The French Quarter is an official city-designated district of Philadelphia spanning the area between 17th and 19th Streets east and west and Walnut and Sansom Streets from north to south.

[2][3] According to City Paper, the Philadelphia French Quarter "... is one of the few places outside France that supports a thriving French culture" even though "it remains largely unrecognized by both tourists and natives".

[2] Writer Dan Rottenberg says he coined the term in the July 1998 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

[5] In 1999, in advance of the Republican National Convention the following year, the city added subtle orange signs saying "French Quarter" below the traditional green streets signs in the area.

[4] In 2023, Billy Penn reported skeptically on the designation, noting that the name of the quarter was unfamiliar to most residents and, other than a French hotel chain, few French-owned or influenced businesses remained in the area.