Vernick Fish, led by Chef Greg Vernick, is now open at the new Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center. Following his celebrated culinary debut at nearby Vernick Food & Drink, the chef’s second Philadelphia restaurant offers a contemporary take on an American oyster bar with a focus on fresh fish, shellfish and seasonality. The lively street-level venue marks Tihany Design's first project in Philadelphia. Designed to encourage communal dining, the restaurant’s warm, airy atmosphere sets the stage for an inviting neighborhood destination.
Accessible from the street and hotel lobby, Vernick Fish has a refined industrial appeal, with a partially exposed ceiling and sophisticated use of bronze and antique brass details. The custom terrazzo floor, speckled with what looks like crushed shells, offers a subtle hint to the sea. A bespoke wall composed of fluted glass and dark bronze separates the front end of the venue from hotel circulation. Designed to look like an elegant storefront, the dividing wall serves as a prominent feature along the bar area, and is visible from the hotel corridor outside the restaurant.

 

The expansive zinc-topped bar serves as a buoyant destination meeting place, its contemporary cool atmosphere and accessible nature drawing on a dynamic, fast-paced crowd looking for a local hang out. Layers of lighting, from the ceiling lights and custom antique-inspired chandeliers to the personal bronze bar lamps, create a sense of intimacy throughout the room. The expansive fascia overhead is painted with a subtle geometric mural, adding dimension and interest along the back wall of the restaurant.
Beyond the bar, the dining room is illuminated under oversized, buoy-like pendant lights. The space is contemporary and casual; a seamless transition from bar to dining area. The white terrazzo extends along the back wall, where the chef’s kitchen is set against a backsplash of blue and cream colored ceramic tile, the shapes reminiscent of a school of fish. Guests seated at the marble service counter dine off of a live edge-inspired wood countertop featuring glass enclosed seafood displays. At the far end of the venue, the private dining room is separated by a glass wall and overlooks the winter garden along the outside of the building. Vernick Fish also offers a 60-seat outdoor patio located at the front of the restaurant

Photography: Eric Laignel