Philly’s ‘brat summer’ is serving lime green cocktails, dance parties, and a Charli XCX concert
Local bars and venues are “bumpin’ that” new Charli XCX album with themed drinks and dance parties.
While some may say Charli XCX’s “brat summer” is dead, Philadelphia is keeping the pop culture phenomenon alive into September with themed drinks and dance parties.
Charli XCX’s latest album, Brat, released in June, embraces a chartreuse aesthetic and celebrates being honest and unapologetically yourself. This sentiment reached the national political stage when the English pop star tweeted, “Kamala IS brat,” endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president, with Harris’ campaign sharing brat memes in response.
From dance parties to lime green cocktails, Philadelphia offers plenty of ways to have a very bratty summer, culminating in Charli’s concert in Philly on Sept. 25.
Charli XCX ‘brat summer’ drink specials in Philly
48 Record Bar
Philly’s audiophile cocktail bar, 48 Record Bar, inspired by Japan’s “jazz kissas” vinyl-listening culture, offers a “brat green” cocktail called the Lucky Number for $14. It’s a complex concoction of citrus vodka, lemon, cucumber, mint bitters, egg white, and green chartreuse herbal liqueur.
📍48 S. Second St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19106, ✉️ info@48recordbar.com, 🌐 48recordbar.com
Assembly Rooftop Lounge
Enjoy a Brat Girl cocktail at Assembly Rooftop Lounge, with its panoramic views of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, City Hall, and the Philly Museum of Art. The $17 frozen drink, a mix of Midori, vodka, lemon, lime, and simple syrup, is the perfect bright green sip for all the Brat girlies.
📍1840 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, Pa., 19103, 📞 215-783-4171, 🌐 assemblyrooftop.com
Cake Life Bake Shop
This August, Cake Life Bake Shop in Fishtown, famous for baking Beyoncé's birthday cake, is celebrating brat summer. The trans-owned artisanal bakery is offering chocolate-strawberry Bratcakes to honor Queen Charli. The $5.50 bright-green-frosted chocolate cupcake comes with a black glitter-dipped cherry on top.
📍1306 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, Pa., 19125, 📞 215-268-7343, 🌐 cakelifebakeshop.com
The Elephant
The Elephant, a bar in Center City, is serving a Brat Summer, made with fresh watermelon juice, vodka, lemon and lime juice, matcha, basil, and salt for $10. It’s garnished with a watermelon slice and best enjoyed while dancing with friends.
📍1500 Locust St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19102, 📷 @theelephantphl
Oltremare and Oloroso
Both Oloroso Spanish tapas bar and Oltremare Italian restaurant offer the bratty cocktail the Jolly Green, a bold drink made with gin, Midori, lime, yuzu, and egg white.
📍1121 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19107, 📞 267-324-3014, 🌐 olorosophl.com
📍121 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19103, 📞 445-223-2093, 🌐 oltremarephl.com
Charli XCX dance parties
Center City bar and dance club Franky Bradley’s is hosting a drag tribute to Brat on Friday, Aug. 23, at 8 p.m. It’s presented by doll.redacted, Luis, and Savvy Baby, and stars Esme Eventide, Mew Ikki, Xtrella, Little Piece, and Jo-sephine Steel. Buy $15 tickets on Eventbrite, and don’t miss the “keep bumpin’ that” after-party directly following the show for $10.
📍1320 Chancellor St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19107, 📞 215-735-0735, 🌐 eventbrite.com
Fabrika is hosting a brat party in Fishtown on Friday, Aug. 16, featuring pop-up drag performances and club music that would make Charli XCX proud. RSVP before 11 p.m. for free entry; after, it’s $10 online and $20 at the door. The party runs from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
📍1108 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, Pa., 19125, 📞 215-203-0202, 🌐 fabrikaphilly.com
Evil Genius is calling all 365 party girls to the Fishtown brewery on Saturday, Aug. 31, from noon to 5 p.m., for dancing that’ll be so Julia, with exclusive Brat-themed summer beers and limited-edition Brat beer T-shirts for sale.
📍727 N. Front St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19122, 📞 215-425-6820, 🌐 evilgeniusbeer.com
Finish off brat summer with the Queen Brat herself in concert at the Wells Fargo Center alongside Troye Sivan on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. Tickets are currently selling for more than $150 on Ticketmaster.
📍3601 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19148, 📞 215-336-3600, 🌐 wellsfargocenterphilly.com