My Loup

You know the difference between a great restaurant and a just-okay one? It’s like going to someone’s birthday party because you love them and going to your boss’s housewarming because it’s the socially acceptable thing to do. One will satisfy and excite, and the other, well, you’re just waiting until your stomach’s empty tank light goes off. With stunning dishes and an intimate, warm atmosphere, Rittenhouse’s My Loup is one of those exceptional places that, like your best friend’s bash, is somewhere you truly can’t wait to be.  

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

As soon as you walk into the dimly lit Walnut Street restaurant you’ll be met with friends clinking glasses of Grüner, couples playing thumb war over the last oyster, and plates of juicy halibut hitting the table almost to the beat of Jay-Z playing in the background. It’s a commotion that screams this is the place to be (and in Mbappé‘s accent, no less). Yes, it’s a French restaurant, but not in the stuffy, white tableclothed, Marie Antoinette’s-drawing-room kind of way. 

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

In the entry, there’s cozy leather lounge seating that beckons you to plop down after a long day, a gorgeous orange-tiled bar, and beautiful floral wallpaper that you’d like to gift wrap your entire place in. The main dining room is flanked by bookshelves that look like they were designed by a family garage sale: they’re stacked with everything from Molson wood carvings and countless cookbooks to ‘80s family photos and a vintage Phillies cap. It’s a laid back yet vibrant spot to have a date, your last meal on earth, or throw a dinner party in Hogwarts’ library. 

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

The menu is filled with phrases like “au poivre,” “cote de boeuf,” and others you’ll recognize if you've listened to Beyoncé’s “Partition.” And that’s no surprise—it’s the sister restaurant of French-ish Her Place Supper Club. But My Loup is far from a copy-and-paste version of its older sibling. They put creative spins on traditional menu items—you’ll find perfectly-crisp soft shell crab topped with hollandaise and caviar hats, friends wrapping frites in slices of ruby-red roast beef, and overhear “this is the best slider of your life” when the table nearby tries the beef tongue on doughy focaccia. The menu changes daily, but some things remain: irresistible seafood dishes (especially the seafood plateau), innovative mains big enough for three, and execution that feels luxurious but is served without pretension. 

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

My Loup is a sexy place where you can sing along to Madonna while sipping on a rare wine, eat dishes that deserve their own book on the shelves, and celebrate everything from your favorite cousin’s birthday to RSVPing “no” to a third-tier friend’s game night.

Food Rundown

The menu changes daily, but here are a few examples of things you might see.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Plateau Fruits de Mer

This may be the best seafood platter in the city. It’s a mix of oysters, razor clams, pickled shrimp with aioli and saltines, and mussels. Any way they prepare it—we’ve had scallops with buttermilk and peas or with bits of apple—is a win. And unlike your uncle who wears too much musk, nothing is overpowering on the plate. It’s an ideal way to start a meal before heading to some heavier mains.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Philly Balls

Did My Loup make the previously unwieldy roast pork a delicious and sophisticated one-handed affair? It’s a beautiful blend of pork and broccoli rabe with a melty provolone center. Order 10 and judge for yourself.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Soft Shell Crab

We’ve had this a few ways: topped with a creamy hollandaise sauce, and like this, served with buttermilk, cucumber, and trout roe. And each time, every ounce of table decorum left our bodies. Faultlessly cooked and seasoned, any pictures of this crispy dish in our camera roll will be admired before we sleep.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Cold Roast Beef Au Poivre

When you order this dish, waiters will explain to you that the best way to eat it is to wrap the tender strips of beef around the fries and watercress. It’s a trio that tops a Philly snow day, a shovel, and a lawn chair. The crunch of the fries, the earthiness of the watercress, and the cold cut of tender beef all mix into the ultimate chef’s kiss bite.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Striploin

This is one of those gorgeous, thinly-sliced steaks that puts some steakhouses in the city to shame. It’s ideally seasoned and super juicy—thanks to the sweet giardiniera-like bed of tomatoes and peppers. Plus, it comes with a side of fries that can be used to soak up the last drop of sauce.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Whole Grilled Trout

We’ve had trout a few ways here—like this, on a bed of tomatoes and herbs, and masterfully poached with fennel, artichoke, and favas. When it’s grilled, there’s a great mix of smokiness and subtle crispness in each bite. The tangy tomato sauce gives it a kick that makes each bite feel as satisfying as a three-day weekend.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Sundae

You could come here every day of the week and have this sundae seven different ways. It changes as much as Barbie’s outfits in a day. Whether it comes with crunchy Teddy Graham crackers on top or with a rhubarb twist, its smoothness-to-creaminess ratio is one that a few ice cream shops can learn from.