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Outdoor Drinking

Where to find al fresco watering holes in Philly

It’s beer garden season in Philadelphia—now through mid- to late-fall. Here’s where to find some of our faves:

THE GARDEN AT CHERRY STREET PIER: You’d be hard pressed to find a restaurant with more stunning views than The Garden at Cherry Street Pier, which sits in the shadow of the hulking Benjamin Franklin Bridge and along the Delaware River. More than 200 people can comfortably fit in the open-air, industrial venue, which is outfitted with quaint sidewalk café-style seating, with towering trees and overflowing planters separating each table. The menu boasts summer-picnic fare (think pulled-pork sandwiches, salads and sides) local ales, wine and craft cocktails. For now, The Garden is open on Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting, from noon to 10pm. Hours will be extended throughout the week once the weather warms up.

THE GROVE AT ASSEMBLY LOUNGE: For summer 2022, the swanky rooftop bar overlooking the Benjamin Franklin Parkway transforms The Grove, a lush tropical garden in the sky rife with exotic plants, vibrant, textured decor, and a menu featuring refreshing island cocktails 🍹. It kicks off with a bash this Tuesday night, May 24, from 6 to 9pm featuring live music and an oyster and Prosecco bar.

INDEPENDENCE BEER GARDEN: The bustling beer garden just steps from Independence Hall is back open in 2022 with 20,000-square-feet of open-air space that packs in multiple bars, drinking games like corn hole and Jenga, and a bunch of picnic tables so you can spread out to enjoy your barbecue-style grub and beer, beer, beer.

MORGAN’S PIER: This vibrant beer and cocktail garden brings live DJs, comfort food and all kinds of refreshing adult beverages to the Delaware River waterfront through fall. Grub options include a variety of snacks, flatbreads, sandwiches and seafood, while drinks range from frothy draft beers to a colorful selection of speciality and frozen cocktails and wine.

NEW LIBERTY DISTILLERY: The Cocktail Garden at New Liberty Distillery — the handy work of the distillery’s staff during the pandemic — offers yard games and a robust cocktail menus under twinkling lights and a soundtrack of surf rock and ’90s jams. (Reopens June 16.)

PHS POP-UP BEER GARDENS: The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s popular pop-up beer gardens—on South Street and in Manayunk—are gorgeous urban garden oases with stunning plant and garden decorations, bars full of food and drink and, new this year at Manayunk, a new game room with foosball, Skee-Ball, pop-a-shot and more. Plan a night there around some of the events taking place throughout the season—from plant swaps, brewery pop-ups, craft nights and more.

RODIN MUSEUM GARDEN BAR: The scenic pop-up beer garden at the Rodin Museum serves beer, wine, craft cocktails and small plates in the vicinity of the famous Thinker. Dogs are welcome.

Eat and Drink

Great Philly restaurants and bars to check out right now

If you’re looking for great places to eat and drink locally, we have you covered. Check the links below for ideas about where to eat outdoors and get takeout, and what breweries and distilleries to visit when you’re hankering for an adult bev.

Guides to dining out (or eating in)

Outdoor Dining in Philadelphia
Follow our guide to outdoor dining in Philly this spring to discover spots around town for delicious food and drink in gardens, on tucked-away patios and other Insta-worthy surrounds
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Great Women-Owned Restaurants in Philly
Philly’s women-run restaurants are helping us all survive the pandemic. Here, some of our favorites to try right now.
  • Order cheesy pupusas from El Merkury for takeout
Philadelphia Takeout for Good
It’s no surprise that local restaurants have spent the Covid-19 crisis finding ways to give to their community. Here, 11 generous local spots you can support with your takeout order

Guides on where to drink

  • This photo accompanies a guide to the best Philadelphia breweries that have delicious beer and also give back to the community
Philly Breweries Where Giving Back Is On Tap
A guide to breweries in Philadelphia that are raising funds for locals (and more) in need. Cheers!
  • This photo accompanies
Philadelphia Distilleries Doing Good
Want to get a drink that you can feel good about? Check out these awesome distilleries in Philadelphia serving up good spirits—from vodka to bourbon to inventively flavored bitters—and good causes for the community

Philly restaurants and bars doing good

  • A plate of pierogis at Mom-Mom's Kitchen in Philadelphia
Foodizen: Why Is Ravioli Worth More Than Pierogi?
How Mom-Mom’s Kitchen is working to spread the good word on Polish food in Philadelphia. Their latest venture on South Street is set to open this winter.
  • A spread of takeout food from Jezabel's Argentine Bakery in Philadelphia
Foodizen: Forget Back to “Normal"
Jezabel’s Argentine Bakery & BYO is doing better than ever in its 10-year history by pivoting to not just survive, but thrive during the pandemic—a start to rethinking the restaurant industry as we have known it
  • Chris Cho, chef at Center City Korean restaurant Seorabol
Foodizen: Beyond BBQ
Is Chris Cho’s Center City Seorabol the start of a Korean food empire?
  • A New York strip steak with roasted garlic on top at Alpen Rose steakhouse in Philadelphia
Foodizen: Meditations on Meat
Michael Schulson’s fabulous new Alpen Rose puts steak back on the menu. Can we find a way to make peace with meat?
  • wine samples and cheese board in front of computer for Tria's virtual wine classes
A Brand, Not Just a Restaurant
Center City’s Tria Cafe brought back its beloved Fermentation School (virtually) to help it survive the pandemic. Who needs tables anyway?
Foodizen: Breaking Bread
The next in a series on the nexus of food and culture explores Philly’s new wave of sustainable, socially-conscious bakeries at the forefront of change
This is your grandma’s coffee shop
Old City’s Frieda Cafe offers the opposite of working remotely: Human interaction across the ages
  • Saxbys owner and founder Nick Bayer holds a card showing his company's B Corp status
Business for Good: Coffee With a (Updated) Mission
Saxbys has been training young, socially-conscious entrepreneurs and uplifting local communities for years. Now, it’s “walking the talk” with its new B Corp status

Current trends on the local food and drink scene

Foodizen: What's in Your Glass?
Our series on the nexus of food and culture explores the natural wine trend that has finally caught on in Philly. Will drinking it make you a better person?
Foodizen: When Celery Was the Avocado Toast of Its Day
A Fishtown restaurant takes us on a culinary journey into Pennsylvania’s past. Waffles and catfish, anyone?
Foodizen: "What are you?”
Filipino food has lately been at the center of Twitter outrage. Our series on the nexus of food and society finds Philly’s newest cuisine can’t be unlinked from its history and culture
Foodizen: Not Cambodia Town
Our series on the nexus of food and culture explores the flavors of the South Philly area around Mifflin Square Park, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city
Foodizen: Georgian On My Mind
The next in a series on the nexus of food and urban culture takes us on a journey—to the heart of Eurasia's Georgian cuisine in the far Northeast
Foodizen: Satay in the City
The series on the nexus of food and culture looks at satay, a window into Philly’s substantial Indonesian community

Fun Philly food history

  • A black couple hold ice creams toward the camera, smiling
How Philly Invented Ice Cream (As We Know It)
It was African American chefs who created the summertime treat we consume by the gallons, right here in the city where America was born
  • Pepper Pot Soup painting
Foodizen Podcast: The Most Famous Soup You’ve Never Heard Of
The latest episode of the food history podcast examines the roots of pepper pot soup, sold by Campbell’s for 110 years. No, it was not invented in Camden

Fun Things to Do in Philly This Week and Weekend

Taste your way through some lip-puckering beers during Sour Fest, catch a slew of outdoor movies, play bingo with drag queens and more to do this week and weekend in Philadelphia

Fun Things to Do in Philly This Week and Weekend

Taste your way through some lip-puckering beers during Sour Fest, catch a slew of outdoor movies, play bingo with drag queens and more to do this week and weekend in Philadelphia

BY Josh Middleton

Aug. 09, 2022

Print

Your hunt for things to do in Philly this week and weekend includes a heck of a lot of movie screenings — both al fresco and virtual — and the return of Devil’s Den’s popular Sour Fest.

You could also swing by board game café Thirsty Dice on Thursday night for a night of bingo hosted by drag queens, or catch the last weekend of the Chinese Lantern Festival at Franklin Square in Old City.

Your choices don’t stop at events, though. Make this the weekend when you check out that local brewery or distillery you’ve always wanted to visit. Have dinner outdoors somewhere on a lush patio or in a garden. And check our list of ongoing summer attractions to see what kind of shenanigans are happening at places like Spruce Street Harbor Park, Cherry Street Pier and the Oval XP.

Related from The Citizen
Your guide to summer in Philly in 2022: the biggest events, festivals + more
By Lauren McCutcheon and Josh Middleton

THINGS TO DO IN PHILLY THIS WEEK AND WEEKEND

A virtual film screening this week exposes what life in a post-abortion rights country may look like for some women.

VIRTUAL FILM SCREENING: Riled up about the recent abortion ruling? Meet the Philadelphia Commission for Women and the Philadelphia chapter of NOW online Wednesday night for a virtual screening and conversation around the documentary Birthright: A War Story. Organizers say the film “exposes the truth of how American women are being jailed, physically violated and even put at risk of dying as states, courts and religious doctrine try to govern whether, when and how women will bear children.” Wednesday, August 10, 6 to 7:30pm. Online (register here), free. 

Looking for ways to take action around abortion rights?
What to do when the abortion fight comes to Pennsylvania
By Charity Tooze
The Philly POPS perform a Fourth of July concert
Check out a soul- and jazz-infused free Philly POPS performance at Dilworth Park this Thursday night. | Photo by J. Fusco / Visit Philadelphia

PHILLY POPS @ DILWORTH PARK: A free public concert at Dilworth Park on Thursday night gives you a preview of The Philly POPS’ upcoming season. Powerhouse vocalist Paula Holloway (she’s sung with Patti LaBelle, y’all) will join the POPS’ Little BIG Band to share tunes from upcoming shows, such as “Get Up, Stand Up: An Encyclopedia of Soul,” and “Ella & Louis Sing Porgy & Bess.” Thursday, August 11, 6 to 7pm. 1 S. 15th Street, free. 

QUICK HITS 👋

🍽 Samuel’s, a new all-day dining concept by Michael Schulson, opens Wednesday, August 10

🍷 Jet Wine Bar is launching a new late-night happy hour, every Wednesday through Saturday from 8 to 10pm

🪘 Anssumane Silla is hosting an African drumming, dancing and singing class in Clark Park on Sunday, August 14, at 3pm

DRAG BINGO @ THIRSTY DICE: Fairmount board game café Thirsty Dice welcomes four glamazons — including Philly’s undoubtable “it” queen of the moment, Brittany Lynn — into the house on Thursday night for an evening of drag bingo. Players will have the chance to score some prizes (gift cards, board games, T-shirts) during four rounds of bingo, and be delighted by performances from the queens between each game. Food and cocktails will also be available. Thursday, August 11, 6 to 10pm. 1642 Fairmount Avenue, $35. 

Philadelphians watch Star Wars during an outdoor movie night at Dilworth Park
Pictures in the Park brings outdoor flicks to Dilworth Park this summer. | Photo by Marisa Fischetti

OUTDOOR MOVIES @ DILWORTH PARK: Pictures in the Park — a weekly event series that brings new and classic films to a giant screen in the shadow of City Hall — is now in the midst of its summer schedule. This week, look out for Ghostbusters: Afterlife (Aug. 12), then return any Friday night this month for Jungle Cruise (Aug. 19) and the Will Smith-starring King Richard (Aug. 26). 8:15pm. 1 S. 15th Street, free. 

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Live music, and deals on food, drink and more line East Passyunk Avenue on Saturday. | Photo by East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District

SIDEWALK SALE AND STROLL: Tons of independently owned businesses along East Passyunk Avenue — such as South Fellini, Nice Things Handmade and Metro Men’s Clothing — are bring their wares onto the sidewalks all day this Saturday for the East Passyunk Second Saturday Summer Sidewalk Sale and Stroll. Besides scoring sweet deals from awesome locally owned businesses, strollers can enjoy live music, food, drink and more in a festive atmosphere. Saturday, August 13, “morning to night.” East Passyunk Avenue between-ish Dickinson and Broad streets, pay as you go.  

Taste eight standout and lip-puckering new beers during Devil’s Den’s Sour Fest, happening August 13 to 19.

SOUR FEST @ DEVIL’S DEN: The annual South Philly-based Sour Fest isn’t so much a street festival or block party, but a whole week when sour beer aficionados can stop by to taste eight expertly curated, hard-to-find, local sours on draft. Selections include Brewery Ommegang’s brand new Dream Patch, which was brewed with a summer-approved concoction of cherries, raspberries and blueberries; an oud bruin called Liefmans Goudenband; and a blood orange gose from Neshaminy Creek. August 13 to 19. 1148 South 11th Street, pay as you go.

Hankering to check out more breweries in Philly?
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By Irene Levy Baker
Guests enjoy outdoor film screenings during Scribe Video Center's annual Street Movies series in Philadelphia
Philly Film Society is bringing movies to parks all summer long during its Movies On the Block event.

MOVIES ON THE BLOCK: Philadelphia Film Society’s roving summer movie fest brings flicks and entertainment to two more neighborhoods this summer. This week, look out for screenings of Fantastic Mr. Fox in South Philly (August 13), and Waterloo Playground in West Kensington (August 19). Times and location vary, free to attend. 

LAST CHANCE — CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL: The glowing Franklin Square summer festival with dozens of lanterns shaped like pandas, samurais, bamboo forests, swimming whales and an impossible-to-miss 200-foot-long dragon closes for the year this Sunday. Check out the display, then stick around for dinner and drinks in the Dragon Garden, which serves beer and fast-casual Asian fare. Nightly through August 14, 6 to 11pm. 200 N. 6th Street, $12 to $20. 

GREAT ONGOING THINGS TO DO IN PHILLY RIGHT NOW

The ferris wheel and other attractions at Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest
Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest is now open along the Delaware River with summertime fun galore. | Photo by Maria Young

DELAWARE WATERFRONT ATTRACTIONS: Spruce Street Harbor Park and its neighboring Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest are open for the season with ferris wheels, floating beer barges, carnival games, roller skating, hammocks in neon-lit trees, cute little lodges you can rent with friends. It’s just too much excitement for one person to handle. Good thing it’ll be around for our enjoyment all summer long. S. Columbus Boulevard

THE OVAL XP: The Oval XP — formerly known as Eakins Oval or just The Oval — is back on the Parkway with a massive, MilkBoy Philly-manned beer garden and a slew of events planned each week, such movie nights and lots of family-friendly activities. New additions include a massive new summer stage that will host live music throughout summer. You’ll also find a 108-feet tall ferris wheel (the world’s largest!) and a carousel. Every Wednesday to Sunday through August 21. 24th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, pay as you go.

KAYAK THE DELAWARE: The Independence Seaport Museum launched its summer 2022 kayak excursions on the Delaware River, happening on select weekends through October 22. There are several different tours you can sign up for — including one for beginners, and ones that explore different sections of the river, such as Graffiti Pier and Petty’s Island. Paddle Penn’s Landing, which lets you paddle around the river in swan- and other animal-shaped watercraft.

Header photo shows a Movies In the Park night at Dilworth Park | Photo by Marisa Fischetti

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