Here's a look at the best new Philadelphia restaurants, corporate event venues, hotels, conference centers, and private and party rooms to open for events this fall. These new and renovated Philadelphia venues can accommodate groups large or small for private and corporate events, conferences, meetings, weddings, business dinners, teambuilding activities, cocktail parties, and more.
Kalahari Resorts and Conventions opened a third outpost in July in the Pocono Mountains, about two hours outside of Center City. Set on 150 acres, the resort has 457 guest rooms and suites as well as a 65,000-square-foot wing specifically for meetings and events. The Africa-theme resort can accommodate groups of as many as 2,500 guests; three fully equipped ballrooms, the largest of which measures 25,000 square feet, can be divided into 17 smaller rooms of varying sizes. The expansive complex enables guests to attend to business and family under one roof. In addition to a convention center, there are also kid-friendly amenities such as a water park and arcade. A second phase of construction, scheduled to be completed in 2017, will almost double the number of guest rooms and the size of the water park.
If your guest list includes train commuters, there's no more convenient option than Rotisserie at the Porch at 30th Street Station. The outdoor space adjacent to the Amtrak station revamped its look and menu in May. The area is now a casual green space complete with brightly painted wooden swings, overhead festoon lighting, a variety of seating areas, and a resident food truck by MJS Restaurants. Rotisserie comfortably holds 200 guests; the dining area measures 1,500 square feet, and the entire patio is about 10,000 square feet.
The owners of South Street's popular German outpost Brauhaus Schmitz opened Whetstone Tavern in Queen Village in July. The modern restaurant and charcuterie bar serves upscale American comfort food, including an international and regional cheese list designed specifically for Whetstone by Di Bruno Bros. The bar features 15 rotating taps with craft ales and lagers as well as creative cocktails. The main dining room seats 56 guests, with an additional 10 seats at the bar and room for 28 more guests outside when weather permits. The impressive Wall of Knives displays 45 cooking knives gifted to chef Jeremy Nolan from some of the country's top chefs.
Marc Vetri opened a second branch of his eponymous Pizzeria Vetri in Rittenhouse Square in June. Dedicated to the art of Italian pizza making, the menu features a selection of specialty pizzas and salads, all created in house. With subway tile and communal seating, the atmosphere is casual. The highlight of the space is the open kitchen, which includes a custom-made wood-fired Renato oven. The 2,000-square-foot space seats 60 guests; a seasonal outdoor space holds an additional 16 people.
The new Joe's Steaks & Soda Shop in Fishtown opened in April. The 1,700-square-foot throwback space is furnished with retro decor. The menu features Philly classics like cheesesteaks, burgers, specialty fries, and milkshakes while also offering vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. The restaurant seats 70 guests including at the counter, booths, and tables. Planners can bring their own alcohol, and tables can be arranged in a variety of layouts.
Bella Vista welcomed its newest yoga sanctuary, Bombay Yoga Company, in March. Located in a renovated second-level space, the Bohemian-style studio features a reception counter/bar and two large practice rooms that can be used for private events. The 2,500-square-foot space holds 200 people for receptions, or planners can arrange for private yoga classes for as many as 30 students.
Rittenhouse Square's supper club Vesper renovated in April, adding dark woods, reds, golds, and blacks for a sexy, speakeasy vibe. The menu offers a modern take on French cuisine which can be tailored to specific client needs. A 600-square-foot private dining room, which includes its own entrance, bar, and restrooms, seats 80 people or holds 120 for receptions. Full buyouts of the trilevel space are available for groups of as many as 500.
In partnership with Tacconelli's Pizza, Mercer Café opened a second location at the Navy Yard in May. The family-owned and –operated business serves homemade, seasonal cuisine, including pizza from a brick oven. The 3,600-square-foot B.Y.O.B. restaurant holds 150 for receptions or seats 90. The bright and modern design features open seating, a diner counter, and outdoor space.
Palo Santo Wellness Boutique opened in April. The venue, which functions as both a yoga studio and a retail store, can host workshops, classes, lectures, or other intimate events. The raw, rustic space measures 1,000 square feet, including the 500-square-foot studio, and seats 50 or holds 100 for receptions.
A rustic, casual eatery in Graduate Hospital, Ti Penso opened in the building formerly occupied by Roberto Café in June. The 1,400-square-foot restaurant offers indoor and outdoor space. The dining room seats 22 or holds 40 for receptions, while the patio seats 12 or holds 25 for receptions. All of the New American menu items are made fresh in house, and the selection of dishes rotates seasonally.
