The Epicurean's Autumn: Luxury Culinary Travel in Philadelphia

This luxury culinary travel guide to Philadelphia focuses on Rittenhouse Square, where two of the city's three Michelin-starred restaurants opened their doors within a 10-minute walk of each other. In November 2025, the first Michelin Guide to Philadelphia awarded one star to Her Place Supper Club and Friday Saturday Sunday, both in Rittenhouse. Here is how to plan a gourmet autumn weekend from The Franklin on Rittenhouse.

Why is Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia's fine dining capital?

Rittenhouse Square holds the densest concentration of acclaimed restaurants in Philadelphia, from Michelin-starred dining rooms to French brasseries and classic steakhouses.

When the Michelin Guide arrived in Philadelphia on November 18, 2025, it awarded three stars across the city: Her Place Supper Club and Friday Saturday Sunday in Rittenhouse, and Provenance in Society Hill. Bib Gourmand distinctions, which reward good value, also went to Rittenhouse addresses such as Dizengoff on Sansom Street and Sally on Spruce Street. For travelers, that means the best of fall fine dining in Center City Philly is walkable from The Franklin on Rittenhouse at 1715 Rittenhouse Square.

The best tasting menus in Rittenhouse Square

The best tasting menus in Rittenhouse Square are found at two Michelin-starred restaurants and one long-established Italian dining room, all bookable well in advance.

Her Place Supper Club

Her Place Supper Club, at 1740 Sansom Street, began as a pop-up and now holds one Michelin star. Chef Amanda Shulman serves a seven- to eight-course set menu that leans French and Italian and changes every two weeks, in a single dining room of about two dozen seats. Reservations are released on OpenTable on Sunday evenings and go quickly [[to be confirmed: current menu price]].

Friday Saturday Sunday

Friday Saturday Sunday, at 261 South 21st Street, is run by husband-and-wife team Chad and Hanna Williams. The restaurant won the 2023 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant and a Michelin star in 2025. Upstairs, a tasting menu draws on Caribbean, French and American Southern influences. It costs $205 per person, prepaid when booking on OpenTable. Downstairs, the bar serves craft cocktails and à la carte plates, Wednesday to Sunday from 5 pm.

Vetri Cucina

Vetri Cucina, at 1312 Spruce Street, is chef Marc Vetri's Italian tasting-menu restaurant in a 19th-century townhouse. Two prix fixe menus are served nightly from 5 pm: a four-course classic menu at $165 and a six-course seasonal menu at $215 per person, with optional wine pairings. The dress is business casual.

Fall fine dining in Center City Philly: what to order this season

Fall fine dining in Center City Philly follows the harvest of the Mid-Atlantic, with Pennsylvania and New Jersey farms supplying squash, apples, mushrooms and game from September to November.

On autumn menus, look for wild mushrooms, root vegetables, Pennsylvania apples and heritage pork. Many Rittenhouse kitchens change dishes weekly, so ask your server what arrived that morning. For a market morning, Reading Terminal Market, open since 1893 at 12th and Arch Streets, gathers dozens of local merchants under one roof, from Amish bakers to cheesemongers. It is about 0.9 miles from the hotel, roughly a 20-minute walk.

Classic Rittenhouse tables: brasserie, steakhouse and hotel dining

Classic Rittenhouse restaurants complement the tasting-menu circuit with long lunches and late dinners overlooking the square.

• Parc: a Parisian-style brasserie at 227 South 18th Street, with terrace tables facing Rittenhouse Square, a 3-minute walk from the hotel.
• Barclay Prime: a steakhouse at 237 South 18th Street, known for its dry-aged cuts and library-like dining room.
• Lacroix: the restaurant of The Rittenhouse hotel at 210 West Rittenhouse Square, a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant with views over the park, a 10-course tasting menu and a Sunday brunch served in the kitchen.

For more neighborhood addresses, see our insider's guide to Rittenhouse Square restaurants and nightlife.

A gourmet weekend getaway in Philadelphia, hour by hour

A gourmet weekend getaway in Philadelphia works best with one tasting menu per evening and lighter, market-led days in between.

Saturday

• 9 am: complimentary continental breakfast at The Franklin.
• 11 am: Reading Terminal Market for a tasting walk through local producers.
• 5 pm: an aperitif at the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., the award-winning cocktail bar at the hotel's address (10% off for direct bookers).
• 7 pm: dinner at Her Place Supper Club, about a 5-minute walk away.

Sunday

• 11 am: brunch at Parc on Rittenhouse Square.
• Afternoon: a walk through the square and the boutiques of Walnut Street.
• 7 pm: the tasting menu on Friday Saturday Sunday on 21st Street.

How do you book a tasting menu in Philadelphia?

Tasting menus in Philadelphia are booked online, usually weeks ahead, and most require a credit card to hold the table.

• Watch the release date: the most popular restaurants open reservations on a fixed schedule; Her Place Supper Club, for example, releases its tables on OpenTable on Sunday evenings.
• Check the cancellation policy: set menus often carry a fee for late cancellations or no-shows.
• Declare dietary needs early: kitchens adapt set menus more easily with notice.
• Try the bar: several restaurants keep bar seats for walk-ins, a good option when the dining room is full.

Book your table with The Franklin's concierge

Securing tables at Philadelphia's most sought-after restaurants takes planning, and The Franklin's concierge can help.

Share your dates, dietary requirements and budget when you book, and our team will suggest the right restaurants and advise on release dates for reservations. Couples can pair a dinner with one of our hotel offers, and groups of up to 30 can host a private dinner in The Parlor, one of our private event venues in Rittenhouse.

Key Facts

• Hotel: The Franklin on Rittenhouse, 1715 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103
• Michelin stars in Rittenhouse (2025): Her Place Supper Club (1740 Sansom Street) and Friday Saturday Sunday (261 South 21st Street)
• Bib Gourmand in Rittenhouse (2025): Dizengoff (1625 Sansom Street), Sally (2229 Spruce Street)
• Best season: September to November for harvest menus
• Reading Terminal Market: 12th and Arch Streets, open since 1893
• Hotel bar: Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., 5 pm to midnight (to 2 am Friday and Saturday)

FAQ

Which Philadelphia restaurants have a Michelin star?

The first Michelin Guide to Philadelphia, published in November 2025, gave one star to three restaurants: Her Place Supper Club and Friday Saturday Sunday in Rittenhouse, and Provenance in Society Hill. Both Rittenhouse restaurants are within a short walk of The Franklin on Rittenhouse.

What are the best tasting menus near Rittenhouse Square?

The most acclaimed tasting menus near Rittenhouse Square are at Her Place Supper Club on Sansom Street, Friday Saturday Sunday on 21st Street and Vetri Cucina on Spruce Street. All three book up quickly, so reserve as soon as your travel dates are confirmed.

When is the best time for a food trip to Philadelphia?

Autumn, from September to November, is an excellent time for a culinary trip to Philadelphia. Restaurant menus feature harvest produce from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the weather suits walking between neighborhoods, and the holiday season brings festive menus from late November.

Can The Franklin on Rittenhouse book restaurant reservations?

Yes. The hotel's concierge can recommend restaurants, advise on how and when reservations open, and help arrange tables during your stay. For groups, The Parlor at The Franklin hosts private dinners for up to 30 guests, and the Raj Scotch Library suits up to 10.

Make Rittenhouse Square your table for the season. Book one of our French-inspired rooms and suites directly for our lowest rate guarantee, breakfast included and 10% off at the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.