June 15, 2020
R2L/Facebook
Philadelphia's R2L, located on the 37th floor of Two Liberty Place, the building above on the right, was one of the best the city's dining scene had to offer. The restaurant is permanently closing due to the financial strain of the coronavirus pandemic.
After a decade of high-rise dining in Center City, R2L has confirmed that the restaurant is permanently closing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The modish restaurant on the 37th floor of Two Liberty Place announced on Facebook that it will not reopen, offering a graphic with some interesting statistics about its last 10 years.
To all our friends, family, team, guests, vendors and to the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love: Thank you for letting...
Posted by R2L on Friday, June 12, 2020
R2L opened in 2010 under the leadership of chef Daniel Stern, who helped make the space one of Philadelphia's most breathtaking dining experiences.
With a view from 500 feet above Center City, R2L long held the distinction of the most elevated restaurant in the city. That title was taken over last summer by the Four Seasons, which opened on the 59th floor of the Comcast Technology & Innovation Center.
Last fall, R2L had brought on new chef Georgeann Learning, a protege of Gordon Ramsey. The owners said they had planned to continue, but the toll of the coronavirus pandemic proved to be too great.
In saying goodbye, R2L noted past celebrity guests from Barbra Streisand and Bradley Cooper to Harrison Ford and Miley Cyrus. The restaurant also served 71,610 orders of lobster mac & cheese and 48,000 vanilla cakes. Among the staff, 15 couples met there and later married, while 10,200 couples dined at R2L on Valentines Day.
"Philadelphia has a world-class restaurant and hospitality community; please go out and support our colleagues. We wish them much success and all of the best as businesses start to reopen," the restaurant said. "Please be kind to each other and stay healthy."
