Philadelphia’s cocktail culture is embracing the season with frozen riffs on the classics, citrus-forward spritzes, and bold tropical flavor profiles—all designed to keep the heat and humidity at bay. Whether it’s a sparkling update to a familiar favorite or a completely new creation built around seasonal produce, these cocktails are setting the tone for summer’s drinking scene. Across the city, standout restaurants and cocktail bars including 48 Record Bar, Alice, Assembly Rooftop Lounge, Bolo, Keating’s Rope & Anchor, Patchwork, Red Owl Tavern, Stella of New Hope, Stratus Rooftop Lounge, The Twisted Tail, and Urban Farmer are offering libations that reflect the mood of summer: vibrant, refreshing, and golden hour-ready.
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At 48 Record Bar, the stylish listening room and cocktail bar perched above Old City’s iconic Sassafras, summer arrives in the form of a bold new cocktail lineup. The all-new Summer Cocktail Menu features 14 original libations inspired by peak-season produce, nostalgic indulgences, and inventive flavor combinations that lean into memory and mood. Known for bridging the worlds of sound and spirits, the team—led by Owner Donal McCoy and Lead Bartender Rachel Brown—has crafted a menu that evokes childhood moments. Highlights include the Snap Pea Martini ($17) snap pea vodka, peppercorn syrup, and lemon; the Gin Julius ($17) with Aviation Gin and ice cream; and the refreshing HoneydewMargarita ($16) with mezcal and fresh melon juice. Other standout sips are the tart Cherry Negroni ($16), the herbaceous Chartreuse Swizzle ($18), and the vibrant Baja Blaster ($16). Each cocktail tells a story, inviting guests to sip into summer memories.
Hours of operation: Wednesday through Sunday, 5pm – 2am.
48 S. Second Street, Philadelphia PA | Website | Instagram | Spotify | Facebook
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Alice, a seasonal American restaurant found in the heart of the Italian Market, brings just as much energy to the glass as it does to the plate—with cocktails that capture the easygoing, sun-drenched spirit of the season. The Love Fool ($17) is fruit-forward and flirty, with cava, prickly pear, hibiscus, and white rum coming together in a bubbly sip that’s equal parts refreshing and fun. Shadowboxin ($18) brings the heat in its own way—mezcal, reposado tequila, grapefruit, and amaro stirred into a smoky, citrusy slow-burn built for steamy summer nights.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Saturday 5pm—10pm and Sunday 5pm—9pm
901 Christian St, Philadelphia, PA | 215.798.6766 | Website | Instagram
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Assembly Rooftop Lounge, Center City’s swanky year around rooftop lounge boasting unparalleled views of the Art Museum, City Hall and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is the perfect summer escape. Guests can sip on refreshing seasonal cocktails that evoke vacation vibes, such as the Beach Trip ($20) with Tito’s Vodka, earl grey tea, lemon, and thyme and the High Tide ($18), a tropical mix of Bacardi Pineapple Rum, allspice liqueur, pineapple, lime, and mint.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
Hours of operation: Sunday through Thursday 4pm – 10:30pm; bar closes at 12am; Friday and Saturday 4pm – 10pm; bar closes at 2am; Happy Hour is Sunday through Thursday 4pm – 5pm
1840 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy | 215.783.4171 | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
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Bolo, Chef Yun Fuentes’ Latin American dining room and rum bar nestled in bustling Rittenhouse Square, is a love letter to island flavor—and its rum bar menu delivers just that. From the variety of Coladas, ($17-$20) with don q gold, pineapple juice, and coconut cream, to a classic Mojito ($17) with Don Q Cristal, lime, mint, and house-pressed guarapo to the bold RumFashioned ($20) featuring Don Q XO rum and plantain demerara, each cocktail offers a taste of the tropics. The playful Coco Bolo ($17) combines Monkey Shoulder Scotch with young coconut soda, while the bright Rumba Rosa ($19) layers Capel pisco, frambuesa syrup, and lemon. For something with a smoky kick, the Pinpin ($19) blends mezcal, Aperol, passionfruit, and tamarind with a spicy rim, rounding out a menu that captures the spirit of summer in every sip.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
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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Keating’s Rope & Anchor, a contemporary seafood-forward American restaurant and bar at the Hilton Penn’s Landing, offers a prime waterfront setting ideal for sipping cocktails outdoors. The Blood Orange Margarita ($15), composed of Casamigos Reposado, sour, blood orange, juice, and Cointreau, makes the perfect summertime sip.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
Hours of operation: Monday – Friday 6:30am – 10:00pm; Saturday – Sunday 7:00am – 10:00pm
201 S Christopher Columbus Blvd | 215.521.6509 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
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Patchwork, a lively restaurant and bar focused on New American cuisine nestled on the second floor of the Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia, has recently unveiled a fresh new cocktail lineup for the summer season. Guests can enjoy vibrant options such as the Fishtown Fizz ($17) with RumHaven Coconut Rum, watermelon juice, lime juice, and club soda; the Jawntini ($17) with vodka, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and orange liqueur; and The Love Park ($16) with Cachaca Rum, muddled limes, and sugar.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
Hours of operation: Monday – Thursday 6:30 am – 9 pm; Friday – Saturday 7 am – 10 pm; Sunday 7 am – 9 pm
1620 Chancellor Street | 215.985.1234 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
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Red Owl Tavern, a modern kitchen and bar just steps from Independence Hall in Old City, is bringing serious refreshment to historic surroundings with cocktails that feel like a breeze on a 90-degree day. The California Dreaming ($17) leans crisp and effortless, with vodka, cucumber, mint, and a splash of yuzu lime soda. The tropical energy picks up with On a Beach in Culebra ($17), where coconut-infused rum, pineapple, falernum, and a dash of bitters come together in a pour that’s smooth, sunny, and impossible to rush. The Amalfi Sunset ($17) finishes the trio on a citrusy high note, with Aperol, limoncello, and blood orange brightened by a splash of prosecco.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday 7:30am—10:45am, Saturday and Sunday 8am—10am (breakfast); Monday through Friday 11:30am—4:30pm (lunch); Monday through Friday 4:30pm—10pm, Saturday 5pm—10pm (dinner); and Saturday 10am—4pm and Sunday 10am—2pm (brunch)
433 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA | 215.923.2267 | Website | Instagram
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Stella of New Hope, Bucks County’s modern American restaurant located in the Ghost Light Inn with 180 degree views of the Delaware River, is the perfect summer hot spot to indulge in a refreshing, seasonal cocktail on the large outdoor patio. Guests can enjoy highlights such as the Orchid Beach ($17) with grapefruit vodka, pamplemousse liqueur, rosemary and honey syrup, grapefruit, and lemon, and the Sol Mate ($17) with tequila, orange liqueur, spicy passionfruit syrup, lime, Sprite, and Tajin.
Reservations are encouraged and can be madehere.
Hours of operation: Tuesday- Thursday 4 pm-9 pm, Friday- Sunday Brunch 11am-2pm, Friday- Saturday 4pm– 10 pm, Sunday 4 pm – 9 pm
50 S Main St, New Hope, PA 18938 | 267.740.2691 | Website | Instagram | Facebook
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Stratus Rooftop Lounge, the chic rooftop bar and lounge atop the Hotel Monaco in Old City, delivers a curated selection of summer cocktails that balance fresh flavors and inventive twists. The Midsummer Night ($17) offers a bright, fruity blend of vodka, strawberry, cucumber, and lime that evokes the spirit of the season. For those seeking a bolder sip, Hotel Diablo ($17) combines tequila, watermelon, aloe, and Ancho Reyes, blending cooling and spicy notes with finesse. Rounding out the menu, the Spr Itz-Dee-Doo-Dah ($17) reimagines the classic spritz with Aperol, gin, cardamom, and a sparkling citrus lift—an effervescent choice perfect for warm-weather sipping.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
Hours of operation: Thursday 5pm – 12pm, Friday 5pm – 2am, Saturday 5pm – 2am
433 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA | 215.925.2889 | Website | Instagram | Facebook
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The Twisted Tail, Headhouse Square’s restaurant, bar and live music venue, boasts an extensive cocktail menu with creative takes on classic cocktails. A summer standout, the Grilled Pineapple Margarita ($14) with grilled pineapple infused Hornitos, mezcal, triple sec, and lime, offers a smoky-sweet twist that’s perfect for warm-weather sipping.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
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
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Urban Farmer, the modern American steakhouse located in the Logan Hotel known for its locally sourced ingredients and in-house butcher shop and mushroom program, offers a cocktail menu that features the bold, seasonal flavors of summer. Guests can sip into the season with the Coastal Reserve ($17) with Corazón Reposado, Cointreau, blood orange, lime, and honey, and Feather & Flare ($16) composed of Mount Gay Eclipse Rum, Campari, pineapple, and lime.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
Hours of operation: Monday – Sunday 7am-11pm
1850 Benjamin Franklin Parkway | 215.963.2788 | Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook