Philadelphia, PA - South Philadelphia, known for its rich Italian-American heritage, vibrant street life, and passionate sports fans, also boasts a thriving bar and restaurant scene. Whether you're looking for a cozy tavern, a lively gastropub, creative cocktails, craft beer, or delicious food to pair with your drinks, South Philly has a spot for every taste and occasion. This article guides you through some of the best bars and restaurants in South Philadelphia.
South Philly's Best Bars & Restaurants
1. Mish Mish: Unique Flavors and an Intimate Vibe
Mish Mish is a standout for its unique flavors, great service, and fun, intimate vibe. This Mediterranean restaurant offers a menu of small plates, perfect for sharing and exploring a variety of tastes.
- Location: 1046 Tasker St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Unique flavors, great service, fun intimate vibe, Mediterranean cuisine, small plates, great for sharing
2. Royal Tavern: Good Food, Great Drinks, and Excellent Staff
Royal Tavern is a neighborhood favorite, praised for its good food, great drinks, and excellent staff. This gastropub offers a welcoming atmosphere and a menu that goes beyond typical bar fare.
- Location: 937 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Good food, great drinks, excellent staff, gastropub, neighborhood favorite, welcoming atmosphere
3. Watkins Drinkery: Cozy Spot with a Great Beer Selection and Solid Food
Watkins Drinkery is a cozy spot with a great beer selection and very solid food options. This grill offers a relaxed atmosphere, perfect for a casual night out.
- Location: 1712 S 10th St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Cozy spot, great beer selection, solid food options, relaxed atmosphere, casual dining, neighborhood bar
4. Ember & Ash: Upscale Food, Friendly Staff, and Great Cocktails
Ember & Ash is a restaurant known for its upscale and exquisite food, friendly staff, and great cocktails. This spot offers a refined dining experience with a focus on creative dishes and expertly crafted drinks.
- Location: 1520 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Upscale food, friendly staff, great cocktails, refined dining, creative dishes, great for a special occasion
5. Nitty's Tavern: Delicious Food and Interesting, Helpful Waitstaff
Nitty's Tavern is a neighborhood spot praised for its delicious food and waitstaff that is both interesting and helpful. This tavern offers a welcoming atmosphere and a menu that satisfies.
- Location: 1720 W Moyamensing Ave, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Delicious food, interesting and helpful waitstaff, neighborhood tavern, welcoming atmosphere, great for a casual meal
6. Triangle Tavern: Delicious Drinks and Food to Die For
Triangle Tavern is a classic South Philly bar known for its delicious drinks and food that is "to die for." This lively spot is a great place to enjoy a drink and a meal with friends. They are known for their Italian food.
- Location: 1338 S 10th St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Delicious drinks, food to die for, classic South Philly bar, lively atmosphere, great for a night out, Italian Food
7. SouthHouse: Delicious Food & Drinks and Super Friendly Staff
SouthHouse is a gastropub that earns high praise for its delicious food & drinks and its super friendly staff. This spot offers a welcoming atmosphere and a menu that goes beyond typical pub fare.
- Location: 2535 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Delicious food & drinks, super friendly staff, gastropub, welcoming atmosphere, great for a casual meal
8. Tap Room On 19th: Great Rotating Beer and Cider Selection, Incredible Food
Tap Room On 19th is a grill known for it's great rotating beer and cider selection and incredible food.
- Location: 2400 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Rotating beer and cider selection, incredible food.
9. The Sidecar Bar & Grille: Delicious and Well-Priced Cocktails, 10/10 Food
The Sidecar Bar & Grille is a grill praised for its food, which is described as "10/10," and its delicious/well-priced cocktails. This spot offers a great value and a satisfying dining experience.
- Location: 2201 Christian St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: 10/10 food, delicious and well-priced cocktails, great value, satisfying dining experience, grill
10. Rex at the Royal: Phenomenal Food and Unique, Delicious Cocktails
Rex at the Royal is a Southern restaurant known for its great atmosphere, phenomenal food, and unique, delicious cocktails. This spot offers a refined dining experience with a focus on Southern cuisine and expertly crafted drinks.
- Location: 1524 South St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Great, phenomenal food, unique delicious cocktails, Southern cuisine, refined dining, great for a special occasion
11. Fountain Porter: Good Beer Selection and Unbeatable Food Prices
Fountain Porter is a bar that stands out for its good beer selection and the unbeatable prices of its food. This is a great spot for a casual and affordable night out.
- Location: 1601 S 10th St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Good beer selection, unbeatable food prices, casual bar, great for an affordable night out
12. The Jim: Good Drinks and Food at Reasonable Prices
The Jim is a bar known for having drinks and food that are good and very reasonably priced.
- Location: 1701 S 8th St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Good food and drinks, reasonably priced.
13. South Philadelphia Tap Room: Nice Drink Selection and Delicious, Promptly Served Food
South Philadelphia Tap Room is an American-style gastropub known for its nice drink selection and its delicious food that is served promptly. This spot offers a lively atmosphere and a menu that goes beyond typical pub fare.
- Location: 1509 Mifflin St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Nice drink selection, delicious food, prompt service, gastropub, lively atmosphere, American cuisine
14. Redcrest Kitchen: Friendly Staff, Knock Your Socks Off Food, and Delicious Cocktails
Redcrest Kitchen is a New American restaurant that is known for having very friendly staff, knock your socks off food, and delicious cocktails.
- Location: 625 S 6th St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Very friendly staff, knock your socks off food, and delicious cocktails
15. The Good King Tavern: Delicious Cocktails, Excellent Bites
Very Professional Staff The Good King Tavern is Modern French tavern that is known for having delicious cocktails, excellent bites, and a very professional staff.
- Location: 614 S 7th St, Philadelphia, PA Highlights: Delicious cocktails, excellent bites, and very professional staff
- American Sardine Bar: Excellent Service, Great Beer and Cocktail Menu, Delicious Food
16. American Sardine Bar
A gastropub that earns high praise excellent service, great beer and cocktail menu, and delicious food. This spot offers a lively atmosphere and a menu that goes beyond typical pub fare.
- Location: 1800 Federal St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Excellent service, great beer and cocktail menu, delicious food, gastropub, lively atmosphere
17. Stateside: Happy Hour Food and Drinks
Stateside is an American-style bar and restaurant with a happy hour that includes both food and drinks on the menu. This is a great spot for an affordable and enjoyable after-work gathering.
- Location: 1536 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Happy hour specials, food and drinks on happy hour menu, American cuisine, affordable, great for after-work gatherings
18. MilkBoy South Street: Delicious Food, Strong Drinks, and Excellent Service
MilkBoy South Street is a restaurant and bar known for its delicious food, strong drinks, and excellent service. This lively spot is a great place to enjoy a meal and drinks with friends.
- Location: 401 South St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Delicious food, strong drinks, excellent service, lively atmosphere, great for a night out
19. Tattooed Mom: Wonderful Atmosphere, Decor, Service, Food, and Drink Selection
Tattooed Mom is a unique and eclectic spot, praised for its wonderful atmosphere, decor, service, food, and drink selection. This restaurant and bar offers a one-of-a-kind experience.
- Location: 530 South St, Philadelphia, PA
- Highlights: Wonderful atmosphere, decor, service, food, and drink selection, unique experience, eclectic vibe
20. Philadium: Relaxed Bar with Excellent Service and Amazing Food
- Philadium is a bar that is known for being the most relaxed bar in Philly. They also have excellent service and amazing food.
- Location: 1631 Packer Ave, Philadelphia, PA Highlights: Relaxed Bar, excellent service, amazing food
South Philadelphia's bar and restaurant scene is a vibrant and diverse mix of flavors and styles. From cozy taverns and lively gastropubs to upscale restaurants and unique cocktail bars, there's a spot for every taste and occasion in this iconic Philadelphia neighborhood. So, whether you're a local or a visitor, be sure to explore these and other great establishments and discover your own South Philly favorites!
