April 26, 2023
M. Fischetti/©VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
Center City Sips returns each Wednesday from June 7 through Aug. 30 at 65 of the city's bars and restaurants. The summer happy hour features $7 cocktails, $6 glasses of wine, $5 beers and half-priced appetizers.
One of Philadelphia's most anticipated summer hangouts is returning this June with exclusive deals and specials at some of the city's most popular bars and restaurants.
Center City District Sips will be back each Wednesday from June 7 through Aug. 30. The summer happy hour tradition features $7 cocktails, $6 glasses of wine, $5 beers and half-priced appetizers from 5 to 7 p.m. at dozens of Center City's busy restaurants and bars. Some participating restaurants will also offer discounts on dinner after 7 p.m.
One of the most popular Center City Sips spots is Pagano's Market & Bar, one of two restaurants owned by Matt Pagano (the other is in Bala Cynwyd). The family business, which opened in 1962, serves soups, salads, calzones, stromboli, sandwiches, cheesesteaks, pizza and seafood entrées alongside an expansive cocktail menu that includes an espresso martini and an Italian cosmopolitan.
Michael Schulson's Pan-Asian restaurant Sampan has been a Midtown Village staple since it opened in 2009. Another Sips favorite, the restaurant and bar serves bao, dumplings, samosas, Korean barbecue and Szechuan dishes alongside a selection of Asian-themed cocktails, sake and beer from local breweries.
Although Darling Jack's Tavern has yet to open its doors at 104 S. 13th St., the latest concept from restauranteurs Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran will join a cluster of the duo's other restaurants in Midtown Village next month. Darling Jack's will serve American tavern fare, though additional details have not been made public, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Center City Sips also includes a variety of outdoor eateries and beer gardens, including Old City's Independence Beer Garden, which opened to the public earlier this month. This year, the Independence Mall hangout added several new food items, including mac & cheese bites, a spicy caesar salad, lamb pita and an Impossible chicken sandwich.
For those working or shopping closer to City Hall, the Uptown Beer Garden on 15th and JFK Boulevard opened in February and features food and a themed cocktail menu.
Balcony Bar, located at the Kimmel Center on the Avenue of the Arts, is returning for another season filled with rotating DJ sets and extended happy hour deals. This year, guests can purchase food from Chef Jose Garces, whose restaurant Volvér is located on the ground floor of the performing arts center.
Those are just a few of the 65 bars and restaurants that will be featured this summer as part of Center City Sips. Search for your favorite spot using the map below and visit the Center City District's website for more information about participating eateries. More restaurants will be added to the lineup over the next several weeks.
Coinciding with the return of the summer happy hour event is Sips Style, a promotion offering deals at more than a dozen Center City retailers each Wednesday from June through August.
The all-day discounts, which start at 20% off, include deals on workplace apparel, fitness classes and beauty products. Barry's Bootcamp and SoulCycle will offer discounted class rates, while Beaudee Lash Bar, YogaSix Rittenhouse, DFTI Boutique, Brooklinen and Modrn Sanctuary will offer 20% off of some merchandise.
Paper on Pine will provide discounts on some Philly-themed merchandise, while LR2, La'vanter Boutique, HeyDay and Ten Thousand Villages will offer additional savings. Blue Sole Shoes will also be offering 10% off full-price items each week.
Wednesdays from June 7 to Aug. 30
5 to 7 p.m. | $7 cocktails, $6 glasses of wine, $5 beers and half-priced appetizers
Various bars and restaurants in Center City
