The Most Essential Craft Breweries Around Philadelphia

Explore the city of brewery love.

One thing is certain: Philly will always have good beer. We’re home to some of the earliest iterations of micro-brewing as we know it today, and the tumult of the last couple years has done little to slow down this beer town. You can find a little bit of everything here—from classic drinkers to heavy stouts to experimental batches of quirk, and so much more. Though the reach of Philly’s craft beer footprint spans into the suburbs, we’ve rounded up 15 of our favorites in Philadelphia proper to get you started.

Source Brewing
Source Brewing

Fishtown
The original Source Farmhouse Brewery in Colts Neck, New Jersey, has finally opened its doors to Philadelphia. The new Source Urban Brewery recently opened in the former Fishtown Brewpub space on Frankford Avenue with no less than 32 taps, plus new can releases available for to-go sales. You can also expect a full kitchen of brewpub fare—the fried chicken sammie is a must—and plenty of seating in an airy, elevated atmosphere.

Attic Brewing Company
Attic Brewing Company

Germantown
Attic Brewing Co. marks itself as the first craft brewery to open in Philly’s Germantown neighborhood. Try the brewery’s take on Oktoberfest with the Funktoberfest brew, which has undertones of biscuit and vanilla to even out the malty-rich lager, or the Stratcat Hazy IPA, with some citrus and strawberry.

Passyunk
​​For the ultimate niche beer experience, Brewery ARS operates out of a South Philly garage. The collection of beers suggest a heavy Belgian influence thanks to co-founder Sean Arsenault’s time spent sampling beers all around Europe while his co-founding brother, Andy, was stateside getting his master brewer certificate. After opening in December 2016, the pair has garnered a cult following that expands beyond the neighborhood. Even better, the brothers recently announced plans to expand beyond the garage and open a second location on Frankford Avenue.

Crime & Punishment Brewing Co
Crime & Punishment Brewing Co.

Brewerytown
Crime & Punishment popped up a few years ago in Philly’s aptly named neighborhood to offer creative brews and unique Russian-influenced grub. Get in the fall spirit with the new Bedstraw Crane, an English Bitter with notes of toffee, biscuit, and earl gray tea.

dock street brewery
Dock Street Brewery

Cedar Park, Point Breeze
Dock Street Brewery is the long-running predecessor of craft beer in Philadelphia and beyond. The first location opened in 1985. Since then, the spot has flourished, with the Cedar Park location adding a cannery for private events and cocktails, and a second brewery opening in Point Breeze. And if the beer isn’t enough, Dock Street happens to make some of the best pizza in Philadelphia.

humanrobotbeer
humanrobotbeer

Kensington
Human Robot Brewery opened in early 2020 and is still here to tell the tale. The concept breaks down into two types of beers: “human,” which tend to be in the vein of more classic European-style beers, and “robot,” which tend to be more experimental. The Dreams of Orgonon is a favorite for juicy, citrusy hops, while the Terrestrial Reflections IPA is another hazy go-to with notes of apricot and cotton candy.

Love City Brewing Company
Love City Brewing Company

Callowhill
Love City boasts a wide, airy space available for both indoor and outdoor dining. The Love Fest is the perfect Oktoberfest beer, with touches of caramel and dark fruit, while the signature hazy IPA Eraserhood is a nod to Callowhill’s alternative moniker, packing a punch with orange, mango, and juicy hops. Come by on the weekend to discover the latest food truck du jour.

Philadelphia Brewing Co.
Courtesy of Philadelphia Brewing Company

Kensington
Philadelphia Brewing Company has been going strong since its 2007 opening, taking great pride and inspo from the history of Philly in creating its brews. The brewery has yielded such local classics as Kenzinger and Walt Wit, and when the season is right, Winter Wunder is the perfect cold-weather beer with plums, spice, and cinnamon

Punch Buggy Brewing Company
Punch Buggy Brewing Company

Olde Kensington
This neighborhood nano-brewery offers a lot in the way of creative drinkables, from the Banana Bread Hefeweizen to a sour blueberry beer dubbed Purple Stuff. Hours, drinks, and food change regularly with the best info coming from Instagram—where you can also take the opportunity to ogle at the brewery’s assorted grilled cheese specialties.

Separatist Beer Project
Separatist Beer Project

East Passyunk
Separatist’s HQ is in Easton, but a newer East Passyunk tasting room has helped bring its hops, lager bier, and spontaneous fermentation to the city. The Cream Ale is its any-time Bohemian Pilsner for easy drinking, while options like the Soon Never Comes is a Saison with notes of clove, black pepper, and gooseberry.

Callowhill
Triple Bottom Brewery is all about drinkability, from beer to wine to mocktails. The piney floral Lawn Chair Parking Spot is a stand-out West Coast IPA, while the Nitro-infused Beginish is an Irish-style Dry Stout that’s fresh and creamy. Visit for indoor and outdoor dining, and pair your brews with an artisanal cheese and charcuterie board.

Two Locals Brewing Company
Two Locals Brewing Company

TBD
Until this growing company finds its permanent home, you can find Two Locals Brewing at pop-up events and other beer destinations throughout the city (plus you can order online). Two Locals is run by brothers Rich and Mengistu Koilor, establishing the brewery as Philadelphia’s first Black-owned brewing company. Stay posted on all the brewery’s collabs and latest creations on Instagram.

Northern Liberties
Over in the Piazza, Urban Village is still going strong, luring beer lovers with its foodie-friendly menu and outdoor patio seating. Some go-to options include the seasonal Stingy Jack pumpkin ale, the Funky Child Saison with notes of bubblegum and spice, and the dark, chocolatey Oatis oatmeal stout.

Wissahickon Brewing Company
Wissahickon Brewing Company

East Falls
There’s always something intriguing to discover at Wissahickon Brewing, like the can’t-skip-it Crumble Oreo Porter, conditioned on 50 pounds of Oreos, or the Passion Peach, a juicy sour with notes of passionfruit. The low-key spot also hosts new food trucks every weekend to satisfy your appetite.

Spring Garden
Yards is one of Philly’s most quintessential breweries. The taproom is optimal for outdoor drinking and dining, giving you a chance to pair some of its nibbly food items—like fried mac n’ cheese, blackened Cajun salmon, and fried chicken—with small-batch specials and all the other Yards favorites, from Brawler to Love Stout.

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Marielle Mondon is a writer from Philadelphia. Follower her on Twitter and Instagram @MarielleMondon.