Donuts. At Harp & Crown, savor a new-American menu, cocktails, and over 40 beers on tap in a stylish setting, complete with 32-seat bar and a bowling alley speakeasy in the basement. Top Chef Jennifer Carroll presents a menu of inventive modern-Mediterranean dishes at Spice Finch, located at the base of the Warwick Hotel. Awarded one of the Top Italian Restaurants in the World by Gambero Rosso, Gran Caffè L’Aquila serves authentic Italian food.

Photo courtesy of the Gran Caffe L’Aquilla

Enjoy a Parisian brasserie experience at Parc, complete with alfresco seating along the square. Friday, Saturday, Sunday presents an eight-course tasting menu mixing classics and creativity. Named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America for 2022, Her Place is like a dinner party with an everchanging menu of Italian and French fare. The Rittenhouse Grill is a swanky supper club with a live piano bar that has entertained patrons for 25 years. For an intimate night out, The Love. serves one-of-a-kind beverages and comforting cuisine.

Where to Stay

The many hotel options in the neighborhood include the sophisticated Rittenhouse Hotel, a luxury hotel located on the Square. Or the elegant Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse, on the National Register of Historic Places. The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center is a luxury hotel on the top floors of Philadelphia’s tallest building, the Comcast Technology Center. Its dazzling sky lobby on the 60th floor is also home to the JG SkyHigh lounge and Jean-Georges Philadelphia restaurant.

The bar and dining room of Jean-Georges Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center.

The Bellevue Philadelphia, the city’s first luxury hotel, was constructed in 1904. Closer to City Hall, the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia offers 299 luxurious guest rooms and suites. The hotel’s rotunda building is a reproduction of the Pantheon in Rome.

Art lovers should consider a stay at the 439-room Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia. The hotel is home to the stylish ArtBar and a colorful 22-story mural on its façade. The Kimpton Hotel Palomar features work by local artists throughout the Art Deco building. Just across the street, the Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square adds a bit of French flair to its 306 elegantly appointed rooms and suites. The Westin Philadelphia houses 294 rooms adjacent to the Shops at Liberty Place.

Photo courtesy of the Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square.

The Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia features 332 stylish guest rooms, featuring local art. The Motto by Hilton Rittenhouse Square is a micro-hotel with 252 rooms averaging 180 square-feet. Rooms are equipped with space-efficient queen and bunk beds, barn doors, and built-in storage.

The 51-story W Hotel features an outdoor terrace with a year-round heated pool. The Element offers rooms designed for extended stays. Other nearby lodging options include The Inn at the Union League of Philadelphia.

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