Philly Surf Club’s tropical cocktails drew hundreds to its outdoor pop-ups last summer. As of Thursday, June 11, the roving bar drops anchor in Philly, planting permanent roots at its first fixed address in the historic Devine Lorraine building (699 N.
Broad Street), with an opening menu of playful tropical drinks that take technique seriously. As the nautical name suggests, each cocktail draws inspiration from a beach town around the world.
The menu embraces the island vibes of the Caribbean along with spirits and ingredients from regions like Latin America and the Mediterranean. Expect cocktails that are colorful and vibrant without being overloaded with sugar and juices.
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“I love tiki bars, but this is not that,” beverage director and managing partner Nico Diaz tells Eater. “We’re doing technique-driven tropical cocktails and elegant takes on street food.”
Diaz, who has shaped top bartending programs at celebrated Philly speakeasies Franklin Mortgage and the Ranstead Room, oversees the cocktails. Natalie Maronski, whose career includes nearly a decade spent working under Jose Garces and an appearance on Top Chef Season 16, is the culinary director.
The Surf Club started as a way to drum up some excitement and business during the hot, lazy days of August. The name came, in part, from a graffitied “Out Surfing” message tagged on a concrete pier. Fortunately (or not), no actual watersports were involved.
“The irony. No one’s surfing on the Delaware river,” Diaz jokes.
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After the initial two-day pop-up saw more than 450 guests, it resurfaced over the winter as Philly Ski Club with the support of Underground Concepts, a brand led by Maronski and DJ Del. This time, it made a longer run at the Devine Lorraine Building in Spring Garden. Several months later and back to its summer self, the Surf Club has long-term plans for its 2,300-square-foot indoor home covered in mermaid murals, inquisitive pink flamingos, and overgrown palms.
Maronski and her team are swapping plenty of tips with the bar staff, playing with ideas like incorporating cold-smoked chicken fat into the bar’s Peruvian Sour riff.
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“There really is a great symbiotic relationship between what we’re doing,” Diaz says.
The Ipanema is another unique offering. Inspired by the flavors of a Brazilian breakfast, the cocktail uses mezcal that’s been sous vide with Parmesan cheese. It’s then mixed with cachaça, a Brazilian bread infusion, and a jabuticaba fruit (somewhere between a date and a currant) cordial. It’s served alongside a bala baiana, a coconut and condensed milk candy with a crunchy caramel shell.
The team turned to the Amalfi coast town of Arienzo to construct the low-ABV ode to Italy. A base of nonalcoholic, tart cherry vermouth blends with a trio of bitter Italian amari and a splash of Luxardo espresso liqueur. The ingredients are measured using the Fibonacci sequence, an intentional nod to the playbook of Friday Saturday Sunday head bartender Paul MacDonald.
“It’s important whenever we can to look across the city at what some of our friends are doing,” Diaz says.
Speaking of friends, Philly Surf Club has planned a busy opening season of programming, including guest collaborations with three acclaimed D.C. bars: Press Club, the Green Zone, and Allegory.
Along with embracing the “science-y” side of bartending, with unique flavors and quirky glassware, Diaz emphasizes that his team remains rooted in the classic cocktail bar ethos of quality ingredients and an excellent guest experience.
“Even though our style of cocktailing is a departure from that traditional style, our attention to details and hospitality is going to feel very familiar to a lot of people,” says Diaz.
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