Step into Dear Daphni, Michael Schulson's vibrant Mediterranean spot in Rittenhouse, where colorful decor meets a menu of flavorful classics and standout starters.
"The Schulson Collective has done it again, this time with a Mediterranean restaurant on the first floor of The Harper in Rittenhouse Square. Dear Daphni will be serving a menu of Turkish dumplings, chicken thigh kebabs, Tunisian lamb shank, and a classic vegetable mezze spread that comes with each entree. We checked out Dear Daphni. Read our thoughts here." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"Located on the ground floor of the Rittenhouse, Michael Schulson’s Dear Daphni opened in December 2024 serving Eastern Mediterranean dishes in a maximalist dining room awash in color. Chef Ryan Lloyd turns out items like Moroccan meatballs, a saganaki starter, lamb-filled Turkish dumplings, and tuna tartare. The mezzes hone in on vegetables — eggplant, cucumber salad, smoked beets — while mains include an array of kebabs paired with pilaf, Tunisian lamb shank, and a whole branzino with lemon and dill." - Nadia Chaudhury
"In a town rife with outstanding hummus, grilled kebabs, and salatim platters, it takes nerve to open a restaurant with much of the same menu—especially when you’re serving it all with dry, cardboard-like pita. But that’s exactly what Dear Daphni in Rittenhouse is doing. The sceney Mediterranean restaurant is the newest from The Schulson Collective, and like Double Knot and Harp & Crown, the massive, untz-untzing dining room is showstopping, from the peach-pink walls and turquoise lamp shades to gold-plated everything else. But the aforementioned offensive pita is served with an oversalted mezze platter, alongside forgettable mains, like mealy prawns and tough kebabs (the chicken thigh is the standout though). If you do find yourself dining here, go for the punchy hamachi crudo and underseasoned but very tender Tunisian lamb shank. But if good Mediterranean food is what you’re after, you can do better." - Alison B. Kessler
Ren Soto
Michael Miller
Noel Abejo
Mark P
Vanshika A
Ciani Peay
Jordan
Evana Patel