These Philadelphia bars and restaurants have decked their halls
From Center City to Cape May, here are some of this year’s brighter, festive lights.
Philadelphia-area restaurant and bar owners have made a concerted effort to deck their halls, inside and out.
From Center City to Cape May, here are some of this year’s brighter lights.
Outdoors
Even from the street, you can’t miss the holiday display at Point Breeze’s American Sardine Bar, where tons of tiny twinkling holiday lights hang above outdoor diners and heat lamps keep folks in the outdoor space warm.
📍 1800 Federal St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19146, 📞 215-334-2337, 🌐 americansardinebar.com, 📷 @americansardine
Figo has igloos that look more like geodesic domes with a full view of the Northern Liberties sidewalk scene. The igloos, which seat four to six people, are equipped with heat. Owner Glu Hospitality is also building a giant outdoor Christmas bar and enclosing the entire outdoor covered cocktail garden and adding outdoor heaters. Be sure to check out the Northern Liberties Christmas tree.
📍 1033 N. Second St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19123, 📞 267-245-9625, 🌐 figoitalian.com, 📷 @figoitalian
The indoor-outdoor restaurant on South 18th Street is all decked out for Christmas, where you’ll find a winter menu and cocktails. Two sizes of greenhouses are available to reserve. The smaller greenhouses seat up to six people while the larger greenhouses seat up to eight. They are all individual mini dining rooms with ventilation, heat, decor, plants and flowers, tables and chairs, and a working door. Harper’s Garden’s enclosed, heated trellis has about 12 tables.
📍 31 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19103, 📞 267-886-8552, 🌐 harpersgardenphilly.com, 📷 @harpersgarden215
Here you can take in views of the massive ice skating rink and the holiday lights that dot nearly every corner of the space while sitting fireside at one of the on-site firepits, in a festively decorated private cabin, or in the ski-lodge-style restaurant where spiked (and regular) hot chocolate, winter beers, and comfort foods flow.
📍 101 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa., 19106, 📞 215-925-7465, 🌐 delawareriverwaterfront.com, 📷 @delawareriverwaterfront
McGillin’s holiday display promises 1,000 feet of garland, 1,200 feet of lights, 150 red bows, and 200 ornaments — along with drinks like eggnog martinis and mistletoe mules.
📍 1310 Drury St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19107 📞 215-735-5562, 🌐 mcgillins.com, 📷 @mcgillinsoldealehouse
The tented streetery outside Rouge, open on all sides, has been a popular destination. Dine among the twinkling lights and greenery.
📍 205 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19103, 📞 215-732-6622, 🌐 rouge98.com, 📷 @a1398rouge
Christmas returns to Uptown Beer Garden at 16th Street and JFK Boulevard.Expect a U-Ville Christmas theme, along with Christmas classics like Rudolph, Heat Miser, Snow Miser, Buddy, Santa, and a Christmas vacation at Kedera Tiki Bar in the beer garden.
📍 1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa., 19102, 🌐 uptownbeer.com, 📷 @uptownbeergarden
Start your holiday celebrations with a tree lighting party with the launch of Santa!! I Know Him! saison beer on Nov. 30. Enjoy other festivities including the Santa 0.5k charity race around the block on Dec. 2, Buddy’s Brunch: An Elf Drag Show on Dec. 10, Sleigh My Name, Sleigh My Name Holiday Drag Brunch on Dec. 17, and Christmas Cookie and Beer Pairing on Dec. 19.
📍1727 N. Front St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19122, 📞215-425-6820 🌐 evilgeniusbeer.com 📷@evilgeniusbeer
Indoors
Craftsman Row Saloon at 112 S. Eighth St. has returned with more than 6,000 feet of garland, over ten thousand lights and ornaments, one hundred wreaths, and hundreds of nutcrackers, deer, and Santa dolls. The bar is known for over-the-top shakes such as the Pumpkin to Talk About, with pumpkin pie, festive pretzel stick, slice of pumpkin pie, and holiday sprinkles. Plus, specialty cocktails like the Candy Cane-tini with rumchata, peppermint, crème de cocoa, chocolate, and candy cane.
📍 112 S. Eighth St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19107, 📞 215-923-0123, 🌐 craftsmanrowsaloon.com, 📷 @craftsmanrowphl
Tinsel, the annual pop-up bar at 116 S. 12th St., is over-the-top festive, both inside and out. Venture through the seven levels of the Candycane Forest, where you’ll pass the swirling Gumdrop Sea and relax in a corner of the Griswold living room. Bask under the neon glow of familiar Christmas heroes and antiheroes, including the Ghost of Christmas Future.
📍 116 S. 12th St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19107, 🌐 facebook.com/Tinselphilly, 📷 @tinselphilly
Sip on a Grinch A Rita or Cindy Lou Who’s Spiked Yoo-Hoo cocktails with Christmas lights adorning the outside and inside of the cozy restaurant. Enjoy classic holiday movie clips on a projector show as you feast on Bah Humbug birria tacos and warm up with a spiked hot chocolate. Marvel at the Muppets Christmas Carol and Uncle Eddie themed decor. The pop-up runs till Jan. 1.
📍4410 Main St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19127, 📞 267-331 5874, 🌐 taqueriaamor.com, 📷 @taqueriaamor
Enter the winter wonderland on the patio and whiskey garden spaces of Butcher Bar with the Yule Whiskey Lodge. The cozy pop-up offers a cabin-esque vibe, complete with rocking chairs, stockings, selfie-friendly mirror with reindeer antlers, wrapped gifts atop the bar, pillows and blankets on chairs and booths, crackling fireplaces, and more. Enjoy cocktails and festive fare, including mulled wine, bone marrow whiskey luges, bourbon and cheese pairings, and Shotskis, made using sweet Shanky’s Whip liqueur and Baileys.
Happy Hour in the Yule Whiskey Lodge (and the front bar area) is Monday and Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Reserve a table for brunch or dinner online for groups smaller than six. For parties of six or more, call.
📍2034 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19103, 📞 215-563-6328, 🌐 butcherbarphilly.com, 📷 @butcherbarphl
This Christmas, Blume is getting a full pink Christmas-themed makeover with all the glitter, lights, disco balls, and glitz designed by Jill Keys and Steph Irwin. Doors are open at Craft Concept Group’s first ever Christmas pop-up. Enjoy holiday cocktails, including an old fashioned with gingerbread syrup and tomato pie from Carlino’s.
📍1500 Locust St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19102, 🌐 instagram.com/whiteelephantphl
Starting Nov. 24, Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille in Cape May at Montreal Beach Resort will transform into a Jingle Bar pop-up Christmas experience, just in time for the Cape May Christmas Parade the following weekend. Expect over the top bling, decor, lights, garland, stockings, and more, and sip on holiday cocktails including Blue Christmas (Absolut vodka, coconut cream, pineapple, blue Curaçao) and Mistletoe Margarita (tequila, Triple Sec, cranberry, fresh lime, rosemary).
📍1025 Beach Ave., Cape May, N.J., 08204, 📞 609-884-2779, 🌐harryscapemay.com, 📷 @harryscapemay
Enter the Magical Hot Chocolate Experience at the Cauldron. Build your own hot chocolate with cast iron cauldrons, enjoy flights of mini hot cocoas, and unlock wizard chests of toppings for your drink with the wave of your wand. The experience debuts Dec. 1 for all ages and runs till the end of the month. Tickets for the 45-minute experience start at $24.99 per person.
There is also a Christmas potions class to attend this holiday. Down a candy cane shot, take home a Santa hat, a magic wand poured cocktail, and choose between two interactive potions. Be sure to try the Optimal Mirth, a red and green-layered Baileys and rum-based potion with a crushed candy rim. Tickets start at $49.99 per person.
📍1305 Locust St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19107, 🌐 thecauldron.io/philly, 📷 @thecauldronphilly