Coronavirus be damned. The virus has canceled the St. Patrick’s Day parade, but there’s still a ton of green-clad fun, festivities, food and especially drinks for you to consider.
With that said, we had scores of restaurants, bars and other spots to provide their master plan for this St. Paddy’s Day weekend. From food specials to great finds on both beer and specialty cocktails, you don’t have to slum it drinking low-budget light beer this weekend.
The weekend doesn’t mean the end of the festivities either. St. Patrick’s Day, coming up on Tuesday is no time to be alone or, well, sober. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re planning your celebration:
Urban Farmer
The rustic-chic restaurant and bar on Logan Circle is offering guests a bevy of Saint Patrick’s Day fare:
All Day: Corned Beef Hash – House brined and braised corned beef sautéed with fingerling potatoes, onions, braised cabbage, and mirepoix, finished with a whiskey beef glace ($21).
Bar/Lounge: (starting at 3 p.m.): Bangers & Mash – Poached house-made Irish sausage, whipped potatoes, and Guinness onion gravy ($19).
Whole Restaurant: (starting at 5 p.m. as an app or side addition): Shepherd’s Pie – Ground lamb, sweet green peas, mirepoix, and browned mashed potatoes ($14).
Entree: Dublin Lawyer – Butter poached lobster, whiskey cream sauce, colcannon mashed potatoes, asparagus ($40).
Dessert: Milk Chocolate Bailey’s Pot De Crème – House-made Irish potatoes, ground Oreos, micro greens, and gold leaf. | 1850 Benjamin Franklin Parkway (215) 963-2788, urbanfarmerphiladelphia.com
Assembly Rooftop Lounge
Located nine stories up on top of The Logan Hotel, the lounge is offering guests an Irish Exit ($14). Made with Tullamore Dew, La Colombe Coffee, a sugar cube, and French cream, this libation can be enjoyed by the fire while taking in views of Logan Circle and beyond. | 1840 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 783-4171, assemblyrooftop.com
Red Owl Tavern
Old City’s American tavern located across from Independence Mall is offering imbibers an Irish take on a city wide – a pint of Guinness and shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey for $10 all day on Saint Patrick’s Day | 433 Chestnut St. (215) 923-2267, redowltavern.com
It’s a Revolution
Join a Revolutionary St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 from 5 – 8 pm at the Museum of the American Revolution.
Raise a pint and sing along to songs of the Irish Revolution to toast the final night of the Cost of Revolution: The Life and Death of an Irish Soldier special exhibition. Throughout the evening, grab one of the $4 beers available during happy hour in the Museum’s Cross Keys Café and enjoy live Irish music. Those who are 21-plus can enjoy free samples of Hochstadter’s Slow & Low Liquid Sunshine Cocktail.
Afterward, play-test a yet to be released history-focused video game, explore galleries and see one of the last appearances of Irish soldier Richard St. George in his acclaimed 30-minute theatrical performance.
The event is part of the museum’s History After Hours series that features extended evening hours, special themed programs, happy hour food and drink specials in Cross Keys Café, and full access to the museum’s exhibits. | History After Hours $10 (free for museum members) (215) 253-6731, 101 S. Third St. amrevmuseum.org
Profs and Pints
Mindful that its mission involves giving the public a chance to enjoy a pint as they learn from professors, Profs and Pints is offering Philadelphians new reason to raise a pint of Guinness on Saint Patrick’s Day: A chance to learn a bit of Ireland’s mother tongue.
Roslyn Blyn-LaDrew, who teaches Irish Gaelic as a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, has agreed to take the Profs and Pints stage at the Cambria Hotel in Philadelphia’s Center City to offer an introductory lesson in the language. While no one will leave the event fluent in the language, participants will at least walk out better equipped to enjoy trips to Ireland and, in the short term, celebrate their Saint Patrick’s Day like a pro.
The lesson in the Irish language takes place at 6 pm Tuesday, March 17 (Saint Patrick’s Day) at the Cambria Hotel located at 219 South Broad St. Advance tickets are $12 and are available at profspintsphillyirish.brownpapertickets.com.
People also may gain entry at the door for $15, or $13 with a student ID.
Stay home and drink
Here are a few recipes from Caledonia Spirits and Runamok Maple that will be perfect for those hosting St. Patrick’s Day festivities this year.
Caledonia Spirits: Vermont Coffee
Create this friendly play on Irish coffee:
1.5 oz Tom Cat Gin
Black Strong Coffee
0.5 oz Maple syrup
Maple / Angostura Whipped Cream
Combine ingredients in an Irish coffee glass, top with the whipped cream.
To make the Maple / Angostura Whipped Cream:
Whip in a bowl or shake without ice in a shaker:
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
7 dashes of angostura bitters
Flippin’ Lucky:
1.5 oz Tom Cat Gin
3 oz Irish Stout
1 Whole Egg
0.5 oz Raw Honey Syrup
An Orange Wheel (aka. Orange sunshine)
Pour 3 oz of Irish Stout into the bottom of a cocktail glass. Combine the Tom Cat Gin, egg, raw honey syrup and orange in a shaker tin with ice. Shake then double strain into the glass. Fun fact, a flip is a cocktail that uses a whole egg.
‘A hop skip and a jump to Tipperary’:
1.5 oz Tom Cat Gin
0.75 oz Green Chartreuse
0.75 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, stir, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
This is a play on the classic Tipperary cocktail which is made with Irish Whiskey.
The story behind the classic drink, which first appeared in Hugo R. Ensslin’s 1917 book, “Recipes for Mixed Drinks,” is that a guest walked in, asked for a drink, and was humming the song “It’s a Long Road to Tipperary,” which was an anthem for homesick Irish soldiers in the British army during World War I. Tipperary is also a county in Ireland.
Runamok Maple: The Dude
2 oz vodka
1 oz Runamok Coffee Infused Maple Syrup
½ cup milk or cream
Ice
Pour the vodka and Runamok Coffee Infused Maple into a short glass and stir. Top with milk or cream and add ice.
The Snow Melt:
1 ½ oz Stonecutter Spirits Heritage Cask Whiskey
1 oz Lillet Rouge
½ oz Green Chartreuse
¼ oz Runamok Hibiscus Flower Infused Maple Syrup
2 dashes Regan’s orange bitters
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Strain over large ice cubes in a rocks glass. Garnish with flamed orange peel and boozy amarena cherry. Note: American Spoon brandied cherries can be used as an alternative.
Boozy Amarena Cherries:
1 cup amarena cherries with syrup
1 cup kirsch
1oz Grand Marnier
1 dash allspice
Combine in a saucepan and simmer on low for 5 minutes to integrate flavor. You can also skip the heat and combine ingredients and let marinate for 24 hours.
