Philadelphia's City Hall is a 510-foot structure listed as a national historic landmark. Housing many city government offices, the building is at Penn Square, at the intersection of Broad and Market Streets. Visitors to Philadelphia's City Hall can find a variety of dining options within a few blocks of the site. Among these establishments are French bistros, international restaurants and those that specialize in Mexican cuisine.
Located inside the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which is adjacent to City Hall, 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge opened in May 2008. The menu begins with five appetizers, including the salmon tartare with grapefruit and jalapenos and the seared foie gras in white balsamic vinaigrette. A featured entree is the Pennsylvania-caught brook trout, served with bok choy in a hazelnut brown butter sauce. The chef also offers a five-course seasonal tasting menu nightly. For dessert, try the passion fruit parfait or the chocolate beignets. The restaurant has a full bar available. The 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Reservations are highly suggested. Business casual attire is appropriate.
10 Arts Bistro & Lounge
10 South Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215-523-8273
10arts.com
Specializing in Mexican cuisine, Lolita is about three blocks from the Philadelphia City Hall. The restaurant held "Zagat" dining guide ratings of "extraordinary to perfection" for its food, "very good to excellent" for its service and "good to very good" for its decor. A featured entree is the chorizo sausage seasoned with brandy and cumin, accompanied by a hominy and leek torta. Another is the grilled lamb loin stuffed with corn, mushrooms and cotija cheese. The restaurant does not have a liquor license, but it does have a "bring your own tequila" policy. The restaurant serves diners a margarita with everything except the alcohol, which guests may serve themselves. Lolita serves dinner nightly. Reservations are only accepted Sundays through Thursdays; Fridays and Saturdays are first-come, first-served, with long waits the norm. The restaurant will not seat parties larger than six on Fridays or Saturdays due to its no-reservations policy. Lolita does not accept credit cards. Business casual is the attire.
Lolita
106 South 13th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-546-7100
lolitabyob.com
Time is approximately three blocks from Philadelphia City Hall. As of September 2010, the restaurant held "Zagat" ratings of "very good to excellent" for its food and service and "good to very good" for its decor. Nine appetizers lead the menu, such as the risotto balls with mushroom-truffle sauce and the beets with fried goat cheese and oranges. Meat lovers may opt for the rib eye steak accompanied by potato hash in a green peppercorn sauce. Those who prefer seafood may select the red snapper in a macadamia nut crust. Five- and seven-course tasting menus are also featured. The bar serves 16 varieties of whiskey, 20 microbrew and imported beers and 50 wines by the bottle. Time is open for dinner nightly. Reservations are taken online and by telephone. Business casual attire is appropriate. The restaurant features live entertainment on weekends.
Time
1315 Sansom St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-985-4800
timerestaurant.net
