Philadelphia Has Become a Beer Garden Haven

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Originally published by Travel + Leisure

Philadelphia Has Become a Beer Garden Haven

by Sarah Maiellano June 18, 2015

 

 

In a city known for BYOB restaurants and restrictive alcohol laws, Philadelphia is undergoing a beer garden renaissance. Ten have opened this summer, and in unusual places: City Hall, the busiest train station in town, and along once-neglected riverbanks. Each spot has its own vibe.

“We’re reclaiming underutilized public spaces,” says Meryl Levitz, CEO of Visit Philly. “People have said ‘I was in Philadelphia ten years ago and there was nobody on the street.’ Now you can go out any time of day and you know that it’s going to be a scene.”

Levitz credits the popularity of beer gardens to the growth of millennials and empty nesters now living in Center City, the city’s long history of beer brewing (there’s even a neighborhood called Brewerytown), and our need to disconnect in a technology-tethered world.

Then there’s the food. Forget hot dogs, stale pretzels and lite beer—Philly’s top chefs have curated menus populated with pork belly bao buns, watermelon salad, grilled lobster, and local ales and lagers. By combining creative design and mouthwatering brews and bites, these energetic public spaces represent the best of Philadelphia right now.

Porch 2.0

 

13 of 14

Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station—the second busiest in America—is on track to make the station a destination for more than just traveling. The recently unveiled open-air Porch 2.0 is decked out in brightly colored wooden swings, landscaped seating areas, and a permanent food truck serving spit-roasted meats, wine and beer. Missing your train doesn’t sound so bad now.

 

Sarah Maiellano is on the Philadelphia beat for Travel + Leisure. You can follow her on Twitter at @SarahMaiellano.