One of the greatest parts of Philly is its abundance of excellent local beers. (This is why we here at Guild House often stock the fridge in each one of the rooms in our historic boutique hotel with a local brew or two for our guests—we’re Philly beer evangelicals!) And one of the greatest parts of any Philadelphia summer is the plethora of outdoor drinking options in which you can enjoy those beers—beer gardens! And while obviously, anywhere you can enjoy a drink outdoors is a wonderful place to be, some of our beer gardens stand out as extra beautiful, charming and picturesque spots for a hang. Here, we’ve rounded up some of our favorites—a snapshot of the most idyllic summer beer gardens in Philadelphia for your next happy hour outing. Cheers!
Photo of Independence Beer Garden by M. Fishetti for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
Frankford Hall
The neighborhood: Fishtown
The scoop: The OG of great Philly beer gardens isn’t particularly lush or green or idyllic in the sense of the natural word—the indoor/outdoor restaurant in the heart of Fishtown is on the industrial side, in fact. But the giant graveled courtyard, packed with long communal tables and surrounded with bars on three sides, is one of the most convivial beer gardens you’ll find, with a European vibe; ping-pong tables (and other games); and an excellent German-inspired menu of sausage, massive salted soft pretzels, potato pancakes, and more … including awesome milkshakes, with booze and without. Read more here.
Photo of Frankford Hall by M. Fischetti for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
The Garden at Cherry Street Pier
The neighborhood: Old City
The scoop: Perched right on the mighty Delaware River, this sprawling (20,000 square feet!) beer garden on Cherry Street Pier offers spectacular views of the Ben Franklin bridge and a greenery-filled, twinkle-lit space for drinks and casual pub fare, including an interesting lineup of tacos. It’s always a festive, summery place to hang. Read more here.
Photo of The Garden at Cherry Street Pier courtesy of Society Hill Films and the DRWC
Independence Beer Garden
The neighborhood: Old City
The scoop: It just doesn’t get more Philly than this location, overlooking the Liberty Bell, steps away from Independence and Congress Halls. And yet, beyond the primo address, what’s really lovely about Independence Beer Garden is that even though it’s in the middle of so much Philadelphia action, it still also feels tucked away and intimate, with a vaguely rustic, wooded vibe, a vast amount of seating and space to move around, plus games, firepits and … oh yeah, a great, easy menu of food and drink. The place draws a great happy-hour crowd, too. Read more here.
Photo of Independence Beer Garden by M. Fishetti for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
Love City Gardens
The neighborhood: Callowhill
The scoop: One of the coolest breweries in Philly boasts a sunny, cheery open courtyard that feels both quite urban—underneath the elevated rail line—and also quite green and leafy. That, plus a bit of sun, a bit of shade, a simple pergola and plenty of seating makes for an easy, laid-back, popular summer hang. There’s also food trucks on site .. and leashed dogs are welcome. Read more here.
Photo of Love City Gardens courtesy of Love City Brewing
Philadelphia Horticultural Society Pop-Up Beer Garden
The neighborhood: Graduate Hospital
The scoop: As always, the PHS manages to astound everyone with its gift for turning a ho-hum city space into a lush garden oasis. And in this case, they do it with the added bonus of fried cheese curds, nachos, soft pretzels, burgers and more … plus beers on draft and in cans, and a whole list of summery cocktails and frozen drinks. Read more here.
Photo of the PHS Pop-Up Garden on South Street by J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
Parks on Tap
The neighborhood: Various
The scoop: The Parks on Tap program brings pop-up beer gardens (with food, too!) to different neighborhoods. It’s impossible to go wrong here—every location is beautiful, be it the flourishing green Azalea Garden just behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art, or the sweeping Penn Treaty Park in Fishtown, or the elegant, twee little Matthias Baldwin Park in Callowhill, or the convivial, tree-filled Clark Park in West Philly, or the peaceful, breathtaking Shofuso Japanese Tea House in Fairmount Park … the list goes on, and on. The point here is that Parks on Tap brings the party to several of this city’s most glorious public spaces – so much so that you simply can’t help but fall in love with whichever part of the city you happen to be grabbing a drink in. Read more here.
Photo of Parks on Tap at Penn Treaty Park by J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
Sunset Social
The neighborhood: University City
The scoop: To call this spot a beer garden is a bit of a stretch — beer is one of the things they serve, sure, but the real reason to hit this watering hole is less about its focus on the brews and more about the experience and the views. The place hovers 12 stories above the city, atop West Philly’s Cira Green—literally, green as in grass, which covers this rooftop park—and the panoramic views of the city and the Schuylkill below are something special. A tightly curated menu of drafts, cans and frozen drinks (plus casual food) help make the magic. Read more here.
Photo by Elevated Angles for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
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