Beer, Wine & Spirits in Philadelphia

True to its name, Just Grapes Lounge focuses on wines, with more than 30 vintages poured by the glass and 18 more varieties sequestered on a reserve bottle list. Microbrews, champagnes, and ports round out the lounge's full bar, complementing a Mediterranean-tinged tapas menu. Small plates, ranging from hummus and crostini to stuffed baked clams, are ideal for smothering appetites or boosting a tiny table's self-esteem. Three styles of rustic pizza artfully pair tomatoes with cheese, whereas molten fondue, served in a bread bowl, comes in varieties including gorgonzola and double-cream brie.

At Wine Legend, owner Mahesh Lekkala and his team of wine enthusiasts introduce oenophiles and first-time sippers to sundry varietals from around the world. The shop’s selection features a massive inventory of reds and whites from Italy, France, Australia, and California. Wine Legend’s consultants help patrons pair wines with meals or tiny ships to build inside the bottles. Wine tastings are available in the shop on Saturday afternoons and can set up tastings at offsite events in homes or offices, paired with house-prepared platters of cheese, crackers, and breads.

In 1936, nearly three years after the end of Prohibition, Station Plaza Wine and Spirits opened its doors. And so long as alcohol has remained legal, Station Plaza has remained on Kraft Avenue, its shop stocked with top-shelf spirits including brandy, tequila, and sambuca.

Though it has a wide selection of hard liquor, the store really specializes in wine. Its collection includes more than 2,500 hand-selected labels from around the world. Wine consultants can help narrow down a patron’s search for the perfect bottle by wine type, region, or producer, and they can even steer customers in the direction of more hard-to-find varietals or organic wines. The Station Plaza team also champions wines that rank in their top-rated category. The discerning criteria for inclusion on this list are taste and seasonality, rather than whether it stains your lips an attractive color. To learn more, check out the wine blog one of Station's owners contributes to.