Brewerytown is more than just the booze.
Its name originates from its legacy as a hub for German breweries in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today there's a variety of businesses in the neighborhood, from cafes to thrift shops, even as some local taprooms are keeping the past alive.
The neighborhood’s boundaries run roughly between Oxford and Poplar streets in the north-south direction, and between 25th and 33rd streets from east to west, according to the Fairmount Community Development Corporation. Girard Avenue serves as a prominent business corridor.
So what’s there to do if you visit?
Grab a Bite
Bagels & Co. goes beyond the classic cream cheese, with sweet and savory flavors to choose from. (Siani Colón / City Cast)
Don’t start your day on an empty stomach. Here’s where you can go for a quick snack.
- 🛹 Together Skateboarding & Coffee offers classic cafe drinks and pastries, and in the back you can also find apparel and skate decks for sale.
- 🥯 Bagels & Co.’s delectable options aren’t just limited to the bagels – you can slather some sundried tomato, honey nut, or even Oreo cream cheese onto your order.
Be One With Nature
Stop here if you need some fresh air or are scoping out a sanctuary.
- 🌱 Brewerytown Garden serves about 80 households in the community, growing thousands of pounds of food to share at its farm stand including rhubarb, strawberries, and asparagus.
- 🏀 Considered “the Jewel of Brewerytown,” Athletic Square Park is the community’s central community space with its large sports field, basketball courts, and recreation center bringing residents together.
For the Kiddos
- 🧸 Kith + Kin allows the imagination of kids and their caregivers to break free in its indoor playspace. Beyond the playroom, it also offers support groups and educational classes to encourage healthy childhood development and parenthood.
Images of Brewerytown’s past depicted on the neighborhood's walls. (Siani Colón / City Cast)
Cop Some Like-New Threads
If you’re looking to freshen up your wardrobe, you can stroll down Girard Ave. for a fresh fit while shopping sustainably.
- 👖 Proceeds from Philly Unknown’s Community Thrift & Workforce Center support people recovering from addiction and formerly incarcerated individuals, with all items marked at $5.
- 🎵 Retro Rewind’s collection is a blast from the past, offering a curation of vintage clothing and accessories while you groove to music from way back when.
Have a Drink or Two
- 🍻 Otto’s Taproom & Grille sources ingredients from regional farms with specials rotating monthly. “The Otto” is a handheld with braised beef cheek, drunken goat cheese, cherry pepper relish, and a baguette. And its signature cocktail, “Otto’s Little Helper,” includes scotch, cinnamon, apple cider, and honey.
- 🍺 2637brew’s menu offers a variety of sharables, sandwiches, and mains along with 14 craft beers and cocktails.
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
- 🍰 New June Bakery’s buttercream cakes invoke a nostalgic, whimsical feel with their colorful palette and old-school piping. The former pop-up just opened its storefront in December 2024 and also offers cake decorating classes.
How To Get There
🚌 Brewerytown is a fairly walkable neighborhood, with SEPTA routes 3, 7, 15, 48, and 49 passing through.
