Farmers' Cabinet
The Farmers' Cabinet is of two souls: one, a Victorian-cocktail lounge complete with oil lamps and damask wallpaper, and the other a wood-walled beer hall. Both parlor and pub are equally wonderful, exuding effortless charm with an old-time feel. The namesake harkens back to a historic event as well: the long defunct Philadelphia-based publication The Farmers' Cabinet reportedly contained the first printed mention of the word "cocktail".
Even though I visited near midnight on a weeknight, the beer bar was full and groups still clustered around the large wooden barrels that served as a table space. I snagged a spot at the cocktail bar and watched in wonder as the bartenders thwacked hunks of ice with metal spoons and separated egg whites.
The opening cocktail list was designed by New York cocktail expert Damon Dyer. It is deftly shaken up by a knowledgeable and friendly staff, including the very able Phoebe Esmon, of Chick's and Noble (as well as teh Bartender's Guild). When I mentioned that I didn't usually like whiskey sours, she quipped that it was because I had never had a good one. And the one I tasted, the Bespoke Whiskey Sour with sugar, lemon, and your choice of six whiskeys, was nearly enough to convert me to a whiskey drinker, and certainly enough to convert me to a Farmer's Cabinet follower.
That's not to say that the other cocktails didn't hold their own: the Walnut Street Shuffle, with vodka, elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon juice, aperol, and orange bitters is fresh and light, with a grapefruit taste, and the Holland Fog, a crisp and savory mix of Dutch genever gin, cucumber, lime, and egg white, is as the menu describes, "almost nothing like what you're used to." All the cocktails are priced at $12.
For beer drinkers, the beer list is about as long as your arm, grouped into categories such as "Refreshing" and "Earthy," and the amusing "Wow." With 26 beers on tap and nearly 100 bottles, there is nary a domestic in sight. House wine is offered by the glass ($9), and a small international selection is offered by the bottle. The punch bowls ($45) make a good choice for the large communal tables towards the back of the restaurant.
On weekends there's live jazz, and sometimes on weeknights the leader of the band stops in to tickle the ivories. The crew at Farmers' Cabinet is hard at work on new cocktails, as well as some that incorporate beer.
The Farmers' Cabinet
1113 Walnut Street
www.thefarmerscabinet.com
215-923-1113
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