Hall of Inside The Palm
From the moment you enter The Palm—since 1989, Philadelphia’s iconic power restaurant, in the heart of Center City—you detect something subtly different and altogether alluring about this renowned dining institution.
Stiff-backed waiters smile down at Philly’s movers and shakers, a pedigreed gang that has flocked to this storied steakhouse since day one. The funny, famed caricatures remain colorfully on display across The Palm’s corn-silk-colored walls while bartenders dispense liquid bliss continuously throughout its potent and popular happy hours. Always, the sizzling aroma of the choicest meats permeates this venerable space. Even the staff is omnipresent: Those skilled mixologists have been here for an average of 13 years; a 10-year tenure is par for most of the waitstaff. Indeed, at The Palm, all is the same as it ever was. Or is it?
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The Palm 2.0
Delving deeper, you begin to discover atmospheric differences—and gustatory ones, too. There is a seductive flicker, a softness now emanating from an array of new candle votives that rest on the starched whiteness of each dining room table’s linen cloth; a kicky soundtrack floats on high across the painted tin ceiling (believe it or not, until recently, The Palm did not have background music); those legendary steaks are noticeably more massive, even as most places are downsizing—The Palm’s New York strips have been bulked up by two juicy ounces per cut. Even the restaurant’s logo has changed, boasting the company’s rich history underneath that distinctive branding—est. 1926—recognizing 85 strong years and its fourth generation of family ownership.
“We’re proud of our refresh,” says general manager Jim Haney. “The company has worked to retain our signature elements, but we’ve also enhanced our core Palm touch points.” For one, the menu has several new presentations, culinary complements to old-time favorites. Sure, you can always order the 18-ounce Delmonico steak or a sweet, meaty 15-ounce lobster tail, but among several recently added items are the authentic Italian antipasti, a tempting starter, or the decidedly dolce ending—homemade gelato in three flavors.
The restaurant’s bar retains its litany of classic cocktails—the Classic Charmer Manhattan remains a cherry-garnished killer. Instead of your typical one-martini lunch (or maybe it’s three), opt for a newly concocted signature drink called The Refresh (Prairie Organic vodka, fresh lemon, muddled basil, cucumber, and agave nectar), a perfect victualized namesake for The Palm’s reboot, and a quenching reflection of the intermingling of old and new.
