Dining Experiences & Mediterranean Perfection: Estia’s Unique Appeal
Hospitality with history: The family-owned restaurant continues to attract those seeking exceptional Greek cuisine, and dining experiences for any occasion.
What constitutes the perfect neighborhood restaurant? We can tell you with certainty, that it’s NOT just time. There are a number of boxes that need to be checked off, such as warm hospitality, and an atmosphere that makes you feel simultaneously transported and right at home.
Coming off of Tequila’s return to the neighborhood, we got to thinking about all the other places that have been part of our neighborhood fabric for a while, and that have made Rittenhouse a hospitality destination for decades. One of those OGs is Estia.
Since 2005, the Grande Dame of Greek fine dining on Locust Street has become woven into the fabric of the neighborhood, serving as both a special occasion destination and an option for those craving authentic Mediterranean flavors, or their famous zucchini chips.
Walking into Estia is, by itself, a somewhat surreal yet lovely experience. The sound of traffic fades away as you step inside, into a soaring, open space with whitewashed walls, exposed wooden beams, and blue accents.
It’s a design aesthetic that’s both intentional and transportive – something the Pashalis family, who owns and operates the restaurant, insisted upon when creating their vision. Luckily for us, they’ve taken that same attention to design aesthetics to their other restaurants, such as Almyra.
The restaurant is spacious, with tables set comfortably apart so you can move around freely. There is an immaculate, open kitchen where you can see food being prepared.
One of our favorite things? The stunning display of fresh fish, flown in daily from the Mediterranean, laid out on a bed of ice for guests to select their meal as they would at a seaside taverna in Greece, so we’ve been told. Obviously, this will require some in-person research, hopefully not too far into the future.
One of the things that makes Estia even more special? Their array of intimate and exclusive dining spaces and private rooms, that’s perfect for birthdays, graduations, work celebrations, rehearsal dinners and more.
Apparently, Estia’s private dining program evolved over the years. People were seeking more personalized experiences for special occasions, so they developed several distinct spaces, each with its own character.
The intimate spaces and nooks are upstairs while the larger and bigger spaces are downstairs.
Like on the main floor, the downstairs area is spacious, with pretty details and lounging options strewn throughout.
We were truly impressed by how many options were available. Basically, there was an option for every private dining experience you’d want in Rittenhouse.
It’s also impressive that after all these years, Estia remains packed most nights, a testament to both their consistency and their ability to evolve while staying true to their core identity.
In a city where there are so many options, we LOVE that Estia is thriving as we feel it proves that authentic flavors, familial hospitality, and an unwavering commitment to providing fine dining experiences for every possible occasion is a recipe for success here in Rittenhouse.
