Where to indulge in summer treats in Philadelphia

Looking to indulge in some seasonal summer treats in Philadelphia? We’ve got you covered.

Bluebird Distilling

The award-winning grain-to-glass craft distillery will be offering seasonal sippers at their Phoenixville distillery and tasting room, which also features a covered outdoor patio. As a release states, their state-of-the-art frozen drink machine can freeze a bottle of bourbon into slushy form in just 20 seconds, and flavors rotate weekly from frozen gin and tonics, to this week’s timely rendition of a Frozen Dirty Shirley ($10/$12), fashioned with Bluebird 100% Rye vodka, sprite, grenadine and a cherry. Philadelphians can head to the venue Monday through Thursday from 4 to 11 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 1 to 11 p.m. 

bluebirddistilling.com

Holy ‘Que Smokehouse

There’s nothing like some BBQ in the sunny season, and if you’re looking for summer treats in Philadelphia, Holy ‘Que Smokehouse has everything you need. The authentic Texas-style barbecue joint in Bucks County acts as a BYOB, and recently relaunched with traditional BBQ staples— all crafted by Founder and Pitmaster Tom Peters.

When heading to the popular eatery, Philadelphians can indulge in brisket, pulled pork, sandwiches, platters, desserts and much more. And as an added bonus, in celebration of May (aka National BBQ Month), the sought-after eatery is offering a complimentary side (think mac ‘n’ cheese, cider slaw, honey cornbread, etc.) with purchase of any platter – available for dine-in and takeaway, until May 31.

5788 Lower York Road, Lahaska, holyque.com

Boardroom Spirits 

Summer is prime margarita season, and to make your tequila craving that much easier, Boardroom Spirits has launched a new classic canned cocktail available online and at the distillery just in time to kick off the sunny season. Made with natural flavors, the new canned margarita cocktail is made with an agave spirit and Boardroom’s own orange liqueur and is available for $16.99 for a 12-ounce, four-pack with a 9% ABV. However, Philadelphians and beyond  can sift through a variety of ready-to-drink bottled cocktails and premium spirits online for pickup, delivery (including Philadelphia), or shipped throughout PA from Boardroom all summer long.

575 W. 3rd St., Lansdale, boardroomspirits.com

Townsend EPX

The summer season offers ample opportunity to delve into what some may think is the best meal of the day—brunch. And at Townsend EPX, the acclaimed French restaurant in the East Passyunk area, Philadelphians can make their brunch experience extra fancy. The eatery’s newly launched brunch menu features some tasty highlights, including the Eggs Benedict (served with brown butter hollandaise, duck fat rösti, and a choice of smoked salmon or Canadian bacon), French Omelette (crafted with goat cheese and herbs alongside a mixed green salad), and Vanilla French Toast (made with sourdough, whipped cream, and orange.) 

Guests can also sip on some brunch-specific cocktails while there. The Fraise Royal for one is fashioned with gin, house-made strawberry shrub, lemon and sparkling rosé with rose geranium. There’s also the Breakfast Old Fashioned spiked with a coffee-maple syrup. 

1623 E. Passyunk Ave., townsendepx.com

The Twisted Tail

Looking for summer treats in Philadelphia? Well, The Twisted Tail has brought back a fan favorite. The establishment’s popular Champagne Pop is back this year and will officially return Memorial Day Weekend. The refreshing sipper features champagne poured over the dealer’s choice of ice pops (ranging in flavors from watermelon to pineapple to blueberry) served in a traditional coupe glass. Philadelphians can try it out for themselves for $15 at the Headhouse Square venue. 

509 S. 2nd St., thetwistedtail.com

Kouklet Brazilian Bakehouse

Recently, Kouklet Brazilian Bakehouse owner Mardhory Santos-Cepeda decided to fix her donut problem. Since opening her East Passyunk spot this past winter, Cepeda has had trouble keeping up with donut orders, selling out shortly after opening whenever they’re made available on weekends. So, she decided to now offer her donuts — which are also called “Sonhos,” which translates to “dreams” in Portuguese — every Thursday for the foreseeable future starting at 8 a.m.

The “Dream Cream Donuts,” will be offered in limited supplies (100 per week, not including weekends), and for now, pre-orders will not be taken. Guests can purchase up to half a dozen at a time, and flavors will include Classic Vanilla; Double Chocolate, Sesame; and Strawberry. Kouklet’s Sonhos are priced at $5 apiece, and Cepeda will also offer other seasonal flavors during the weekends, including Rhubarb.

1647 E. Passyunk Ave., kouklet.com

SouthGate

The summer-time usually calls for a burger, but why not take it up a notch and try something a little different in that category? The South Philly spot’s gastropub menu of Korean-American cuisine includes two takes on the cheeseburger: First, the 8 oz. Bulgogi burger is served on a brioche bun with pickles, gochugaru-spiked aioli and fries. The second options comes in the form of a stacked Kimchi Cheese Burger, which is also made with a bulgogi-marinated beef patty, plus Kewpie mayo, perilla leaf, bacon, cheese, and topped with sauteed kimchi. 

1801 Lombard St., southgatephilly.com

New Liberty Distillery

Looking for some refreshing summer treats in Philadelphia? According to a release, South Kensington’s craft distillery (and home to award-winning spirit lines such as the revived heritage Kinsey brand,) recently launched its lush al fresco cocktail garden just in time for patio season, complete with a rejuvenated craft cocktail menu featuring a breezy and tropical Surf’s Up ($12) crafted with Dreadnought White Rum, Single Prop Coconut Rum, cream of coconut, pineapple, house tiki bitters and a cherry.

1431 Cadwallader St., newlibertydistillery.com