26 dishes we really love on Center City District Restaurant Week menus
We found some great values, old favorites, and even a few novel items on the 2026 restaurant week menus. It's on through Jan. 31.
Restaurant week menus are generally built for speed and scale. In other words, they’re quick to put together and easily reproducible, designed to accommodate an influx of bargain-seeking guests.
I combed through 120 menus offered during the current 2026 Center City District Restaurant Week for truly special dishes. These 26 picks — including some from The Inquirer’s vaunted 76 restaurants — spotlight bigger-ticket proteins, slow braises, and labor-heavy pastas that rarely make prix-fixe lineups, as well as some Philly classics.
» READ MORE: All you need to know about 2026 Center City District Restaurant Week
For the 2026 restaurant week, running through Jan. 31, some restaurants will offer $20 two-course lunches in addition to three-course dinners priced at $45 or $60.
All are offered for dinner unless otherwise noted. Not all restaurants serve the special menus every day. Menus were checked Jan. 19.
Amada ($45): Lamb albondigas (meatballs, with manchego, sherry, and foie gras cream) is a highlight of the second course of the tasting menu.
Ambrosia ($45): Squid ink spaghettini with calamari, crabmeat, Calabrian chili, and tomato is a stunning main on this Fitler Square BYOB’s dinner menu.
Bar Bombón ($20 lunch): Hearts of palm “fish” tacos, a creative, high-effort vegan main.
Barbuzzo ($45): Grilled branzino with celery root fregola, Sicilian tomato-almond pesto, and salmoriglio — one of the six main plates offered.
Bellini ($45): Veal saltimbocca — cutlets wrapped in prosciutto, then typically pan-fried with sage — is not common on restaurant week menus.
Bleu Sushi ($45): Start with soft-shell sliders, segue into Japanese bottarga spaghetti (dried mullet roe caviar sautéed with garlic, spaghetti, and furikake), then end with fried ice cream.
Bodega Bar ($45): Roast rack of lamb, offered with asparagus or rice, is a restaurant-week find.
Bolo ($45): Seafood asopao — a stew with mahi-mahi, shrimp, scallops, and calamari — is a Puerto Rican treasure.
Bridget Foy’s ($45): Don’t think twice about ordering Bridget’s seafood pasta, topped with mussels, crab, and shrimp.
Buddakan ($45): For old times’ sake, there’s the miso black cod and the signature dip sum doughnuts.
Château Rouge ($45): The grilled fish offering is lagdo, a thick white-fleshed fish from Cameroon. Tip: start with suya wings.
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle ($60): The crab cakes with Cajun lobster cream sauce alone usually sell for $56.
Estia ($60): Go for the arni paidakia (marinated lamb chops, served with roasted potatoes and tzatziki).
Fringe Bar ($45): Chef Kenny Bush’s West Philly shiro wat — the Ethiopian-spiced stew of ground chickpeas, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and greens — comes served over rice.
Gran Caffè L’Aquila ($20 lunch): The Roman-themed menu includes a tasting of two signature Pecorino Romano cheeses as a starter; among mains is a slow-cooked coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew). The dinner special ($45) includes the signature gelato.
High Street ($60): House-made spaccatelle on the second course includes royal trumpet mushrooms, black truffle butter, and egg. It’s vegetarian but can be made gluten-free or vegan.
La Nonna ($45): Pork osso buco — fork-tender braised pork in a rich tomato-ey sauce — is seldom found on restaurant week menus.
Osteria ($45): Don’t skip that old-time favorite: chicken liver rigatoni.
PJ Clarke’s ($45): Where can you get a lobster roll and parmesan- and garlic-broiled oysters for 45 bucks?
Pub & Kitchen ($45): Start with chili and try one of Philly’s top double cheeseburgers; wrap with an apple hand pie.
Restaurant Aleksandar ($60): Balkan menu touches include tenderloin tartare mekik and ratatouille with roasted adjar.
Rex at the Royal ($45): Duck confit gumbo with Andouille sausage, okra, and Carolina Gold rice is a clear winner.
Rhythm & Spirits ($45): The comforting harissa cashew mafaldine is not only intriguing but also vegan. Start with zucchini fritters.
Tequilas ($45): Barbacoa tipatia is a fine-dining treatment of a rustic dish.
Vita ($60): Bring a friend or two to share the pasta course — a choice of rigatoni alla vodka, bottoni, or tagliatelle ragu Bolognese.
Wilder ($45): Mafaldine alla vodka with jumbo lump crab and breadcrumbs can’t disappoint.