Top Bars With Tropical Drinks In Philadelphia

Tropical mixed drinks and the summer go together like the sun and beach, and the practice of mixing alcoholic drinks with tropical fruit juices is well documented in history. It was common during the Prohibition-era in America during the 1920s. Since consuming alcohol was illegal, people began adding alcohol to glasses containing fruit juices to disguise the true nature of the drinks. Similarly, sugarcane-fermented alcohol, known as brum, was consumed in ancient India and China. The introduction of rum distilled from sugarcane's byproduct, molasses, harvested in the Caribbean, took root in the 17th century. But the popularity of tropical drinks in the 20th century can be traced to Don the Beachcomber, the first tiki bar in the U.S., established in 1933 in Los Angeles. Since that time, the number of recipes for various tropical drinks has grown exponentially. While Philadelphia may not be a beach resort town, it is home to numerous bars and taverns that offer specialty tropical drinks.

Cedar Point Bar and Kitchen
2370 E. Norris St.
Philadelphia, PA 19125
(215) 423-5400
www.cedarpointbarandkitchen.com

Cedar Point Bar and Kitchen has an outdoor deck, in addition to its restaurant and bar seating. While the bar sports rotating selections of tap beers and has a generous wine menu, it has quickly become known for its cocktails too. Staff mixologists are not afraid to concoct new variations on tropical drinks, and all of the drinks are made with fresh fruit juices. Plus, the dining and bar menus include "retro-American" classics.

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Fork
306 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 625-9425
www.forkrestaurant.com

Fork, known as a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement, has been serving the Philadelphia area for more than 15 years. Open seven days a week, the bistro-style restaurant serves tasty, artistically presented fare. In addition to wines and beers, its fruity cocktails include a martini bianco mixed with club soda, lillet white and peach bitters, and citrus cocktails such as a tequila-based drink with lime, grapefruit bitters, cointreau, agave and green tea.

Square 1682
121 S. 17th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 563-5008
www.square1682.com

Featuring modern American cuisine, Square 1682 is known for its fare created by Chef Caitlin Mateo. But master mixologist Jacques Bezuidenhout, along with other bar staff, takes special care with all the drink offerings from wine and beer to original cocktails. Some of the tropical drinks available are the delores del ruby, made with rum, rosewater, raspberry, lemon and peach shrub; the pink flamingos punch, containing two rum varieties, pineapple, lime, elmakule tiki bitters, leaf vanilla tea and coconut sugar; and mama's squeeze box, mixing Tanqueray gin, dry curacao, Moroccan bitters, coconut sugar, lime and sweet vermouth.

Villari's Lakeside
2375 Sicklerville Road
Sickerlerville, NJ 08081
(856) 228-5244
www.villarislakeside.com

A favorite tiki bar , Villari's Lakeside features a thatched-roof hut encircled by seats. Live music is scheduled five days per week. Beers, wines and cocktails are reasonably priced. Founded in 1985, the restaurant is a favorite for wedding parties and other keystone functions. In 1995, the tiki bar was added to the establishment's amenities. Featuring classic tiki drinks, such as the hurricane, mojito and tiki bay sangria, it also offers martinis, tequila drinks and margaritas.

Llama Tooth
1033 Spring Garden St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(267) 639-4582
www.llamatooth.com

A large mural graces the exterior wall overlooking the patio of the Llama Tooth. The restaurant also features a colorful tiki bar. With a drink menu that includes craft beers and wines, it also offers a varied selection of tropical drinks. A year-round favorite is a red or white sangria-based fruit drink. Mimosas are joined by the house margarita, the llamarita, and a fresh fruit cocktail known as the painkiller, to name a few of the tropical drinks available.

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Jeffrey B. Roth, has won numerous state and national news and feature-writing awards during his career. A well-known crime writer, investigative reporter and a feature writer, Roth writes for a number of magazines and newspapers. Listed in the Locus Index of SciFi and Fantasy authors, Roth is the author of a number of published short stories and poetry. His work can be found on Examiner.com.