Editorial
The best bars in East Passyunk sit along one of the most walkable bar corridors in Philadelphia — a diagonal avenue lined with rowhouses, independent restaurants, and bars that have been quietly building loyal followings for years. We recommend East Passyunk to anyone who wants the quality of a serious neighbourhood bar scene without the crowds that come with Fishtown or the tourist weight of Old City. The best bars east passyunk philadelphia visitors consistently miss are the ones a block off the main avenue.
East Passyunk Avenue is the spine of this neighbourhood — walkable from Broad Street down to around 13th, with most of the best bars concentrated between Tasker and Morris streets. This stretch rewards walkers who are willing to pop their heads in wherever looks right.
East Passyunk has some of the most consistent craft beer bars in South Philadelphia. The neighbourhood's density means you can walk between three or four very different places in under twenty minutes, which makes it ideal for a proper bar crawl.
East Passyunk does not pretend to be a late-night neighbourhood in the same way that Fishtown or Old City do. But it has enough bars that stay open until 2am on weekends to sustain a full evening without having to move to another part of the city.
East Passyunk is the best neighbourhood in Philadelphia for a full evening on foot. The combination of Stateside's cocktail programme, Bottle Bar East's selection, and the Palizzi Social Club for a late-night finish covers three very different experiences across one walkable stretch of the city. If you are only spending one night in South Philly, start at Circles and Squares for a glass of wine and move north up the avenue from there.
James has covered the Philadelphia bar scene since 2013 and considers East Passyunk the most underrated drinking neighbourhood in the Northeast. He has strong opinions about which South Philly bar pours the best Guinness.