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Irwin’s.
Irwin’s

The Best Date-Night Restaurants in Philly

Moody lighting, classy cocktails, and prix fixe menus for that special-occasion dinner on your calendar

by Eater Staff Updated
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Irwin’s.
| Irwin’s
by Eater Staff Updated

Whether it’s for date night, a job promotion, a birthday celebration, or any other event worth breaking out the Champagne for, Philly has no shortage of restaurants where you can have a romantic dinner. When your neighborhood watering hole doesn’t feel quite special enough — no shade to Citywides, but sometimes you just need a nice wine list — there are more than enough low-lit, intimate, and moody destinations to visit for a special dinner on the town. The tuxedo is definitely optional at all of the following spots, but hey, that could be fun, right?

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Irwin's

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Sicilian small plates and natural wine are on the table at Irwin’s, the South Philly restaurant on the top floor of Bok Bar with Michael Vincent Ferreri as head chef. The scene is lively, the drinks are inspired, and the swordfish is big enough to share. What’s not to love? You can make reservations online.

800 Mifflin St, Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215) 693-6206
(215) 693-6206

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River Twice

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Eating at the bar is always a pro move (it’s just cooler), especially true at River Twice in Passyunk Square. Amanda and Randy Rucker’s fashionable restaurant prioritizes a multi-course tasting menu. Reservations for both the counter and the rest of the restaurant are available on Resy.

1601 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
(267) 457-3698
(267) 457-3698

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Scampi

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Scampi is the light-hearted Italian restaurant everyone is talking about in Queen Village. It opened in December (it’s already made its way to our heatmap), from Liz Grothe, known for her dinner parties under the Couch Cafe name. Now in her own dining room, this BYOB spot serves a $115 five-course menu (including tax and tip; deposit required at reservation). Recent menu items have included paccheri with monkfish ragu, lemon meringue tarts, fritto misto, and homemade limoncello. Take your date here and it shows you're in the know on new openings.

617 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147
A chef spreading shredded cheese over a sardine toast.
Scampi is a dinner party restaurant.
Mike Prince

Also featured in:

Rex at the Royal

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At this South Street mainstay, Southern coastal-inspired cuisine reins supreme. Fried chicken, cornbread, oysters, and vibrant daiquiris compliment the restaurant’s luxe and cozy interiors. Translation: It’s a romantic hotspot for live music and comfort.

1524 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19146
(267) 319-1366
(267) 319-1366

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Illata

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Graduate Hospital restaurant Illata has been called Philly’s “most unforgettable menu” for a reason. In chef-owner Aaron Randi’s hands, dishes (which are often rotating) like tortellini with eggplant tomato consommé are deceptively simple, always packing a surprise flavor and burst of creativity. Randi specializes in hidden ingredients: a bed of farro peaking below a puntarelle salad or a chocolate cake beneath a swirly blanket. Warm lighting melded with a minimalist interior design makes for a cozy date-night option that’s not overly dressed.

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2241 Grays Ferry Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19146

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Kiddo

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For couples who love veggies, this restaurant is for diners who are looking for lively vegan dishes (and light meat options for their omnivore partners). From sweet potato and carrot rosti to pepper-crusted duck breast with napa cabbage — this is a date night that meets all dietary requirements.

1138 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 398-3377
(215) 398-3377

Little Water

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Rittenhouse Square’s contemporary coastal project is the latest from James Beard-nominated chef Randy Rucker and his wife Amanda. The seafood-centric dinner menu takes tips from the culinary couple’s time spent along the Gulf, New England, and mid-Atlantic waterways. Opt for celebratory items like oysters and uni from Maine, raw bluefin tuna flecked with olives, and a casual riff on caviar service with hush puppies instead of toast points.

261 South 20th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
(215) 337-3343
(215) 337-3343
Little Water.
Little Water

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Friday Saturday Sunday

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Friday Saturday Sunday, the fine-dining restaurant helmed by Chad and Hanna Williams on South 21st Street, practically invented special occasion dinners. Within the bright, cozy space, the tasting menu is constantly evolving (think barbecue veal cheek and crudo with yuzu, sunchoke, and bone marrow gelée) and the cocktails are cheekily named and lovely to boot. You can make reservations for the online.

261 S 21st St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 546-4232
(215) 546-4232

Also featured in:

Alpen Rose

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The ultimate dining destination to make a proposal or serious dating commitment, this grand steakhouse from Schulson Collective doesn’t disappoint. Be sure to come hungry — their divine 38 ounce tomahawk ribeye steak, savory lamb rack, beef wellington, and lobster linguine is nothing for the meek.

116 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 600-0709
(215) 600-0709

Also featured in:

Fork

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A stalwart of Philly’s farm-to-table dining scene, Fork on Market is always bound to make a night special. A lovely atmosphere in Old City makes menu highlights like farm beans, striped bass, and coconut custard for dessert taste extra sweet. You can make reservations online.

306 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 625-9425
(215) 625-9425

Also featured in:

Lark

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On the rooftop of the Ironworks building across the river from Manayunk, Nick Elmi and Fia Berisha’s Lark is a lovely space for date night, with art deco chandeliers, velvet banquettes, and a gorgeous view. The coastal Mediterranean menu is as special as the environment: Dishes like braised chilled leeks and blue crab and pink peppercorn strozzapreti are crafted with care, perfect alongside a stellar list of cocktails and wine.

Ironworks at Pencoyd Landing, 611 Righters Ferry Rd, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
(484) 434-8766
(484) 434-8766

Also featured in:

Jansen

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If you’re in the Northwest, there’s no better romantic restaurant than Jansen in Mt. Airy. Situated on cobblestoned Germantown Avenue, chef David Jansen’s namesake occupies a historic 18th-century house with the original fireplace and a beautiful outdoor patio. Enjoy a fine-dining menu that includes a seasonally changing menu of oysters Rockefeller, elk osso bucco, and stuffed acorn squash. The wine list is impressive, too.

7402 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119
(267) 335-5041
(267) 335-5041
A plate of grilled seasoned chicken breast on top of sautéed green beans.
Dinner at Jansen.
Janen.

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Irwin's

800 Mifflin St, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Sicilian small plates and natural wine are on the table at Irwin’s, the South Philly restaurant on the top floor of Bok Bar with Michael Vincent Ferreri as head chef. The scene is lively, the drinks are inspired, and the swordfish is big enough to share. What’s not to love? You can make reservations online.

800 Mifflin St, Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215) 693-6206
(215) 693-6206

River Twice

1601 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Eating at the bar is always a pro move (it’s just cooler), especially true at River Twice in Passyunk Square. Amanda and Randy Rucker’s fashionable restaurant prioritizes a multi-course tasting menu. Reservations for both the counter and the rest of the restaurant are available on Resy.

1601 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
(267) 457-3698
(267) 457-3698

Scampi

617 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147

Scampi is the light-hearted Italian restaurant everyone is talking about in Queen Village. It opened in December (it’s already made its way to our heatmap), from Liz Grothe, known for her dinner parties under the Couch Cafe name. Now in her own dining room, this BYOB spot serves a $115 five-course menu (including tax and tip; deposit required at reservation). Recent menu items have included paccheri with monkfish ragu, lemon meringue tarts, fritto misto, and homemade limoncello. Take your date here and it shows you're in the know on new openings.

617 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147
A chef spreading shredded cheese over a sardine toast.
Scampi is a dinner party restaurant.
Mike Prince

Rex at the Royal

1524 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19146

At this South Street mainstay, Southern coastal-inspired cuisine reins supreme. Fried chicken, cornbread, oysters, and vibrant daiquiris compliment the restaurant’s luxe and cozy interiors. Translation: It’s a romantic hotspot for live music and comfort.

1524 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19146
(267) 319-1366
(267) 319-1366

Illata

2241 Grays Ferry Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19146

Graduate Hospital restaurant Illata has been called Philly’s “most unforgettable menu” for a reason. In chef-owner Aaron Randi’s hands, dishes (which are often rotating) like tortellini with eggplant tomato consommé are deceptively simple, always packing a surprise flavor and burst of creativity. Randi specializes in hidden ingredients: a bed of farro peaking below a puntarelle salad or a chocolate cake beneath a swirly blanket. Warm lighting melded with a minimalist interior design makes for a cozy date-night option that’s not overly dressed.

2241 Grays Ferry Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19146

Kiddo

1138 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

For couples who love veggies, this restaurant is for diners who are looking for lively vegan dishes (and light meat options for their omnivore partners). From sweet potato and carrot rosti to pepper-crusted duck breast with napa cabbage — this is a date night that meets all dietary requirements.

1138 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 398-3377
(215) 398-3377

Little Water

261 South 20th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

Rittenhouse Square’s contemporary coastal project is the latest from James Beard-nominated chef Randy Rucker and his wife Amanda. The seafood-centric dinner menu takes tips from the culinary couple’s time spent along the Gulf, New England, and mid-Atlantic waterways. Opt for celebratory items like oysters and uni from Maine, raw bluefin tuna flecked with olives, and a casual riff on caviar service with hush puppies instead of toast points.

261 South 20th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
(215) 337-3343
(215) 337-3343
Little Water.
Little Water

Friday Saturday Sunday

261 S 21st St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Friday Saturday Sunday, the fine-dining restaurant helmed by Chad and Hanna Williams on South 21st Street, practically invented special occasion dinners. Within the bright, cozy space, the tasting menu is constantly evolving (think barbecue veal cheek and crudo with yuzu, sunchoke, and bone marrow gelée) and the cocktails are cheekily named and lovely to boot. You can make reservations for the online.

261 S 21st St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 546-4232
(215) 546-4232

Alpen Rose

116 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

The ultimate dining destination to make a proposal or serious dating commitment, this grand steakhouse from Schulson Collective doesn’t disappoint. Be sure to come hungry — their divine 38 ounce tomahawk ribeye steak, savory lamb rack, beef wellington, and lobster linguine is nothing for the meek.

116 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 600-0709
(215) 600-0709

Fork

306 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

A stalwart of Philly’s farm-to-table dining scene, Fork on Market is always bound to make a night special. A lovely atmosphere in Old City makes menu highlights like farm beans, striped bass, and coconut custard for dessert taste extra sweet. You can make reservations online.

306 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 625-9425
(215) 625-9425

Lark

Ironworks at Pencoyd Landing, 611 Righters Ferry Rd, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

On the rooftop of the Ironworks building across the river from Manayunk, Nick Elmi and Fia Berisha’s Lark is a lovely space for date night, with art deco chandeliers, velvet banquettes, and a gorgeous view. The coastal Mediterranean menu is as special as the environment: Dishes like braised chilled leeks and blue crab and pink peppercorn strozzapreti are crafted with care, perfect alongside a stellar list of cocktails and wine.

Ironworks at Pencoyd Landing, 611 Righters Ferry Rd, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
(484) 434-8766
(484) 434-8766

Jansen

7402 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119

If you’re in the Northwest, there’s no better romantic restaurant than Jansen in Mt. Airy. Situated on cobblestoned Germantown Avenue, chef David Jansen’s namesake occupies a historic 18th-century house with the original fireplace and a beautiful outdoor patio. Enjoy a fine-dining menu that includes a seasonally changing menu of oysters Rockefeller, elk osso bucco, and stuffed acorn squash. The wine list is impressive, too.

7402 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119
(267) 335-5041
(267) 335-5041
A plate of grilled seasoned chicken breast on top of sautéed green beans.
Dinner at Jansen.
Janen.

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