Help a Member Out: Dining Outdoors With Your Posse


Summer’s officially in session, and with any luck we’ll all be whiling away many a weekend down the Shore. But there is something to be said for enjoying (rain, begone!) balmy summer nights right here in Philly. That’s why we were happy to help when RC member Tom came a-begging:

Looking for some fun outdoor dining and boozing spots in the city, with enough space to fit a large group of friends — any recommendations?

Here are our six suggestions for Tom. Help your fellow member out with your recommendations in the comments!

Silk City’s Beer Garden
It feels like ages ago that since Silk City announced it would be turning an adjacent parking lot into its very own beer garden, but the space is now open — and totally worth the wait. The street-level patio is done up with funky lawn ornaments and lots of colorful picnic tables, and surrounded by a concrete wall to block out the cars zooming up and down Spring Garden. Did we mention it’s a beer garden? 435 Spring Garden Street; 215-592-8838.

Jamaican Jerk Hut
You’ll have to tote your own booze here, but the servers will bring buckets of ice to keep beers frosty all night long, and there are plenty of fresh-fruit juices on the menu to go with your BYO-ed rum. Plus, the Hut’s large grass lot and picnic tables are made for bigger groups. Start your weekend early: Go on Thursday nights for the free (with dinner) movie screenings. 1436 South Street; 215-545-8644.

Raw
Come summer, Raw turns the space between it and the next rowhome over into what feels like a totally private open-air club. The patio has its own bar (two words: sake bombs) and is outfitted with plenty of low black tables and comfy red-cushioned chairs, the perfect setting to enjoy the fresh-fish-packed signature rolls. 1225 Sansom Street; 215-238-1903.

Swift Half
The dining room of this new gastropub (brought to us from the owners of Good Dog) in the Piazza at Schmidts is impossibly narrow, but its outdoor seating is some of the finest and most spacious in NoLibs. Grab one (or two) of the tables spilling out into the center of the Piazza’s massive courtyard and you’re perfectly positioned for watching Phils games (beer in hand) on the giant LED screen. 1001 North 2nd Street, 215-923-4600.

Manayunk Brew Pub
Main Street in Manayunk is a veritable outdoor dining Mecca — but Brew Pub takes the cake for its sheer amount of open-air space. You can order from the ridiculously diverse menu (sushi and pizza and ribs, oh my) or get one of the brewery’s seasonal drafts downstairs on the covered patio or upstairs at the umbrella-ed tables scattered about the deck overlooking the Schuylkill. 4120 Main Street; 215-482-8220.

Pizzicato
The outdoor lounge areas — think plush couches and low cocktail tables — that line the 3rd Street side of Pizzicato are meant for large group mingling. Rather sit upright? The wide sidewalk on the Market Street side has plenty of round tables. 248 Market Street; 215-629-5527.