If you want a whiskey-forward, vinyl-fueled, retro Saturday night and eggs, pastrami, and strawberry and matcha on Sunday morning, this one is for you. This is, yet another snapshot and short love letter to the city that has opened its arms to me and waved me on through when I was uprooted in life. In keeping with my own personal theme of having the most throwback summer in recent years, let me take you on this ride.
Saturday Night: Disco Dive Bar Dreams
At the corner of 11th and Callowhill in a part of Philly also known as “Eraserhood” and under the historical elevated rail line of the Reading Viaduct, sits an unassuming dive bar with a weathered neon sign in a post-industrial style building. Stepping into The Trestle Inn feels like you are entering a relic from another era. You’ll see people floating about in their Almost Famous Penny Lane best; boho 60s shag fur vests and vintage store finds.
There’s a back room for dancing where you’ll find a small stage with tinseled, sparkly streamer curtains for their in-house group of Go-Go dancers (known as The Trestle Specials) to spin and shake it to 60s and 70s soul, funk, disco, and garage music. Guests can join in and dance under the ceiling of multicolored paper lanterns and a disco ball. In the front room/taproom you’ll find a small bar with tables and stools for seating, and old black-and-white movies being projected on the walls. Living up to their slogan of being “Famous for reintroducing the Classic Whiskey Sour to Philadelphia,” they feature six cocktails straight from the 60s, 18 specialty cocktails, and over 70 domestic and international whiskey choices.
I didn’t see a non-alcoholic menu, but asked if I could try the Mary Ann & Ginger Sour as a non-alcoholic drink and the bartenders had no problem with it; it was just as delicious as the regular version and comes with cardamom syrup and Italian Amarena cherry. Home of whiskey and go-go, all summer long; anytime I crave to go back in time I can visit The Trestle Inn any Thursday through Saturday (and they book private parties). Easily in my top five favorite dive bars in Philly.
Sunday Morning: Old School Deli Meets Hangout Space
In college and throughout my 20s, there was a breakfast spot near campus that became the spot for morning-after brunches. Lines always out the door, you’d be with your friends, waiting, slowly working through the lack of sleep and whatever shenanigans you all got into the night before. You’d run into other familiar faces doing the same and exchange waves and smiles over coffee, eggs, and pancakes. Middle Child Clubhouse reminds me of this other place. It made me feel 15 years younger and sent me right back to those days for an hour or two.
A Fishtown cousin to their Center City old school deli and sandwich shop location (I love a solid throwback luncheonette and counter spot), MCC reminds me of the younger, rowdier kid brother. Clubhouse is more spacious, and the atmosphere is relaxed and youthful, encouraging hanging out and catching up in a fun space. They’ve got pool tables, games playing on TV, a bar and counter you can dine at (bonus points), custom jerseys and other merch, wooden ballpark seats, with an order-at-the-counter and wait-to-be-seated style. It was loud, fun, and reminded me of those days at breakfast spots that almost feel like an extension of the night before.
Our group got their classic breakfast sandwich with fluffy eggs and arugula. We ordered the Latka’d hashbrowns with dill cream and Olivia’s Big Pancake with citrus butter for the table and had plenty of leftovers. The egg sandwich and hashbrowns with dill cream were my favorites. The pancake was good, but very rich, so a bite or two was plenty, a good thing to share with a group. They also have a full bar, “Daytime booze menu available — bloody marys, fluffy mimosas, seawater margaritas, and many more sexy bevs”. They make a mean iced strawberry matcha. Strawberry and matcha has been a go-to drink of summer and their iced version (strawberry milk matcha) was one of the best I’ve had. And who can’t get behind some perfectly frozen small pebble ice in a summer bev? A stop at either Middle Child location will be perfect for a retro brunch or lunch bite, and MCC also does dinner.
