It’s finally starting to feel like spring in Philadelphia. With temperatures climbing into the 60s, 70s, and even high 80s next week, outdoor dining season is officially underway. From rooftop bars with skyline views and standout cocktails to breezy patios made for lingering meals, it’s the perfect moment to dine and drink al fresco. Standout destinations across Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs include Alice, Assembly Rooftop Lounge, Bolo, Dock Street Brewery, Fond, Front Street Café, Little Walter’s, Red Owl Tavern, Patchwork, Square 1682, Stella of New Hope, Stratus Rooftop Lounge, The Twisted Tail, and Urban Farmer.
PHILADELPHIA’S PREMIER ROOFTOP BARS
Assembly Rooftop Lounge, Center City’s swanky rooftop lounge with panoramic views of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, City Hall, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail year-round. With rooftop season officially underway, guests are invited to head up the elevator of the Logan Hotel to enjoy seasonal cocktails and snacks such as the Rose Gold Margarita ($18), featuringEl Jimador Reposado tequila infused with rose petals, dry curaçao, agave and fresh lemon juice, alongside bites like the Margherita Flatbread ($15) with mozzarella, basil pesto, pomodoro, and heirloom cherry tomatoes.
Reservations are highly 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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Stratus Rooftop Lounge, the chic rooftop bar and lounge atop the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Old City, offers a polished indoor-outdoor setting above the city. The space is defined by ambient lighting, a sprawling bar that opens to the skyline and a mix of lounge and bar seating, creating a natural flow from early evening cocktails into late night drinks. A refreshed seasonal cocktail menu is paired with elevated light bites from the culinary team, with standout pours like The Revolver ($17), a cold brew laced rum cocktail, and the Not Your Grandma’sCreamsicle ($17) offering a more playful, citrus-driven option, while two private pavilions, Mist and Vapor, offer more secluded booth seating ideal for intimate gatherings and small groups.
Reservations can be placed here.
Hours of operation: Thursday from 5pm – 12am, Friday from 5pm – 2am, and Saturday from 8pm – 2am
433 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 | 215.925.2889 | Website | Instagram | Facebook
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PHILADELPHIA’S PATIOS + SIDEWALK SEATING
Alice, Chef Dave Conn’s seasonal American restaurant in the heart of the Italian Market, features sidewalk seating that wraps the corner of 9th and Christian Streets, making it a natural setting for al fresco dining. The menu leans bright and seasonal, with standouts like Kanpachi Crudo ($26) with cara cara orange, serrano chile and nigella, and Grilled Spicy Prawns ($28) with saffron, lemon and purslane, alongside cocktails like Love Fool ($17) with cava, prickly pear, hibiscus and white rum and Shadowboxin ($18) with mezcal, reposado tequila, grapefruit and Averna — all well suited to the pace and ease of dining outdoors as the season sets in.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made via OpenTable.
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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Bolo, Chef Yun Fuentes’ Latin American dining room and rum bar nestled in bustling Rittenhouse Square, brings the energy of its rum bar to the street with its first-floor ventanita — a street-facing window that opens on warm days. With a handful of seats along Sansom Street and additional counter seating just inside, the setup offers a more casual way to post up for Piña Coladas ($18) alongside Pinchos à la Plancha ($9 each), with options like pork belly, chicken and shrimp, all set to a steady backdrop of Latin beats.
Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made via OpenTable.
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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Dock Street Brewery, Philadelphia’s first craft brewery, with locations in Fishtown and South Philadelphia, is welcoming the warmer season with open (garage) doors and an inviting indoor-outdoor experience at its South Philadelphia location. Guests can walk through the main dining room to the Brewery Bar, where the space seamlessly blends inside and outside seating, perfect for this season’s gatherings.
Alongside the seasonal atmosphere, Dock Street has introduced a new lineup of inventive pizzas. Highlights include: The Creative Director ($18) lemon berry pizza with mozzarella, blackberries, lemon, jalapeños, topped with arugula and cotija cheese; The Brewer ($19) flank steak pizza with sautéed broccoli rabe, onions, banana pepper, mozzarella, sharp provolone, thinly sliced flank steak and a drizzle of steak sauce; and The Founder ($18) made with house-made fig jam, mozzarella, gorgonzola, bacon and fresh herbs. Pair with fan-favorite brews like the Schwarzbier ($6.50), El Puffer ($6.50), or the Bohemian Pilsner ($6.50) for the ultimate seasonal pairing.
Hours of operation for Dock Street South: Tuesday 11am – 9pm; Wednesday and Thursday 11am – 10pm; Friday 11am – 11pm; Saturday 10am-11pm; Sunday 10am – 9pm
Dock Street South | 2118 Washington Avenue | 215-284-0345 |Website | Instagram | Facebook
Dock Street Fishtown | 1229 N. Front Street | 215-284-0345 |Website | Instagram | Facebook |Twitter
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Front Street Café, the all-day café, restaurant and bar known for its farm-to-table approach, offers a tucked-away back garden framed by bamboo, creating a more secluded setting for outdoor dining. An outdoor bar anchors the space, with cocktails like Smokey Berry Smash ($13) with mezcal, pomegranate, blackberry and ginger beer and Lavender Honey Bee’s Knees ($14) with gin, lemon and lavender-honey simple, alongside shareable plates like Buffalo Cauliflower ($16) with buffalo sauce and cucumber-dill aioli and Caramelized Onion Hummus ($15) served with assorted vegetables, olive oil and grilled pita.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made via OpenTable.
Hours of operation: Breakfast/Brunch from 8am—4pm; Dinner served on Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday from 5pm—9pm, Friday and Saturday from 5pm—10pm; Happy hour Tuesday through Sunday from 4pm—7pm.
1253 N Front St, Philadelphia, PA | 215-515-3073 | Website | Instagram | Facebook
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Little Walter’s, Philadelphia’s acclaimed contemporary Polish restaurant and bar from Chef Michael Brenfleck, offers dog-friendly sidewalk seating that brings its distinctive menu out onto the street. The offering balances traditional and modern influences, with standouts like the Pierogi Ruskie ($15) filled with creamy potato and farmer cheese and finished with caramelized onion and sour cream, alongside a rotating Surówka ($13) highlighting seasonal raw and pickled vegetables. The cocktail program carries the same perspective, with options like the Piłkarz ($16), a pickle juice martini made with Luksusowa vodka, rounding out the experience.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made via OpenTable.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Thursday from 4pm—9pm, Friday from 4pm—10pm, Saturday from 5pm—10pm, Sunday from 12pm—8pm
2049 E. Hagert St., Philadelphia, PA | 267.239.2228 | Website | Instagram
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Patchwork, a lively restaurant and bar focused on New American cuisine, offers the city’s best-kept secret. Nestled on the second floor of the Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square, overlooking 17th Street, guests can dine al fresco while taking in the Center City ambiance and indulging in new seasonal dishes. Guests can enjoy fresh spring bites such as the Crispy Salmon ($31) with beets, poblano, chayote, heirloom grains and cocktails like The Shore Bound ($17) with rum, coconut water, pineapple syrup, and club soda. Plus, the patio is pup-friendly!
Reservations 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, the contemporary kitchen and bar located across from Independence Hall, features a corner patio at 5th and Chestnut Streets that places diners right in the middle of Old City. Set against one of the neighborhood’s most historic corridors, the space carries the energy of the surrounding district from morning through evening service. Cocktails like Sangria ($14), a fruit-forward red blend, and the French 76 ($15) with gin, lemon and sparkling wine are offered alongside staples like the Braised Beef Meatballs ($16) with polenta and fennel ragu, a combination that reads especially well at a table outdoors.
Reservations can be made via OpenTable.
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 | Facebook | Twitter
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Square 1682, the modern American restaurant and award-winning bar located on the first floor of the Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia, offers a Sansom Street sidewalk patio that brings its menu outdoors in the heart of Center City. The pet-friendly setup carries through breakfast, mid-day service, and dinner, creating a more relaxed extension of the dining room along the street. Seasonal dishes like the Burrata ($18) with blackberry thyme balsamic, pea tendrils, blackberries and marcona almonds and the Crispy Octopus ($28) with fennel, citrus and chili are joined by cocktails like the Holy Ghost ($16) with bourbon, brandy, Combier, saline, bitters and absinthe, well suited to a seat along Sansom Street.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made via OpenTable.
Hours of operation: Monday through Thursday 7am—9:30pm; Friday 7am—11pm; Saturday 8am—11pm; Sunday 8am—2pm
121 S. 17th St., Philadelphia, PA | 215-563-5008 | Website | Instagram
WHERE TO DINE & IMBIBE AL FRESCO IN THE PHILLY SUBURBS
Fond, the refined and contemporary French BYOB from celebrated chefs Lee Styer and Jesse Prawlucki-Styer, is welcoming the season with the opening of its outdoor patio, perfect for al fresco dining. Located in Wallingford, guests are invited to enjoy an upscale, French-inspired menu featuring seasonal ingredients, some sourced from the chefs’ garden, with standout dishes like Burrata ($15) with Asian pears, balsamic, and focaccia, tender Octopus ($19) with piperade and caper aioli, and Scottish Salmon ($36) with herb spaetzle and Dijon cream. At this Delaware County favorite, guests can enjoy a warm, inviting atmosphere on the patio, ideal for gathering with family, friends, and furry friends.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made via Resy.
Hours of operation: Wednesday through Sunday 5pm—9pm (dinner); Wednesday through Friday 11am—2:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am—2:30pm (brunch)
21 N. Providence Rd., Wallingford, PA | 484.445.2108 | Website | Instagram | Facebook
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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 home to a gorgeous full-service second-floor outdoor patio, perfect for dining al fresco and indulging in an array of cocktails and dishes showcasing the flavors of the region. Highlights include the Burrata & Local Fruit salad ($19) with Asian pears, black mission figs, mizuna greens, cider vinaigrette, spiced walnuts, pomegranate seeds, mulled cider apple sauce, balsamic, black sea salt, toasted crostini; Parisian Gnocchi ($18) served with lemon brown butter sauce, duck confit, walnut crumble, pickled cranberries & cherries, purple kohlrabi, leeks, chives, and tarragon-parsley oil; and Jail Island Salmon ($36) with cashew-coconut yellow curry, crispy rice cake, soy-mirin glaze, togarashi roasted squash rings, miso-brown butter bok choy, toasted cashew crumble, lime, and crispy curry leaves.
Stella of New Hope’s patio is dog-friendly and features a dedicated Pup Menu with three chef-prepared options for four-legged guests: Ground Beef ($10), Chicken ($11), and Salmon Belly ($14), each served with farro and English peas.
Reservations can be made here.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Thursday 4 – 9pm, Friday 4- 11pm, Saturday 11am – 2 pm and 4 – 11pm, Sunday 11am – 2pm and 4 – 9 pm.
50 S Main St, New Hope, PA 18938 • 267.740.2691 • Website •Instagram • Facebook
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The Twisted Tail, Headhouse Square’s restaurant, bar and live music venue, offers charming sidewalk seating framed by beautiful handmade flower beds, perfect for springtime dining. Guests can sip on cocktails such as theLynchburg Basil Lemonade ($13) with Jack Daniels, basil, lemon and sugar, while enjoying the restaurant’s beloved Southern-inspired dishes such as theButtermilk Fried Chicken ($31) with rosemary honey and sweet potato.
Reservations can be made through OpenTable.
Hours of operation: Monday – Thursday 4 pm – 10 pm; Friday 4 pm – 12 am; Saturday 11 am – 12 am; Sunday 10 am – 10 pm
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509 S. 2nd St. • 215.558.2471 • Website • Instagram • Facebook • Twitter
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, boasts a gorgeous al fresco space on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, perfect for springtime dining. Guests can enjoy bites from the new spring menu including the Laguna Blanca Salmon ($37) with mushroom and pea farrotto and lemon oil, alongside seasonal sips such as the Canopy Reserve ($19) with coconut washed Coconut Washed Barcardi Pineapple Rum, charred pineapple, lime and egg white.
Additionally, the patio is dog-friendly and Urban Farmer offers a Pup Menu with items such as the Beef Tenderloin Bits ($13) or Strawberry Banana “Ice Cream” ($7) made with frozen yogurt and topped with a homemade doggie biscuit.
Reservations are highly encouraged and can be made on OpenTable.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Saturday, 8am – 9pm, and Sunday, 8am – 3pm
1850 Benjamin Franklin Parkway | 215.963.2788 | Website | Instagram |Twitter | Facebook