It’s no surprise that summer is making its grand entrance with a no-joke heat wave. While rooftop bars and al fresco dining have been all the rage, this week, air conditioning and ice-cold beverages (think: cocktails with popsicles and specialty iced lattes) are looking much more appealing. Fortunately, we got you covered with the best spots to cool off and beat the heat, with locales including 101, 48 Record Bar, Bolo, Cake Life Bake Shop, Char & Stave, Panorama Wine Bar, Puttshack, Seaview Hotel and Golf Club, and The Twisted Tail.
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101, Philadelphia’s luxurious and members-only cocktail lounge and speakeasy, offers an unparalleled underground oasis for city-goers who truly appreciate the finer things. Accessible only to members and their invited guests, the bar boasts a dark, ultra-lux interior that serves as the backdrop in a cavernous undisclosed former bank location – offering not only a refuge from the heat, but a lively atmosphere for entertaining, networking, and indulging. The lounge also offers new dishes and drinks for the summertime, including the Blonde Negroni made with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Aveze, blanc vermouth, and orange bitters, the S-Peach-Less fashioned withCavavedo Pisco, Crème de Péche de Vigne, lime, egg white, and bitters, and the Spring Smash made with Angel’s Envy Bourbon, Liqueur de Rhubarbe, strawberry, and lemon.
Hours of operation: Thursday through Saturday 7pm – 2am
Instagram | members@101unlockd.com
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48 Record Bar,the high-tech listening room and cocktail bar perched above Old City’s legendary Sassafras, is nothing less than cool – both literally and figuratively. With the AC blasting and records spinning, the stylish 35-seat second-floor bar and listening room is a tucked away gem for music lovers and cocktail enthusiasts to escape the 90 degree temps, offering a vast selection of freshly-minted, ice cold cocktails that come just in time for summer. The new selections include, but certainly aren’t limited to the Les Paul made with Plymouth Gin, Lo-Fi Sweet & Dry Vermouths, red onion pickling brine, and celery bitters, the Tangier fashioned with Bluecoat Gin, Aperol, Lo-Fi Dry Vermouth, lemon, orange blossoms, and club soda, and The Pink Floyd Sound with Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro, Amaretto Disaronno, Faber Vanilla Vodka, cream, and chocolate bitters.
Hours of operation: Wednesday through Sunday, 5pm – 2am.
48 S. Second Street, Philadelphia PA | Website Instagram Spotify Facebook
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Bolo, Chef Yun Fuentes’ Latin American dining room and rum bar nestled in bustling Rittenhouse Square, has recently added a plethora of frozen, summer-themed cocktails to it’s beverage menu, courtesy of Beverage Director Tony Jimenez. An all-around favorite in the hot summer months, the bar’s Piña Colada is a newly-added standout on the menu – ideal for sipping on to cool down and buzz up. Comprised of Don Q Gold, pineapple juice, and coconut cream, guests have the option to enjoy as is, or upgrade to a Cherry Colada or Blue Colada for an additional $3. Folks can treat themselves to the rest of Bolo’s refreshing tipples by snagging a seat at the colorful first-floor Rum Bar, or staying out of the heat by dining in the restaurants art-filled, air conditioned second floor.
Hours of operation: Monday through Sunday, 5pm – 10pm for dinner, Saturday 10pm – 12am for late night, and Monday through Friday, 5pm – 7pm for happy hour
2025 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 | Website Instagram
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Known primarily for award-winning treats, Cake Life Bake Shop is also the one-stop-shop for getting out of the heat and achieving three beverage bliss – The TikTok-turned-real life trend where a trifecta of hydration is found by always having three beverages in one’s reach: 1) Water, 2) Something caffeinated, and 3) Something fun.
After snagging a tall glass of cold water and a seat inside the café, coffee-holics can enjoy an array of housemade beverages from Cake Life’s coffee and tea bar menu, from classic iced lattes, cold brew, and iced coffee, to flavored libations perfect for summer sipping spanning a Bananas Foster Iced Latte, the Salted Caramel Iced Chai, or Sparkling Iced Americano, as well as Matcha Lattes ($4.50 – $5.50). Additional flavors include salted, caramel, honey lavender, vanilla, banana, strawberry shortcake, and lemon elderflower.
Cake Life’s options for fun, candy-colored chilled beverages are as tasty as they are vibrant, and made entirely with housemade ingredients:
- Peachy Pink Palmer ($5.75) made with lemonade, iced tea, peach and strawberry puree
- Summer Garden Cooler ($4.50), crafted with a hibiscus and lemongrass tea blend and lemon elderflower syrup
- Purple Drink ($5) made with hibiscus iced tea, oat milk, and strawberry puree.
Fruit purees that can be added to create custom lemonade and iced tea beverages include peach, passionfruit and strawberry.
Hours of operation: Wednesday through Thursday 8 am – 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 8 am to 11 pm, Sunday 8 am to 7 pm
1306 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia PA | Website | Instagram
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Whether working remotely or meeting with friends in the café by day, or relaxing with a cocktail in the evening, Char & Stave, coffee and cocktail bar with locations in Chestnut Hill and Ardmore, PA, is a cool oasis perfect for sipping ice-cold coffee beverages and cocktails away from the sweltering heat.
Founded by Bluebird Distilling owner and master distiller Jared Adkins, Char & Stave is known for its ethos of “coffee made by whiskey people”. Guests in need of a chilled beverage can sip signature lattes and espresso beverages available on ice, such as the Whiskey Smash Latte made with Char & Stave’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Espresso Beans, or the Nuts & Berries, Smoky Maple, Turmeric in Paradise, and more ($7 – $7.25). The café also serves classics (Iced Coffee, Iced Latte, Nitro Cold Brew, and more $3.50 – $5.50) crafted using proprietary coffee beans roasted in-house at Bluebird Distilling.
Brisk cocktails ideal for chilling out include the Rising Sun, built with Bluebird Distilling Sugarcane Rum, mint, lime, honey, and green and chamomile tea, the Cool Cool Cool ($13) made with Bluebird Distilling Straight Rye Whiskey, strawberry, mint, lemon, and ginger beer, in addition to the Ardmore Old Fashioned ($14), Char & Stave Espresso Martini ($14),and many more. Inquire about zero-proof options.
Hours of operation: Monday to Thursday 7 am to 11 pm, Saturday 8 am to midnight, Sunday 8 am to 11 pm
8441 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia PA | 21 Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore, PA | Website
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Panorama Wine Bar, Philadelphia’s premier wine bar boasting a Guinness World Record custom-built wine keeper offering over 120 wines on tap, boasts a cool respite tucked in the Penn’s View Hotel for those looking to escape the heat. Wine lovers can enjoy a crisp glass of white wine or chilled red, or choose to indulge in one of Panorama’s seasonal wine flights, like the Shooting Blancs ($34) or Seasonal Sippers ($44). Oenophiles can pair the wine with an Antipasti Misti ($19) or creamy Burrata ($16) with seasonal ingredients including roasted beets and blood oranges.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Thursday 5pm – 9pm, Friday 5pm – 10pm, Saturday 3pm – 10pm, Sunday 3pm – 9pm
14 Front St | 215.922.7800 | www.pennsviewhotel.com/panorama
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Puttshack, the world’s first and only tech-infused mini golf experience, is the city’s top destination for indoor fun. With a putter in one hand and a cold craft cocktail in the other, city-goers can avoid scorching temps and take advantage of Puttshack’s new summer initiative dubbed Summer Vibes to the Max – offering exclusive limited-time-only deals and a special drink menu in collaboration with Gin & Juice, the new premium spirits company by Dre and Snoop. The collab includes a ready-to-drink signature cocktail from Gin & Juice, The Lowrider, along with a wide selection of the brand’s canned drinks available for purchase throughout the courses. Puttshack also currently offers BOGO mini golf on Mondays, throwback music on Wednesdays, singles nights, and more – allowing guests plenty of opportunity to escape the heat in style.
Reservations are highly encouraged and can be made HERE.
Hours of operation: Sunday through Wednesday 11am – 11pm, Thursday through Sunday 11am – 1am
The Shops at Liberty Place: 1625 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 | 215.907.PUTT | Website | Instagram | Facebook
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Seaview Hotel and Golf Club, South Jersey’s quintessential historic resort celebrating 110 years in Galloway, NJ, located just 50 minutes from Center City, is the perfect escape for those looking to avoid the Philly heat. Boasting an indoor AND outdoor pool, Seaview offers multiple ways for guests to cool off. After enjoying a dip, guests can sip on refreshing, seasonal cocktails at the Lobby Bar including a Hammonton Blueberry Lemonade ($15) or a Regency Margarita ($16).
401 S New York Rd, Galloway, NJ, 08205 | 609-652-1800 | seaviewdolcehotel.com
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The Twisted Tail, Headhouse Square’s restaurant, bar and live music venue, has just brought back some of its popular warm weather staples just in time for the heat wave. During The Twisted Tail’s social hour, offered every day from 4pm to 6pm, guests are invited to grab a seat at the large indoor bar and enjoy one (or a few!) of The Twisted Tail’s popular Champagne Pops ($13). This guest-favorite cocktail features a pour of Champagne paired with a popsicle made with 100% fresh fruit, available in rotating flavors such as pineapple, strawberry, lemon and blueberry. To complement this refreshing treat, guests can pair their Champagne Pop with the restaurant’s Buck-a-Shuck Oysters, (1/2 dozen oysters for $6) served with vodka cocktail sauce, hot sauce, and mignonette.
Hours of operation: Monday – Thursday 4 pm – 10 pm; Friday 4 pm – 12 am; Saturday 11 am – 12 am; Sunday 10 am – 10 pm
509 S. 2nd St. • 215.558.2471 • Website • Instagram • Facebook • Twitter