48 Record Bar: Photo by Gab Bonghi

Welcome to Cocktails Quarterly - Drink Philly's newest segment showcasing the best bars (new and old) where you should be getting a drink. Every season will feature a new line up of bars so be sure to keep a look out for our next batch of recommendations.

Fall is here—and with it, several buzzy new openings. In this seasonal edition, we visit a romantic French spot in Kensington, a lively crudo and cocktail bar on Passyunk Avenue, a Japanese izakaya in Rittenhouse, and more. Plus, with the sunny-but-chilly weather upon us, this is an optimal excuse to savor bright, refreshing cocktails as long as possible or warm up with something boozy and stirred. Here’s where to grab a drink this fall.

Photo by Mike Prince

Fleur's
Kensington welcomed Fleur’s in September: a two-floor restaurant featuring lighter, brighter, and seasonal French fare. Expect the same seasonal guidance from the kitchen to be extended to the bar, with their lineup of autumnal drinks. Les Gras is an herbaceous riff on an Old Fashioned that combines duck fat-washed cognac and armagnac with a syrup made from house-fermented, late-season dark cherries and a rosemary-thyme tincture. The Risograph is a nutty, sweet-tart pear brandy cocktail featuring a lavender-oat orgeat, creme de corse blanc, and grapefruit. Want a zero-proof cocktail? Try the Figue Colada, an N/A refresher that uses local figs and a fig leaf-tinged almond milk with fresh lemon zest. Get this jawn while figs are still in season!
(2205 N Front St)

Photo by Jesse Ito

dancerobot
Royal Izakaya’s chef Justin Bacharach and North America's 50 Best Restaurants’ winner Jesse Ito, finally opened their Rittenhouse izakaya, dancerobot, to much-deserved fanfare. A 20-seat antique bar surrounded by ‘80s movie posters sets the scene for a retro night out. Here, classic cocktails are infused with Japanese ingredients and flavors. Start with the low(er) ABV Toasted Chu-hai highball with Shochu, sesame, sobacha (roasted buckwheat tea) or nutty, rich Miso Boulevardier with miso brown butter whiskey, cynar, sake, sweet vermouth, and umami bitters. Also expect a full line of sake, Japanese sodas, frozen drinks, and non-alcohol beverages.
(1710 Sansom St)

Photo by Neal Santos

Sao
Chef and co-owners Phila and Rachel Lorn have been raking up awards non-stop, while opening their second Southeast Asian restaurant in South Philly. Can Sao revive Passyunk Avenue’s nightlife energy with crudos, spicy noodles, and cocktails? We’re betting “Yes Please” with refreshing drinks like the Ankhor Baby, a daiquiri-style cocktail featuring tequila blanco, rice vinegar, strawberry, lime, and beer foam, topped with a sprinkle of cracked black pepper. And riffs on classics like the whiskey sour Kramer. Expect a creamy, silky foam and sweet-savory notes from the swirl of bitters on top.
(1710 East Passyunk Ave) 

Photo by Drink Philly

Cormorant Corner Bar
Fishtown’s Lloyd Whiskey Bar quietly opened a sister bar recently about a mile north on Frankford Avenue, Cormorant. Come here for good ol’ neighborhood bar vibes where cocktails are $13 (we like the Spiced Pear Negroni and Mule Kick), boozy sodas are $12, and $9 shot combos like every bartender’s favorite, the Newport (mezcal and Fernet). Happy hour is Monday through Friday, 4-6 PM with $5 citywides, $6 wells, and $8 drink of the day.
(2301 Frankford Ave)

Photo by Gab Bonghi

Middle Child Clubhouse
Middle Child Clubhouse isn’t just an all-day restaurant known for decadent pancakes and sandwiches. It’s a World's 50 Best Discovery honoree with a bar program that embraces kitsch. On the daytime beverage menu, wake up with the Carrot Dreamsicle, which is made with fresh carrot juice, orange juice, Earl Grey cardamom syrup, vanilla extract, and citric acid. And why not tap into your inner Basic B after the sun goes down by drinking a Frozen Pumpkin Spice Painkiller or Chai-spiced frozen apple cider topped with espresso? Stick around after dinner for their Amari Cart flight tasting (½-ounce pours), served from a vintage airline attendant cart, rolled directly to your table.
(1232 N Front St)

Photo via Tesiny

Tesiny
The team behind Biederman’s in the Italian Market debuted Tesiny, a bright and airy seafood and grill, in early September, just a few blocks east of Passyunk Avenue. The bar program features classic oyster pairings, using Sherry in various cocktails throughout their “Stirred, Shaken, Mocktail” menu, including several bright, fruit-forward options. Best Friend’s Ride (under the “Shaken” section) is a tequila sour where sliced pineapple is torched under the broiler for caramelized notes. A housemade sorrel tincture adds earthiness while Pedro Ximenez adds a touch of sweetness. Same Parts is a milk punch with equal parts of Yuzu liqueur, Ilegal mezcal, an aperitif, and lime. If spirit-forward is more your style, try the stirred Not A Fender, which uses Biederman’s pickled onions brine for a Gibson with olive oil-washed Vodka, gin, and Manzanilla.
(719 Dickinson St)

Photo by Gab Bonghi

48 Record Bar
48 Record Bar, named one of Philadelphia’s Best Bars by Bon Appétit, is where you can cozy up at a small table and listen to records with a strong drink in hand. This fall, their "comforting cocktails" menu features hot beverages and warming spices and ingredients (tea, ginger, honey) to enhance seasonality. The Moroccan Mint Tea, served warm, features Pa’lante Botanical Rum, mint tea, mint extract, and sugar and is also available N/A. For a spirit-forward drink, try the Connecting Flight, a distant cousin to a Manhattan with a silky texture thanks to Boulard Calvados, Disaronno Amaretto, and spiced plum wine reduction. And for a riff on a classic, go for the mezcal-forward Queen Bee, similar to a Bees Knees but made with Catedral Mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Suze, Cocchi Americano, St. Germain, and honey.
(48 S. 2nd St)