The Brooklyn
of Philadelphia is
Fishtown.

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Live music Craft beer Natural wine Coffee culture Emerging Walkable
The case for Fishtown

Fishtown is the coolest neighborhood in Philadelphia for natural wine shops, walkable coffee roasters, and old Irish bars.

Fishtown is a former working-class neighborhood where the old Irish bars never left but the natural wine shops moved in next door. Everything runs along Frankford Avenue, a long, walkable strip where you'll pass a Lebanese restaurant that looks like a palace, a record shop, and three coffee roasters before lunch. It still feels like Philly here. People are loud and the food is serious.

On May 2, 2026, the 4th annual Fishtown Music & Arts Festival packed 7 stages, 100+ vendors, and 25+ performers onto Fishtown's streets under the El at Front & Palmer.
Close contenders

Other cool neighborhoods in Philadelphia.

Northern Liberties

Northern Liberties got there first. A few more wine bars, a few more condos. Still has good bars on 2nd Street and the Piazza is worth a walk-through.

East Passyunk

East Passyunk is the South Philly answer. Italian roots run deep, but now there's Vietnamese, Mexican, and some of the best restaurants in the city along that diagonal avenue.

Brewerytown

Brewerytown is quieter and still figuring itself out. A handful of great breweries along Girard Avenue and cheaper rent. New restaurant permits and a string of recently opened storefronts suggest the tipping point is close.

See the full shortlist, ranked →
Three sides of the neighborhood

Where to go in Fishtown.

01
Stay in Fishtown

Wm.
02
Eat & Drink in Fishtown

Frankford Avenue is the whole story.
03
Do & Shop in Fishtown

Johnny Brenda's at Frankford and Girard has live music upstairs most nights - check the calendar.
All 24 spots mapped out

Fishtown, corner to corner.

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Our 24 top picks

The Fishtown guide.

Practical info

Good to know.

The boring numbers that decide whether you stay three days or four.

CurrencyUSD
LanguageEnglish
Cost level $$$Moderate to expensive
Best monthsMay to June and September to October
Local time UTC-4
Plug type US plug · 120V/60Hz
Emergency911
Local tip
Walk Frankford Ave from Girard to York on a Saturday afternoon. That twelve-block stretch is the whole neighborhood in miniature.
North America · USA

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Head to head

How does Philadelphia stack up?

All comparisons →

Baltimore vs Philadelphia

North America

Boston vs Philadelphia

North America

Detroit vs Philadelphia

North America

Philadelphia vs Pittsburgh

North America

Philadelphia vs Richmond

North America
Common questions

Things to know about Fishtown.

What is the Brooklyn of Philadelphia?
The Brooklyn of Philadelphia is Fishtown. Fishtown is a former working-class neighborhood where the old Irish bars never left but the natural wine shops moved in next door. On May 2, 2026, the 4th annual Fishtown Music & Arts Festival packed 7 stages, 100+ vendors, and 25+ performers onto Fishtown's streets under the El at Front & Palmer.
What is the coolest neighborhood in Philadelphia?
Fishtown is widely considered the coolest neighborhood in Philadelphia. Fishtown is a former working-class neighborhood where the old Irish bars never left but the natural wine shops moved in next door. Everything runs along Frankford Avenue, a long, walkable strip where you'll pass a Lebanese restaurant that looks like a palace, a record shop, and three coffee roasters before lunch. It still feels like Philly here. People are loud and the food is serious.
Where should I stay in Fishtown, Philadelphia?
The best boutique hotels in Fishtown include Lokal Hotel, Anna & Bel, and Wm. Mulherin’s Sons. Lokal Hotel is the one to book first. Six loft-style suites sit on Front Street right under the El, close enough to hear the trains rattle between Girard and Berks. The husband-and-wife architects behind it built the place new in 2017, pairing hotel bathrooms with real kitchens, cocktail kits, and a guidebook called "Get Lost Like a Boss.
Is Fishtown in Philadelphia safe at night?
Fishtown is generally safe, especially the corridor along Frankford and Girard avenues where most visitors stay. Walk with normal city awareness after midnight, particularly on quieter side streets east of Frankford. Rideshares are cheap and plentiful. The neighborhood is residential at its core, so streets get quiet by 11pm outside the main bar strip.
Is Philadelphia expensive?
Philadelphia sits at the higher end, though Fishtown eases the sting: its boutique hotels run 20 to 30% below comparable Center City rooms, and January and February rates fall 30 to 40% below fall peak. Budget for 18 to 20% tips at sit-down restaurants, and note some places add a 3 to 4% card surcharge.
When is the best time to visit Philadelphia?
Hit Philadelphia in May and June or September and October, when highs land between 18 and 26C and the humidity backs off. Spring puts cherry blossoms along the river; fall is prime for biking and patio sitting. Skip July and August, which turn hot and sticky above 32C with thunderstorms, and winter, which is cold and damp without dependable snow.

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