Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Those interested in indulging in a few days of luxury and pampering should consider Philadelphia, where living the high life—even if it’s just an escape from today’s penny-pinching practices—is easier to obtain and more affordable than ever. A host of bargains, from prix-fixe dinners at elegant restaurants to overnight stays in five-star hotels to shopping deals at designer consignment boutiques, means visitors can save and still see the city and surrounding countryside in style. Below are just a few suggestions for a first-class visit to Philly:

High-Value Eats:

• The high-end lunches at Philadelphia’s premiere French fine-dining restaurant Le Bec-Fin are now more reasonably priced than ever: There’s a five-course degustation lunch menu available for $55, a three-course prix-fixe lunch or dinner with choices from the a la carte menu for $35 per person or an Express Lunch (soup du jour or salad and Georges Perrier’s Burger Lyonnaise) for $15.23. Plus, diners can bring their own bottle when dining on Monday nights. And, of course, there’s always the high-value happy hour downstairs at Bar Lyonnaise, with $5 selected drinks, $5 bites and complimentary hors d’oeuvres. 1523 Walnut Street, (215) 567-1000, lebecfin.com
• At the elegant Lacroix restaurant at The Rittenhouse Hotel, the “appetite stimulus plans” enliven lunch Monday through Saturday (three courses for $24 includes a non-alcoholic beverage and a dessert trio plate) and dinner Sunday through Thursday ($35 for three courses with options that change weekly, plus 40 wines for under $40). 210 W. Rittenhouse Square, (215) 790-2533, lacroixrestaurant.com
• Atop the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue, XIX Restaurant features a three-course special for $19 that Philadelphia Inquirer critic Craig LaBan has called the “best lunch deal in the city.” It includes a daily selection of salads and antipasti; entrees like sage pappardelle with speck and cippolini onions or flat-iron steak with potato moussaline; a sumptuous dessert buffet; and a non-alcoholic beverage. From Monday through Friday, the Cafe Table dinner menu offers a similar three courses in dinner-size portions for $30 and includes tea or coffee. 200 S. Broad Street, 19^th floor, (215) 790-1919, hyatt.com/gallery/nineteen
• Nationally lauded neo-Israeli hotspot Zahav lures diners with a Kadima lunch special that includes a choice of grilled skewers—ground beef with pistachios, house-made lamb sausage, chicken with sumac onions, baby eggplant with tehina and pistachios or salmon with pomegranate—served over plush laffa bread with tahini and pickles for $10. The Ta’yim menu at dinnertime includes salads and hummus, a choice of three plates and a choice of dessert for $36 per person. 237 St. James Place, (215) 625-8800, zahavrestaurant.com
• Prix-fixe dining comes to the Comcast Center’s chic Italian eatery Table 31 with a $26, three-course lunch special. Options change weekly, but often include flat-iron steak or pan-roasted halibut, plus soup or salad and dessert. On Monday through Friday evenings from 5:00-7:00 p.m., the Luxury for Less deal is a three-course dinner (choices may include pan-seared scallops with smashed peas and fava beans and caramel hazelnut cheesecake with chocolate biscotti crust) for $35 per person and valet parking less than a half a block away for just $10. 1701 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, (215) 567-7111, table-31.com/
• The Bistro Table held at Fork:etc. every Wednesday night showcases chef Terence Feury’s exquisite seasonal cuisine—recently lauded by The Philadelphia Inquirer—with three courses, including wine pairings and dessert for $40. 308 Market Street, (215) 625-9425, forkrestaurant.com/forketc.htm
• Sunday dinner is even homier and more affordable at the contemporary Southern bistro Marigold Kitchen where three courses (among them, stone-ground grits with butter-poached oysters and tomato jam, seared salmon with leeks, potatoes and Surry sausage butter, apple spice cake with caramel sauce and buttermilk ice cream) are going for $30. 501 S. 45^th Street, (215) 222-3699, marigoldkitchenbyob.com
• Stephen Starr’s Latin-flavored Alma de Cuba and Moroccan-inflected Tangerine restaurants are each offering their own $39 three-course deals with changing seasonal menus. Meanwhile, Starr’s up-market steakhouse Barclay Prime has introduced a new pub and lounge menu with inexpensive eats like mussels. Alma de Cuba, 1623 Walnut Street, (215) 988-1799, almadecubarestaurant.com; Tangerine, 232 Market Street, (215) 627-5116, tangerinerestaurant.com; Barclay Prime, 237 S. 18^th Street, (215) 732-7560, barclayprime.com
• Estia’s refined Greek fare is available for a wallet-friendly cost during the $17 two-course Express Lunch (choice of appetizer and entrée, including spanikopita, moussaka, souvlaki) and the $30 three-course pre-theater menu dinner menu with choices like grilled octopus, cheese-stuffed calamari and salad, fresh grilled fish and walnut honey cake. 1405-07 Locust Street, (215) 735-7700, estiarestaurant.com

Hotel Deals:

• Who says The Ritz has to be out of reach? The Reconnect package at The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia includes a $100 credit per two nights spent (Thursday through Sunday) extending up to $400. The Bed & Breakfast package offers overnight accommodations and breakfast for two for $329. 10 Avenue of the Arts, (215) 523-8000, ritzcarlton.com/hotels/philadelphia
• The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia repays family visitors with a Family Value Package: a one-night stay with a $100 hotel credit for use toward food and services and 50% off a connecting second room, starting at $315 a night. The hotel is also offering the Sleep in Stay Late package, with valet parking, complimentary room upgrade and a 2:00 p.m. checkout, starting at $305. One Logan Square, (215) 963-1500, fourseasons.com/philadelphia
• Recession relief comes to tony Rittenhouse Square in the form of The Rittenhouse Hotel’s Rittenhouse Relief package, offering a $249-per-night rate on superior guest rooms. The hotel is also offering a one-time room upgrade or a $50 credit toward food and services for first-time guests. 210 W. Rittenhouse Square, (215) 546-9000, rittenhousehotel.com
• The French-owned Sofitel Philadelphia boasts a number of great deals. Among them are the Stay 3 Pay 2 package, which includes the third night for free, from $134; The Women Are Magnifique package, complete with breakfast in bed, a $50 hotel credit and a complimentary cocktail from $247; and the Family Moments Offer, offering a second room for 50% off. 120 S. 17^th Street, (215) 569-8300, sofitel.com

Big-Name Bargains:

• Northeast Philadelphia’s vast outlet mall, Franklin Mills is known as a bargain-hunter’s destination. Its higher-end retail stores include Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5^th, Kenneth Cole, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Polo Ralph Lauren, BCBG, Brooks Brothers and Banana Republic. 1455 Franklin Mills Circle, (215) 632-1500, franklinmillsmall.com
• Fashionistas have long flocked to Matthew Izzo for the boutique’s chic housewares (Alessi, Jonathan Adler), furniture (Blu Dot) and men’s and women’s clothing (Ben Sherman, Nicole Farhi). The $10 rack showcases a rotating selection of cheaper finds. 151 N. 3^rd Street, (215) 829-0606, matthewizzo.com
• King of Prussia Mall is the largest shopping mall on the East Coast, and it’s also one of the best places to find luxury goods for less. Visitors can request a Travel Rewards program coupon by logging onto kingofprussiamall.com/tourism-packages.php and exchanging it at the customer service desk for a Travel Rewards Guide, which will net them discounts at stores like DKNY, L’Occitane and Smith and Hawken. The Shop ‘Til You Drop King of Prussia Mall Package offers from nearby hotels such as the Radisson Valley Forge and Crowne Plaza Valley Forge include a $50 gift card with a one- to two-night stay to further stimulate the great finds. Route 202 & Mall Boulevard, King of Prussia, (610) 265-5727, kingofprussiamall.com
• Old City boutique Sugarcube offers a stimulus package with its Sugarbucks, earned on every purchase and good toward future purchases. 124 N. 3^rd Street, (215) 238-0825, sugarcube.us
• For shoppers in the market for a sleek but affordable gown, South Philly dress shop Mia’s of Philadelphia has an unparalleled bargain room with top brands like Nanette Lepore. 1748 E. Passyunk Avenue, (215) 465-2913
• Old City’s fashion-forward Reward trades in men’s and women’s clothes by international designers like Illionaire, Surface to Air Paris and F-Troupe, plus a great selection of vintage threads—but the greater reward is for shoppers who browse the store’s back section for discounts. 55 N. 2^nd Street, (267) 773-8675, rewardproject.com
• Local designers like Christina Rizzo and Aelishiva hang alongside 1980s vintage and last season’s designer jeans at Vamp, Manayunk’s affordable consignment fashion store. Another bonus? Those who shop on their birthday receive 20% off on any three items. 4231 Main Street, (215) 487-2340, vampboutique.net
• The best bet for finding Prada, Marc Jacobs and Vivienne Tam designs at a discount is Fashion Forward, a high-end designer resale clothier in Chestnut Hill with a selective and enticing array of offerings. 7906 Germantown Avenue, (215) 247-3868, fashion4resale.com
• An award-winning consignment shop with exceedingly high standards, Revivals Boutique makes authentic pieces from labels like Escada, Chanel and Missoni available to savvy shoppers at a fraction of the retail cost. 258 Haverford Avenue, Narberth, (610) 660-8119, revivalsboutique.com
• The mint condition, high-quality furniture and home accessories at Bryn Mawr’s Great Estate Consignment Shop make it an excellent source for home decorators with limited means but unlimited style. 701 County Line Road, Bryn Mawr, (484) 380-2174, greatestateconsignmentshop.com

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.

For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit gophila.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to Hear Philly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.

Contact(s):

• Cara Schneider, (215) 599-0789
• Donna Schorr, (215) 599-0782