It’s that time of year again! Center City District Restaurant Week is back this January 15 through January 28 and more than 60 Philadelphia restaurants will showcase some of their top dishes in prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus for discounted prices. To combat the overwhelming amount of options, we’ve compiled a list of our favorites below, including Forsythia, Patchwork, Square 1682, and The Twisted Tail.
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Forsythia, Chef Christopher Kearse’s contemporary French restaurant and bar in Old City, will be serving imaginative riffs on traditional French fare with a three course prix-fixe dinner for just $40/person, as well as offering a seasonal whiskey Manhattan as the featured cocktail. Highlights featured for the first course include Escargot with chartreuse-almond butter, pickled pearl onion, and bergamot croûton, and Sweet Potato Bisque with Jonah crab, brown butter crème fraîche, and pumpkin seed granola. Second course standouts are Glazed Shortrib with parsnip, caramelized endive, chanterelle mushrooms, sauce au poivre and Stuffed Crêpes filled with leeks, caramelized onions, smoked mozzarella, and black truffle. The dessert course offers a choice of Lemon Curd Tarte or Chocolate Pot De Crème. Imbibers can select from Forsythia’s expansive wine and cocktail list, or opt for the spirited Metro A ($16) with Knob Creek Rye, Dolin Dry Vermouth, and salted maple syrup orange bitters.
Hours of operation: Wednesday through Sunday, 5pm – 10pm with weekend brunch served Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am – 2pm
233 Chestnut St. | 215.644.9395 | www.forsythiaphilly.com
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Patchwork, a lively restaurant and bar focused on New American cuisine nestled on the second floor of Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia, invites guests for a three course prix-fixe dinner of unique dishes for restaurant week. Highlights from Executive Chef Jonathan Dearden are the Gochujang Brussels Sprouts with ginger, cilantro, and garlic crunch as a first course, Pan Roasted Salmon paired with corn purée, Brussels sprout succotash, and bacon jam, and Orecchiette with artichoke, broccoli rabe, topped with pecorino as second courses, and a Olive Oil Carrot Cake topped with cream cheese icing as a dessert option. To pair with the meal, Patchwork’s featured cocktail is the Winter Whiskey Sour, mixed with Knob Creek Rye, local apple butter, lemon, and Aquafaba.
Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday 7:30 – 10:45am (breakfast); Monday through Friday 11:30am – 4:30pm (lunch); Monday and Tuesday 4:30 – 9pm, Thursday and Friday 4:30 – 10pm, Saturday 5 – 10pm (dinner); and Saturday 8am – 4pm and Sunday 8am – 3pm (brunch).
1620 Chancellor St. | 215.985.1234 | www.patchworkphilly.com
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Square 1682, the modern American upbeat kitchen located on the ground level of the Kimpton Hotel Palomar, boasts seasonal lunch and dinner specials available for locals and visitors enjoying a meal in the heart of Rittenhouse Square. Square 1682’s lunch options include Fried Calamari served with a roasted garlic and lime aioli, Gnocchi composed of honey nut squash tossed with broccolini, goat cheese, and sage brown butter, and a Housemade Cookie and Sweet Popcorn for dessert. Those enjoying dinner can expect an expansive menu of dishes like the Skillet Cornbread topped with rich honey butter, a classic Caesar Salad for a second course option, and their specialty, Bistro Steak Au Poivre as the main. Desserts include Black Forest Cake topped with a cherry reduction, and a warming Peach Crisp with vanilla ice cream. Square 1682 has crafted a cider mule for the occasion named Orchards Abound, which mixes Masala Infused Suntory Haku Vodka, apple cider, five spice and lemon.
Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday 8 – 11am (breakfast); Monday through Thursday 11:30am – 2pm, Friday 11:30am – 3pm (lunch); Tuesday through Thursday 5 – 10pm, Friday and Saturday 5 – 11pm (dinner); Friday and Saturday 3 – 5pm (mid-day menu); Saturday 9am – 3pm, Sunday 9am – 2pm (brunch).
121 S 17th St. | 215.563.5008 | https://square1682.com
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The Twisted Tail, the Southern-inspired restaurant, bar, and live Juke Joint on Headhouse Square known for its extensive array of brown spirits, is serving up their fan-favorite comfort dishes during a four course dinner. Notable options include Shishito Peppers as a first course, Smoked Wings as a second, and crispy Fried Chicken drizzled with rosemary honey and served with sweet potato fries. Dessert options are Beignets, Vanilla Panna Cotta, and White Chocolate Pot de Creme. All would pair swimmingly with the featured cocktail, a Knob Creek Rye Whiskey Old Fashioned.
Hours of operation: Monday through Thursday 4 pm–10 pm; Friday 4 pm–12 am; Saturday 11 am–12 am; Sunday 10 am–10 pm
509 S. 2nd St. | 215.558.2471 | www.thetwistedtail.com/
-Madison Militello