Seize a whiskey flight at Manatawny Nonetheless Works and style their 4 Grain American whiskey at two totally different ages, older and youthful than 3 years. (Picture by Chris Devern)
Whether or not searching for a no-nonsense shot-and-beer bar or a elaborate joint with a miles-deep whisky menu, a weekend in Philadelphia will present. Town is eminently walkable, too. From any Heart Metropolis resort there are dozens of choices for meals, drinks, and points of interest in one among America’s most historic cities. A stroll down Broad Avenue—downtown Philadelphia’s most important north-south drag—gives views of the town’s late-Nineteenth century Metropolis Corridor, the Civil Conflict-era Union League (now a personal membership), and the town’s main arts venues, just like the Kimmel Heart and the Academy of Music. And simply blocks east or west of Broad Avenue are a number of the metropolis’s greatest locations to eat and drink.
Staying in Heart Metropolis is the best choice for a largely walkable journey, with handy public transit that provides you the widest number of bars and eating places to select from. Whether or not flying, driving, or taking Amtrak, Heart Metropolis is a breeze to achieve. For lodging, it’s simple to advocate Philadelphia’s Loews Lodge, at twelfth and Market Streets. The resort is positioned in Philadelphia’s first high-rise constructing. One other upscale choice within the neighborhood is The Bellevue Lodge, which overlooks Broad Avenue, simply south of Metropolis Corridor. However when you’re trying to hold resort prices down so you’ll be able to seize just a few further drams, Heart Metropolis has you lined there, too: the DoubleTree (additionally on Broad, south of Metropolis Corridor) and Membership Quarters (positioned one block south and two blocks west of Metropolis Corridor) are each stable choices within the neighborhood.
The Bellevue Lodge overlooks Broad Avenue supplying you with an ideal view of Philadelphia’s historic structure. (Picture by Joshua Pellegrini)
Day One
After dropping off your baggage, seize a hearty breakfast at Crimson Owl Tavern, positioned lower than a mile from Loews Lodge. Then head throughout the road to the Liberty Bell, Independence Corridor, and the Outdated Metropolis neighborhood.
After you’ve brushed up in your American historical past, swing by The Olde Bar, just some blocks from Independence Corridor, for a whisky or cocktail whereas sightseeing in Outdated Metropolis. Past providing a stable array of whiskies, with a specific deal with scotch, The Olde Bar’s cocktail menu nods to drinks historical past with its Fish Home Punch, a colonial-era rum drink born in Philadelphia within the 1700s. Strive The Olde Bar Bitter, made with Outdated Overholt rye, amaretto, lemon, egg white, and bitters.
With lunch in thoughts, absorb extra sights with a 30-minute stroll, or hop on the SEPTA practice Market-Frankford line (the ‘El’) from Independence Corridor or 2nd Avenue stops and take the practice west (towards 69th Avenue) to fifteenth Avenue/Metropolis Corridor, then head to Monk’s Café, a Belgian restaurant. Monk’s is a five-block stroll south from the Metropolis Corridor station and is positioned one block west on sixteenth Avenue. Whereas Monk’s has a full bar, the true star of the present right here is its Belgian beer record, together with Monk’s Flemish bitter ale, a beer brewed at Belgium-based Van Steenberge Brewery specifically for Monk’s. Right here, the cheese plate and smoked trout dip are glorious starters, and the burgers and mussels can’t be beat.
When you’ve had your fill of lunch and historical past, head again to Heart Metropolis and swing by Wonderful Wine & Good Spirits on Chestnut Avenue between eleventh and twelfth to browse one of many extra well-stocked liquor shops within the space, which gives a wide range of glorious whiskies. Whereas Pennsylvania’s “state shops” (the colloquial title for Wonderful Wine & Good Spirits, the state owned-and-operated liquor shops), all however rule out trying to find dusty bottles, the state has stepped up its sport lately, and their Premium Assortment places (like the shop really useful right here) usually supply FWGS-exclusive barrel picks from distillers like 4 Roses, Maker’s Mark, and Buffalo Hint.
Village Whiskey serves over 200 whiskies ranging in type and gives up completely happy hour bar snacks and drinks.
After purchasing, head to Village Whiskey for completely happy hour. Whereas the bar snacks and $7 completely happy hour cocktails are a straightforward draw at Iron Chef and James Beard award-winner Jose Garces’s restaurant, the true star right here is the whisky record. Village Whiskey serves over 200, together with Japanese, Irish, and world whiskies, however the focus is on bourbon and scotch.
From there, take a brief stroll to Ashton Cigar Bar, a second-floor lounge that boasts almost 400 whiskies, 200 cigars, and roughly 500 different spirits. Ashton has couch, bar, and desk seating, with a handful of tables overlooking Chestnut Avenue and lots of going through the bar’s walk-in humidor.
For dinner, strive Financial institution & Bourbon within the Loews Lodge. The restaurant, helmed by chef Joe Thomas, serves American fare with an area aptitude: the cheeses and chickens are sourced from Pennsylvania farms. Financial institution & Bourbon has a sturdy cocktail program too, providing cocktails barrel-aged in home, in addition to specialties just like the Secret Knock, made with whiskey matured on-site, inexperienced tea, lemon, and clarified milk.
After dinner, take a five-minute stroll to Time on Sansom Avenue, between thirteenth and Juniper. Whereas it homes three bars, with one targeted on reside music and one for dancing, Time actually takes flight in its devoted whisky bar, which doesn’t have a canopy. That includes over 200 whiskies, Time gives a deep dive into scotch, Irish, and American whiskies, with a large portion of the record priced at $20 or much less a pour.
Time’s whisky flights are of explicit curiosity; whereas they cowl frequent floor—providing a range from a person producer or area—the whiskies chosen are distinctive and step off the overwhelmed path. Time’s bourbon flight, for instance, serves Jefferson’s Very Small Batch, Longbranch, and Outdated Elk, and its Irish flight contains Inexperienced Spot, Teeling Single Grain, and The Sexton single malt.
Time is house to a few bars, one among which options reside music, whereas one other is house to over 200 whiskies.
Day Two
For breakfast, try Inexperienced Eggs Cafe on 18th Avenue between Ludlow and Ranstead in Heart Metropolis. The restaurant—which has just a few outposts dotted across the metropolis—gives diner staples like eggs and omelets in addition to 4 totally different sorts of eggs Benedict. For those who’re searching for the heartiest choice to start out your day, strive the Kitchen Sink, a mix of eggs, sausage gravy, potatoes, cheese, peppers, onions, and a biscuit, all served in a skillet.
To kick off the second day of discovering Philly’s best whiskies, take to the El at fifteenth Avenue/Metropolis Corridor or at thirteenth and Market Streets and head east to the Girard cease. Welcome to the Riverwards and, extra particularly, Fishtown, Philly’s trendiest neighborhood.
From the Girard station, head east on Girard Avenue for 2 blocks to Frankford Avenue. Go to Hall Up to date, a contemporary artwork gallery with three flooring of works from native, nationwide, and worldwide artists, or if road artwork is your curiosity, take a stroll and also you’ll discover sanctioned and unsanctioned murals on most of the neighborhood’s buildings. Store for classic house items at Jinxed, go to the community-maintained Fishtown Rose Backyard, and if music is of curiosity cease by Philadelphia File Alternate for vinyl, cds, and cassettes spanning genres from hip-hop to nation. Whereas on Frankford, seize some lunch at Fette Sau, a barbecue and bourbon establishment. Though Fette Sau shares heavy hitters from bourbon’s largest distillers, together with personal barrel picks, the restaurant’s dedication to native distillers is unmatched.
Take pleasure in a cocktail or one among New Liberties’ personal whiskies in its out of doors courtyard whilst you look ahead to a tour.
For those who’re trying to cease for a cheesesteak whilst you’re in Philly, Fishtown’s obtained you lined. On the nook of Frankford and Girard is Joe’s Steaks + Soda Store, a Philadelphia mainstay serving cheesesteaks (beef and rooster) and even just a few vegetarian and vegan choices. Past the traditional cheesesteak—which I’d advocate with American cheese (not whiz), onions, and scorching peppers—Joe’s milkshakes are additionally nice.
After lunch, head two blocks north on Frankford, then make a left on Grasp Avenue. Proceed for a couple of third of a mile and take a proper on Cadwallader Avenue the place you’ll discover New Liberty Distilling, one among a handful of distilleries in Philadelphia making their very own whiskey. There, within the distillery’s courtyard bar, you’ll be able to pattern its Kinsey and New Liberty whiskeys neat or in cocktails, in addition to take a tour of the distillery and choose up bottles of their retailer.
Take a 20-minute stroll or seize a rideshare to Lloyd Whiskey Bar. In your approach by the Fishtown neighborhood hold an eye fixed out for the fish indicators hanging from the row houses. Lloyd is Fishtown’s greatest whisky bar, providing a number of over 150 (with a heavy emphasis on bourbon and rye), inexpensive costs, and a relaxed ambiance. Past showcasing a deep library of whiskies to strive on their very own, Lloyd is dedicated to the shot-and-beer combo Boilermaker—identified in Philly as a Citywide Particular—that includes 17 totally different whisky-and-beer combos.
After a Citywide or two, stroll west on Girard again to the El, and cease by one other Wonderful Wine & Good Spirits Premium Assortment retailer positioned at North Second Avenue and Girard Avenue. This location normally gives a wide variety of FWGS retailer picks in addition to one of many strongest choices of whiskies within the space.
Seize dinner at Financial institution & Bourbon within the Loews Lodge and deal with your self to a barrel-aged cocktail or American whiskey.
It’s time to move to South Philly for dinner. From the fifteenth Avenue/Metropolis Corridor station, take the El’s Broad Avenue Line south to Tasker-Morris, which is able to go away you just a few blocks from Stateside, a gem serving creatively ready and domestically sourced small plates, alongside native beers and American whiskeys with pours like Blanton’s and Excessive West Bourye.
A couple of hundred toes south of Stateside is Manatawny Nonetheless Works Craft Spirits Store and Tasting Room, the Philadelphia outpost of the regional Pottstown distillery. Cease in for a whiskey flight, which showcases Manatawny’s 4 Grain American whiskey (made primarily from malted barley, with wheat, oats, and rye) at two ages (older and youthful than 3 years) alongside their Honey whiskey. For those who’re searching for one thing much more distinctive, strive the Seventh Anniversary peated single malt.
Whereas Philadelphia’s bar scene gives loads of upscale meals and high-end whiskies, a visit to the Metropolis of Brotherly Love wouldn’t be full with no cease at Bob and Barbara’s Lounge, a no-frills, cash-only bar greatest identified for its $4 Citywides with Jim Beam and PBR. Loosen up, absorb some soul jazz, and end your evening in an uncomplicated, traditional Philly bar.
Distilleries
Manatawny Nonetheless Works Craft Spirits Store and Tasting Room 1603 E Passyunk Ave.
New Liberty Distillery 1431 Cadwallader St.
Bars/Eating places
Ashton Cigar Bar 1522 Walnut St.
Financial institution & Bourbon 1200 Market St.
Bob & Barbara’s Lounge 1509 South St.
Fette Sau 1208 Frankford Ave.
Inexperienced Eggs Cafe 33 S 18th St
Joe’s Steaks + Soda Store 1 W Girard Ave.
Lloyd Whiskey Bar 529 E Girard Ave.
Monk’s Café 264 S sixteenth St.
The Olde Bar 125 Walnut St.
Crimson Owl Tavern 433 Chestnut St.
Stateside 1536 E Passyunk Ave.
Time 1315 Sansom St.
Village Whiskey 118 S twentieth St.
Resorts
The Bellevue 200 S Broad St.
Membership Quarters Heart Metropolis 1628 Chestnut St.
DoubleTree Heart Metropolis 237 S Broad St.
Loews Philadelphia 1200 Market St.
Shops
Wonderful Wine & Good Spirits 1112 Chestnut St.; 180 W Girard Ave
Points of interest
Hall Up to date 1315 Frankford Ave
Jinxed 1331 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia File Alternate 1524 Frankford Ave.
