June 12, 2022
Courtesy of/Steve Legato
Balcony Bar at the Kimmel Center opens for the summer on Wednesday, June 15 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Light bites and Center City SIPS specials will be served each Wednesday for an extended happy hour through Aug. 31.
After a two-year pandemic pause, Center City Sips — Philadelphia's infamous summer happy hour — returned to bars and restaurants around the city at the beginning of June.
As part of the seasonal celebration, Balcony Bar at the Kimmel Center is set to reopen for the summer on Wednesday, June 15. The pop-up will be open each Wednesday evening from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in conjunction with Sips, featuring a rotating lineup of DJs and extended happy hour specials.
Its menu — a mixture of summery light bites and beer, wine and cocktail specials — was formulated by Chef Jose Garces, whose culinary styles are featured throughout the city.
Each Wednesday through the end of summer, visitors are encouraged to take a break from the summer heat and cool off at Balcony Bar, trying out the new menu while looking out at the view of the city.
"Balcony Bar is our official start to summer, the perfect excuse to enjoy good food and refreshing drinks with iconic Philadelphia views," said Matias Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center. "Alongside our partners at Center City SIPS and Garces Events, we're curating a rotating lineup of DJs, once again making Broad Street the place to be for outdoor fun with friends."
As part of Center City Sips, Balcony Bar at Kimmel Center will feature a menu of light bites and drink specials during its weekly extended happy hour from 4:30 to 7 p.m. each Wednesday.
The full food menu is below, courtesy of Garces. After the extended happy hour, guests are encouraged to venture down to Volvér, Garces' Kimmel Center restaurant, for a 15% discounted dinner for those who mention Balcony Bar. Reservations are available here.
• Serrano ham montidito: manchego, guindilla aioli, pickled pear onion, grilled baguette, $6"I can't wait to have you all come chill out in the Balcony Bar at Kimmel Center this summer," said Garces. "The Paloma specialty cocktail is one of my favorites to sip on while taking in the beautiful views of the Avenue of the Arts. There's truly nothing that says summer more than the combination of center city Sips and those amazing city views."
• Tinned sardine box: guindilla escabeche, nori butter on fresh baguette, chorizo, $6
• Brochette: olive, mahon, guindilla, $5
• Compressed melon salad: whipped idiazabal, cucumber, spiced almond crumble, $4
• Alfajores: pistachio shortbread, dulce de leche center, dark chocolate, $4
• House beer: $4
• House wine: $5
• Paloma (tequila, citrus soda): $6
• Diablo (tequila, ginger beer and lime): $6
• WooWoo (orange vodka, peach liquor, cranberry and soda): $6
Balcony Bar features a lineup of specialty drinks in conjunction with Center City Sips. These include the Paloma, Diablo, WooWoo and a line of discounted beers, wines and liquors.
Other June DJ sets include RES (June 22) and DJ Lean Wit It (June 29). July DJs include Rebel Foster (July 6), Craig Dash (July 13), Mike Nyce (July 20) and Cosmo Baker (July 27).
In August, DJs include Lee Jones (Aug. 3), Royale (Aug. 10), Francisco Collazo (Aug. 17), Aktive (Aug. 24) and Nashirah (Aug. 31).
June 15 through Aug. 31, 2022
Wednesdays from 4:30 to 7 p.m. | Pay-as-you-go
Kimmel Center
300 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102
