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Vernick Food & Drink in Rittenhouse
Clay Williams

Where to Order a Fancy Date Night Dinner to Eat at Home

Takeout meals that work for a special occasion

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Vernick Food & Drink in Rittenhouse
| Clay Williams

Planning an elaborate date night or celebrating a special occasion in Philly has looked different this year, but that doesn’t mean birthday, anniversary, and engagement dinners are off the table. Many Philadelphia restaurants that never offered takeout are now packaging meals to go during the pandemic, including some of the city’s favorite destinations for fancy dinners.

Pro tip: To recreate a restaurant feel at home, use real plates and silverware. Check out the restaurant’s Instagram and try to copy its plating technique. Several spots are also offering bottles of wine and cocktails to go, which can take dinner at home to the next level.

A number of Philadelphia restaurants have resumed dine-in service, including several restaurants on this map. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns. For updated information on coronavirus cases locally, visit the City of Philadelphia website. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with sidewalk and patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.

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Vernick Food & Drink

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From Tuesday to Saturday, Rittenhouse’s Vernick Food & Drink is offering to-go dishes with a mix of ready-to-eat and ready-to-reheat options. Add a half pint of house-made ice cream and a bottle from Vernick Wine to complete the meal. Order online for pickup. Onsite dining is available too. Chef Greg Vernick’s newer restaurant, Vernick Fish at the Four Seasons, also offers takeout.

Any order at elegant Indian restaurant Veda should include a beverage, whether it’s a to-go cocktail like the drunken lassi — house-made mango lassi spiked with dark rum and chile powder — or the tamarind-based non-alcoholic imli sharbat. Make sure to get the mint paratha too, which is hard to find in Philly. Order through the restaurant for pickup or delivery. Onsite dining is an option.

Abe Fisher

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In Center City, modern Jewish restaurant Abe Fisher is cooking up takeout dinners designed for two Wednesdays to Saturdays. The menu rotates, but look for options like challah and squash dumplings, lamb tzimmes, and coffee cake with cinnamon streusel. A prix fixe menu built around the restaurant’s fan-favorite Montreal smoked short ribs is also an option. Onsite dining is available.

A.Kitchen

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The French-inspired menu at A.Kitchen in Rittenhouse features plenty of seasonal vegetables, pasta, and well-executed entrees like a half-chicken with za’atar brown butter hot sauce. Call or order online for pickup or get delivery through Caviar. Onsite dining is available.

Barclay Prime

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On Rittenhouse Square, Stephen Starr’s swank steakhouse Barclay Prime has a menu of chilled Maine lobster cocktail, 40-day dry-aged rib eye, and truffle mac and cheese available via pickup or delivery though Caviar or DoorDash, or for onsite dining. Wines (for pickup only) are available by the bottle. Nearby, Starr’s other standout steakhouse, Butcher & Singer, is also open with takeout, delivery, and onsite dining options.

Pumpkin BYOB

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This small BYOB on South Street pivoted to takeout when dining rooms were first closed and it’s been serving $45 three-course meals for pickup and delivery ever since. Check the restaurant’s Instagram to see the day’s menu, which always includes locally sourced, seasonal dishes. Call to order. Pumpkin also has tables set up outside for outdoor dining.

Royal Sushi & Izakaya

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Pre-pandemic, a seat at Jesse Ito’s omakase counter, set behind a curtain in the back of his izakaya, was a coveted reservation. Fortunately for Philly diners, the chef is translating his hits to takeout with a to-go menu that pulls from both sections of the restaurant. Immediately add the chirashi to your online order, and then build the rest of the meal from there. Sake, wine, beer, and Japanese sodas are available too.

On East Passyunk Avenue, Lou Boquila is offering a few options at his Filipino BYOB, Thursdays to Sundays. Set meals made for two to share are centered around whole fish, chicken, or pork, each packaged with garlic fried rice, pinakbet, and pork-filled lumpia. Savory a la carte dishes and a selection of desserts (including a mini-bibingka bundt cake) are also on the menu. Order online for pickup or use GrubHub or Doordash for delivery.

River Twice

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The always-inventive menu at River Twice on East Passyunk Avenue includes several items available for takeout, Wednesdays to Sundays. Choose from seasonal dishes like toast topped with uni, fromage blanc, and sea lettuce or Spanish mackerel made with buttermilk, white ponzu, dill oil, and pickled pumpkin. There’s indoor and outdoor dining.

Hardena

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Hardena’s “not pizza” boxes jam-packed with an ever-changing selection of Indonesian dishes are perfect for sharing — and in very limited supply. Ordering is open on Mondays only, on a first come, first served basis, for pickup Wednesday to Sunday, so just snagging one is reason enough to celebrate.

Vernick Food & Drink

From Tuesday to Saturday, Rittenhouse’s Vernick Food & Drink is offering to-go dishes with a mix of ready-to-eat and ready-to-reheat options. Add a half pint of house-made ice cream and a bottle from Vernick Wine to complete the meal. Order online for pickup. Onsite dining is available too. Chef Greg Vernick’s newer restaurant, Vernick Fish at the Four Seasons, also offers takeout.

Veda

Any order at elegant Indian restaurant Veda should include a beverage, whether it’s a to-go cocktail like the drunken lassi — house-made mango lassi spiked with dark rum and chile powder — or the tamarind-based non-alcoholic imli sharbat. Make sure to get the mint paratha too, which is hard to find in Philly. Order through the restaurant for pickup or delivery. Onsite dining is an option.

Abe Fisher

In Center City, modern Jewish restaurant Abe Fisher is cooking up takeout dinners designed for two Wednesdays to Saturdays. The menu rotates, but look for options like challah and squash dumplings, lamb tzimmes, and coffee cake with cinnamon streusel. A prix fixe menu built around the restaurant’s fan-favorite Montreal smoked short ribs is also an option. Onsite dining is available.

A.Kitchen

The French-inspired menu at A.Kitchen in Rittenhouse features plenty of seasonal vegetables, pasta, and well-executed entrees like a half-chicken with za’atar brown butter hot sauce. Call or order online for pickup or get delivery through Caviar. Onsite dining is available.

Barclay Prime

On Rittenhouse Square, Stephen Starr’s swank steakhouse Barclay Prime has a menu of chilled Maine lobster cocktail, 40-day dry-aged rib eye, and truffle mac and cheese available via pickup or delivery though Caviar or DoorDash, or for onsite dining. Wines (for pickup only) are available by the bottle. Nearby, Starr’s other standout steakhouse, Butcher & Singer, is also open with takeout, delivery, and onsite dining options.

Pumpkin BYOB

This small BYOB on South Street pivoted to takeout when dining rooms were first closed and it’s been serving $45 three-course meals for pickup and delivery ever since. Check the restaurant’s Instagram to see the day’s menu, which always includes locally sourced, seasonal dishes. Call to order. Pumpkin also has tables set up outside for outdoor dining.

Royal Sushi & Izakaya

Pre-pandemic, a seat at Jesse Ito’s omakase counter, set behind a curtain in the back of his izakaya, was a coveted reservation. Fortunately for Philly diners, the chef is translating his hits to takeout with a to-go menu that pulls from both sections of the restaurant. Immediately add the chirashi to your online order, and then build the rest of the meal from there. Sake, wine, beer, and Japanese sodas are available too.

Perla

On East Passyunk Avenue, Lou Boquila is offering a few options at his Filipino BYOB, Thursdays to Sundays. Set meals made for two to share are centered around whole fish, chicken, or pork, each packaged with garlic fried rice, pinakbet, and pork-filled lumpia. Savory a la carte dishes and a selection of desserts (including a mini-bibingka bundt cake) are also on the menu. Order online for pickup or use GrubHub or Doordash for delivery.

River Twice

The always-inventive menu at River Twice on East Passyunk Avenue includes several items available for takeout, Wednesdays to Sundays. Choose from seasonal dishes like toast topped with uni, fromage blanc, and sea lettuce or Spanish mackerel made with buttermilk, white ponzu, dill oil, and pickled pumpkin. There’s indoor and outdoor dining.

Hardena

Hardena’s “not pizza” boxes jam-packed with an ever-changing selection of Indonesian dishes are perfect for sharing — and in very limited supply. Ordering is open on Mondays only, on a first come, first served basis, for pickup Wednesday to Sunday, so just snagging one is reason enough to celebrate.

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