R&D

Winner of Best Cocktail Bar in Philadelphia Magazine's Best of Philly, R&D brings the experimental ethos of its name to a dark, gorgeous Fishtown space from the team behind Suraya and Pizzeria Beddia. The cocktail list changes every few months, with the bar team given genuine creative freedom to develop menus that push boundaries — fermented tepache as a cocktail base, miso-washed spirits, drinking vinegars turned into sours. The room is moody, the crowd is young and engaged, and walk-ins are welcomed warmly. Open until 1am on weekends with a Thursday-through-Saturday late-night programme that draws the post-service industry crowd. A bar that treats the cocktail menu as a creative brief, not a formula.