Known as a spot for nostalgic fun, serious gamers and those just looking to do something a bit differently, the Thirsty Dice has been a go-to for many since it first opened in 2018. Philadelphia’s first game board café offers visitors the chance to scroll through an assortment of games (there are about 800 to choose from), food and drinks to make a night complete—but the cherry on top is also the events that the Fairmount venue hosts.
Recently, The Thirsty Dice has added quizzo to its list of offerings in 2021, and every Wednesday those who are looking to join in can head to 17th Street and Fairmount Avenue by 6:30 p.m. The event spans two hours and features a few rounds of questions ranging from word association, to normal trivia, to sound and picture portions and more. Some nights, quizzo might even be featuring a theme (Disney was the most recent) but almost always it features a mystery cocktail as a bonus question where participants can try and guess the three ingredients to gain points.
While there quizzo is included for everyone who is checking out the menu or just there to play games, it adds a bit of something special to an already unique night—and having a cocktail as one of the questions certainly helps the spirit of the game as well.
On top of the point-winning cocktail, the site also sports a full menu of food and drinks both alcoholic and not. Some standouts on the menu on the food side includes their chorizo nachos, Hot Nashville chicken sandwich (served with a side of tots), umami bombs (deep-fried mushroom and herb risotto balls), shrimp tacos and also an assortment of pizzas ranging from classic pies such as Margherita, to some a little more out of the box like their duck and beet with orange-infused honey and rosemary ricotta pie. The Thirsty Dice also features brunch on the weekends with a few more additions to the menu including a Philly frittata, breakfast burrito, assortment of waffles and coffee drinks (although their bottomless mimosa special offering food specials and a library game pass really takes the cake.)
Speaking of the Joe, what some might not realize is that the Dice also acts as a coffee and ice cream bar, perfect for a walk-up situation on top of their sit-down gaming.
As their website states, Thirsty Dice’s partnership with Philadelphia famous Bassett’s Ice Cream is now open. Located just inside the front doors, Thirsty Dice Scoop Shop offers a wide variety of flavors, toppings, milkshakes, and of course, boozy milkshakes. Standouts include their Bananas Foster (made with dark rum, banana ice cream and caramel), Sor-Bay Breeze (made with Malibu rum, mango-apricot sorbet and pineapple), Apple Pie (made with apple whiskey, french vanilla ice cream, apple pie filling and an apple turnover) and more. Their coffee drinks, which are crafted by baristas, also come roasted by Herman’s in South Philadelphia.
In addition to the coffee program, libation-wise the Thirsty Dice also goes all out on their bar program. Patrons can sip on house-infused liquors, homemade bitters, and spirit-free drinks or over a dozen beers, ciders and wines on tap, plus bottled and canned beverages.
And of course, last but not least while taking a break from the menu and quizzo, the café will have plenty of games to choose from and have a fit for everyone (anywhere from single to a large group of players). Expect classic games like Battleship, Monopoly and Scrabble along with more newer age games such as Taboo, Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity. For the more logical and intense strategy gamers, the café has Splendor, Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride and Pandemic. Plenty of children’s games are available as well.
To find out more information about the Thirsty Dice, visit thirstydice.com
