Philadelphia Fall Report: Outdoor Dining, Dancing, and More
It’s been a while since I’ve written, truly, about Philadelphia, PA. Spending most of my summer with my husband and our family in our hometown of Beckley, WV led to a summer of mostly being away, floating on the river, and working from my mom’s house. Now that we’re back in Philadelphia, however, I wanted to share some of the lovely outdoor activities we’ve engaged in since coming home. Let’s dive in—
Outdoor dining in Philadelphia: Rittenhouse Square Gems
Since Andrew and I have been back, we’ve enjoyed two exceptionally good meals in the Rittenhouse Square part of center city— namely, two lovely dinners at Pizzeria Vetri and The Dandelion, respectively.
Our adorable outdoor table setting at Pizzeria Vetri in Philadelphia, PA.
Andrew and I met our friend Meghan at Pizzeria Vetri on a Friday evening. We had outdoor dining reservations for three, and when we arrived to the restaurant we were promptly greeted by staff in masks, with hand sanitizer a-plenty and a lovely outdoor table prepared for us on the sidewalk. It was an adorable set-up— candles and fresh springs of greenery decorating the tables— and the food was even better. We started our meal with some “pomegranate spice” cocktails (a lovely spiced pomegranate red-wine sangria!) and split a meatball calzone, and two brick-oven pizzas (one eggplant, one mushroom.) Needless to say the food was fantastic, and the eggplant pizza was particularly delicious with fresh eggplant, oregano, and san marzano tomatoes on top.
The mushroom brick-oven pizza we devoured, lol!
Another lovely meal Andrew and I enjoyed (on a quieter, Tuesday night) was at one of our old favorite haunts— The Dandelion, a modern, upscale take on the traditional British gastropub located just off of the park itself. There, I enjoyed the best hot toddy I’d ever had (affectionately named “Turn of the Toddy” on the drink menu), and some of the best homemade ricotta and chicken paillard you could get in the city. The outdoor atmosphere here was also rather nice, with small heaters placed about the large patio area to encourage a cozy dining experience even as temperatures fall.
The best hot toddy + ricotta hors d’oeuvre spread I’ve ever had.
Jazz in the Park, and More
Speaking of Rittenhouse Square, there’s so much more than dining to mention. The park itself is full of fun (and safe!) outdoor activities, like Jazz in the Park which happens every Friday evening. After dinner on Friday, Andrew, Meghan and I took to the park immediately and enjoyed a wonderful open-air performance by a local jazz-quartet. People were laughing, dancing, and simply losing themselves in the music— a scene I hadn’t beheld in the city since early March, really.
The beautiful Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, PA.
Spending time in Philadelphia this fall has reminded me why I fell in love with it in the first place. More to come, of course, but if you haven’t been out and about in the city lately— do it. It’s alive again, and you can do so safely. It’s well worth it.
Xoxo, MM.