Philly’s top 50 bars
FooBooz polled local writers, drinkers, bloggers for their favorite bars and came up with this fine list. Every one of them belongs in the top 50 - I can’t say there’s a loser in the bunch.
A few observations:
#1 Standard Tap - Remarkable: the No. 1 bar isn’t in Center City.
#2 The Pub on Passyunk East - This is the hipster vote talking. Great place, and lately they’ve been hosting lots of interesting beer events. It’s high ranking is an indication of what I’d recently told a friend: South Philly’s beer scene can now match Northern Liberties’. In addition to POPE, check out SPTR (#7), Sidecar (#8), Royal (#10), Cantina Los Caballitos (#33), For Pete’s Sake (#49), and even Ray’s Happy Birthday (#18), which makes the list for its decidedly retro appeal.
#14 The Grey Lodge - There are an estimated 450,000 people living in Northeast Philadelphia, and this is the only decent bar north of Allegheny Avenue? Cripes, even South Jersey can do better than that. OK, Three Monkeys in Torresdale is pretty decent, but after that the Greater Northeast is w-a-a-a-y behind the curve.
#29 The Khyber - The city’s oldest beer bar seems off the radar these days. Johnny Brenda’s (#13) has supplanted it as the music/beer venue of choice, it seems. Still, I love the Khyber and its el-cheapo lunchtime menu.
#32 Teresa’s Next Door - the highest-ranked suburban bar, and an indication that FooBooz most certainly focused on city types. Nothing wrong with that. The fact is, there are still far more decent beer places in the city than in the ‘burbs. But for those who haven’t ventured beyond City Avenue lately, grab the R5 to Paoli and make a day out of Teresa’s, plus Flying Pig (#45) and TJ’s (#47).
MIA: If you’re tuned into the beer geek channel, the two biggest no-shows here is Capone’s and Eulogy.
The former is way out in the ‘burbs (Norristown), and - despite its ranking by RateBeer.com at one point as the No. 1 bar in the world - is not really a great bar. Its takeout beer selection is phenomenal and Matt Capone runs all kinds of outstanding draft specials. But regardless, it’s is still a suburban family restaurant at its heart.
What about Eulogy? That’s hard to judge. In beer geekdom, there’s been a Monks vs. Eulogy battle going on for years. But I don’t think that’s the case here because other than a handful of beer writers, the poll’s respondents aren’t tuned into that scene.
Others missing: Fergie’s, Triumph Brewery, Abbaye, Devil’s Den, the Institute, Belgian Cafe, Kite & Key, O’Neal’s, Sugar Mom’s, Union Jack’s (whose bottle selection in Manayunk is superb), Earth Bread + Brewery, Flanigan’s Boathouse (Conshy), both Drafting Rooms (Springhouse & Exton), Brownie’s, McGillin’s, The Dive, Old Eagle and Race Street Cafe.
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