Celebrate Independence Day With Philly-Area Restaurants and Bars

-Courtesy of Punch Media
feature image: Firecracker cocktail from Patchwork

America’s favorite holiday is approaching and Philadelphia-area restaurants and bars are pulling out all the stops to embrace the spirit of Independence Day, from patriotic specials, Fourth of July parties, to the best places to eat or drink before and after the firework shows.

Where to watch fireworks in Philly?
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 place to be to celebrate the Fourth of July. On Thursday, July 4 from 7 pm to 11 pm, guests are invited to head up the elevator of The Logan Hotel to the best vantage point in the city to experience the magic of the firework show. The celebration will feature a four hour open bar, light bites, live music and, of course, unbeatable views of the fireworks. Tickets are $120/pp and can be purchased here. 

Event attendees can enjoy bites from Assembly’s newly revamped menu dubbed Assembly, Heightened including a Crab Rangoon Spring Roll with scallion-cilantro chili sauce, Duck Buns with duck confit, black garlic hoisin, Napa cabbage ginger slaw, cilantro on a steamed bun and Vegetable Pakora with mango amba sauce, smoked broccoli-almond slaw and pickled red onion. There will also be a Street Taco Station with choice of braised chicken or elote and a Taste of Philadelphia Station with soft pretzels, cheesesteaks, tomato pie and French fries. 

The four hour deluxe bar will offer select beer, select wine and featured cocktails including Frosé made with rosé wine, dry vermouth, cocci rosa aperitif, strawberry and fresh lemon and a Classic White Sangria.

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 ideal location to view the Visit New Hope’s Summer Series Fireworks on Friday, July 5. The restaurant boasts a large outdoor patio where guests can enjoy dinner and drinks before watching the display. In addition to the patio, Stella has just unveiled a new outdoor bar, situated directly beneath its popular second-floor deck, complete with expanded riverfront seating and a new bar menu. Also, the Waterfront Terrace now offers umbrella-shaded full-service tables, providing guests with more options for waterfront dining before the firework show. Show-goers can grab a drink at Stella’s outdoor bar and sit at one of the first-come, first-served Adirondack chairs on the grassy knoll adjacent to the restaurant for a front row seat. 

Fourth of July Specials
Patchwork, a lively restaurant and bar focused on New American cuisine nestled on the second floor of the Hyatt Centric, is offering hotel guests and Philadelphia locals the perfect patriotic cocktail in celebration of July 4th. Those looking to beat the heat can indulge in a frozen Firecracker Cocktail ($16) composed of vodka, Meyer Lemon, Cherry and Curaçao — paying homage to the nostalgic Firecracker ice pops. A delicious and refreshing way to honor the holiday. This cocktail will be available July 1-7. 

Red Owl Tavern, the contemporary kitchen and bar located across from Independence Hall in Old City, is celebrating the Fourth of July with two festive sippers. These include the Declaration of Spritz ($16), a strawberry-infused Aperol with Prosecco, soda, lemon, pea flower, and elderflower mixed gin float ($16), and the Watermelon Rickey ($17) crafted with gin, watermelon, lime, Sicilian lemon Fever-Tree soda, and a Pimm’s float. These two cocktails will be available starting July 4 through the weekend. In addition to the Fourth of July cocktail specials, Red Owl Tavern is launching ’Smoked Out Saturdays,’ starting on Saturday, July 6, perfectly timed for the Fourth of July weekend. The event will feature a rotating lineup of BBQ specialties available from 10 am until sold out every Saturday from July 6 through September 7.

Uptown Beer Garden is the ultimate destination this Fourth of July. With holiday hours from 2pm to midnight, Uptown is hosting a lively grill-out featuring $3 Hotdogs and hearty $6 Hamburgers, perfectly paired with a live Phillies game watch party on the large screen starting at 2:20pm along with festive yard games, such as corn hole. Highlighting the occasion is a specialty patriotic frozen drink – a refreshing frozen berry daiquiri dressed in red, white, and blue. Guests can also enjoy Uptown’s extensive beverage offerings, full-service Orange Crush Bar, and ample food selections. 

48 Record Bar is just a stone’s throw away from the Delaware River. The high-tech listening room and coastal bar perched above Old City’s legendary Sassafras is the ideal spot to enjoy a cocktail whether you’re heading out to watch the Fourth of July fireworks on Saturday, June 29, or celebrating afterwards. Featuring festive sips like the Kiki Noelle—a blend of El Jimador tequila, Ancho Reyes Verde liqueur, fresh lime juice, jalapeño syrup, pineapple juice, and ginger press ($14)— the Pimm Pom, mixing Beefeater gin, Pimm’s honey syrup, pomegranate juice, fresh lemon juice, and cherry bitters ($14), and the 1794, a fusion of Kinsey whiskey, Campari, Carpano Antica vermouth, Luxardo liqueur, and Aztec chocolate bitters ($14), these carefully curated cocktails perfectly complement the lively ambiance of 48 Record Bar, ensuring a memorable Fourth of July celebration.

Stratus Rooftop Lounge, the swanky rooftop venue on the 11th floor of the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Old City, is the place to be to enjoy a cocktail before or after the Fourth of July fireworks celebration on Saturday, June 29th. Conveniently located just a short walk from the Delaware River, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy cocktails and celebrate the evening. Featuring superb options such as the Midsummer Night, a mix of Ketel One Botanicals, Liquor 43, strawberry, and lime ($17), or the Copacabana, blending Novo Fogo cachaca, Appleton Estate rum, pineapple-infused Campari, and Carpano Antica ($17). Another refreshing option is Photosynthesis, combining No. 3 Gin with cucumber, mint, and Fever-Tree Lime & Yuzu Soda ($17). Guests can sip on these cocktails while enjoying the lounge’s stunning city views as they celebrate the Fourth of July and maybe even catch a few more fireworks.