FROM LEFT: Grilled swordfish with ratatouille and boquerones at Matyson; Chef Ben Puchowitz; Foie gras torchon at Lacroix

  FROM TOP: Chef Guillermo Tellez; Ginger-marinated tuna at Square 1682

The city’s top kitchens get creative with chef’s-table dinners and tasting menus.

Earth's Bounty
Philly’s first LEED-certified restaurant, Square 1682 features a six-course vegetable tasting menu and wine pairing Tuesday through Saturday that adheres to the restaurant’s sustainable food ethics. Chef Guillermo Tellez adjusts the menu to reflect the seasons, but the vegetarian options are always hearty—think wild mushroom ragout and roasted vegetable lasagna. 121 S. 17th St.; square1682.com

Something Special
Center City BYOB Matyson is known to get creative when putting together its seasonal, locally sourced five-course tasting menu every Monday through Thursday. Chef Ben Puchowitz conceives each dinner around a theme or special ingredient like vanilla or lobster, one of Matyson’s most popular. Past menus include delicacies like seared Hudson Valley foie gras with a figgy bun, crispy serrano ham and espelette pepper, and a spiced apple ice cream made with beer-battered aged cheddar and coffee caramel. 37 S. 19th St.; matyson.com

Table Service
Executive chef Jon Cichon is the star of the culinary show at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse’s chef’s table, situated in the heart of this famed kitchen. His custom 14- to 18-course meals are imaginative and seasonally appropriate; a star entrée is the kombu cured fluke tartare with honeydew, wasabi, white chocolate powder and celery sorbet. The table is available for dinner Monday through Thursday nights, and diners may opt for wine pairings from a collection of 550 bottles. 210 W. Rittenhouse Sq.; lacroixrestaurant.com

Vibrant Vegetables
Often praised for the extensive wine list, Meritage Restaurant & Wine Bar offers a locally sourced vegan fourcourse tasting menu every Tuesday, sure to please herbivores and carnivores alike. Chef Anne Coll incorporates exotic flavors into her seasonal rotating menu in tasty bites like black-truffle sticky rice and cucumber salad. 500 S. 20th St.; meritagephiladelphia.com