The Beer Lover's Guide to Philadelphia edited by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady Philadelphia Daily News beer reporter Don Russell, also known as Joe Sixpack, calls Philadelphia “the best beer drinking town in America. In fact, Philadelphia has just launched Philly Beer Week, a first-time, 100-event festival running March 7-16, www.phillybeerweek.org. Here are four of his favorite neighborhoods for to the city’s gastropubs, restaurants, sports bars, neighborhood taverns and specialty beer shops. Beer lovers will notice that Philly bars are smoke-free, thanks to a city-wide smoking ban. Old City: Russell counts more than 150 tap handles in this uber-hip, uber-historic neighborhood. First up is brew master Patrick Jones, who explains the difference between ale and lager (yeast levels) in front of the casks of Triumph Brewing Company, Old City’s only brew pub. Philly’s obsession with Belgian beer is introduced at stop two: Beneluxx, the Belgian tasting room where beer is served in eight-ounce beakers. “Anything goes in Belgium,” says owner, Mike Naessens, in reference to Cantillon Saint Lamvinus, a rare Belgian blend of beer and wine served in his new below-street-level spot. Of course, no Old City pub crawl would be complete without a trip to The Khyber, a live music spot where the bar was built for the Centennial Exposition in 1876 and where the window harkens back to Prohibition.
 Center City: The Philly-Belgian connection is so strong that for many years Achel was served in only two places: the Belgian Monastery where it’s brewed and Monk’s Café in Philadelphia, the first stop on his suggested tour and home to the famous Beer Bible. Next, Russell enjoys a creamy pint of O’Reilly’s Stout fireside at McGillin’s Old Ale House, the city’s oldest tavern dating back 150 years. The most urbane stop on the tour is the last, and that’s Tria Café, where the three varieties of fermentation—beer, wine and cheese—take center stage. Here, owner Jon Myerow demonstrates why he thinks beer and cheese go together better than beer and wine. Fairmount: This reborn residential neighborhood is galvanized around the massive stone walls of Eastern State Penitentiary, the historic prison-turned-visitor Mecca. In fact, London Grill offers a brew named after Willy Sutton, the famed criminal who, legend has it, stopped into the bar for a beer after escaping the prison. Next up is Bridgid’s, loved equally for its friendly U-shaped bar around which strangers talk as for its craft beer selection. The Yard’s gravity tap famously pulls live, fermenting beer from the third floor. Finally, it’s off to the Bishop’s Collar. Named for the collar of foam on a pint of Guinness, this spot is famous for its perfectly poured pints of Ireland’s signature beer. Northern Liberties: In the shadow of breweries-turned-lofts, Joe Sixpack conjures up Philadelphia’s manufacturing past. The neighborhood where German immigrant John Wagner brewed the first lager in America in 1890 is home to a high concentration of great taverns. Standard Tap tops the favorite list for many Philly beer geeks and foodies, thanks to its local-only beer selection and gastropub menu. However, Don also finds greatness at The Foodery amid 800 bottles of beer. This legendary take-out store lets costumers “mix a six” from its gigantic beer selection. The tour ends at Ortlieb’s Jazz Haus, famed for live jazz six nights a week and Cajun food. This intimate spot was the former “beer-break room” of the now-defunct Ortlieb’s Brewery. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676 MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PHILY GREAT SAVINGS
www.citypass.com WHERE TO STAY Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel
1701 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel: (215) 735-6000
Fax: (215) 789-6105
www.radisson.com Embassy Suites Philadelphia - Center City
1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Embassy Suites Center City
(215) 561-1776
www.PhiladelphiaCenterCity.Embsuites.com
1-800-Embassy for reservations WHERE TO EAT Philly Falafel Vegetarian
1740 Sansom Street
215-569-8999 Each very reasonably priced entrée allows the diner unlimited trips to the fresh flavorful salad bar with fried cauliflower, minted carrots, coleslaw, beets, pickles, and much more. (and dining here will absolve you of any guilt for indulging in a decadent chocolate dessert at the nearby places suggested below.) BEST DESSERTS Naked Chocolate Café
1317 Walnut Street
Philadelphia. PA 19107
www.nakedchocolatecafe.com
215-735-7310
Open Monday to Thursday 10AM-11PM
Friday and Saturday 10AM to 11:30PM
Sunday 11 AM to 9PM Maron Chocolates
1734 Chestnut Street
215-988-9992
www.maronchocolates.com BEST PLACE TO GET CONNECTED Ing Direct does more than just save you money. It gives you a free wireless internet connection. They even have about a dozen computers you can use for free to surf if you are in the neighborhood without your computer. 1636 Walnut Street FAVORITE STORES P.H.A.G
Philadelphia Home Art Garden
1225 Walnut Street
215-627-0461
www.thephagshop.com Show of Hands
a collection of crafts
1006 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-592-4010
Showofhandsphila@aol.com GREAT GUIDEBOOKS HIDDEN PHILADELPHIA and the AMISH COUNTRY
By Patricia Klime
Ulysses Press
www.ulysses.com ACCESS PHILADELPHIA
By Beth D’Addono
Harper Resource
www.harpercollins.com THE THIRTEEN COLONIES
Travel Historic America
Fodor’s
www.fodors.com Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who loves Phily. (maybe because her first grandchild lives there) Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com | 