I recently returned from Carnival Week in Provincetown, Mass. Arguably the country’s most gay-friendly summer beach destination, P-Town exceeded my expectations. Along with many of my close friends, I enjoyed more cocktails, one-liners and laughs than I can possibly count. I also met some phenomenal new people, and I’d like to give a special shout-out to Mike, Tim, Michael and Chris from New York City. I wish you all the best and can’t wait to see you again soon.
As for the social scene, P-Town has a number of impressive outdoor venues. From the Boatslip to the Crown & Anchor, each space has character and authenticity. Having spent plenty of time and money at P-Town’s most popular hotspots got me thinking about similar spaces in Center City. With a limited number of weeks left before the warm weather breaks, there’s no better time to explore our local outdoor “scene.” Here are my top choices:
One of my absolute favorite bar/restaurants in Center City is Nineteen (XIX) at the Park Hyatt, 200 S. Broad St. Located on the building’s top floor, XIX offers some of the city’s most spectacular views from its open-air balcony. Plenty of window space, along with innovative lunch and happy-hour menus, makes XIX equally appropriate for a meeting of the minds or the hearts. Check out the menu at hyatt.com.
Just a few blocks from XIX is Philadelphia’s Midtown Village neighborhood. Home to a number of standout restaurants and retail spaces, none is more exceptional than Raw Lounge and Sake Bar, 1225 Sansom St. Widely regarded as one of the city’s best sushi restaurants, Raw also has an incredibly spacious outdoor courtyard with a bar and full table service. Visit rawlounge.net to make reservations.
Around the corner from Raw is APO Bar and Lounge, 102 S. 13th St. Formerly known as Apothecary, APO uses fresh ingredients, such as sage and gingko, to concoct a menu of fresh, organic drinks prepared by expert bartenders. APO’s rooftop patio is on the building’s second story, which provides the perfect people-watching perch. View photos and the drink menu at apothecarylounge.com.
If you head a couple blocks south from APO, you’ll enter Philly’s Gayborhood, home to two of the city’s best outdoor spots: Bump Lounge, 1234 Locust St., and 12th Air Command, 254 S. 12th St. Currently under new ownership and set to begin renovations, Bump’s outdoor patio and garden is as secluded as it is beautiful. In contrast, 12th Air Command boasts one of Philadelphia’s largest rooftop decks. With 360-degree views of our most impressive architectural gems, 12th Air has an unmatched space that’s packed every weekend. Visit bumplounge.com and 12thair.com for more information.
Many Center City residents prefer one side of Broad Street the other. Though most of my recommendations thus far are east of Broad, the west side also has some excellent outdoor spaces. While the restaurants on Rittenhouse Square (Rouge, Devon and Parc) get lots of attention for their sidewalk seating, there’s no better outdoor area west of Broad than Stephen Starr’s Continental Midtown, 1801 Chestnut St. Check out continentalmidtown.com for all the details.
Located just south of Continental Midtown is Vango Lounge and Skybar, 116 S. 18th St. A New York City-style bar complete with space for dancing and late-night cocktails, Vango also features a spacious outdoor deck. Visit vangoloungeandskybar.com for information about special promotions and weekly events.
That’s all she wrote for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the last few weeks of summer weather at one or more of the places featured in this week’s column. If I missed your favorite outdoor enclave, please e-mail me at [email protected].
’Til next time, get offline and see what your community has to offer!