February 28, 2023 – Roses are red, violets are blue: the Philadelphia Flower Show has both, and Philly’s finest restaurants and bars have libations too! In celebration of the return of the Philadelphia Flower Show slated for March 4 through March 12, we’ve gathered a list of hyper-seasonal floral-forward cocktails to enjoy beyond the event and into the upcoming spring season from Art in the Age, CO-OP Restaurant & Bar, Forsythia, Oloroso, Red Owl Tavern, Rex at The Royal, Stratus Rooftop Lounge, and Urban Farmer.
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Art in the Age, Old City’s premier home bar supply, bottle shop, bar and tasting room, is bringing back a fan favorite from last year’s Flower Show season: The perfectly pink Lavender Negroni ($14), crafted with Damson Plum Gin courtesy of sister distillery Tamworth Distilling, Dolin dry vermouth, Campari, lavender bitters, tonic, and garnished with a fresh sprig of lavender clothespinned directly onto the glass.
This aromatic sipper will be available for the duration of the Flower Show during shop hours (Tues-Thurs 12—7pm, Fri-Sat 12—8pm, Sun 12—6pm).
116 N 3rd St | 215-922-2600 | www.artintheage.com | @artintheage
This aromatic sipper will be available for the duration of the Flower Show during shop hours (Tues-Thurs 12—7pm, Fri-Sat 12—8pm, Sun 12—6pm).
116 N 3rd St | 215-922-2600 | www.artintheage.com | @artintheage
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CO-OP Restaurant & Bar, a contemporary, bright, and airy restaurant in The Study Hotel, smack between the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, is getting ready for the show with a (drinkable) spectacle of its own. Enter the Painted Sunflower ($13), crafted with Klyr Rum, Aperol, grapefruit juice, coconut milk, and sunflower seed orgeat, a variation on sweet syrup typically made with almonds and included in tiki cocktails. CO-OP makes its orgeat in-house using roasted sunflower seeds, sugar, water, and full-fat coconut milk. The finished cocktail is garnished with grated cinnamon and calendula for an added floral touch.
CO-OP is open daily from 7am to 10pm, CO-OP offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, with the bar serving 4pm – 10pm.
20 S 33rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 | 215.398.1874 | www.coopphilly.com
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Forsythia, Chef Christopher Kearse’s contemporary French restaurant and bar in Old City, and Beverage Director Shawn Miller have expertly captured the essence of spring with its first floral-forward cocktail of the season, dubbed Isaly Roses On Your Grave comprised of Laphroaig, Génépy, a traditional European herbal liqueur, rose liqueur, grapefruit, and lemon. Imbibers can expect a robust seasonal cocktail program, helmed by Miller, featuring several farm-to-glass tipples utilizing fresh flavors such as carrot, grapefruit, sake, beets, and more, launching in the coming weeks.
Hours of operation: Wednesday through Sunday for dinner service from 5pm to 10pm, and brunch service on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30am – 2pm.
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Oloroso, Philadelphia’s premier Spanish-inspired tapas restaurant in the heart of Center City, is making a floral twist on the classic Gin & Tonic, to honor the upcoming spring tones of the Philadelphia Flower Show. This next-level G&T will feature a very floral Nordés Spanish Gin from Galacia, paired with a refreshing tonic, and topped with a fresh sprig of rosemary capturing a distinct woodsy essence. This piney and crisp cocktail is ideal for sipping alone or pairing with Chef Jason Peabody’s ever-evolving rotating menu of authentic Spanish tapas.
Hours of operation: Wednesday through Sunday, 4:30 – 10pm
1121 Walnut Street | 267.324.3014 | www.olorosophl.com
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Red Owl Tavern, the modern American tavern located on Independence Mall, is going full floral with its newly-minted seasonal sipper courtesy of Lead Bartender Christopher Devern, aptly dubbed Flower Power. A balanced mix of both sweet and sour flavor profiles, this spring-infleunced botanic refresher is comprised of blueberry syrup, Novo Fogo Cachaça, St Germain, lime juice, egg white, and topped with an edible flower.
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday 7:30 – 10:45am (breakfast); Monday through Friday 11:30am – 4:30pm (lunch); Monday and Tuesday 4:30 – 9pm, Thursday and Friday 4:30 – 10pm, Saturday 5 – 10pm (dinner); and Saturday 8am – 4pm and Sunday 8am – 3pm (weekend brunch).
433 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA | 215.923.2267 | www.redowltavern.com/
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In honor of the upcoming Philadelphia Flower Show, Rex at The Royal, South Steet’s hub for elevated Lowcountry cuisine housed in the Royal Theatre, is serving up a bright and breezy vernal sparkler dubbed But My Beatrice Is Shy. Crafted using gin infused with fresh peaches and strawberries, shrub made with jasmine, hibiscus and parsley, and scotch, the hot-pink drink is available at the bar during service days from Saturday, March 4 through Sunday, March 12.
Named for an essay by Italian philosopher Umberto Eco titled Travels in Hyperreality, both the essay and Bar Manager Joshua Scheid‘s accompanying cocktail explore the symbolic power of mimicry –translated into tangible form with But My Beatrice Is Shy, which invokes floral and fruity sensory echoes of familiar flavors and scents.
Hours of operation: Monday through Thursday 5 — 10pm, Friday through Saturday 5 – 11pm, Sunday Brunch 11am – 2:30pm, Sunday Dinner 5 – 9pm.
Rex at The Royal | 1524 South St. | 267.319.1366 | www.rexphl.com
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Stratus Rooftop Lounge, the chic rooftop venue on the 11th floor of the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Old City, is showcasing one ultra-vibrant flower-forward cocktail on its robust, ever-evolving craft cocktail menu, thoughtfully curated by Lead Bartender Patrick Banko. Highlighting beet and orange peel-infused mezcal, thyme agave, lime and egg white, the Spring in Joven is an eccentric encapsulation of the spring season and the perfect ode to the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Hours of operation: Wednesday 4pm – 10pm, Thursday 8pm – 1am, Friday 5pm – 2am, and Saturday 8pm – 2am
433 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA (11th floor of Kimpton Hotel Monaco) | 215.925.2889 | www.stratuslounge.com/
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Urban Farmer, Logan Square’s rustic chic modern American steakhouse, is celebrating the upcoming flower show with a floral arrangement of its own. Envisioned and crafted by Bar Manager Daniel Watson, Caffe 1919 ($18) is the marriage of a Negroni and an espresso martini with bright floral notes resonating throughout. Watson uses Monkey 47 gin infused in-house with hibiscus-currant tea and builds the cocktail with Campari, sweet vermouth and espresso, finished off with lavender bitters to accentuate acidity and floral notes. Served with a garnish of hibiscus petals and espresso beans, Caffe 1919 is the perfect combination of both flavor worlds.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Saturday, 8am – 9pm, and Sunday, 8am – 3pm
– Eleni Sterious