Overview
City Center East is the most dense section of Philadelphia, home to City Hall, the Convention Center, Chinatown, Washington Square West, and Gayborhood.
6 sights · 5 things to do · 11 places to eat · 3 bars & cafés · 8 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Center City East
Washington Square West
A lively neighborhood, extending from 7th to Broad Street, Chestnut to South Street. It is bordered by the quieter neighborhoods of Rittenhouse Square to the west and Old City/Society Hill to the east. It is home to Anti…
City Hall
The unofficial center of Center City at Broad and Market Street. An architectural masterpiece, built out of stone in the Second Empire style. The building is 548 ft (167 m) tall, topped by a 36 ft bronze statue of Willia…
The African American Museum in Philadelphia
Built to preserve, interpret, and exhibit achievements of African Americans.
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
A school that has had an impressive roster of artist alumni in the past 200 years, including some of the best-known names in American art. Its museum shows works from past and present PAFA students and faculty, as well a…
Kimmel Center
Showcases a variety of performing arts from chamber music, dance, drama, orchestral, jazz & pop.
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Founded in 1900, the Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the most famous and widely traveled orchestras in the world. Performs in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 88°F; winter lows dip to about 26°F. Wettest: Jul and Sep. (climate data from nearby Philadelphia)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- PHL Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia — 7 mi away (major hub). Directions
- TTN Trenton Mercer Airport, Ewing Township — 29 mi away. Directions
The Market-Frankford Line runs under Market Street with three stations serving Center City East: 8th Street (non-free connection to the Broad-Ridge Spur), 11th Street, and 13th Street (free connection to the Broad Street Line and the Subway-Surface Trolleys).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $119–$119 a night (typical $142), from 2 listed prices.
- Typical meal: about $10 per person at listed restaurants.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$150, mid-range ~$200, comfortable ~$240.
Options are grouped as City Hall, Washington Square West, Chinatown/Convention Center in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Washington Square West, Walnut Street Theatre, Chinatown
- Lunch El Fuego
- Afternoon The African American Museum in Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Orchestra
- Dinner David's Mai Lai Wah
- Evening Old City Coffee
Day 2
- Morning The Gayborhood, The Mask and Wig Club
- Lunch Vetri
- Afternoon Kimmel Center, Academy of Music
- Dinner Flambo Caribbean Restaurant
- Evening Dirty Frank's
Day 3
- Morning City Hall
- Lunch Reading Terminal Market
- Afternoon Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
- Dinner Kanella
- Evening Yakitori Boy
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
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Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By regional rail
By subway
The Market-Frankford Line runs under Market Street with three stations serving Center City East: 8th Street (non-free connection to the Broad-Ridge Spur), 11th Street, and 13th Street (free connection to the Broad Street Line and the Subway-Surface Trolleys).
The Broad Street Line runs under Broad Street along the western edge of the district, with stops at Race-Vine, City Hall (free connection to the Market-Frankford Line and the Subway-Surface Trolleys), Walnut-Locust, and Lombard-South. The names of the hyphenated stations indicate the two parallel streets the station is situated between.
The Broad-Ridge Spur is a branch of the Broad Street Line that operates under 8th Street in Center City East. The stations serving the district are Chinatown (at 8th and Race Streets) and 8th Street (at Market Street, non-free connection to the Market-Frankford Line). The Spur operates M-Sa 6AM-9PM, no Sunday service.
See
Neighborhoods
See Washington Square West
A lively neighborhood, extending from 7th to Broad Street, Chestnut to South Street. It is bordered by the quieter neighborhoods of Rittenhouse Square to the west and Old City/Society Hill to the east. It is home to Antique Row and Mid-Town Village (two great shopping districts), historic cobbled streets, theaters, restaurants and more. Antique Row (Pine Street between about 13th and 9th Streets) is full of interesting shops, not all of them antiques-oriented. This neighborhood is a good place to see Philadelphia's native style of house, the "trinity" -- two, three, or four floors, one room per floor, connected by spiral stairs. The small streets above Pine, such as Quince Street, are lined with trinities. Washington Square itself is worth a visit to see the tomb of the unknown Revolutionary War soldier.
See The Gayborhood
A subsection of Washington Square West, the Gayborhood is Philadelphia's traditional LGBTQ-friendly area. It covers from about Broad and Walnut about 11th and Pine, and is most strongly associated with 12th and 13th streets, especially from Pine to Walnut. The Gayborhood is comprised of bars, restaurants and other LGBTQ-friendly business, including Giovanni's Room, the oldest operating queer bookstore in the U.S. Popular establishments include Woody's, Pure, and 12th Street Gym. Most straight-owned Gayborhood businesses are friendly to the LGBT community and straights alike regardless of orientation.
See Chinatown
Extends from approximately 8th Street to 11th Street east-west, and Vine Street to Market Street north-south. Compared to the Chinatown of other cities, Philadelphia's is fairly small. It is home to a variety of Asian ethnicities (not just Chinese) and is a popular neighborhood for young people. The streets are dominated by homes, restaurants, and boutique stores. Chinatown's symbol is its "Friendship Arch", an ornate paifang in the heart of the neighborhood, located at 10th and Arch streets. Though it is commonly found in many North American Chinatowns, the Arch Street incarnation is more elaborately rendered than most. Chinatown is filled with restaurants, bakeries and gift shops. Restaurants include Penang, Sang Kee, Banana Leaf and Tai Lake. Bakeries include Asia Bakery, Hong Kong Bakery, Mong Kok Station Bakery and KC Pastries. Popular foods include milk tea, bubble tea (also known as boba tea) egg tarts, pork buns, steamed buns, chicken buns and pineapple buns.
Landmarks
See City Hall
The unofficial center of Center City at Broad and Market Street. An architectural masterpiece, built out of stone in the Second Empire style. The building is 548 ft (167 m) tall, topped by a 36 ft bronze statue of William Penn. It remained the tallest building in the city from its construction in 1901 until 1987. There is a paid tour you can go on which takes you to an observation deck in the tower.
See Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)
A school that has had an impressive roster of artist alumni in the past 200 years, including some of the best-known names in American art. Its museum shows works from past and present PAFA students and faculty, as well as regular special exhibits.
Do
The Avenue of the Arts is on Broad Street containing many of the city's cultural institutions, especially the theater and arts area south of City Hall. The Avenue is a becoming more residential, but the main attractions include the Kimmel Center, Merriam Theatre, and the Academy of Music.
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Do Academy of Music
The Academy is the oldest grand opera house in the United States still being used for its original purpose. The Academy also provides the Philadelphia area with interesting and popular concerts, ballets, Broadway shows, and other events. Tours of the Academy, focusing on its inspiring history and current renovations, are available by contacting the manager's office.
Theater and music
There are a number of venues for theater and music not on the Avenue of the Arts.
Do The Mask and Wig Club
Mask and Wig has presented comedy, music, and dancing to the University of Pennsylvania, to Philadelphia and to audiences across the country since 1889 and is a legend amongst Philadelphia theatre-goers. Each spring, Mask and Wig performs a full-length musical comedy at its historic Clubhouse.
Buy
Shop Reading Terminal Market
The Reading Terminal Market is home to many of Pennsylvania's Amish merchants who sell their goods. Here, you can find some of the best baked goods and the freshest organic produce in the region. Additionally, the market features cheesesteaks and other non-Amish restaurants and shops.
Shop Antique Row
Antique Row is home to a mix of antique stores and local gift and craft boutiques. Visit the Foodery at 10th and Pine for a selection of hundreds of by-the-bottle beers from around the world, or a few blocks down, ring the bell at Halloween (1329 Pine) for an incredible jewelry store experience that can accommodate any budget.
Chinatown
East of Broad St, "East meets West". Philadelphia's Chinatown is an ethnic section of the city that can't be missed. Why settle for Chinese buffets when you can get the authentic stuff right here? Chinatown is located north of The Gallery at Market East, close to the Reading Terminal Market.
Shop Chinatown Square
A waning business venue with two floors of random Chinese merchandise; the upstairs has a lot of music, books, and DVDs. They also have a man in back that does Chinese massage and acupressure.
Eat
Washington Square West
Eat El Fuego
The best advertisement for this hip burrito shop is the long line that develops inside every weekday at lunchtime.
Eat Flambo Caribbean Restaurant
Trinidadian cuisine in a relaxed but elegant atmosphere. Friendly staff. BYOB. The curry goat and oxtail are both classic and highly recommended; you can also try their Trinidadian Chinese offerings for a different but still excellent experience.
Eat Kanella
It's hard not to see Kanella coming a mile away, what with its bright blue exterior and white Greek lettering. Yes, the food is Cypriot-Greek, and unlike most Greek places, you can eat three meals a day there if you're so inclined. Which you may very well be after eating dinner once. Semi-casual, spare, elegant decor and friendly service. BYOB.
Eat Vetri
Bon Appetit magazine has said that this small, very upscale place is "probably the best Italian restaurant in America." 'Nuff said. But in case you need to hear it from the locals, the Philadelphia Inquirer has named it one of the top 5 restaurants in the city, along with Le Bec Fin and a few others. The restaurant is centered around a classic Italian four-course prix-fixe tasting menu (antipasto, primo, segundo, and dessert), with the option to add on a shared starter or additional pasta for $25 each. The tasting menu includes complimentary amuse-bouches and light drinks. Full bar and wine list carefully tailored to the food. A real service experience, and budget extra time for this one: the meal can easily take 3 hours.
Chinatown/Convention Center
Eat David's Mai Lai Wah
Excellent American Chinese food (with an even better non-Americanized menu for the adventurous); even the Americanized dishes are less so than you might expect, and some oddball dishes do appear on the regular menu. Open late, and a very nice staff.
Eat Reading Terminal Market
America's oldest farmer's market is a bustling indoor public market hall, with produce markets, bakeries, arts and crafts, a beer garden, and virtually every type of cuisine present. Be sure to make some time to stroll around and sample as much as you can. Despite the market's stated hours, individual vendors operate their own schedules; some restaurants will be open for dinner, and some, particular the Pennsylvania Dutch shops, are closed on Sundays.
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Eat Bassett's Ice Cream
A local ice cream brand that has operated the same store at the same location in Reading Terminal Market since it opened in 1893, and has the distinction of being America's oldest ice cream company. While Bassett's is available at many other restaurants and supermarkets, this is the only retail outlet carrying the Bassett's name. The ice cream itself is rich, creamy and delicious.
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Eat DiNic's
One of the market's most popular restaurants, specializing in the Philadelphia roast pork sandwich (served with sharp provolone and greens); also serves roast beef sandwiches. Lines tend to be extraordinarily long, but the line moves. The staff will go down the long line to take your order to make things move efficiently, so make sure you know what you want before you get in line.
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Eat The Down Home Diner
Traditional diner fare with an emphasis on Pennsylvania Dutch and some Southern-style dishes. You can find scrapple here as well as shrimp-and-grits. The diner has its own entrance outside of the Reading Terminal Market on Filbert Street across from the Field House Bar if you wish to go to the diner when the Reading Terminal Market is closed.
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Eat Spataro's Cheesesteaks
One of the best cheesesteaks at the market. Long lines, especially around lunch.
Eat Sang Kee Peking Duck
One of the best places to eat in Chinatown. The Peking duck is, obviously, what Sang Kee is famous for, but other delights abound, like wonton noodle soup and pork spare ribs. Unpretentious, casual surroundings and brisk service. Great for big groups.
Drink
Chinatown
Drink Yakitori Boy
A Japanese restaurant, with a karaoke bar and lounge upstairs. You can either rent private rooms, which are pricey but worth it with a large group of friends, or if you're brave enough, get your drink on and then sign up to sing publicly at the bar.
Washington Square West
Drink Dirty Frank's
One of the contenders for best dive bar in the city. Everything you could want: an eclectic, scruffy crowd both old and young, gay and straight, pinball, darts, random crap stuck up all over the bar, wisecracking bartender, cheap drinks.
Other
Drink Old City Coffee
One of the two branches is located inside the Reading Terminal Market serving good coffee.
Sleep
City Hall
Stay The Notary Hotel, Autograph Collection (former Courtyard)
Re-opened after a grand $75 million restoration. This 18-story, 498-room Philadelphia hotel opened in 1926 and is listed on the "National Register of Historic Places". The hotel now integrates state-of-the-art systems with unique architectural details like coffered plaster, stunning bronze work and striking marble finishes.
Washington Square West
Chinatown/Convention Center
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