PHLReview
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The Rittenhouse. Ever heard of it? It’s been the city’s most acclaimed hotel since 1989, its name synonymous with luxury and elegance. Coldplay and Beyoncé stay here when they’re in town, and rumor has it Oprah keeps a set of Baccarat dog bowls in-house for when she and the pups visit. You get the idea. Lacroix, the hotel restaurant, has bigfoot-sized shoes to fill (and based on its setting, the anticipation of mind-blowing food). But its technical prowess and exceptional service doesn’t quite balance out the lackluster dishes and stiff atmosphere.
photo credit: Phillip Gabriel
Entering Lacroix on the 2nd floor of the hotel, you’re immediately hit by the grandeur of it all. The ceilings are high, the room has a soft glow, and the entire space looks out onto a fantastic view of Rittenhouse Square below. There’s a bar and lounge area for a (slightly) more casual meal, and a few steps down, the velvet-laden, white table-clothed main dining room. It all makes for a very beautiful, very boring scene. Everyone from the attentive, knowledgeable servers to the couples overlooking the park speak in hushed tones, like they all know about a maximum-volume rule that you’re not privy to, while a soundtrack of '90s-era smooth jazz compounds the stunted energy in the room.
The restaurant calls itself “international,” but the menu—broken up into vegetables or meats—is largely French, with hints of Japanese. Order a la carte or give “carte blanche” to the chef, but either way, plan to spend at least $200 a head. Some dishes are indeed fantastic: the veloutè of asparagus with black truffle and poached egg was velvety and downright drinkable, and we fought over who got to finish the risotto of new potatoes with kaluga caviar. But far too many dishes are forgettable, and remind us of an AI model—incredibly technical and beautiful to look at, with little depth below the surface.
photo credit: Craig Fineburg
Lacroix certainly isn’t blazing new trails in the world of fine dining, but if you’re comfortable with the price tag, it is a beautiful but muted place to eat some well-executed dishes filled with luxury ingredients. And hey—if it’s good enough for Oprah’s dogs, it’s (occasionally) good enough for us.
Food Rundown
The menu here changes seasonally, but these are the types of dishes you can expect.
photo credit: Craig Fineburg
Aubergine With Basil And Blackberry
We really want to like this dish. It sounds interesting and looks gorgeous, but the eggplant was tough and didn’t meld with the other flavors on the plate. Much like Bennifer, it just doesn’t work.
photo credit: Craig Fineburg
Risotto Of New Potatoes With Kaluga Caviar And Chive
This risotto is rich and creamy, balanced beautifully by the salty caviar. Easily our favorite dish here.
photo credit: Craig Fineburg
Grilled Lobster With Beef Fat And Wild Berries
photo credit: Craig Fineburg
Raw Beef With Herbes De Provence, Egg Yolk, And Sucrine