A dark, cozy Japanese-influenced cocktail bar tucked above Ogawa Sushi & Kappo, Almanac features well-crafted drinks from Danny Childs and Rob Scott. Cocktails include both Japanese and locally foraged ingredients and draw on classic builds. Two favorites: The Kasugai Sour, with barley shōchū, Midori, yuzu, lime, and Calpico, and the Juban District with Japanese whisky and Scotch along with Nocino, Japanese vermouth, umeshu, and bitters. What to Get: Juban District, Kasugai Sour

An industry-favorite hangout, R&D offers well-crafted crowd-pleasers like a mulled wine cosmo, freezer martinez, and paloma milk punch. The team puts the same thought into their non-alcoholic offerings, and there’s a particularly nice non-alcoholic penicillin. The vibe is low-key and comfortable, and there’s also a menu of easy snacks like smash burgers, hummus, and arancini if you’re feeling peckish. What to get: N/A Penicillin

The rare place that we’re just as quick to send you for breakfast (don’t miss Olivia's big pancake!) as for cocktails, Middle Child Clubhouse is an all-day local favorite hangout. Try drinks like the Seawater Margarita, a savory celery-laden take on the classic; the MidKid Vieux Carre, an inspired version made with whiskey, brandy, amaro, and Benedictine; or a chai-enhanced espresso martini. The food menu is terrific, so no matter when you visit, be sure to grab a bite. What to get: Seawater Mar

This breezy wine bar offers a fun array of vino by the glass along with cocktails like a freezer martini and draft Negroni. There’s a daily happy hour (held 4 to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 3 to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday) with excellent deals (we drank $8 pours of riesling during our visit). A snack menu includes Mediterranean-ish plates like charred eggplant yogurt or merguez with cornichons and Dijon. What to get: Wines by the glass

A must-visit for both drinks and dinner, Friday, Saturday, Sunday is an anchor of Philly’s Rittenhouse neighborhood and works as both a special occasion destination spot and local favorite bar. Arrive promptly at 4:40 p.m. so you can be in the first wave of folks let in, then work your way through noted barman Paul MacDonald’s terrific cocktails. Take his carousel cocktail menu for a spin to see how he uses the Fibonacci sequence to create balanced drinks. What to get: Fibonacci cocktails

Poison Heart is a cozy, dimly lit spot that makes a nice place for a nightcap. Drinks are affordably priced at $14. Order the freezer Sazerac, made with rye, demerara, and bitters; a rhum agricole painkiller; or the bittersweet Daniella, a Dr. Pepper-amaro highball (as great as it sounds). The service is friendly and there’s also a simple snack menu, in case you want to end the night with a Lillet creme brulee. What to get: Freezer Sazerac, Daniella

For more than a decade, a.bar has been home to some of Philadelphia’s best drink makers. They don’t take reservations, so it’s perfect for happy hour or a nightcap. Try Somebody’s Gotta Do It, a stirred Saturn with gin, lime cordial, passion fruit, falernum, and sherry or the Ocular Patdown, a tequila soda with Braulio, Bonal, rosemary, and yuzu. If you need a snack, food is available from sister restaurant a.kitchen next door. What to get: Somebody’s Gotta Do It, chickpea panisse

You can stop in at most any bar in Philadelphia and order a “Citywide.” This is the local shorthand for Citywide Special, a beer and shot combo that’s most often a can of PBR and a shot of Jim Beam. The slang got its start decades ago here at Bob and Barbara’s, where the order is known more simply as The Special. Bob and Barbara’s is cash-only, and known for their Thursday night drag shows and live jazz music. No matter the night, they keep the party going until 2 a.m. What to get: The Special