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 winter. 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.
After seven years in business, West Philadelphia's Jose Garces-helmed Distrito transformed its first floor into a casual taqueria in August. The Distrito Taqueria space includes fun decor like swing-set seating, glittery high-top tables, picnic benches, and lucha libre masks. The restaurant's marquee signage can be customized for events, and flat-screen TVs and a CD-based jukebox provide entertainment for diners. When using the first and second floors, the venue holds 300 people for receptions. More intimate groups can take advantage of the 45-seat private dining room and the new karaoke room, complete with a stage and room for 22 people.
Live Nation spent $36 million to convert the Ajax Metal Factory Building in Fishtown, originally built in 1893, into the Fillmore Philadelphia, a new theater and performance space. Modeled after the famous theater of the same name in San Francisco, the industrial-chic venue opened in October. The Fillmore provides full concert staging, a sound system by Claire Brothers, full theatrical/nightclub lighting, a built-in screen and projector, multiple plasma screens, and in-house catering from Wolfgang Puck. Within the 40,000-square-foot venue, three separate spaces can accommodate groups: the Music Hall holds 2,000 guests for receptions, 390 for banquets, or 685 theater-style; the Foundry/Circle Bar holds 264 guests for receptions, 96 for banquets, or 182 theater-style; and Ajax Hall holds 300 for receptions, 176 for banquets, or 144 theater-style.
The Logan, a new hotel that will occupy the building that was formerly home to the Four Seasons, is set to open in December. The 391-room property will include the Stenton, an entirely new event space within the hotel. The room measures 4,643 square feet and seats 200 guests or holds 300 for receptions. The Stenton will offer views of Logan Square, a cozy fireplace, and farm-fresh cuisine made from scratch on site. PSAV will operate in house for all audiovisual needs.
Available for meetings, teambuilding events, or fund-raisers with a built-in activity element is the Wall Cycling Studio in Phoenixville. The studio includes 21 bikes in its 2,200-square-foot space, but all of the equipment is movable, so planners can adjust the layout of the loft-style space as needed. It opened in September.
Montreal-inspired cuisine makes its way to Philadelphia with Coeur, which opened in Bella Vista in September. The atmosphere is polished without being formal, and comfortable without feeling too casual. The menu includes creative dishes like a poutine burger, bacon-wrapped rabbit porchetta, and house-made pickles. At 2,200 square feet, the restaurant seats 120 guests or holds 150 for receptions.
Midtown Village moguls Valerie Safran and Marcie Turney added a fifth restaurant to their empire in August. With retro decor and a menu of American classics, Bud & Marilyn's was inspired by Turney's restaurateur grandparents, for whom the eatery is named. The 2,500-square-foot space is available for buyouts for receptions of about 110 guests.
Open since April, Industrious Office is the latest addition to Philadelphia's wide array of co-working spaces. Located in the heart of Center City's theater district, the 10,000-square-foot venue is available for after-hours meetings and events for as many as 100 guests. The space has a start-up vibe and offers full video conferencing functionality, three conference rooms with HDMI capabilities, built-in kitchen appliances, and 360-degree views of the city.
The multifaceted South, which opened on North Broad Street in Spring Garden in September, is a jazz parlor, restaurant, and bar. The menu features new-Southern dishes like potted pork confit and pressed lamb shoulder, and the beverage program emphasizes American whiskey and rare draft beers. The 6,200-square-foot venue holds 150 guests for receptions; it seats 75 guests in the jazz parlor and 20 in the dining room. The jazz parlor offers state-of-the-art soundproofing, microphones, speakers, projectors and screens, making it ideal for events with live music.
Federal Distilling is converting a former factory and warehouse into a 5,000-square-foot vodka distillery set to open in December. An adjacent cocktail lounge and tasting room, Federal Distilling Room, abbreviated as F.D.R., will offer a cozy atmosphere for events, complete with panoramic views of the production floor. The Olde Kensington venue will partner with a handful of local caterers, and a mini-golf course, local coffee roaster, and craft brewery are all located in the same complex and can be used during distillery events. Planners can also opt for private tours and tastings. The beverage menu will include more than vodka, and most of the spirits come from other local distillers. The venue seats 30 or holds 45 for receptions.
Philadelphia restaurateurs Cat and Kevin Huang opened DanDan, a chic bilevel eatery serving Taiwanese and Sichuan cuisine, in July. The menu includes dishes prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients, and an in-house mixologist concocts imaginative cocktails behind the bar. The Rittenhouse spot measures 2,000 square feet and is ideal for intimate business lunches and dinners. For buyouts, the dining room seats 44 guests, with room for an additional 14 people at the bar.
