Rittenhouse Square Neighborhood Guide
By Todd Hovanec on May 07, 2020
Rittenhouse Square is one of the most high profile areas of Philadelphia. It represents so much more than just a scenic park in a dense urban environment. Rittenhouse Park is when you know you have made it in life! It’s a beautiful part of the city, well situated to everything that Philadelphians want, such as shopping, dining, transportation options and employment centers (ie, office buildings).
Giving the neighborhood its namesake is the famous Rittenhouse Square, one of the five original parks organized by city founder William Penn and his trusted surveyor Thomas Holme. In case you are wondering, Logan Square, Franklin Square, Washington Square and Center Square (where City Hall is at the nexus of Broad and Market Streets) are the others.
The park itself is outlined by these streets: Walnut Street, W. Rittenhouse Square, 18th Street and Rittenhouse Square. The park features some of the most scenic with beautiful, mature trees, plenty of benches and quintessential Philadelphia restaurants and residential apartment buildings. If someone had three hours to spend in Philadelphia en route to somewhere else, Rittenhouse Square would be a great place to get a taste of Philadelphia.
Where is Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia?
The Rittenhouse Square neighborhood is situated west of Washington Square West, east of Filter Square, north of Graduate Hospital, and south of Center City West. When looking at a map, the neighborhood is bounded by S. 21st Street on the west side, S. Broad Street on the east side, Chestnut Street on the north, and South Street on the south.
Architectural Appeal
Rittenhouse Square offers the most luxurious and expensive high-rise, full service condo buildings in the city, but the neighborhood is so much more than just that! There is a mix of townhomes and small multi-family apartment buildings as well. There are modern buildings and classic row homes from the 1800s. The Laurel, one of Philadelphia’s most high-profile and anticipated luxury condo buildings, is currently being erected on the last remaining piece of open land on Rittenhouse Square. The Laurel’s penthouse is surely something to dream about!
Getting Around Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse is one of the most popular sections of the city, so getting in and out is easy. The SEPTA 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 trollies from West Philly run along Market Street and service Rittenhouse Square at 22nd Street and 18th Street Station stops. These station stops also connect the trolley to the Market-Frankford Line.
The SEPTA 21, 40 and 42 buses service the area as well and the Broad Street Line has two stops at Walnut and Lombard Streets. Rittenhouse Square is well connected!
Drinking & Dining
Some of Philadelphia’s premier restaurants front Rittenhouse Square, such as two of Stephen Starr’s timeless French brasserie, Parc, and another Starr Group gem, the steakhouse Barclay Prime.
Here are a few other options:
This popular, modern bistro serves noodles, meat dishes, vegetarian options and spicy Sichuan/Taiwanese specialties. Make sure to try the namesake DanDan noodle dish and an oversized order of their famous chicken wings. Dan Dan’s full service bar features a great happy hour, so try to get there early on a weeknight!
Take a visit to Britain on your lunch break or for after work drinks and eats! This British-style pub vibe offers a warm, authentic English atmosphere with terrific suds on draft and tasty menu offerings. The atmosphere is particularly popular in the cold Philadelphia winters thanks to Dandelion’s roaring fireplace. Whoever tends to the plants and flowers out front does a great job too!
This stunning gastro pub is not only one of the best places in the city for cocktails and comfort dining, but if you delve further inside the restaurant, Harp & Crown features a cocktail bar, lounge, and gorgeous two-lane bowling alley! This hidden gem is a wonderful place to host a party or just to stop in for a few frames and pints!
Federal Donuts has been scratching Philadelphians’ itch for donuts and fried chicken for years. Yes, instead of the standard Southern pairing of chicken and waffles, FedNuts, as it’s called by locals, offers up juicy, piping hot fried chicken paired with some of the best donuts in the city.
Make sure to try the chicken sandwich for lunch -- it puts Popeye’s and Chick-fil-A to shame. Get there early as it sells out fast! And leave room for the Churro and Cookies & Cream fancy donuts!
Things to Do
Visit the famous park…
Bring a friend or a book and find a nice bench in Rittenhouse Square to enjoy the scenery and do some prime Philadelphia people watching. In addition to the wide array of characters that you’ll see, Rittenhouse Square also offers up some great public art! Two must-sees are the Lion Crushing a Serpent by French sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye, and the Duck Girl statue by Paul Manship, in the reflecting pool.
Grab a cup of coffee…
Head over to Rival Bros. at Spruce and 16th Street for a delicious afternoon cappuccino or latte in a beautiful space on a gorgeous block. If you like your mocha not-too-sweet, this place is for you! Rittenhouse Square offers some of Philadelphia’s most scenic and enjoyable ambiances.
Attend the Christmas Tree lighting…
Every winter, the Christmas tree lighting ceremony brings holiday cheer to all. This event is always well attended and turns Rittenhouse Square into one of the city’s most colorful and festive public spaces during the holiday season.
If the cold weather isn’t your thing, make sure to stop by in June for the annual Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show!
Market Snapshot
Here are 4 properties for sale in Rittenhouse Square that recently caught our eye:
Interested in buying a home in Rittenhouse Square? Browse listings and see how much you could save with Prevu’s Smart Buyer commission rebate in Philadelphia.
