Philly's Best Happy Hours: R&D's $8 Cocktails, $6 Wines, & $6 Small Bites

This week, we're stopping in at R&D, a rotating cocktail concept from the minds behind Suraya and Café la Maude. Formerly the home of ROOT restaurant + wine bar, R&D is a dark, cozy craft cocktail bar that changes menus every quarters, featuring themes like the 1950s and variations on classic cocktails, alongside small plates like charcuterie, cheese, and Suraya-inspired selections like hummus and labneh.

 

 

R&D's happy hour, which takes place on Monday through Friday from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM throughout the bar, features a solid list of crowd-pleasing twists on classic cocktails alongside discounted snacks.

 

 

Each drink, which each cost $8, is named for its defining quality — if you're looking for something easy and quaffable, try the Light (Bluecoat gin, tonic, & seasonal fruit) or the Bubbly (Cynar, Grand Marnier, brut).

 

 

For a more spirit-forward drink that's still refreshing, you can try the Aperitif (pineapple gin, Campari, dry vermouth, lemon bitters), or their take on a margarita, the Savory (Espolon tequila, Genepy, cucumber, sal de gusano, lime, celery bitters). They've also got a few other options, like the Crisp (Wray & Nephew rum, lime, angostura) or the Savory (Wild Turkey 101, banane du bresil, demerara, absinthe) alongside $6 wines and a $10 spirit of the day (ask the bartender for that day's specific selection).

 

 

Snacks on the bar menu are also discounted to $6 (except for the ones that are already under that price) — try the whipped ricotta with date syrup, almonds, and flax crackers (normally $8).

 

 

For a lighter option, the charred long hot labne, inspired by the dishes at R&D's sister restaurant Suraya, served with gem lettuce and limon omani (normally $8). 

 

Even though R&D's cocktail menus might rotate, this happy hour offers classics perfect for any type of drinker, so stop in on any weekday, grab your beverage of choice, a snack, and watch some of the city's best bartenders at work.