Kedera, a new tiki bar at Uptown Beer Garden, brings a tropical oasis to Center City

Between foggy skies and rainy weather, the past few months have been rather gloomy. But a new watering hole in Center City aims to bring on the summer vibes.

Kedera, a 3,000-square-foot tiki bar and lounge at Uptown Beer Garden, opens this Wednesday, July 12 at 4 p.m. with tropically themed drinks in an outdoor oasis of lush greenery.

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The grand opening, which coincides with the weekly Center City SIPS happy hour, will feature specials on food and drinks, plus DJ entertainment.

On the cocktail menu are frozen drinks like the "Kedera Colada," a mojito, a strawberry daiquiri and a dragonfruit margarita. There are also beers on tap and draft cocktails, like the Mai Tai, "Pirate Mule" and Blue Hawaii. Patrons will receive a take-home souvenir glass with select beverages.

Kedera patrons can enjoy food from the full Uptown menu, which was upgraded this year and includes a variety of dishes from fish and chips to tacos.

Kedera, which means "cedar" in Hawaiian, can hold 150 people, doubling the previous capacity of Uptown. 

The venue's design, which plays off of Uptown's existing garden theme while also distinguishing itself with island decor, includes a custom cedar tiki bar with a thatched roof, tropical cabanas, palm trees, tropical plants, picnic tables and lounge seating. Patrons at Kedera can enjoy DJ music that floats over from Uptown, as well as TVs placed throughout the bar.

Craft Concepts Group, the hospitality group behind the space, is known for its other Philly venues like BRU, Tradesman's and U-Bahn. Its latest project, Kedera, is the first major expansion for Uptown Beer Garden, which opened at its current location near LOVE Park and City Hall in 2021 and has since played host to unique pop-ups (like a "Stranger Things" Halloween bash).

"(Kedera) is our version of an island oasis in the heart of the concrete jungle, that mixes native and tropical plants around a handcrafted cedar bar and tables, expanding our existing Uptown Beer Garden to our largest footprint yet," Craft Concepts Group president Teddy Sourias said. "This is a new themed area that is a new space, a new direction and lots of room for growth. We have special surprises coming up in fall and later in the year for Kedera — so stay tuned."

Kedera's hours are Monday-Thursday 4 p.m.-12 a.m., Friday 4 p.m.-2 a.m., Saturday 11-2 a.m. and Sunday 11-12 a.m. Visitors can enter Kedera through the Uptown Beer Garden entrance (1500 JFK Blvd.), but during SIPS and peak times, the tiki bar can be accessed via its private entrance off 15th Street.