City of Brotherly Love and Girlie Weekends?

June 2, 2009 7:20 PM

What to do in/around Rittenhouse Square this weekend?

I'm driving down from NJ and my girlfriend is driving up from Maryland. We're meeting in Philadelphia - no husbands, no kids. We want to hang out, shop, and eat. Excellent margaritas get bonus points. I've heard something about a grilled cheese restaurant and a Naked Chocolate Cafe.

Any other recommendations?

We're staying just off Rittenhouse Square. We will have cars, but obviously prefer to hoof it - just not too far. My knees will be most appreciative.

Thanks!

posted by dancinglamb to travel & transportation (17 comments total)

This.
posted by The Straightener at 7:31 PM on June 2

The Mutter Museum is amazing. A little macabre but so interesting.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 7:40 PM on June 2

Coffee at La Colombe. Snacks at Di Bruno. Dinner at Matyson. Shopping on Walnut.

If you want good margaritas, you could pay tourist prices at El Vez. If you want really good margaritas, hop a cab to Los Caballitos.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 8:31 PM on June 2

Second "The Straightener"s suggestion... if you don't go to Capogiro (12th and Sansom or 20th and Sansom[rittenhouse]) you are missing out for sure. Naked chocolate (between 13th and broad street on walnut - very close to ) is pretty awesome too. Make sure if you get a hot chocolate to get a European (no milk) vs. an American (with milk) unless you aren't into decadent goodness.

Mutter Museum is amazing like "otherwordlyglow" says. 10 bucks a person for some of the weirdest shit around.

If you want to hit a spa, I recommend "Rescue Rittenhouse Spa" though it is a little expensive it is a great relaxing place. I did this for an anniversary weekend for my fiance and she loved it. They had a deal a swedish massage and manicure for $100. You should definitely make reservations if you want to do this too, because they get booked up on the weekends.

I've heard good things about Lolita restaurant... they do margaritas but it is BYO so you bring the tequila and they make give you stuff for the margaritas.

If you would like mojitos, Mixto is the way to go. Definitely good food too. Check out the yelp review.

One of my personal favorite places is a sushi place called Genji (now renamed Kingyo) it is the best sushi in Philadelphia IMHO and still fairly cheap. It is one of the only real Japanese run sushi places (surprisingly most are run by Korean people). If you are getting sushi go here. (17th and Sansom)

All of these things are in downtown Philly and definitely all in walking distance. Most of the shopping is on Walnut and Chestnut streets between Rittenhouse and some of the other places I have mentioned.

HAVE FUN!
posted by xdeliriumx at 8:45 PM on June 2

There's another Naked Chocolate around 18th & Market St (closer to Rittenhouse), but I recommend the other one because they you can take a look at some of the neat shops on 13th Street.

I heartily recommend Lolita as well, I went there two years ago for my birthday -- it was delicious. Try the blood orange margaritas!

Tinto (20th St, I think north of Walnut St) is tapas-style. A little on the expensive side, but the atmosphere is great and the (white) sangria was perfect for a hot summer day. Bonus: Capogiro is across the street.

Metropolitan Bakery is located on 19th Street just south of Rittenhouse Square. Delicious breads but the pastries are to die. My perfect morning would be picking up coffee at La Colombe, walking through the park (It's only 1 block long) to Metropolitan for a croissant or fig bar, and then having a leisurely breakfast in the park.

If you want something more substantial, Continental Midtown (warning, obnoxious flash popup site) at 18th & Chestnut has a rooftop terrace that's also open for brunch. I don't tend to go to Continental often because their dinner/lunch menu is expensive for what you get, but there aren't many Center City restaurants where you can have brunch on the roof.

The best crepes in town are at Creperie Beau Monde, which is a bit of trek down at 6th & Bainbridge. It's totally worth it.
posted by polexa at 9:03 PM on June 2

I'm so jealous. I moved away from Philly six months ago and there's lots of stuff that I miss.
Go to Yakitori Boy for me. (Website contains music)
posted by Jon-o at 3:56 AM on June 3

Capogiro, absolutely, but I am shocked, shocked, that no one has suggested Tria yet. You will love it.
posted by The Michael The at 4:10 AM on June 3

Two words: Bike Race. The TD Bank Pro Cyclcing Championship is Sunday. It's the closest thing to a European style bike race there is in the US, with the best cyclists in the world and a giant outdoor picnic vibe. Just wander a few blocks to your north and you'll be in the thick of it. Get a blanket, catch some rays and watch the people and the race.
posted by lpsguy at 6:26 AM on June 3

Oh, you two can wander around just Rittenhouse and the adjacent neighborhoods for a couple of days and not get bored. The park itself is lovely, and will be great people-watching.

Check out PhillyFunGuide (goofy name, but they list all kinds of concerts and events that don't otherwise get much publicity, much of which are really cheap), and PhillyWeekly and CityPaper (free weekly papers in boxes on every street corner) to see what's going on in town this weekend.

A few other things to bring to your attention: Rosenbach Museum. Events for HiddenCity. Nthing Capogiro, Mutter (yeah, I'm throwing the medical oddities into the middle of food recs), La Colombe, Tinto.

I'm so not really a cocktails-and-scene kinda girl, but I have to admit that Continental Midtown was fun. Rooftop deck, yo.

You're in the right neighborhood for higher-end clothes shopping! You'll be wanting to check out Joan Shepp.
posted by desuetude at 7:25 AM on June 3

Seconding Tria.
posted by vincele at 9:09 AM on June 3

Awesome suggestions! Keep them coming!
posted by dancinglamb at 9:23 AM on June 3

Give us more feedback, dancinglamb. Throw out wacky ideas that you'd wish could be indulged, examples of stuff that you'd like to find, stuff you like to do, etc. We can probably point you in the right direction.
posted by desuetude at 10:14 AM on June 3

Also, check out the art show.
posted by galimatias at 12:22 PM on June 3

Well, we're going to be on Chestnut Street. I'm going to get there probably late Friday afternoon and will be leaving Sunday afternoon to head home.

We're thinking that we might try and hit the Mutter Museum (I'm in Nursing School so it's looking pretty cool to me), and generally just want to keep it low key. Maybe wander around, check out some shops, have some good food. Don't want to do the big touristy things, and since my knee is not being cooperative, I can't go schlepping all over creation.

The weather looks likes it's going to be sunny and in the low 80s. The gelato place you guys mentioned looks awesome (Capogiro). Brunch sounds like it will work, since we are SO going to sleep in (though the hotel we're staying at has some badass pancakes and bacon - at least they did the last time I stayed there).

I'd be totally game for some spa time, but I don't know that we're going to have enough time for it.
posted by dancinglamb at 4:17 PM on June 3

You want to trust me on this and hit Sabrina's for brunch. The newer one by the Free Library is a bit of a schlep on foot but would take two seconds in a cab.
posted by The Straightener at 5:41 PM on June 3

since my knee is not being cooperative, I can't go schlepping all over creation.

Don't stress it -- you've got tons of stuff to do between the confines of roughly 17th and 20th, Market to Pine.
posted by desuetude at 6:45 PM on June 3

Well, we ended up going to Bistro la Viola for dinner on Friday night, followed by dessert at Capogiro (nom nom nom!). The food at la Viola was excellent, but they really shoved you in and out. We also mistakenly thought that we would find a liquor store on our way over to the restaurant - only to find out that the closest one was all the way back over by the hotel. It was raining and we didn't want to end up losing the table. So much for BYOB...

Saturday's brunch was at the Continental - kickass drinks on the rooftop and awesome food. We went over to the Metropolitan Bakery later that afternoon for snackies after some hardcore shopping on Walnut, and then had a nice four hour dinner at the Parc Brasserie.

Sunday, lunch was at Pietro's. We really wanted to get in a spa visit or the Mutter Museum but we just didn't have enough time. All in all, it was a great weekend. I was really glad to have been there on a pleasure trip instead of one involving a surgery visit to CHoP.

Thanks again for all the Mefite recommendations. I had to wonder how many of you I passed while walking around Rittenhouse Square. :)
posted by dancinglamb at 9:05 PM on June 7