Toxin-Free Intoxication: Where to Drink Organic in Philly

If you’re on the path of organic eating, finding booze that fits the bill can be a chore. That’s not to say beer or wine made from toxin-free ingredients is impossible to find—you have to know where to look.

So we did some digging. Below, you’ll find a list of local bars and restaurants with tasty organic cocktails and liquor stores stocked with organic ingredients to start mixing at home. Here’s to guilt-free imbibing!
 


If You’re Hitting the Town …
Six sure-fire spots that sling clean—and delicious—drinks.

Fare
2028 Fairmount Ave., 267-639-3063.

This Fairmount restaurant offers a nice variety of organic cocktail choices—all for $8. The menu includes the Really Clean Martini, made with Tru Lemon organic vodka, white grape juice and organic green grapes. Other ingredients you’ll see are Thatcher’s Dark Chocolate Organic Liquor, Papagayo Aged Organic White Rum and Juniper Green Organic Gin.
Fare also sells house organic malbec and torrontes wines. The organic beer list includes Central Waters Shine On Red Ale from Amherst, Wisconsin. And a bonus: They have a gluten-free beer called Lake Front New Grist from Wisconsin.

Brew/Ultimo
1900 South 15th Street, 215-339-5177.

A coffee bar where you can order a beer ? Yeah, South Philly is getting that cool. Try Ultimo’s Sam Smith Organic Hard Apple Cider from the UK.

White Dog Café
3420 Sansom Street, 215-386-9224.

Located in West Philly, White Dog offers a large variety of organic wines by the bottle and glass. We like the Sauvignon Blanc-Parducci from California, or if you’re more into the reds, the Pinot Noir-Parducci.

Talula’s Garden
210 W. Washington Square, 215-592-7787.

This Steven Starr restaurant located on Washington Square has several organic wine options by the glass and bottle that are comparable in price to the nonorganic options (we hate up-charges). Two good options: the Castoro Cellars Muscat Canelli and the Acrobat by King Estate Pinot Gris.

Positano Coast
212 Walnut Street, 2nd Floor, 215-238-0499.

This Italian eatery has an entire organic cocktail menu, offering interesting concoctions like Italian with an Accent made with fennel-infused dry gin, Vin Santo, Domaine de Canton, fresh lime, aloe syrup and—get this—egg white. For something sweeter, try the Rye on Walnut with Four Roses bourbon, amber maple syrup, Nux Alphina walnut liqueur, roasted hazelnuts and old fashioned bitters.

The Standard Tap
901 N. Second Street, 215-238-0630.

This NoLibs bar allows you to be an inconspicuous organic-liquor snob, but you’ll likely rather have all of your friends dying to mimic your body conscious ways when they get a taste of your drink. Standard Tap offers the Philly native organic ROOT liquor in both root beer flavor and ginger root. No mixers necessary. Try it neat or on the rocks.

Earth Bread+ Brewery
7136 Germantown Ave., 215-242-6666.

Beer-lovers should check out this cafe-cum-brewery in Mount Airy, where brewmasters handcraft brews and breads with earth-friendly (read: organic) ingredients. They put a special emphasis on local products and ingredients.

If You’re Staying In …
Here’s where—and what—to buy if you’re drinking at home.

• Root liquor, developed in Philadelphia, is 100 percent organic, crafted by the makers of Hendrick’s gin and Sailor Jerry Rum. The recipe of herbs, citrus, spices and pure cane sugar is developed from an early Native American recipe for root tea. Hit up your local Whole Foods or health-food store for organic cream soda and make a yummy root beer float cocktail.

• Several state liquor stores offer varieties of organic wine and saki:

>> 724 South Street, 215-560-6900

>> 1218 Chestnut Street, 215-560-4380

>> 326 S. Fifth Street, 215-560-7064

• Organic oenophiles are in luck—one of the only two totally organic wineries on the East Coast, Villa Milagro Vineyards in Finesville, New Jersey, is just a bit over an hour away from Philadelphia. Call 908-955-2072 for more details.

• Doc’s World of Beers (701 East Cathedral Rd., 215-482-4338) boasts the biggest selection of microbrewes in Manayunk and carries several organic varieties. Stock up with a 24-pack of Peak Organic Variety.