138 South 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 413-1443
http://www.citytavern.com/
 |
 |
Food: Yes
Live Music: Yes
Hours: Monday—Thursday, Sunday 11:30am-9pm,
Friday—Saturday 11:30am-10pm
Type of Bar: Tavern
What to Drink: A Shrub, a Tavern Cooler or Ales of the
Revolution.
Why You Should Go: This tavern was the most important
place in the city of Philadelphia during the founding
of our nation.
The City Tavern in Philadelphia is the most authentic 18th century tavern you'll find in America. Built originally in 1770 the City Tavern played host to many (if not all) of the founding fathers at one time or another. George Washington met John Adams there, Ben Franklin was counted as a regular, and it was considered one of the most elegant places of its day.
Now the City Tavern hosts a restaurant owned and run by Chef Walter Staib, a James Beard Foundation Nominee who hosts a cooking show on PBS called A Taste of History.
Chef Staib has spared no expense to ensure that the City Tavern is authentic in every way. This includes the drinks served here, which are all period and reflect what they would have been drinking in the tavern in the 1700s. Definitely try the beer, based on recipes from some of the founding fathers.