home > about Philadelphia

About Philadelphia - Erblaw Recommends

Best Places for a Drink in Philadelphia

Here are our recommendations for the best places in Philadelphia to have a drink, alcoholic and non-alcoholic:

Kelly Phillips

1. Union League of Philadelphia. It's the beautiful building with the curvy steps on Broad Street. Sure, some of my friends think it's snooty, but I disagree. Where else can you sit in a cushy leather chair (in front of a fireplace in winter!), have the drink of your choice (they make generous martinis!) and still feel at home? You can even play pool while finishing off your drink in the tastefully decorated "Cigar Lounge" (which is not the least bit smoky), just next to the bar. The current staff is great, incredibly accommodating, and even make my thirteen month daughter feel comfortable (yes, they have highchairs at the League and yes, they are remarkably family friendly). It's a private club, and they do have a dress code, but if you get the opportunity to go, do.

2. McGillins. Drury Street. This was my favorite bar in law school. Sigh. I think we've outgrown each other on the weekends, but it's still a great spot to stop in after shopping and have a beer. Mostly good stuff on tap, though I can tell they're catering to more of a college crowd these days.

3. Ludwigs. Just down the road from McGillins,and a bit over on Sansom Street. Chris and I love to stop here and grab a German beer. I prefer the hefe-weizen. It's not too smoky in the bar, which I like, and they are fairly accommodating for kids. It's not too loud and there's a nice mix of people.

4. Starbucks on Main Street, Manayunk. Yikes, I can hear the screaming from here. Yes, it's a chain, but I still like it. I would prefer something a little more eclectic, but eclectic in Roxborough/Manayunk often means random hours. Starbucks is dependable. If I want a decaf at ten on a Saturday morning or seven on a Thursday night, I can pretty much count on the Starbucks to be open. There is a nice outdoor seating area which is great for people-watching. I generally stick to a decaf coffee, but I must confess a liking to the tazoberry frozen thing this summer...

5. Tavern on Green (Art Museum). I have a couple of places in Art Museum area that I like, but Tavern on Green is a consistent favorite. I like the outdoor seating area and the laidback staff. This is the only place I ever order a Guiness, I have no idea why... There is almost always something great on tap.

Madeline Martin

1. Vilanni - 12th and Spruce. Great mixed drink menu! Happy Hour 5 - 6pm, featuring $3 drinks and tappas. My favorite feature drink (so far) is the Cosmorita (1/2 Cosmo, 1/2 Margarita).

2. Swanky Bubbles - 10 South Front Street. The name says it all. You can order bubbly in mixed drinks, by the glass or by the bottle.

3. Cosi - all over the city; try the new one on 2nd and Lombard. It's a chain coffeehouse that also serves light fare and has a liquor license. My stand-by is the hazelnut decaf cappuccino with steamed skim milk, but you can also get the mocha martini.

4. Monks - 16th and Spruce. Best beer menu (sorry, beer bible) on-tap and in bottles. My favorite is Lindemans Framboise.

5. Jones - 700 Chestnut Street. Trendy decor and a very original drink menu. The bar area is a little small - but you'll want to stay for food anyway, so get a table! They have great mixed drinks and martinis - all with clever names. Try the Blueberry Hill (with mulled blueberries) and/or the Flirtini!

Matthew Archambeault

1. Wawa for coffee. Love it. (Note from Kelly: He's not kidding!) Can’t get enough of it and there is one on almost every street corner in the city.

2. The Manyunk Brew Club. Main Street Manyunk. Try the Stumbling Monk beer. Be careful, it weighs in at about 7% alcohol content.

3. La Fogata on 2nd and Denninson in the Olney section of the city. It is a small, very typical Colombian bakery. You can get a great, quick breakfast. The real treat is the café con leche. (Coffee with milk) I know it does not have the cache of the big, corporate Starbucks but they use real Colombian coffee. Yummy.

4. Zest’s. This is a Tex-Mex restaurant with the absolute best strawberry margaritas. The strawberries are so fresh, they make you want to cry. The Zest’s I am talking about is in Tokyo, but it is still worth mentioning.

5. My couch. Cold Yuengling’s in a can taste mighty delicious nowadays.