Philadelphia Recommendations (2024)

Yes, I've been there a couple times before concerts at Union Transfer

 

Anyone going to Monks for PTY? How is it? Any good cheesesteak places close by?

 

The brewery based out of Lancaster? What part of the city is the taproom located?

 

Anyone know if places will be tapping Pliny the Younger next week? Looks like Monk's is all this week.

 

Sometimes monks taps new kegs, not always announced that I recall, week(s) later but is usually a weekday thing and goes by weekend as far as I can recall.

 

Only other ones I know of are Local 44 in West Philly and Bierhaul in Thornton, PA, but there could be more of course. Monks seems to have one-to-two kegs per day through the weekend. Think I showed up quite a while after they had their younger week last year and still had some on tap, but can't remember the exact dates.

 

Looks like Bru has it on tap. Fergie's and Jose Pistolas would also be a good bet at some point in Center City.

 

This thread was super useful to me, so thanks. I just spent a couple of days in Philly for the first time, and I used the recommendations here to make the most of my time.

I was already well aware of Monk's Cafe, and it was one of the reasons I was visiting in the first place. It definitely did not disappoint. Just to add to the context here, Monk's has a bunch of beers made by great breweries just for the bar. I had bottles of Cantillon's V Generation gueuze, Lost Abbey 24 Steps, and Russian River's Monk's Cafe 25th Anniversary, and as far as I know, you won't find any of these beers at very many other establishments. All of them were awesome. So if you visit, check the bottle list for exclusive beers.

I hit up the Human Robot Schuylkill location, and I was really impressed with their lagers. Less so with the hoppy stuff, but the lagers were killer.

The list of cheesesteak recommendations here is great too, but I'll add to it with some recommendations from the list for chicken cheese(steaks), since I don't eat beef but wanted in on Philly's claim to fame. I had chicken cheesesteaks at both Cleaver's and Ishkabibble's I, and both were very good. Cleaver's was a bit more "upscale, and Ish's was more hole-in-the-wall, but I'd get both of them again. If you do go to Ish's note that there are two locations very close to one another, and Ish's II has way more seating than Ish's 1, which basically has one counter to sit at while you eat.

Sante.

 

Yes, thank you for your after trip synopsis. Too many times people post here for info and we never hear back as to how their trip was and if our recommendations were helpful. Glad you enjoyed your visit.

 

Meant into popping in here last week for more time. Will be in Philadelphia Saturday afternoon through Tuesday evening. Mostly public transportation, hotel in Fort Washington the first two nights and then staying downtown Monday night (so Monday/Tuesday downtown focused). Hitting Tonewood Sunday in the afternoon and meeting a few BA peeps. Traveling light, not bring beer to/from, hit maybe a museum or two plus breweries/bars and cheesesteaks.

1. Anything else I should consider in these areas or possibly beyond?
2. Any solid cheesesteak recommendations in the Philly Downtown areas noted below much appreciated. No roast pork for me. If I should take the time to go to South Philly. give a good rec or two and perhaps I'll make my way down.

Have these options I'm considering. Getting around via SEPTA trains / Regional Rail + walking (anything sketchy let me know, from Chicago so not too worried, but things change).:

Fort Washington (Hotel Sat & Sun) / Ambler (Likely Saturday Evening)

• Forest & Main The Pub 33 E Butler Sat 12-11 & Sun 12-8
• Forest & Main The Bar 241 N Main Sat 12-9 & Sun 12-6
  
• Harry's Blue Bell Taproom 1 W Butler Ave Sat Noon-Close & Sun Noon-8
• Well Crafted 300 Brookside Ave, Building 19 Sat 1-10 & Sun 1-6

Downtown Philly North East of 676 / Broad (Likely Monday and/or Tuesday)

• Human Robot 1710 N. 5th S-T 11-11
• Interstate Drafthouse 1235 E Palmer Street M-T 4-11
• Love City 1023 Hamilton Street Sun 12-8, M 4-11
• Standard Tap 901 N 2nd St Sun 11-9, M-T 4-10 (HH 4-6)
• Wissahickon Brewing 3705 W. School House Lane S 11-8, M-T 12-10 (HH 4-6)
• Yards Brewing 500 Spring Garden St Sun 10-10; M-T 11:30-10 (HH 3-6)

Downtown Philly North West of 676 / Broad (Likely Monday)

• Philadelphia Museum of Art 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway M 10-5
• Eastern State Penitentiary 2027 Fairmount Ave M 10-5
• The Bishops Collar 2349 Fairmount Ave 11-2 AM Daily
• Crime & Punishment Brewing 2711 W Grand Ave M-T 3-10

Center Downtown (Multiple Days)

• CS Angelo's Sun 11-7
• CS Cleavers Sat-Tues 11-9
  
• Bru Craft & Wurst Sat 12-2AM, Sun 12-11, M-T 4-11 (HH 4-6)
• Cartesian Brewing Sat 12-11, Sun 12-8
• Dock Street South Sat 11-11, Sun 11-9, Tues 11-9 (HH 4-6)
• Khyber Pass Pub 11-2AM Daily
• McGillin's Olde Ale House 11-2 AM Daily
  
• Monk's Cafe 264 S. 16th Street Tues-Sun 11:30-?
• Victory Brewing 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Sat 11-11; M-T 11-10

Beyond - South or West (TBD)

• W Carbon Copy Sat 12-11, Sun 12-10, M-T 4-10
• S Second District Brewing 12-Midnight Daily

 

As a Philly tourist, my family has really enjoyed strolling south Philly to look at the mosaics in the alleys.

My other piece of advice is to same room for a sandwich if you’re visiting Human Robot in Fishtown.

 

As far as Ambler goes, Forest & Main is an absolute must. If you're at the pub, you could also stop by Tannery Run, which is just a couple blocks down Butler. Their beer is hit and miss though, so looking purely at beer, Well Crafted is the better 2nd option.

 

Thanks for your response. Right now John’s Pork Roast and Phillips are in the running if I make it down there. I won’t have time to hit quite a few options I posted, just linked my top ideas so I can use for my trip to navigate.

Thanks for this tip! Tannery Run looks closer than Well Crafted, and might need a backup plan based on the post below.

Thanks for the heads up. I won’t make it there until the evening, so hopefully it will be less crowded, but perhaps it will be more. Sunday will be my back up plan, will just do less downtown and or Fishtown that day.

Want to try to hit both F & M locations, but perhaps crowds will steer me one way. Might wait until Sunday to hit the brewery under less hectic conditions.

 

Bru has a good draft list but I'd just go to Glory, which has the best in the city, as far as I know.

As far as steaks if you're looking for something traditional in Center City the closest you'll get is Campo's, though I confess I've never been to Cleaver's. As far as Angelo's, I would keep walking right past the undoubtedly long line to Paesano's. Their nearest thing to a cheesesteak (the Paesano) is very nontraditional but all the sandwiches there are great.

 

You may already be aware of this but just in case you don’t, John’s Roast Pork has limited hours:

MONDAY CLOSED

TUESDAY 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

WEDNESDAY 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

THURSDAY 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

FRIDAY 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

SATURDAY 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

SUNDAY CLOSED

https://johnsroastpork.com/johns-roast-pork-hours-of-operation/

IMO they make excellent cheesesteaks (

Cheers!