Dining Under the Stars in Media: Ten Unforgettable Restaurants to Try on State Street

Tables spill across a traffic-free State Street at golden hour as crowds settle in for Dining Under the Stars, the Wednesday-night tradition now in its 19th season.

For five months a year, Wednesday night in Media doesn’t look like a Wednesday night anywhere else.  

The cars disappear, the tables come out, and State Street becomes one long open-air dining room under the early-evening light. 

Now in its 19th season, Dining Under the Stars kicked off in early May and runs every Wednesday through September 30, from around 5 to 10 PM.  

The street closes to traffic, and what fills the space is pure summer: tables spilling into the road, storefronts glowing, live music drifting between blocks, and crowds threading through one of Delaware County’s most beloved traditions.  

More than two dozen restaurants take part, which leaves visitors with exactly one problem. Deciding where to eat first. 

Here are 10 to start with. 

320 Market Cafe is the move for diners who want casual without cutting corners.  

Part cafe, part market, part bottle shop, 320 turns out fresh bowls, tacos, wraps, and hot and cold sandwiches, but the real draw is the pico de gallo, a hometown obsession with a backstory to match.  

In the early days the market sold maybe 10 orders a day; now it moves at least 200, still hand-cutting and dicing every avocado in-house.  

It’s an easy, satisfying way to ease into the night. 

For classic Italian, Fellini Cafe of Media has been a State Street fixture since 2001.  

The BYOB trattoria covers the spread with antipasti, salads, pasta, chicken, a black Angus ribeye, and pairs it with a thoughtful wine list you’re welcome to supplement.  

Order the Lobster Ravioli Alla Vodka, where sweet lobster meets a creamy, tangy sauce, and let the romantic atmosphere do the rest. 

Azie brings an array of Asian cuisine to State Street.  

Executive Chef Takao Iinuma runs the kitchen with a serious culinary résumé, and it shows across poke bowls, bibimbap, fresh pasta, nigiri, and sashimi.  

The adventurous come for the inventive rolls like the New Philly, which layers seared Kobe beef, shrimp tempura, melted gruyere, and eel sauce.  

Add cocktails and sake, and a dessert, and Azie makes a strong case for a stylish night out. 

The block is anchored by the beloved Irish pub Sligo.  

A successful Media businessman and restaurateur, owner Ed Lawlor brought it to Delaware County in 2005, and it’s been pouring pints and serving comfort ever since, offering classics like Irish beef stew, fish and chips, and bangers and mash. 

The plate to know is the namesake Sligo burger: an eight-ounce black Angus patty with lettuce, tomato, onion, and your choice of cheese.  

Come for a pint, a hearty meal, and a crowd that knows the place. 

State Street Pub trades on easy, group-friendly energy.  

Formerly Quotations, it changed hands in 2021 and reinvented itself with high-def TVs, pub games, and a sharper menu.  

Expect pizza, entrées, and sandwiches like the Salmon BLT, plus standouts such as the Teriyaki Duck Risotto and a ribeye steak, all backed by a deep list of cocktails and wine. 

La Belle Epoque is Media’s little corner of France, and its origin story reads like one.  

Chef-owner Loïc Barnieu and his wife, Joanne, opened it in 2001 in a corner space that reminded them of a Paris side street, financing the dream by pulling the equity out of their house.  

The gamble paid off: with roots in Burgundy and multiple Main Line Today “Best French Restaurant” honors, the bistro delivers signatures like escargots de Bourgogne and Le Filet Mignon au Poivre. 

Shere-E-Punjab adds bold flavor and live-music energy to the lineup. 

The casual spot pairs a full bar and outdoor seating with a generous range of vegetarian and vegan options, and diners keep coming back for the goat curry, lamb korma, and chicken tikka masala.  

Be sure to save room for the homemade kulfi. 

For a steakhouse-style dinner, Stephen’s on State has been the special-occasion pick since 2003.  

Start with the Prime Rib Eggrolls, stuffed and finished with fried onions, Cooper Sharp, and horseradish aioli, a fan favorite for good reason, then work through a menu that runs from salads and pasta to seafood, chicken, and veal. 

Dos Gringos Mexican Kitchen is the colorful, just-plain-fun option, and a local landmark. 

It opened in April 2011 as the first Mexican restaurant in Media and has collected awards ever since.  

The housemade chorizo carries the menu across tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salads, and quesadillas, with standout specials like the Nachos Al Pastor. 

Maris is one of the borough’s newest flavorful additions.  

Opened in 2025, Maris, Latin for “of the sea,” leans into seafood-forward Mediterranean cooking with a hint of Greek influence, from grilled octopus and a showstopping seafood tower to meat plates like the lamb chops “Paidakia” and a Mediterranean hanger steak. 

Together, these ten show why Dining Under the Stars remains one of Media’s signature summer traditions. Be sure to make a reservation since seats fill up fast.

Whether the night calls for sushi, steak, tacos, pasta, curry, or seafood, State Street has a table for nearly every craving, and plenty more to discover once you’ve made your way down the block. 

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