The courtyard behind City Tavern in Old City is buzzing again this summer, though not with the clink of pewter tankards colonial patrons once knew. Instead, visitors are sipping ready-to-drink canned cocktails and munching on charcuterie boards in what's now called The Garden at City Tavern, a park-like pop-up set inside the walls of one of the country's original gathering spots. The space sits at South 2nd Street in Philadelphia, and it's open for the summer as part of the city's America 250 push.
According to 6abc Philadelphia, the garden has become a destination for food and drink even though the historic building's indoor restaurant has sat empty since the pandemic forced its closure. Historic Philadelphia, Inc. partnered with Independence National Historical Park to reinvent the garden specifically for the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations, according to the station's reporting. The pop-up offers light bites, mocktails, canned cocktails, and local beers, all served in a setting far more casual than the colonial-themed restaurant that once occupied the building.
A Modern Menu Replaces Colonial Fare
Catering company Cescaphe now handles all the food service, and it's doing so from an off-site commissary rather than the building's long-dormant kitchens, as detailed by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Unlike the old City Tavern, where staff once dressed in period costumes, seasonal workers at the garden pop-up wear modern attire. The food menu includes a charcuterie board for sharing, a vegan wrap, and a turkey sandwich — a notable departure from the 18th-century recipes the site was once known for.
The drink menu leans into the anniversary theme with canned cocktails created exclusively for the site, including Patriots Punch, Birthday Brew, Liberty Lemonade, and Summer House Seltzer, per Metro Philadelphia. Non-alcoholic options include an Old Fashioned Mocktail and a kids' Lil Pony Punch served in souvenir cups. The garden's atmosphere also features colonial-style games such as cornhole, and visitors can meet history makers — historic interpreters portraying real people from the past.
Why the Historic Restaurant Never Reopened
The building's indoor restaurant closed in October 2020, a shutdown widely attributed at the time to the COVID-19 pandemic. But former chef-proprietor Walter Staib later said mounting building maintenance liabilities were the true driver behind the closure, the Inquirer reported. The pandemic also contributed to the building falling into disrepair, and as of this summer the National Park Service was still negotiating with prospective long-term operators after issuing a request for proposals in 2023 seeking a lessee for the 15,100-square-foot facility.
Staib ran City Tavern from 1994 until its 2020 closure, drawing on 18th-century cookbooks like Hannah Glasse's 1747 culinary text to recreate colonial dishes for more than 26 years while hosting the Emmy-winning PBS series A Taste of History, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia. The current building itself is a replica: the original 1773 structure was badly damaged by fire in 1834 and demolished entirely by 1854, leaving the site vacant for more than a century until the National Park Service rebuilt it for the 1976 Bicentennial, according to Philadelphia Magazine.
A Hub for Revolutionary History
City Tavern's role in American history predates any restaurant. When John Adams arrived in Philadelphia for the First Continental Congress in August 1774, he called it “the most genteel tavern in America,” noting in his diary that delegates gathered there to dine and debate after formal sessions at nearby Carpenters' Hall, according to the National Constitution Center. After the U.S. Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, delegates adjourned from the Pennsylvania State House to hold a celebratory farewell dinner at the tavern, as recorded in George Washington's diary and reported by CBS Philadelphia.
Tour operators are already building the garden into paid programming tied to the anniversary. Historic Philadelphia, Inc. has made the space the final stop on its $145-per-ticket Independence After Hours Saturday evening tours, which combine a private after-hours visit to Independence Hall with colonial reenactments before ending with toasts at the pop-up, per Metro Philadelphia.
Part of a Bigger Old City Push
The garden's summer run through Labor Day on September 7 fits into a broader wave of America 250 investment in Old City. The nearby First Bank of the United States reopened in July following a $40 million renovation that turned the 1797 landmark into an interactive museum after nearly 50 years closed to the public, according to reporting compiled by Evrim Ağacı. Organizers have indicated The Garden at City Tavern could be extended into the fall or return for the 2027 season if this summer proves successful, per PhillyVoice's coverage. For now, it's open Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., giving Philadelphians and America 250 visitors alike a reason to linger where the country's founders once argued policy over dinner.
