The Dandelion ★9.3

The Dandelion: Stephen Starr’s Love Letter to the English Pub

Step through the door near Rittenhouse Square and Philadelphia dissolves: wood-paneled walls from real British pubs, a crackling hearth whose oak mantel crossed the Atlantic, and the gentle authority of a bronze Churchill watching over the bar. The Dandelion is restaurateur Stephen Starr’s most transporting room — a gastropub where the Sunday roast, the afternoon tea and the sticky toffee pudding are treated as heritage, not gimmick.

The Story

Starr found an old townhouse just off the square and realized it wanted to be a pub. Since opening in 2011, The Dandelion has occupied two adjoining buildings — four rooms and more than a hundred seats, from the convivial ground-floor bar to the intimate Inglenook and the whimsical Dog Bar. The furniture, mantelpieces and benches were sourced in the UK, much of it rescued from closed pubs, which is why the patina feels earned rather than applied.

What to Order

Seasonal takes on the British canon: smoked salmon and trout pâté or the silken chicken and duck liver parfait to start, then ale-battered fish and chips with triple-cooked chips, lamb shepherd’s pie, or the dry-aged Dandy Burger with Churchill sauce. The Sunday roast — ribeye with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and watercress — is a weekly event, and weekday afternoon tea is one of the city’s quieter pleasures. Dessert is non-negotiable: sticky toffee pudding, warm dates and toffee under cinnamon ice cream.

The Space

Every room reads differently — hunting-lodge cozy here, drawing-room polished there — linked by fireplaces, antique wood and low golden light. It is equally right for a two-person supper by the hearth or a celebratory table of ten.

Who It’s For

Anglophiles, tea-and-scones romantics, families gathering for Sunday lunch, and diners who want atmosphere with genuine cooking underneath it.

Good to Know

Do I need a reservation? Recommended for dinner, weekend brunch and especially Sunday roast.

Is afternoon tea really served? Yes — weekday afternoons, with a proper spread; it makes a lovely alternative to lunch.

What are the signature dishes? Fish and chips, lamb shepherd’s pie, the Sunday ribeye roast and sticky toffee pudding.

Can it host a private event? Yes — the multi-room layout offers private and semi-private spaces for up to about seventy guests.

Is it good for a date? One of the best in the city — ask for a table near a fireplace upstairs.

Opening hours