One of Philadelphia’s most exciting (and new) attractions is seeing a show at The Met on North Broad St. The historic venue reopened in 2018 and continues its legacy of drawing top talent to Philadelphia. If you’re planning on seeing a show at The Met, I’ve compiled a guide that highlights all of my best tips and suggestions to make the most of your visit to North Broad Street.
The Theater
Currently, The Met is one of the larger theaters in Philadelphia at 3,500 seats, meaning its stage hosts more popular acts that can’t sell out the Camden Pavillion (Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (formerly BB&T Pavilion)) or the Wells Fargo Center. The large hall Including mezzanines and box seats for varied rates, making it one of the best places to catch a show in the city.
Before $56-million renovation and reopening of the historic Met Philadelphia theater, The Met was known as The Metropolitan Opera House, and before that, the Philadelphia Opera House. The historic building was built in 1908 by the American songwriter, dramatist, playwright, and theater manager, Arthur Hammerstein, originally hosting acts for Philadelphia’s wealthy residents. Over time, many wealthy residents moved to Center City, making The Academy a more convenient place to host a show. The theatre came under new ownership and began hosting religious gatherings.
In its current glory, you can catch almost any genre playing at The Met, from symphonies like the Philly Pops to oldies rock, and prominent comedians and rappers alike.
The Met serves a variety of local craft beers and domestic 24oz cans as well as a full bar serving liquor and cocktails.
The Area
The North Philly concert hall now hosts performances almost every weekend, bringing waves of people from all over the tri-state area to North Broad Street. The Met is located in a large, white building illuminated with glowing neon lights that look straight out of the roaring ’20s.
While technically located in the Francisville neighborhood, the theatre itself is located directly on North Broad Street (not too far North), sharing a border with the popular Fairmount neighborhood. The well-lit streets and closeby commerce make for a safe and popular walking area.
For perspective, The Met is just around the corner from renowned prep school, St. Joseph’s Preparatory School (affectionately called St. Joe Prep), and the historic hotel-turned-luxury apartments, The Divine Lorraine. On top of that, a few more blocks north and you’ll be bumping into the 10,000 students that occupy Temple University’s campus, Philly’s most populated college.
There are some pretty great places to eat near The Met, as North Broad has seen quite a bit of revitalization in recent years. Whether you’re looking to have night on the town or looking to grab a post-show drink at bars nearby, the Met’s surrounding area offers plenty of options to safely walk to and from the theater (but hey, it’s still a big city, don’t act stupid, keep your attention on your surroundings and you’ll be fine).
Parking Near The Met
The Met’s location at Broad and Girard Avenue is also accessible by car. Parking near The Met is plentiful, here are some of the best options:
Parking Lots
Other parking options near The Met include a few pay-by-the-hour parking lots, with parking passes available on the website. While Lot A is direct across Broad St from the theater, Lot D is directly in the heart of North Broad’s revitalization, surrounded by restaurants, bars, and shops.
Street Parking
Of course, if you’re feeling adventurous, you are more than welcome to hunt for street parking around the map. There are plenty of spots on Broad, both southbound and northbound, as well as just off Broad. We recommend not parking too far away from Broad Street, as the mat is located between Francesville and West Poplar
Traveling to The Met
Walking
Fortunately, the Met is located relatively close to Center City. For any local or champion of walking, or even someone looking to Save A Buck, the mat is 1.2 miles from City Hall, about 26 minutes according to Google Maps. Not to mention the walk is very safe and has wide sidewalks the whole way.
Broad Street Line Subway
Whether you’re a local or a visitor coming from dinner in Center City, Getting to The Met from the Broad Street Line Subway is one of the best and fastest ways to travel. Two stops will provide access to The Met (both include a quick walk) the Fairmount and Girard Ave. For locals, Girard Ave is quick and easy, with a one-block walk south from the exit. For visitors, we recommend the Fairmount stop – usually less crowded only a two-block walk from the front door.
Buses Nearby
SEPTA buses are another affordable and quick way to travel to The Met, with the 4 and 16 both stopping directly outside.
Ride Share
Another great way to quickly get to the Met is a ride share or taxi. Philadelphia has a number of taxis that service the downtown and North Philly areas. Both Uber and Lyft are usually $10-$30 from pretty much anywhere in the city (perks of not living in New York).
Restaurants and Bars – Our Picks
Just steps from The Met’s doors, North Broad St features some of Philly’s best restaurants. If you’re coming to town for a show, we highly recommend the restaurants nearby the intersection of Fairmount, Broad, and Ridge. This 6-way intersection has become a lively spot, particularly in the neighborhood of Spring Garden, connected to Fairmount, one of the nicer areas in the city.
Whether you’re looking where to eat a quick bite or a sit-down meal, there are plenty of great restaurants near The Met:
Santucci’s Pizza – Santucci’s Pizza in North Philly is a great spot to grab some grub before the concert. We recommend a small square pie (their large is very large) with any of the toppings. Their square pan-cooked pizza pies are some of my personal favorites in the city.
Libertee Grounds – One of Philly’s newer and most exciting attractions, Libertee Grounds is a full bar and restaurant with a 9-hole mini golf course on the lower level just around the corner from The Met. Featuring some of Philly’s iconic landmarks and landmark icons, you can walk, drink in hand, from hole to hole with a party of 2-6. Not to mention, the food and drinks at Libertee Grounds are nothing short of fantastic, featuring a rotating menu of hyper-local beer and a rotating menu of upscale bar food.
Cicala at the Divine Lorraine – While Philly is well known for its traditional Italian influence, including the oldest Italian restaurant in the country, Cicala brought a breath of fresh air to Philly’s Italian food scene. Cicala is the creation of two chefs working closely with local organic farmers and specialty importers to create a rotating, seasonal menu of authentic Italian food. The restaurant won Best of Philly 2021 and was runner-up for the James Beard Award in 2022.
Osteria – Another of Philly’s prime examples of incredible Italian cuisine, Osteria is a small restaurant just down the street from The Met. Helmed by Chef James Michaud, another James Beard-winning chef, Osteria’s menu features Italian dishes made to perfection, including their staple meat and cheese boards, Chicken Liver Rigatoni, and seasonal pizzas. Serving dishes family style, be sure to bring a friend a two to share with. Not to mention, happy hour is M-Thurs: 5PM – 7PM, Friday-Saturday: 4PM – 7PM Sunday: 4PM – 6PM.
SOUTH – Part restaurant, part Jazz club, South Jazz Kitchen may be the perfect spot to pre-game your concert at The Met. While located on North Broad, SOUTH brings a flair of southern cuisine to North Philadelphia. With options like cornbread, shrimp and grits, and butter-milk deep-fried chicken, you may be thinking this sounds like a deep-south barbeque – but don’t mistake, South serves up some of the best and finest Southern cuisines in Philadelphia.
Bars
Santucci’s – If you’re looking for a sports bar to hang out and grab a beer, Santucci’s also features a full bar with plenty of beer options to quench your palate.
Bar Hygge – Named after the Danish word meaning cozy, (pronounced ‘Hug-uh) Bar Hygge serves house-made draft beers in a cool and simple enviroment. The bar is just down the street from The Met.
