With fall weather finally making its debut this season, classic harvest flavors featured on menus throughout the Philadelphia region are quickly following suit. In the spirit of National Pumpkin Day (Thursday, October 26), we’ve compiled a list of the area’s hyper-seasonal dishes, spiced spirits, and pumpkin-centric craft cocktails to savor from locales including Bluebird Distilling, Dock Street Brewing Company, Forsythia, Panorama, and Red Owl Tavern.
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Bluebird Distilling, Phoenixville’s award-winning grain-to-glass craft distillery, celebrates one of the quintessential flavors of fall with its seasonal spirit, Spiced Pumpkin Dark Rum ($45), an 80-proof Dark Rum flavored with autumn spices and a pinch of cane sugar, distilled and bottled on-site. This small-batch, spiced sipper, boasting tasting notes of pumpkin, caramel, baking spice, nutmeg, and vanilla, will be available for purchase at Bluebird Distilling and sister store Char & Stave, as well as online for shipping throughout the state of Pennsylvania.
Imbibers can also indulge in pumpkin-flavored libations at Bluebird Distilling’s bar and tasting room, or in the outdoor seating area while enjoying the height of sweater weather. Guests can get in the spirit of Halloween by ordering the appropriately named Chicory Treat ($12), crafted with Spiced Pumpkin Dark Rum, cold brew, spiced oat syrup, and chicory pecan bitters. For unseasonably warm days, Bluebird Distilling has the perfect frozen treat that still screams “fall” — a Pumpkin Affogato ($11), made with vodka-infused maple pumpkin soft serve, cold brew concentrate float, topped with a salty-sweet blend.
The bottle shop is open seven days a week from 1 – 11pm
The bar and tasting room is open Monday through Tuesday 4 – 11pm, Wednesday through Thursday 4pm – 12am, Friday through Saturday 1pm – 12am, Sunday 1 – 11pm.
100 Bridge St. Phoenixville, PA 19460 | 610-933-7827 | bluebirddistilling.com | Instagram: @bluebirddistilling
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Dock Street Brewing Company, Philadelphia’s original woman-owned and family-run craft brewery founded in 1985, is rolling out a new fall menu at Dock Street South. Additions to the fall menu include: Pumpkin Pie Dip ($8) pumpkin cream cheese filing, graham cracker crust and whipped cream; and the Autumn Hummus ($11) blended with tahini, cumin, cayenne, lemon, toasted pumpkin seeds served with two naan.
Hours of operation: Tuesday 11am – 9pm, Wednesday through Thursday 11am – 10pm, Friday 11am – 11pm, Saturday 10am -11pm, Sunday 10am – 9pm
2118 Washington Ave • 215.337.3103 • Website • Instagram • Facebook • Twitter
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Forsythia, Chef Christopher Kearse’s contemporary and innovative French restaurant and bar in Old City, is known for skillfully preparing a hyper-local array of pumpkin-centric dishes every autumn. Highlights from Kearse’s just-launched fall dinner menu include Pumpkin-Black Truffle Beignets ($12) served with apple butter and miso aioli, Stuffed Crêpe ($16) comprised of kale, pumpkin, caramelized onions, and comté cheese fondue, and the Foie Gras Mousse ($20) made with cassis, pumpkin seed granola, black pepper-whole wheat brioche.
Sundaes at Forsythia, an ever-evolving posh prix fixe curated by Kearse and team, is priced at $75 per person available every Sunday during October, boasts an indulgent dessert of Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Sundae comprised of pumpkin ice cream, coffee-caramel sauce, molasses whipped cream, and poached pear. As for craft cocktails, the current selection of fall sippers includes the Harvest Old Fashioned ($16) crafted with pumpkin-infused bourbon, vanilla scented sugar, cardamom bitters, and Vietnamese cinnamon.
Hours of operation: Wednesday through Saturday 5pm – 10pm, Sunday 5pm – 9pm for dinner service, Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am – 2pm for brunch service
233 Chestnut St | 215.644.9395 | Website Instagram Twitter Facebook
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Red Owl Tavern, the contemporary kitchen and bar located across from Independence Hall in Old City, has recently debuted its all-new fall food and drink offerings which includes a bevy of seasonal flavors fit for any National Pumpkin Day celebration. To imbibe, the Stingy Jack ($18) is comprised of Wheatley Vodka, apple brandy, coffee liqueur, pumpkin-spiced syrup, espresso, topped with espresso beans, and is the perfectly seasonal take on the classic espresso martini. From the dinner menu, guests can enjoy an appetizer of Bone Marrow ($14) comprised of a sage and walnut crust and miso pumpkin butter, followed by an entrée of Sweet Potato Risotto ($20) made up of miso pumpkin butter, crispy sage, and spiced pipits, which can also be served as a side dish for $11.
Hours of operation: Monday through Tuesday 8am – 9pm, Wednesday 8am – 3pm, Thursday and Friday 8am – 10pm, Saturday 9am – 10pm, Sunday 9am – 3pm
433 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 | 215.923.2267 | www.redowltavern.com
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Panorama, Philadelphia’s premier wine bar in the Penn’s View Hotel boasting a Guinness World Record custom-built wine keeper offering over 120 wines on tap, is serving two fall pumpkin specials; Pumpkin Ravioli ($25) made with brown butter, sage, toasted pumpkin seeds, herb oil; Pumpkin Cheesecake ($12) baked with cinnamon crumble, and topped with bourbon caramel sauce. These specials are available for dinner à la carte, or as part of the Penn’s View Hotel’s Gourmet Getaway package, a new hotel package including an overnight stay and three-course dinner at Panorama for two.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Thursday 5pm – 9pm, Friday 5pm – 10pm, Saturday 3pm – 10pm, Sunday 3pm – 9pm
433 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 | 215.923.2267 | www.redowltavern.com
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Panorama, Philadelphia’s premier wine bar in the Penn’s View Hotel boasting a Guinness World Record custom-built wine keeper offering over 120 wines on tap, is serving two fall pumpkin specials; Pumpkin Ravioli ($25) made with brown butter, sage, toasted pumpkin seeds, herb oil; Pumpkin Cheesecake ($12) baked with cinnamon crumble, and topped with bourbon caramel sauce. These specials are available for dinner à la carte, or as part of the Penn’s View Hotel’s Gourmet Getaway package, a new hotel package including an overnight stay and three-course dinner at Panorama for two.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Thursday 5pm – 9pm, Friday 5pm – 10pm, Saturday 3pm – 10pm, Sunday 3pm – 9pm
14 N. Front Street Philadelphia PA 19106 • 215.922.7800 • Website • Instagram • Facebook • Twitter
– Alana Shapiro
