Here's a look at new Philadelphia eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces to open for events this summer. The new and renovated Philadelphia venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fund-raisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
Known for serving health-conscious dishes with 500 or fewer calories, Philadelphia mini-chain Fuel renovated its Midtown Village outpost—called Fuel Center City—in April. The menu includes salads, juices, sandwiches, desserts, and more, all of which are made with locally grown produce. The 1,700-square-foot space now offers flexible seating options, Philly-centric artwork, a community table, and a second-floor private event space. Planners can book events for as many as 72 seated guests in the main dining room, 20 seated guests on the outdoor patio, and 20 in the private event space.
The Study at University City is a new hotel within walking distance of both the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University campuses. The property features a bright color palette, outdoor terraces, and a living room adorned with artifacts from three local museums. In addition to 212 guest rooms and suites, the property offers 7,000 square feet of event space divided into six venues of various sizes. The 2,253-square-foot Banquet Salon, for example, accommodates 48 guests conference style, 144 classroom style, and 150 for mixed receptions. The 2,111-square-foot Drafting rooms fit 30 guests classroom style or as many as 72 for receptions, and the 268-square-foot Boardroom accommodates 18.
The Barnes Foundation, an acclaimed museum, will debut a new Garden Pavilion in July. The space, which opens onto a garden area (pictured), adds 4,000 square feet to the facility, including 1,000 square feet of event space. Planners can reserve the new venue for gatherings of as many as 60 guests for seated dinners, 100 for cocktail-style events, and 80 theater style. Elsewhere on site, the 7,800-square-foot Annenberg Court accommodates as many as 800 cocktail style, the 5,300-square-foot West Terrace holds as many as 300, and the Comcast Auditorium has seating for 143. Guests at private events have access to the museum’s renowned collection of impressionist, post-impressionist, and early modern paintings, and planners can work with Starr Catering Group for food and beverage needs.
The Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia’s newest cultural venue, opened its doors in the city’s Historic District in April. Through a vast collection of letters, diaries, weapons, works of art, and other relics, the gallery exhibits trace the Revolutionary War from its opening shots to the creation of the American Republic. The building spans 118,000 square feet, with several areas available for private events. The Special Exhibit Gallery accommodates as many as 300 seated guests or 500 cocktail style, the Lobby holds 275 for cocktail receptions, the Main Theater seats 190, and Liberty Hall seats 168. The facility’s exclusive caterer, Brulee Catering, can create cuisine inspired by the Revolutionary era.
Puyero Venezuelan Flavor opened in March, bringing authentic Latin street food to the South Street business district. The menu includes classic dishes like arepas, mandocas, and fried yucca, as well as fruity tropical drinks. Measuring 600 square feet, the colorful, airy restaurant can accommodate 22 seated guests or 40 cocktail style. An outdoor patio offers 10 additional seats, weather permitting.
Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel unveiled a $2 million renovation in March, including an overhaul of nine function rooms totaling 11,000 square feet of meeting space. Meeting rooms now include energy-efficient LED lighting, Philadelphia-centric artwork, modern audiovisual capabilities, and new carpets and wall coverings. The 332-room hotel accommodates groups of various sizes. The Benjamin Franklin Ballroom measures 5,328 square feet and holds as many as 400 guests theater style, 350 for sit-down banquets, and 300 for dinner-dances. The 1,092-square-foot University Suite accommodates as many as 100 theater style, 75 for mixed receptions, and 60 in classroom setups. For smaller groups, the Ivy League Boardroom measures 336 square feet and seats 12.
In March, SoulCycle opened its second Philadelphia-area studio, SoulCycle Rittenhouse Square. The 2,720-square-foot venue is available for private events, charity rides, “sweatworking” sessions, and more for as many as 58 riders. The new location also includes a clothing boutique, fully stocked locker rooms, and on-site showers.
West Philadelphia’s Dock Street Brewery opened Dock Street Cannery & Tasting Lounge in April. The new space allows Dock Street to expand its operations to include canned beer, which is only available at the new venue, the original brewery, and a handful of local restaurants. The industrial-style venue is next door to the original brewpub and includes unexpected decor like a live-plant wall and pink neon signage. A curated bar menu offers beer, beer cocktails, draft wine, and liquor cocktails, while food options include local cheeses, house-made tarts, spent grain pretzels, and other light bites. Eight-hundred square feet of the new space is available for events for as many as 30 seated guests or 40 cocktail style.
A Philadelphia-area destination for more than 280 years, Normandy Farm Hotel & Conference Center unveiled the first phase of a $1.7 million renovation in May. The “farm-chic” resort is modern yet rustic, and all 113-guest rooms now include new furniture, flooring, and artwork. More than 30,000 square feet of meeting space is available for groups of a variety of sizes; the largest ballroom accommodates 500 guests theater style, while the largest conference room seats 100 theater style. Wi-Fi bandwidth also has been increased across the entire property, and cuisine is seasonal and from scratch. Additional resort-like offerings include an Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole golf course, a swimming pool, and tennis courts.
In early June, North American hair salon chain Drybar opened Drybar Ardmore on the Main Line. Featuring salon chairs for as many as 12 guests, the 1,923-square-foot location can be reserved by private groups for pre-party events, teambuilding activities, and social gatherings. Unlike traditional salons, Drybar focuses solely on blowouts, and guests can choose from a menu of hairstyles, from sleek to tousled, depending on their desired look. Meeting planners are welcome to bring in outside food and beverages.
