Looking for restaurants in Philadelphia with the best outdoor seating? Now that the weather has finally warmed up, it’s the perfect time to take your meal outside. Whether you’re in the mood for Italian, French, American or any kind of cuisine with a great view of the river, you have plenty of options for outdoor dining in Philadelphia. Here are a few of our favorites.
24 Philadelphia
2401 Walnut St.
24philly.com
Craving wood-fired pizza and a stellar view of the Schuylkill River? Look no further than 24 by Jose Garces. Open for lunch, aperitivo and dinner during the week and brunch on the weekends, you can’t go wrong with any of their pizza. If you’re trying to eat healthier, they also have a number of yummy salads, like the verde (arugula, fava beans, bianco sardo, avocado, white balsamic. Their happy hour is really good too, and they even have wines on draft.
Le Virtu
1927 E. Passyunk Ave.
levirtu.com
This East Passyunk gem celebrates the cuisine of Italy’s Abruzzo region and has a gorgeous outdoor seating area that’s open in the summer months. The restaurant prides itself in house-butchering and house-curing their meats and cutting their pasta by hand. Try the fettuccine verde (spring greens, garlic, hazelnuts, parmigiano reggiano) and the roast lamb shoulder. If you have room for dessert, you’ll never forget the chocolate olive oil cake with whipped ricotta, ganache and vanilla gelato.
Walnut St. Cafe
2929 Walnut St.
walnutstreetcafe.com
If you’re looking for a breath of fresh air in the congested city, Walnut St. Cafe is a great place to go for breakfast, brunch, lunch, brunch, happy hour and dinner. For early morning options, their brioche french toast goes well with a hearty cup of Rival Bros. coffee. Their 30-minute lunch is great if you have to eat on the run, and gives you quick-to-prepare yet delicious options like a half sandwich and soup or a hearty salad. The cherry on top of course is the view of the Schuylkill River when you dine outside. (Although with the floor-to-ceiling windows, you can feel like you’re outdoors even in colder months.)
James Philadelphia
1835 Arch St.
jamesphiladelphia.com
Back in May, James Philadelphia was finally able to reveal their outdoor seating, after months of being covered by scaffolding by the Comcast Technology Center. There are now two dozen seats for diners to enjoy their food and drinks outdoors, for brunch, lunch, dinner and happy hour. They’re well-known for their crab cakes and lobster bisque, but despite the warmer weather, who wouldn’t be interested in trying out their James Burger?
Bistrot La Minette
623 S. 6th St.
bistrotlaminette.com
This authentic French bistro is so beautiful on the inside, you may not want to venture outside, but when warm weather season hits Bella Vista, it’s hard not to embrace it. They’re open for dinner all week and dinner and lunch on the weekends. In terms of dishes, you can’t go wrong — it’s all out of this world good. Their wine selection is also extensive, featuring French wines that are off-the-beaten path for even the most sophisticated of wine connoisseurs.
So where are your favorite restaurants with the best outdoor seating in Philadelphia?
Tell us in the comments below.
