The Best Bars in Philadelphia for the First Cool Nights of Fall
There's a specific night every fall when it happens…you step outside after dinner and the air bites a little. And that there is your very first signal: fall is coming. Summer's rooftop and frozen cocktail season is winding down, and it's time to trade patios for fireplaces. There's something exquisitely old-fashioned about seeking out a bar specifically because it has a fireplace, but that's the appeal once fall sets in. Philadelphia has more of these than you'd expect, found in every neighborhood. Here's where to go when the temperature finally drops.
Sourced via The Dandelion
The Dandelion — Rittenhouse
Modeled after a favorite English gastropub, The Dandelion goes all in with two crackling fireplaces, one marble, one rustic brick, surrounded by tartan-patterned seats, red-leather banquettes, and embroidered leather booths. The styling makes you forget you're a five-minute walk from Rittenhouse Square, and not in Notting Hill.
McCrossen's Tavern — Fairmount
A classic Fairmount neighborhood spot with its fireplace conveniently located right by the bar, so you don't have to choose between a good seat and a warm one. Just order a cold one and let the fire do the rest.
Royal Boucherie — Old City
Nick Elmi's Old City spot pairs its gas fireplace with dark wood booths and seating flanking either side, making it one of the better group hangs on this list. Order a bottle of wine here and don't rush the night.
McGillin's Olde Ale House — Center City
Philadelphia's oldest continuously operatingtavern has been keeping people warm by its hearth since long before "cozy bar" was a category anyone needed to name. Order the shepherd's pie, grab a seat near the fire, and listen for a couple hundred years of history creaking out at you from the floorboards.
Brauhaus Schmitz — South Street
Thirty beers on tap and a fireplace in the Brauer Bund room make this German beer hall feel like it's perpetually mid-Oktoberfest. Grab a stein and order the schnitzel!
48 Record Bar — Old City
For a quieter kind of cozy, this intimate second-floor listening room pairs a fireplace with a vinyl collection and pretty incredible acoustics. Downstairs, sibling spot Sassafras offers a similarly warm retreat if 48's upstairs seats fill up.
Not ready to trade patios for fireplaces just yet? Fishtown Taps is still running Tuesday evenings, and it's the perfect way to squeeze a little more out of the season before the cold really settles in.
