Fishtown occupies a roughly one-square-mile grid northeast of Center City Philadelphia, bounded loosely by the Delaware River to the east, Girard Avenue to the north, and the elevated Market-Frankford Line tracks to the south and west. Once a working-class fishing and manufacturing neighborhood, it has evolved into one of Philadelphia’s densest concentrations of independent restaurants, bars, and music venues. Frankford Avenue serves as its commercial spine, lined with coffee shops, cocktail bars, and boutiques from Front Street north toward Girard.
What is Fishtown known for?
Fishtown is best known for its live-music venues, craft-cocktail culture, and a restaurant scene that draws national attention, anchored along Frankford Avenue and East Girard Avenue where venues like Kung Fu Necktie, The Foundry at Cherry Street Pier, and bars such as Loco Pez and Garage Fishtown operate within a few walkable blocks. The neighborhood also has a strong mural tradition, with large-scale works visible on building facades throughout the grid. Its proximity to the Delaware River waterfront adds recreational green space at Penn Treaty Park, one of the oldest parks in Philadelphia.
Best things to do in Fishtown
Visitors can catch an independent or national touring act at Kung Fu Necktie on Frankford Avenue, browse the weekend markets and events at Cherry Street Pier on the Delaware waterfront, and explore the rotating gallery shows at local art spaces. Penn Treaty Park, at the foot of Columbia Avenue along the river, offers unobstructed views of the Ben Franklin Bridge and New Jersey shoreline and is a genuine local gathering point on weekends.
- Attend a live show at Kung Fu Necktie on Frankford Avenue
- Walk Cherry Street Pier’s vendors and waterfront promenade
- Explore murals along Frankford and Girard avenues
- Visit Penn Treaty Park for Delaware River waterfront views
- Browse independent boutiques and record shops on Frankford Avenue
Where to eat in Fishtown
Fishtown’s restaurant scene is concentrated on Frankford Avenue and East Girard Avenue and spans tacos, wood-fired pizza, and innovative American menus, with spots including Loco Pez for Mexican street food, Suraya for Lebanese cuisine, and Pizzeria Beddia widely regarded as one of the top pizzas in the country. Wm. Mulherin’s Sons on Frankford Avenue offers cocktails and Italian-American plates in a restored whiskey blending house, making it one of the most atmospheric dining rooms in the city.
- Suraya: Lebanese mezze and garden dining on Frankford Avenue
- Pizzeria Beddia: acclaimed wood-fired pies, limited nightly capacity
- Wm. Mulherin’s Sons: cocktails in a historic whiskey warehouse
- Loco Pez: casual tacos and margaritas on East Girard
- rivertwice: farm-to-table tasting menus on Frankford Avenue
How to get to Fishtown
The fastest transit connection is the SEPTA Market-Frankford Line (the El), with the Girard Station stop placing riders directly at the northern edge of the neighborhood’s main commercial corridor; the Berks Station stop on the same line deposits passengers closer to the southern end near Memphis Taproom and Frankford Hall. From Center City the ride is roughly five to eight minutes. SEPTA Bus Route 15 runs the length of Girard Avenue through Fishtown. Ride-share drop-offs along Frankford Avenue are common, and the neighborhood is flat and bikeable via protected lanes connecting to the Delaware River Trail.
Where to walk in Fishtown
The most rewarding walk runs south to north along Frankford Avenue from the Berks El station past coffee shops, bars, and restaurants to East Girard Avenue, then east one block to the river trail toward Cherry Street Pier and Penn Treaty Park, covering roughly one and a half miles of continuously active streetscape and waterfront. A secondary loop follows East Girard Avenue west from Frankford toward Front Street, where the density of murals and independent bars is highest.
Best time to visit Fishtown
Late spring through early fall (May through September) is the peak period, when Cherry Street Pier’s outdoor programming is active, Penn Treaty Park hosts events, and rooftop and patio seating at bars like Frankford Hall opens fully; weekend evenings year-round draw consistent crowds to the music venues and restaurants, while weekday mornings are the calmest time to explore coffee shops and murals without congestion.
