Here's a look at new Philadelphia eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces to open for events this winter. The new and renovated venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fund-raisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
East Passyunk Avenue welcomed Barcelona Wine Bar Passyunk in July. In addition to an award-winning wine list, the menu offers dishes inspired by the bold flavors of Spain and the Mediterranean, including charcuterie and cheeses, tapas such as spiced meatballs and patatas bravas, and entrees like vegetable paella and squid ink noodles. The restaurant features an open kitchen and is divided into several spaces that can accommodate groups of varying sizes; the 2,206-square-foot dining room seats 156, the 215-square-foot bar seats 23, and the 739-square-foot patio seats 70.
The post-apocalyptic-theme restaurant Mad Rex opened in Fishtown in October. The 8,500-square-foot venue seats 225 guests and includes touches such as prop exhibits from leading movie and theater artists, graffiti murals, weapon displays, a virtual reality lounge, a private bar area, and a private lounge. The venue can also facilitate block-party-style outdoor events which close the street to auto traffic. The kitchen features a glass wall overlooking the restaurant and dishes out modern American cuisine made using locally sourced ingredients.
Yards Brewing Company, Philly’s hometown brewery, unveils its new space in Northern Liberties later this month. Yards Brewery and Taproom will house production, bottling, and canning facilities, as well as a game room, a patio, a taproom, an event space, and the first kitchen in the brewery’s 23-year history. With an open floor plan, 25-foot ceilings, long wooden tables, and 360-degree views of the brewing operation, the space is at once modern and industrial. The menu from chef James Burke includes snacks, sandwiches, entrees, and desserts. The main taproom spans 3,500 square feet, with an additional 3,500-square-foot space available for private events. Each space seats as many as 200 guests.
Philadelphia School of Circus Arts opened a 28,000-square-foot facility in a converted historic church in West Mount Airy in September. The venue includes a gym, a school building with 10 classrooms, a lobby, a viewing room, and a 5,000-square-foot sanctuary that can accommodate reception-style events for as many as 500 guests. Events can easily include circus performances, and the school can accommodate smaller workshops and interactive team classes.
Aloft Philadelphia Downtown opened in August in the former Liberty Title & Trust Building. The modern, stylish 179-room property in Center City includes 1,200 square feet of flexible function space with audiovisual capabilities like free Wi-Fi access, DVD players, and 60-inch flat-screen televisions with laptop hookups. The 644-square-foot Exchange room accommodates as many as 70 guests theater-style or 50 banquet-style, while the 582-square-foot Tactic room seats about 60 guests theater-style or 45 for banquets. An 800-square-foot outdoor terrace is also available for private events.
Washington Square West’s celebrated noodle bar Cheu opened a second location in July, this time in Fishtown. The Asian fusion menu includes imaginative options such as beet rangoon dumplings, brisket ramen, and soybean falafel buns. The 2,100-square-foot space seats as many as 50 guests for private events.
Vault Brewing in Yardley unveiled a new event space adjacent to the brewery in September. Measuring 1,000 square feet, the venue features a 20-tap private bar and a stage. The space can accommodate 40 seated guests or 60 for receptions. Planners can choose from a menu that includes items like wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, and s’mores.
In September, Gina’s 45 opened in Old City. The cocktail bar spans two levels, each of which measures 1,000 square feet. The second floor, which is available for private events, includes a full bar, dedicated bathrooms, and windows that open to create an indoor/outdoor feel. Complementing the bar’s cocktails and liquor, the menu includes casual fare like wings, burgers, roast pork, and hummus.
Six Feet Under, a New American gastropub, opened in Washington Square West in August. The menu includes an array of options from cinnamon Belgian waffles to pulled pork sandwiches to shepherd’s pie. The 1,500-square-foot venue includes multiple nooks that can accommodate groups as small as eight seated guests or as large as 100 guests cocktail-style. Seven flat-screen TVs are available for use during events.
Torc Yoga opens this month in Old City, offering a bright, modern space for teambuilding, meetings, or “sweatworking” events. The 3,200-square-foot studio offers room for as many as 50 people per class. The venue also includes showers, a changing room, ample natural light, and a private space for pre- and post-class receptions.
