Time again to take beer to the great outdoors
If the pop-up of crocuses heralds spring, then the pop-up of beer gardens ushers in the summer season. Temporary outdoor restaurants, many using off-premises catering permits, have been all the rage in Philadelphia for the last several years during the warm weather, providing a social outlet for patrons and new revenue streams for savvy restaurateurs and the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society.
If the pop-up of crocuses heralds spring, then the pop-up of beer gardens ushers in the summer season.
Temporary outdoor restaurants, many using off-premises catering permits, have been all the rage in Philadelphia for the last several years during the warm weather, providing a social outlet for patrons and new revenue streams for savvy restaurateurs and the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society.
The PHS, which launched the pop-up era in 2013 by opening a garden in a vacant lot on South Broad Street, this year again will headline two locations - on South Street near 15th (its third year) and a new pop-up at Viaduct Rail Park, the creative reuse of the old Reading rail line in the Callowhill neighborhood.
At least four new beer gardens, all run by private individuals and groups, are on the way. SkyGarten is planned for the 51st floor of Three Logan Square, one of the city's tallest buildings. Entrepreneurs are also setting up in a former creamery in Kennett Square, beside the Schuylkill in Conshohocken, and starting Thursday, in a business campus in Ambler.
Other seasonal operations are coming back:
May 7 was the opening of Spruce Street Harbor Park, a leisure attraction along Penn's Landing.
Thursday is the second-season debut at Uptown Beer Garden outside the BNY Mellon Wealth building at 1735 JFK Blvd., with chef Jonathan Petruce (formerly of Petruce et al.) in the kitchen.
Assuming that long-standing licensing issues are settled, developer John Longacre expects to reopen the Point Breeze Beer Garden at 1622 Point Breeze Ave. with a festival on Saturday.
Two other popular outdoor destinations - seasonal permanent restaurants operating under conventional liquor licenses - have opened: Independence Beer Garden at 100 S. Independence Mall West (on Sixth Street across from the Liberty Bell) and Morgan's Pier, on Penn's Landing.
Even the City of Philadelphia is getting into the act. The Department of Parks and Recreation and Fairmount Park Conservancy are working on a movable pop-up series at various parks from June to October.
Here is a rundown of seasonal offerings announced so far:
Spruce Street Harbor Park (now open through Sept. 25): Food and drink by Federal Donuts, the Little Fat Ham, Franklin Fountain, Chickie's & Pete's, and Garces Group's Village Burger, Distrito Taco, Papas Fritas, and Froman's.
Morgan's Pier (now open on the Delaware River just north of the Ben Franklin Bridge): Chef Jim Burke (formerly of James) is chef-in-residence.
Haas Biergarten at La Peg (now open): A seafood-themer on the patio beside the Fringe Arts headquarters on Columbus Boulevard at Race Street.
Independence Beer Garden (now open): Michael Schulson's joint outside the Dow Chemical Building has additional lighting and gardens and huge Connect 4 games for its third season.
Uptown Beer Garden (opening May 19 outside BNY Mellon Wealth, 1735 JFK Blvd.): Chef Jonathan Petruce takes over the new outdoor grill for a second summer. There will be additional seating and access to the building atrium.
Ambler Yards (300 Brookside Ave., Ambler, opening May 19): Fort Washington's Cantina Feliz and sister restaurant Taqueria Feliz Horsham will provide food and beverage for the outdoor setup next to a Lower Gwynedd Township office campus. It will be open on Thursdays and Saturdays until the end of June. (It will be closed Memorial Day weekend.) The arrangement is run by Kevin Tierney and Ben Bergman, with Ambler Yards owners Matt Sigel and Marc Policarpo. Menu will include two beers and beer-friendly food.
Point Breeze Beer Garden (opening May 21 at 1622 Point Breeze Ave.): The landscaping is expected to be more extensive this year at this reuse of a derelict city lot. Food is provided by trucks.
The Creamery (401 Birch St., Kennett Square; due to open June 3): Entrepreneur Michael Bontrager has retained the landscaping services of Groundswell Design Group to convert a long-vacant industrial complex on three acres into a community gathering place that will offer nightly live music and other community-focused programming provided by the marketing agency Mole Street. Chef Jeremy Nolen of Whetstone Tavern and Brauhaus Schmitz will run the food program. It will run Thursday to Sunday through mid-September.
PHS's pop-up at 1438 South St. (opening officially June 1 but soft-opening sooner): The Khyber Pass Pub folks will be behind the craft beers, cocktails, and food. Hours will be 5 to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 2 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
PHS's pop-up at Viaduct Rail Park (10th and Hamilton Streets, opening early June, but officially on June 10): Chefs Jason Cichonski (Ela and Gaslight) and Sylva Senat (Dos Tacos and the future Maison) and management from HFA Bridge are behind this high-minded pop-up. Walter Hood's design of the Viaduct Rail Park merges the overhead rail structure with green urban space. PHS is working with the Friends of the Rail Park and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Hours will be 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 2 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
SkyGarten (opening June 1 for Center City SIPS and officially June 8): At Top of the Tower - the event space on the 50th and 51st floors of Three Logan Square (1717 Arch St.) that hosts a popular SkyBrunch - Doug Hager and Jeremy Nolen of the Brauhaus Schmitz and Whetstone restaurants will oversee food, and bar manager Jesse Cornell will oversee the cocktails.
Conshohocken Beer Garden (2 Ash St., Conshohocken, starting in early June): Entrepreneurs Kevin Tierney and Esther Pulver are headed to the bank of the Schuylkill at the 3 Tower property, near the Residence Inn, with a pop-up whose food and beverage partner will be Brian Pieri of Bar Lucca and Pepperoncini. It will be open Wednesday through Saturday through October.