A slew of Philadelphia restaurants are set to provide diners with Easter brunch and dinner on Sunday, April 20, including the Four Seasons, pictured above. Beyond dining, family-friendly events abound to celebrate the spring holiday. (Photo courtesy Four Seasons Philadelphia)
The Easter holiday, which falls on Sunday, April 20 this year, is quickly approaching, bringing with it a number of festive brunches, decadent dinners and family-friendly egg hunts to the City of Brotherly Love.
For youngsters, South Street hosts its annual Easter Promenade complete with a parade, costume contests and a visit for from the Easter bunny. For those looking for some grown up fun, a number of restaurants across Philadelphia offer the public brunch and dinner specials featuring limited-edition Bellinis, all-you-can-eat brunch buffets, dinners promising local fare and more.
Read on for our picks for Easter brunches, dinners and events around town.
Restaurants
• XIX (Nineteen) at the Hyatt at the Bellevue: Rittenhouse, 200 S. Broad Street, 215-790-1919, Brunch. XIX promises guests sky-high views of the City of Brotherly Love in addition to a decadent brunch display complete with seafood, meat, salad and a dessert station. Brunch costs $68 for adults and $34 for children ages 5 to 12.
• Lacroix at The Rittenhouse: Rittenhouse, 210 W. Rittenhouse Square, 215-790-2533, Brunch. For a special occasion brunch, few destinations equal Lacroix at The Rittenhoue. For the holiday, the restaurant serves its a la carte brunch menu of salads, house-cured meats, sweet treats and more in addition to a number of Easter-appropriate additions honoring the holiday.
• Tavern 17 at the Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel: Rittenhouse, 220 S. 17th Street, 215-790-1799, Brunch. Tavern 17 at the Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel raises a fork to Easter with a prix-fixe brunch complete with menu options like carrot ginger soup, tangerine-glazed ham, grilled salmon, chocolate mousse and more. The meal rings in at $32 for adults and $17 for children under 12. Brunch will be available from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Easter Sunday, April 20.
• Chez Colette at the Sofitel Philadelphia: Rittenhouse, 120 S. 17th Street, 215-569-8300, Brunch. Chez Colette at the Sofitel satisfies appetites with a brunch buffet and provides diners with live tunes, too. Brunch costs $55 for adults and $27.50 for children.
• Pumpkin BYOB: Rittenhouse, 1713 South Street, 215-545-4448, Dinner. Diners should bring a bottle of wine to Pumpkin BYOB, an eatery specializing in local and fresh fare. On Easter, a seasonal five-course dinner runs $40 per person.
• Ocean Prime: Rittenhouse, 124 S. 15th Street, 215-563-0163, Brunch and Dinner. Ocean Prime opens its doors early, at 11 a.m., for Easter brunchers to indulge in special menu additions like blood orange mimosas, blueberry french toast, crab and eggs, braised short rib and more. For those craving dinner, the dinner menu will be available all day, too.
• Bistro St. Tropez: Rittenhouse, 2400 Market Street, 215-569-9269, Brunch. Bistro St. Tropez dishes out a French-inspired Easter brunch with menu options like a leeks and goat cheese tart, French toast with caramelized banana, hazelnut, apricot and lavender mousse cake and more.
• Four Seasons Hotel: Logan Square, 1 Logan Square, 215-963-1500, Brunch and Dinner. The Four Seasons offers an Easter event that spans way past brunch. This family-friendly Easter celebration includes a brunch in one of three areas — The Lounge, the Fountain Restaurant or the Terrace for groups of nine or more and groups with children. Brunch includes omelette stations, fresh seafood, carving stations, salads and homemade pastries. In addition to brunch offerings, the Four Seasons provides kids with face painting, an Easter egg hunt, crafts and even pony rides. Brunch at The Lounge and the Terrace begins at 10 a.m., and brunch at the Fountain Restaurant begins at 11 a.m. The Easter Egg’stravaganza is $105 for adults and $53 for children.
• Percy Street Barbecue: Washington Square West, 900 South Street, 215-625-8510, Brunch and Dinner. Expect ham-centric menu additions in celebration of Easter at Percy Street Barbecue, South Street’s resident barbecue spot. Or, choose from the restaurant’s regular menu which included brisket, ribs, pulled pork and more. Be sure to pair your dinner with a brew from Percy Street’s extensive canned-beer menu.
• Supper: Washington Square West, 926 South Street, 215-592-8180, Brunch. Supper promises diners farm-fresh fare for Easter brunch. In addition to the restaurant’s regular brunch menu, guests can look forward to a few festive additions like savory smoked pork loin, grilled leg of lamb and marshmallow Peep french toast. Brunch will be available for extended hours — from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Ela: Queen Village, 627 S. 3rd Street, 267-687-8512, Brunch and Dinner. At Ela, guests have the option of prix-fixe brunch and dinner on Easter — April 20. Brunch rings in at $30 per person and includes three courses of elevated fare, click here for the full brunch menu. Dinner begins at 4:30 p.m. and includes three courses for $45 with an optional wine pairing for $21. The full dinner menu is available here.
More picks, below.
• Bridget Foy’s: Queen Village, 200 South Street, 215-922-1813, Brunch and Dinner. Before or after the South Street Promenade, which parades just outside the South Street spot, duck into Bridget Foy’s for Easter brunch or dinner. Dinner begins at 3 p.m. and brunch is slated to begin at 9 a.m. With a diverse menu full of kid-friendly options, gluten-free meals and hearty bites, its an ideal spot for an Easter meal.
• Hard Rock Cafe: Market East, 1113-31 Market Street, 215-238-1000, Brunch. Surround yourself with music memorabilia as the Hard Rock Cafe celebrates Easter with a $10 deal of a brunch including breakfast breads, French toast sticks, eggs, bacon, fresh-squeezed orange juice and more.
• City Tavern: Old City, 138 S. 2nd Street, 215-413-1443, Brunch. The historic City Tavern in Old City celebrates Easter with a multi-course brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Easter Sunday. Menu items include mushroom barley soup, mallard duck sausage, Chesapeake eggs Benedict, steak and eggs and Lancaster County omelette. The full brunch menu is available right here. Brunch costs $36.95 for adults and $24.95 for children under the age of 12.
• Moshulu: Old City, 401 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard, 215-923-2500, Brunch and Dinner. Grab an early dinner aboard the Moshulu. Fill up on a buffet of surf and turf brunch, lunch and dinner options until 7 p.m. Dinner costs $45 per person and $25 per child under the age of 12.
• Spirit of Philadelphia: Old City, 866-455-3866, Brunch and Dinner. Spend Easter cruising the Delaware River on the Spirit of Philadelphia. Spots can be reseved for an Easter lunch or dinner cruise, both offering guests scenic skyline views, a buffet with salads, pastas, carving stations, fish, vegetables and desserts and a meet-and-greet with the Easter Bunny. The lunch cruise costs $54.90 per adult and $32.95 per child ages 3 to 12. Dinner costs $69.90 per adult and $41.95 per child ages 3 to 12. Tickets are required and are available online or by calling 866-455-3866.
• Granite Hill at the Philadelphia Museum of Art: Fairmount, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 215-684-7990, Brunch. How about Easter brunch with a side of art? Granite Hill at the Philadelphia Museum of Art serves up a brunch buffet at 10:30 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Look forward to pastries, a carving station, salads and additional sweet and savory brunch favorites. The buffet costs $45 for non-members, $40 for members and $25 for children.
• London Grill: Fairmount, 2301 Fairmount Avenue, 215-978-4545, Brunch and Dinner. London Grill in Fairmount offers guests its à la carte menu and a few festive additions during both brunch and dinner on Easter Sunday. Look forward to both sweet and savory brunch options and a make your own Bloody Mary bar.
• Manayunk Brewing Company: Manayunk, 4120 Main Street, 215-482-8220, Brunch. Craft brews, live jazz and brunch are the specials of the day at Manayunk Brewing Company’s Easter brunch buffet. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., folks can fill up on omelettes, freshly-carved meat, waffles and more brunch favorites. Brunch costs $23.95 for adults and $12.95 for children under the age of 10.
• Longwood Gardens: Kennett Square, 1001 Longwood Road, 610-388-1000, Brunch. Easter at Longwood Gardens means a brunch buffet, soothing harp music and of course, fields of blooming spring flowers. Indulge in an Easter feast – available on both April 19 and 20 — complete with a crepe station, French toast, egg dishes, plenty of dessert options and more. Tickets are required for the brunch buffet and are available online.
• Three01 at DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia Valley Forge: Valley Forge, 301 W. Dekalb Pike, 610-337-1200, Brunch. Three01 at the DoubleTree Valley Forge dishes out a leg of lamb, stuffed shells, shrimp salad, ricotta cheesecake and more for its Easter brunch buffet. Brunch costs $32 for adults and $15 for children ages 3 to 11. Brunch seatings are at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Following brunch, children are invited to embark on an egg hunt.
Attractions and Events
• South Street Easter Promenade: April 20. Families, celebrate Easter at the South Street Headhouse District’s annual Easter Promenade featuring a parade, live music, costume contests and even a visit from the Easter Bunny. The parade leaves from South Street and Passyunk Avenue at 12:30 p.m. and makes its way down South Street to 2nd Street. Dress in your finest Easter attire for the chance to win one of 12 costume categories.
• Egg Hunt at The Oval: April 19. As part of Farm Fest at The Oval, children are invited to hunt around the pop-up park for Easter eggs while enjoying a petting zoo, arts and crafts and fare from a number of food trucks on Saturday, April 19.
• Stenton’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt: April 19. Stenton, a historic home in Germantown, celebrates Easter with an Easter egg hunt, egg crafts and games on Saturday, April 19 from 1 to 3 p.m. The free activities are encouraged for children under the age of 10.
• Spring Plant and Produce Pop-Up at Sister Cities Park: April 20. Celebrate spring (after a very long winter) with a plant and produce pop-up at Sister Cities Park with items from the folks at Greengsrow Farms. In addition to purchasing plants for your home garden, families are invited to plant flowers around the park during the event, too.
• Awbury Arboretum Egg Hunt: April 19. Enjoy the spring weather, and spring holiday, with a free Easter egg hunt on the grounds of the Awbury Arboretum in Historic Germantown. Beginning in 10 a.m., children of all ages are encouraged to bring their Easter baskets for egg collection around the grounds.
• Tea with the Easter Bunny at The Radnor Hotel: April 19. The Radnor Hotel invites children to put on their Easter best and sip tea and nosh on finger sandwiches with the Easter bunny from 1 to 3 p.m. on April 19. The tea costs $59.95 for one child and one adult. Reservations are required.
• Hayrides to Bunnyland at Linvilla Orchards: April 12-19. From April 12 to 19, Linvilla Orchards opens its doors to families for Hayrides to Bunnyland, rides to the Easter bunny’s home at Linvilla Orchards. When there, look forward to Easter treats and photo opportunities.
• Easter Bunny Brunch and Egg Hunt at Elmwood Park Zoo: April 13, 19 and 20. On select days leading up to Easter, and Easter Sunday, Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown promises guests Easter brunch, a meet-and-greet with the Easter bunny and an egg hunt. Tickets are $25 for zoo members, $30 for non-members and free for children under the age of 3. Click here to purchase tickets for the Easter fete.