Philadelphia Trip

Dave & Buster's! Haha. Seriously though, I know you're in the city for multiple days but this is what I did for a day trip during Philly Beer Week and it worked like magic:

First, go to Beer Heaven:https://plus.google.com/106294632847340421357/about?gl=us&hl=en
It's a pretty cool beer-only package store that has great selection. And, since you're worried about parking, you can leave your car in that lot for free and you won't get a ticket (at least I didn't) and, if you're staying outside of the city, it's right next to I-95 so you can just hop right on it when you get back. Next, take a cab to Monk's. It's not that pricey of a cab ride especially if you split it with others. There are some other decent bars around the area of Monk's but nothing incredible. Next, there's a stop on a bus route that's within walking distance from Monk's which is cheap and will take you down Chestnut St. to the area where Eulogy is. Also in this area is Triumph brewing Co. which I highly recommend and the Khyber Pass Pub which is decent. From there, take a super quick cab ride back to beer heaven and you're back to your car. Obviously, I recommend a DD if you're gonna do this all in one swoop which was the only way I was able to accomplish my day trip I'll never forget that day: Drank 13 beers in roughly 7 hours. Anyways, good luck!

 

The Regional Rail - Airport Line goes straight from the Airport to downtown. I believe it's $9 or something along those lines. There is a bus that goes from the airport to S Philly as well but it's a huge pain.

 

$9's too much for a one-way that distance. $2 sounds a little low, but I would go with what the site says. I always drive since the RR to PHL is a long, expensive PITA from the burbs. Should be a quick jaunt into the city from the airport, though.

Edit: Many of the main places have been covered. The only thing I would suggest is keeping an eye out for events.

 

$2 is a standard SEPTA fare, but Regional Rail uses a different fare system based on distance traveled. Airport (Zone 5) to Center City is $7, so I was a little high on my guess.

http://www.septa.org/fares/ticket/index.html

 

It's $6.50 or $7 but whatever. If you have enough people, a cab is about $40 I think. Slightly easier if you have enough luggage and depending on where your hotel is in Center City.

 

Despite the price, the Airport line can be nice because you don't have to deal with traffic. It's pretty easy to get to from each terminal of the airport as well.

Since you're getting to Philly on Sunday I'd definitely check into Monk's first since they are holding a Zwanze day event on Saturday. Last time they had a bunch of Cantillons on tap they lasted for a few days.

 

If you are looking for a great meal followed by some good beer you can hit a couple places in a night.

For instance, Osteria is right around the corner from Alla Spina which is a great beer destination. Same owner as Osteria as well. Both places are fantastic.

If you go to Barbuzzo, Time is right around the corner...they have great live music most nights of the week, a good beer list and a pretty deep whiskey list. Considering that Barbuzzo is in Center City its pretty close to almost any spot already mentioned (Monk's, Good Dog, Perch Pub, Varga, Tria etc). Make sure to get dessert at Barbuzzo and order the budino!

Village Whiskey is pretty close to Tria, the Dandelion, Franklin Mortgage & Investment (if you're into cocktails) and I'm sure another place or two I'm forgetting.

Earth is a little out of the way considering you'll have to take RR. Probably $10 each roundtrip if you get an all day pass plus probably about 2 hours out of your day. If you do make the trip up there walk up the street to McMennamins. On the outside it looks like your average neighborhood bar but inside they usually have a nice tap list, good bottle selection and always have great food.

 

TND is along the same train line (Paoli - Thorndale) as Tired Hands.

 

Memphis Taproom is nice but definitely out of the way. Getting over there from Center City is a pain in my opinion. If you don't mind traveling a bit, taking the R5 to Tired Hands is nice and it's a short walk from the train station in Ardmore. They don't open until 4 and are closed Mondays though. And their sandwiches, while delicious, are still just sandwiches.

 

You might want to think about blocking off a few hours for South Philly, particularly East Passyunk. There's a ton of stuff within close walking distance along that drag, so you could hit several things in one go. I.e. you could grab brunch/lunch at Royal Tavern, then bar-hop from Devil's Den to POPE to South Philly Tap Room (or choose from several others in close proximity)...then finish with dinner at any of the Italian/Pizza/Hoagie/Cheesesteak places in the area (there are a ton). It's a great area for maximizing the number of good places you can hit in a short period. And bonus, there are 3 bottle shops in the area - Hawthornes, Brew, and The Bottle Shop - which you could swing into on the way to other things.

 

Monks is great because it was "the first" in this area. I would go for the nostalgic aspect not for the beer. Their small square footage has limited them over the years compared to other bigger, better beer bars. The bottle list is tremendous but the taps and over crowdedness on the weekends has something to be desired. City Tap House on 39th and Walnut is excellent for drafts. 60 taps. You can check out their beer and food menu online. While there, check out Local 44. Same owners as Memphis Taproom and just as good. Have fun. All the great food and beer will certainly keep you coming back.

Cheers!!!

 

go to han dynasty or something

 

royal tavern only has THE BEST burger in the city.

go to Barbuzzo. and Han Dynasty. and Tria (especially if she likes wine. and cheese.)
and i could list about 50 other places, but i'll avoid that.
*edit: Dandelion is not that great. actually, pretty much avoid any Stephen Starr restaurant in philly.

 

I recommend spending the day doing a walking tour. There are a number of great beer bars you can hit this way. Here is one route you can take:

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...uth+Philadelphia+Tap&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=ls&z=15

A - The Sidecar Bar & Grille: I'd start here. It's a bit out of the way, but well worth it. Great atmosphere, food, and beer list. Start here with a breakfast, and lay a good base for the day. The Resurrection Ale House is only a couple of blocks away, but only opens at noon.

B- The Cambridge: the longest walking stretch of the trip, but it's not too bad. This is a newer bar that was started by the same people who brought us Hawthorne's.

C- Monk's Cafe: a hop, skip and a jump away is the standard for all gastropubs in the city (and possiblly the country). Monk's gets packed, the service is hit or miss, but it's a must stop if you've never been there. The bottle list is second to none, the tap list is always great, and the food is terrific.

D - Nodding Head Brewery & Restaurant: a couple of blocks away is one of Philly's few brewpubs. IMO, a lot of their beer is nothing special, but they always have something interesting on. If the Berliner Weisse is on, then you're in for a treat.

E- Jose Pistola's: fun place that usually has something interesting on tap.

F - Tria: a bit pricey, but if you're looking for snacks along the way their cheese and chucuterie plates are very good, and, IMO, you do get what you pay for. The bottle list is always top notch.

G - Varga Bar: a block away from Tria. This place always seems to have a rare gem or two on tap. Last I was there they had Bourbon Barrel Batch 9000. Also, if you don't snack at Tria, grab some of the fried Brussels sprouts here. They're awesome!

H - The Foodery: one of the better bottle shops in the city.

I - Hawthornes: always a top notch tap list, and a great bottle selection. If you're looking for Hill Farmstead or Cigar City this place is probably your best bet. Afterwards, stop across the street at Bella Vista Beer Distributor.

J - Devil's Den: chill place with excellent food, and an always great tap list. They have events and promo nights with some frequency, so be sure to check their website.

K - Pub On Passyunk East (POPE): one of my favorite bars in South Philly. REALLY cool place, with a great beer list.

L - South Philadelphia Tap Room: a half mile or so walk from POPE, but worth it if you have the time and energy.

You can't go wrong with eating at any of the places listed. If heading into South Philly doesn't turn you on, you could head towards Olde City by following a slightly altered route...

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...&oq=Race+Street+Cafe&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=ls&z=15

I - The Irish Pol: off a lot of peoples' radars, but well worth a stop. Solid tap list at great prices.

J - Khyber Pass Pub: if you're in Olde City then definitely, definitely, definitely go here. Solid tap list, and excellent food. You can't go wrong with a place that has bacon popcorn grease popcorn on the menu.

K - Eulogy Belgian Tavern: another excellent Belgian beer bar.

L - Triumph Brewing Company: another one of the few brewpubs in the city. Solid beer to excellent beer, and well worth a stop.

M - Race Street Cafe: a bit of a hike, but I have a soft spot for this place. Real chill place with an excellent tap list. Great way to relax and end the evening.

Just beware Olde City on weekend nights. It gets a little douchey, but not as much as it used to.

 

...continued...

If you don't want to do Center City, then you can't go wrong heading up into the Kensington/Fish Town/Northern Liberties area. You'll have to put up with some hipsters, but the beer scene in this area is not to be missed...

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...A&oq=Memphis+Taproom&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=ls&z=15

A - Yards Brewing Company: chill tasting room, with, IMO, tremendously under-rated beer. The Philly Pale Ale is great when its fresh, Brawler is amazingly drinkable, and Old Bart is a nice barleywine (that is amazing Bourbon barrel ated when it's available from the firkin).

B - The Foodery: the Northern Liberties location of the aforementioned Foodery downtown.

C - Standard Tap: great food, cool place, and fiercely dedicated to local beer.

D - Barcade: I can spend all day at this place, and have. Classic arcade games + killer tap list = one happy guy.

E - Johnny Brenda's: I some how always end up at this bar when I'm in the city. I don't know how, but I'm always drawn back here. Nice tap list, terrific food, and super-cool atmosphere. If you absolutely must, Frankford Hall is just around the corner. The tap list is never too, and it's a cool place (fire pits and smores are awlays a good time), but it can become douchebag central in short order.

F - Kraftwork: GREAT food, an always killer tap list, and one of the chillest environments of any bar in the city.

G - Memphis Taproom: probably my favorite bar in the city right now. The food is amazing, the tap list is small, but interesting, and bottle list is well thought out (IMO, one of the best in the city). It's a small place, but it's an amazingly awesome neightborhood bar. Out of the way, I can guarantee you won't be sorry you made the trip. Then you can walk a couple of blocks, and get some of the best ice cream anywhere at Little Baby's.

There are numerous other walkable bar crawls you could do, but the ones listed here are my favorite. If you have time, I do urge you to get out to some of the places in the suburbs. A few of my favorites:

- Tired Hands: of course. Jean is cranking out some killer beers. The food here is good, but I wouldn't venture much beyond the snacks. Save your appetite.

- Teresa's Next Door: probably my favorite bar in the burbs. DO NOT miss TND if you're already venturing out to Tired Hands. It's only about 15 minutes away.

- The Beer Yard: on the way to TND from Tired Hands. One of the best case selections you'll find the in the state.

- Iron Hill (Chestnut Hill): Paul Rutherford is a friggin' genius. I think a lot of people gloss over Iron Hill, but Paul's beer is just soooo good.

- Forrest & Main: a newer brewpub in Ambler. The beer is solid, the atmosphere is chill and interesting, but food...my god...some of the best I have ever had a brewpub. Eat a meal there.

I could go on and on. You could spend a week in the area and not hit the same place twice.

One last thing, there's tons of other non-beer related things to do in the area. I recommend you take a walk through Reading Terminal Market and the Italian Market. Obviously, there's the historic district. Lots of great restaurants around town: Fogo de Chao, Vetri, Buddakan, Amada, and Morimoto (to name a few). If you're looking for cheese steaks, avoid the touristy places like Pat's and Geno's. Opt for Jim's, Tony Luc's, or, my favorite, Dalessandro's (a bit out of the way, but great). There are a number of world class art museums: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rodin Museum, and, a bit farther out, The Barnes Foundation. The Mutter Museum is also a lot of fun (if you can stomach it). New Hope, Valley Forge, Longwood Gardens, and Glencairn are all worth going out of your way for.

Have a great trip! Cheers!