Bottoms up! We’ll happily take our seasonal fruit in beer form. / Provided
What’s more summery than a sweet, drippy slice of watermelon? Here’s where to get a taste of the season — and you won’t even have to spit out the seeds.
Drink
Beer gardens are hot this summer (among drinkers, anyway, if not some permanent-bar owners). This year the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Pop-Up Beer Garden is on 15th and South and in addition to cocktails and a rotating lineup of food trucks, they’ve got watermelon beer on draft. You can find 21st Amendment’s Hell or High Watermelon Wheat in a lot of city bars — including the new Independence Beer Garden at Sixth and Market — but here you can drink it on a hammock.
Devil’s Den is serving a watermelon Rickey. / Provided
If you’re in the mood for a cocktail instead, try Devil’s Den in South Philly for a watermelon Rickey: Blue Coat gin, fresh blended watermelon, basil simple syrup, lime and a splash of soda.
Down the shore? Continental AC is pouring a Summer Thyme, an alcoholic lemonade made with fresh watermelon puree, pineapple ginger syrup and Veev acai berry liqueur.
Eat
Take your watermelon up a level with the gazpacho at Liberte Lounge. / Provided
At Liberte Lounge in the Sofitel, cool off with Chef Justin Perdue’s watermelon gazpacho, made with vanilla-compressed watermelon, lemon confit, basil sorbet, cucumber and a bit of Banyuls wine vinegar.
Sticking with hotel eateries, The Fountain at the Four Seasons has a watermelon salad with baby kale, Jersey tomato, Burrata, toasted pistachio and aged balsamic vinaigrette.
Blend sweet, tangy and sharp all in one bite with the watermelon, feta and arugula salad at Barren Hill Tavern & Breweryover in Lafayette Hill. Wash it down with one of Barren Hill’s house beers.
