Where to Eat on New Year’s Eve in Philly

Photo courtesy of Twisted Tail

Hungry Pigeon, Queen Village
Our top-ranked restaurant in Philly (still!) is serving up a surf and turf menu for New Year’s Eve, with starters like poached oysters and duck pate and mains like crab and potato ravioli and a grilled grassfed beef steak for $65 per person.

Pub & Kitchen, Fitler Square
Go old-school — like, really old — at Pub & Kitchen’s Roaring 20s costume party, with jazz music, Prohibition-era cocktails, a special a la carte menu of 1920s favorites like oysters Rockefeller, prime rib, French onion soup, and pineapple upside-down cake. Period costumes, like flapper dresses, tuxes, and top hats, are encouraged.

Square 1682, Rittenhouse
Take a trip to Vegas without leaving Philly with Square 1682’s prixe fixe menu featuring courses like a chicken liver parfait and quail for $65, plus live musical entertainment emceed by lead bartender and singer extraordinaire Daniel Kulisek. And, of course, lots and lots of bubbly.

Barclay Prime, Rittenhouse
Go luxe at the boutique steakhouse with a la carte dishes like lobster, foie gras, and Wagyu beef, plus a complimentary champagne toast at midnight.

SkyLodge, Center City
For a celebration that will fit into the little ones’ bedtime routine, head to SkyLodge from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. for party favors, free hot chocolate, and snacks. The kid-friendly countdown to fireworks happens at 6 p.m., and you can get your tickets (priced at $20.17) here. Or leave the kids with a sitter and make it a late date night, with a charcuterie and dessert station, open bar from 9 p.m. until 12 a.m., and spectacular views of the fireworks. Tickets are $79; get them here.

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Mission Taqueria, Center City
Drag queen extraordinaire Iris Spectre is hosting Mission’s NYE party, along with special guests and music from DJ KRK. $60 gets you in the door with 2 free rounds of drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres, or go VIP for $100 to get a reserved table, taco dinner, and tequila service. Doors open at 8 p.m. for a 9 p.m. show, then dancing till midnight.

Oyster House, Center City
Though it’s typically closed Sundays, Oyster House is staying open on NYE. Dinner starts at 5 p.m., with a prixe fixe meal of four courses for $65 per person (the a la carte menu is still available at the bar) and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Make your reservation by calling 215-567-7683.

Royal Boucherie, Old City
Celebrate at Nick Elmi’s new American brasserie with menu offerings like oysters and housemade charcuterie, plus specials like caviar service and surf & turf platters. Stick around until midnight for a free champagne toast, or walk a few blocks to Penn’s Landing to see the fireworks up close.

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High Street on Market, Old City
For a delicious prelude to the countdown, head to Ellen Yin’s all-day farm-to-table cafe for a family-style prixe fixe dinner at $65 per person. Call 215-625-0988 to make your reservation.

Twisted Tail, Society HillStop in for an early three-course dinner at Twisted Tail between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. for $55, or dine between 6:15 p.m. and 10 p.m. for $85, which includes dinner and tickets to Twisted Tail’s Masquerade Party, featuring live music, burlesque performances, and a champagne toast at midnight. (Party-only tickets are available for $20 or $125 for VIP, too.)

Strangelove’s, Midtown Village
Looking for a low-key spot for New Year’s? Strangelove’s is serving a menu of small plates, craft beers, and cocktails at their downstairs bar starting at 6 p.m., with drafts like Russian River’s Pliny the Elder, Une Année’s Framboise, a raspberry wild ale, and Kensington nanobrewery Fermentery Form’s Merry Merry Belgian strong dark ale.

Destination Dogs, Midtown Village
This hot dog-centric spot is pouring complimentary champagne every hour on the hour as midnight strikes in time zones around the world, with new specials added every hour corresponding to the clock. The Le-Bun-On, scheduled for 5 p.m. (Lebanon, duh) features lamb sausage, hummus, red onion, tomato, and parsley; the Bun-icio Del Toro at 11 p.m. (Puerto Rico) is a fried hot dog with arroz con guandules, avocado crema, plantain chips, and cilantro.

Time, Midtown Village
Hit the bar at time for the a la carte menu, or hit the dining room for a four-course prixe fixe menu for $65 per person, with music shifting from jazz piano to funk and neo-soul as the evening goes on. There are two dinner seatings, one from 6 p.m. till 7:30 p.m. and one from 8 p.m. till 9:30 p.m.; the second seating features a complimentary champagne toast. Make your reservations here.

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Alla Spina, Fairmount
The whole Vetri Family is getting in on this party: There’s an open bar, a photo lounge, and food stations by Alla Spina, Osteria, Terrain Garden Cafe, Amis, Bar Amis and Pizzeria Vetri. Later, dance to the DJ’s beats and nosh at the Sir Kensington condiment and fry bar. Get tickets — $135 until December 26th, when they go up to $145 — here.

Brauhaus Schmitz, South Street
The Bavarian beer hall is doing something a little different this year with their Firkins & Fondue party. The evening includes a full open bar from 9 p.m. till 1 a.m. plus a three-course family-style dinner for $115. They’re also projecting classic German comedy Dinner for One and will open up the roof deck for fireworks at midnight. Get your tickets here.

Bing Bing Dim Sum, East Passyunk
Make your reservations ASAP for Bing Bing’s killer-sounding four-course NYE menu, which comes with a free glass of champagne and features treats like French onion soup dumplings, chicken superior, and warm Jewish apple cake for $40.99 per person.

Noord, East Passyunk
Joncarl Lachman’s Dutch BYO is offering a five-course feast for $75, with mains like honey-lacquered quail and rabbit leg braised in red wine and prunes. Check out the full menu here and make a reservation here.

Dumplings at Dim Sum House

Dim Sum House, University City
Jane Guo’s Penn campus spot is offering a five-course menu for just $35, with a DJ and dancing after midnight to keep the party going.

Walnut Street Cafe, University City
Celebrate all day with live music during the cafe’s brunch from noon until 3 p.m., or choose from several dinner options: from 5 p.m. till 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. until 8 p.m., a three-course dinner is $98, or wait till late and get dinner from 9 p.m. until 10 p.m. for $128 with live music and a dance party afterward.

Marigold Kitchen, Spruce Hill
This elegant West Philly BYO is going all out for NYE with a 15-course tasting menu with open seating from 4:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. The meal will feature dishes like five-spice lobster thermidor and venison tartare for $120 per person.

Clarkville, Spruce Hill
Get New Year’s fun with the kids out of the way before it’s even dark out: the folks at Clarkville will be counting down to 2018 at noon on New Year’s Eve with a family-centric party. There will be noisemakers, balloons, juice boxes, and a $5 pizza buffet from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Get your tickets at the door.

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Kensington Quarters, Fishtown
The local meat mecca is offering a prixe fixe menu for $75, with the option to add on a wine pairing for $30. The four-course meal kicks off with a choice of beef tartare, oysters, or house-made charcuterie and features dishes like wood-oven roasted mushrooms, pasnip ravioli, duck breast, swordfish with cauliflower and lemon, and gingerbread or dark chocolate pudding for dessert.

Garage North, Fishtown
After dinner, head to Girard Avenue for a no-cover party at Garage North starting at 9 p.m. There will be a “secret New Year’s fun bag,” plus Arctic Freeze slushies, party favors, and a champagne toast as the ball drops, plus tunes from DJ Ronnie Bullets.

Heritage, Northern Liberties
Heritage is making NYE an all-day affair: from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m., they’re hosting Bluegrass Brunch, then jazz from musician Tom Moon with dinner from 6 p.m. till 9 p.m. For dinner, a special a la carte menu featuring items like caviar, oysters, and scallop crudo plus entrees like lobster bisque and ribeye with roasted bone marrow will be served, plus a complimentary champagne toast at midnight.