10 New Philadelphia Venues for 2019 Fall Meetings and Events

In August, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center debuted on the top 12 floors of the Comcast Innovation and Technology Center, the city’s tallest building. The high-end hotel brings a new level of luxury to Center City, with amenities like a full-service spa, a 24-hour fitness center with a floor-to-ceiling media wall, and an indoor infinity-edge pool with sweeping views of the city and beyond. Each of the 219 guest rooms, including 39 suites, features bespoke furniture and next-generation Comcast internet and entertainment technology. Two master chefs helm on-site dining outposts: Greg Vernick’s Vernick Fish occupies part of the building’s ground level, and the 40-seat Vernick Coffee Bar offers light bites and grab-and-go options; Jean-George Vongerichten’s stunning Jean Georges restaurant dazzles guests with five-star cuisine on the 59th floor, while the adjoining JG SkyHigh serves more casual dishes in a sleek, chic atmosphere. The hotel offers more than 15,602 square feet of meeting space that can accommodate as many as 1,000 total guests, including the 4,554-square-foot Grand Terrace Ballroom, the 2,364-square-foot Arch Ballroom, and the 600-square-foot Executive Boardroom. All event spaces feature natural light and can be adorned with florals and decor by celebrity florist and in-house artistic director Jeff Leatham.

In March, Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia unveiled a renovation to its meeting space. The stylish common areas now include neutral tones accented with vibrant colors, bright light fixtures, contemporary accents, flexible seating, and a curated art collection. The Rittenhouse Square hotel features eight meeting rooms totaling more than 6,000 square feet of event space. The 1,750-square-foot Burnham Ballroom and AIA Library on the 25th floor accommodate as many as 160 guests for cocktail-style events or 100 for seated banquets; the 700-square-foot Cret and Wright rooms seat as many as 50 guests; and the Pei and Calder boardrooms each seat 12 people. Catering is provided by the hotel’s Square 1682 restaurant, and PSAV handles audiovisual needs.

Constellation Culinary Group renovated the Curtis Atrium in May. Set in a 100-year-old building in Washington Square West, the venue occupies the mezzanine level and features towering columns, marble floors, bright skylights, and a grand staircase framing its iconic Art Deco waterfall. Measuring about 10,000 square feet, the space can accommodate as many as 400 guests for plated dinners that include a dance floor or 800 for cocktail-style receptions.

City Winery Philadelphia opened in the new Fashion District in Center City in September. Spanning more than 40,000 square feet that can accommodate as many as 1,200 total guests, the restaurant and winery includes a main-floor dining room as well as a 350-seat concert hall, a 150-capacity loft space, and a barrel room that seats 30 guests. A state-of-the-art sound system with custom-designed acoustics is ideal for events with live music. The menu features a variety of internationally inspired dishes like white bean hummus, braised duck tacos, chicken saltimbocca, and shrimp and grits. A rotating selection of wine is available on tap, and the venue can create custom bottle labels for private events.

The John James Audubon Center opened an 18,000-square-foot museum on its 200-acre historic property in June. The venue includes a classroom and outdoor “bird-day” porch with capacity for 25 guests, which is connected to a pavilion that can seat as many as 250. A sound system with HDMI connectivity, screens, and projectors are available for presentations and slideshows. Interactive, family-friendly exhibits dedicated to the conservation movement that Audubon inspired make the venue appropriate for guests of all ages.

Balboa Catering opened a 1,200-square-foot on-site event venue in May. Set in a renovated silk factory, Balboa Catering at American Silk is an industrial-style blank canvas with room for as many as 60 guests for banquets or 80 for cocktail-style receptions. The venue boasts a 19-foot bar (planners must provide the alcohol), a parking lot, and a changing selection of art installations. Audiovisual equipment may be rented from the venue. Balboa’s chefs work with local farms and purveyors to craft modern, mid-Atlantic cuisine for events.

New York City’s Emmy Squared Pizza opened an outpost in Queen Village in October. The menu specializes in thick-crust, rectangular Detroit-style pizza, along with salads, sandwiches, and the award-winning Le Big Matt burger. Floor-to-ceiling windows and shareable menu items like sriracha-glazed wings and roasted cauliflower create an inviting atmosphere. Measuring 2,200 square feet, the restaurant seats 100 guests in the dining room, 30 in the bar/lounge area, and 20 in the outdoor courtyard.

In June, the Spirit of Philadelphia entertainment and dining cruise ship unveiled a $1 million renovation. The vessel, which docks at Penn’s Landing, has sailed along the Delaware River for 35 years; upgrades include a fully remodeled dance floor and bar, enhanced lighting, and fresh decor inside the cabin and on the three decks. The ship, which accommodates as many as 530 guests, includes lounges on every level, as well as outdoor games and an outdoor bar. Food is prepared on board.

Loews Philadelphia Hotel in Center City completed a renovation to its 33rd-floor event spaces in October. Meeting areas now include updated furniture, lighting, artwork, rugs, window treatments, and metalwork. The decor is inspired by the building’s history as an Art Deco-era bank, and unobstructed panoramic views offer a backdrop that showcases the city. The floor includes the 2,000-square-foot Howe room, which seats 205 guests theater style or 60 at banquet rounds, and the 1,414-square-foot Lescaze room, which seats 140 theater style or 110 in rounds. The 573-square-foot Roberts Board Room seats 18. Audiovisual capabilities are available for events, and food and beverage services are provided by the in-house culinary team. In addition to the enhancements to the meeting space, the hotel’s guest rooms have new flooring, color schemes, and bathrooms. Additional meeting space is located on the hotel’s lower floors (the hotel has 47,000 square feet of meeting space total), and a full-service spa is set to open later this year.

The Cambridge on South Street completed a renovation in October, which included updates to the dining room, bar area, exterior, and garden. An open floorplan now creates an airy, light feel, with new floors, lighter colors, London-inspired decor, oversize lounge-style seating, and a door to the soon-to-open Wine Dive next door. Outside, guests can enjoy lush plants and flowers, a fire pit, and additional seating. The menu includes a variety of dishes such as Mexican street corn nachos, chicken tikka masala pot pie, and the English pub meatless burger, along with shareable boards. In total, the 2,000-square-foot interior seats 38 for dinner and 22 at the bar or has room for 125 guests for cocktail-style events. The 500-square-foot garden seats 30 or holds 50 for receptions.