Drew Lazor

Talk to any Philadelphian of a certain age—let’s say, elder millennial and above—about their first tattoo and you’re likely to hear a story that starts in the same place: on South Street. It makes sense that the long-time home of Philly’s counter-culture would also be the place to get your first, or fiftieth, piece of ink. Many of those classic tattooing institutions remain and are worth your visit. But they’re hardly your only choice. From Fishtown to South Philly, a new generation of world-class artists has picked up the needle, bringing a wide range of styles and experiences. Whether you’re a walk-in going on an impulse or if you prefer to spend months combing through an artist’s Instagram page, there’s a place for you on this list. Here, the best tattoo shops in Philadelphia. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in Philadelphia

Full disclosure: some of the very best attractions in Philly are tourist traps, but there are a ton of non-touristy things to do in Philadelphia that you should definitely try to tackle after climbing those famous Rocky steps and gazing at the Liberty Bell.  Only got 12 hours in town? Worry not: follow our guide and you'll be able to explore top neighborhoods, restaurants, bars and even snap photos at the most Instagrammable spots around town in whatever time you have. Speaking of time, let's not waste any: go on and take the City of Brotherly Love in all of its glory. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best things to do in Philadelphia

Those who come to Philadelphia usually arrive with a few specific goals in mind: the Liberty Bell, the Rocky Statue and losing their face in the best Philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia. While mainstays like Pat’s and Geno’s aka “Cheesesteak Vegas” are among the Philadelphia attractions that aren’t to be missed, you shouldn’t limit yourself to a cheesesteak there. Below are 10 of the best renditions of sliced-up beef with queso and/or onions you’re going to find in a city overrun with cheesesteak options. And while you’re eating your way through the city, keep your eyes peeled for some of the best bakeries Philadelphia has to offer. Our Italian desserts are out of this world. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in Philadelphia

Though this city boasts Spanish-speaking populations from around the world, Mexican restaurants in Philadelphia have long dominated the culinary conversation when it comes to local Latin flavor. But that’s starting to change, thanks to a substantial wave of new Central and South American concepts appearing in the past year. Follow our quick guide to noteworthy new Latin restaurants in Philadelphia to find spicy Venezuelan arepas, Guatemalan pupusas and mouthwatering Peruvian ceviche. For the ultimate experience, head to one of the best bars in Philadelphia before dinner for a Latin-inspired cocktail such as a pisco sour at Writer’s Block Rehab or something Mezcal based at Lolita or La Calaca Feliz. Find the list of the top Latin American restaurants Philadelphia has to offer below. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in Philadelphia

Between its thriving native scene and the big-name touring acts, this city is a stellar town for live music. Philadelphia plays home to stages that vary wildly in size, style and geography, but share a common form-over-flash attitude that’s beautifully local. Whether you're a hometowner or just visiting, seeing live music is one of the best things to do in Philadelphia. Here are just a dozen of the best live music venues this town has to offer, running from South Broad Street up to Center City and through the Loft District out to Fishtown. Be sure to make a night of it. Many of these venues double as some of the best bars in Philadelphia to grab a drink before the show and, for the late-night crowd, they're located near other Philadelphia nightclubs.

The invention of the American tiki bar—those rum-soaked, South Pacific–themed spots serving tropical cocktails and pu pu platters—is most often credited to Ernest Gantt, a well-traveled NOLA entrepreneur (and alleged bootlegger) who opened the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood in the early 1930s. Several old-school L.A. tiki bars are still going strong, but a new generation of exotic drinking dens is bringing twists on Polynesian kitsch and umbrella-shaded drinks to cities across the country, including Chicago and NYC. 

The invention of the American tiki bar—those rum-soaked, South Pacific–themed spots serving tropical cocktails and pu pu platters—is most often credited to Ernest Gantt, a well-traveled NOLA entrepreneur (and alleged bootlegger) who opened the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood in the early 1930s. Several old-school L.A. tiki bars are still going strong, but a new generation of exotic drinking dens is bringing twists on Polynesian kitsch and umbrella-shaded drinks to cities across the country, including Chicago and NYC. 

Born and raised in Guatemala, Sofia Deleon came to the States a decade ago to further her education, earning a B.S. in food industry management from Michigan State and an advanced degree in food marketing from St. Joseph’s. She’s parlayed her academic cred into a rising local brand in, currently operating in pop-up mode as she hunts for a brick-and-mortar. Busy with corporate-office catering gigs during the day, Deleon can sometimes be found at South Philly’s Garage at night, offering an accessible menu inspired by the building blocks of ancient Mayan cuisine: corn, chili, chocolate and beans. Her signature dish is pupusas, corn-based flatbreads served with meat (carnitas) or not (cheese and serrano pepper).

Venezuelan cooking has more in common with Caribbean cuisines than with the food of its bordering South American nations. It’s just one oft-overlooked aspect of the culture highlighted by Puyero Venezuelan Flavor, which opened in early 2017. While beloved BYOBs like Sazon focus on a swath of Venezuelan cooking, Puyero’s taut street-food menu is big on arepas, hearty corn patties sliced like a sandwich bun and stuffed with fillings such as the quintessential pabellón (shredded beef, black beans, plantains) and the nontraditional sospechosa (smoked salmon with avocado).

Arepas are the calling card at Fishtown’s TartAreperia 18.64. The restaurant, which recently expanded into an adjacent space that can host 100-person parties, tweaks the format, crafting the maize-based dough into easy-to-eat cups that hold fillings like cazón (shredded cod) and pernil (roast pork).

When customers ask Jezabel Careaga if she’s got hot sauce, she likes to joke that she grew up closer to Antarctica than Mexico, a statement of Argentinian identity that’s as telling as it is geographically accurate. The food of this southern nation of South America is heavily influenced by European cooking. While restaurants like Malbec Argentine Steakhouse in Head House Square go for a more high-end expression of Argentine cuisine, Careaga goes for a homier café vibe at Jezabel’s, her Fitler Square hangout, which serves a variety of empanadas, sweet alfajores and other staples made from scratch.

Located in the diverse Cedar Park section of West Philadelphia, Spirited stands out amid the Philly tattoo fray thanks to its engagement with LGBTQ communities and all “marginalized voices, artists and identities”—a proactive response to the antiquated attitudes of some in the industry. The cozy, open-floor-plan shop, opened by owner-artist Jasmine T. Morrell in 2015, extends its inclusive philosophy to occasional event/gallery programming that’s centered around social justice and fundraising for congruous causes.

Sitting atop the much-Instagrammed rummage shop Jinxed on Passyunk Avenue—you actually enter the vintage variety store to gain access to the studio—Eastern Pass is a four-artist setup with a specialty in Japanese- and American-style body art. Just a couple blocks down from the “Singing Fountain,” it’s the premier tattoo shop operating along the ever-growing East Passyunk corridor.

In the true South Philly tradition, Dakini is a small-but-inviting shop with a diverse artist roster that’s got the chops to take on Japanese-, Americana- and pop culture-inspired jobs, as well as highly customized pieces. The Snyder Avenue space does accept some walk-ins on the basis of availability, but most of Dakini’s artists work by appointment.

Perhaps the most instantly recognizable name in Philly tattooing, Eddie’s is a revered shop that has held down its Queen Village corner for decades. The shop’s catchy slogan—“old school before you were in school”—says it all: They do things a certain way here, as dictated by “Crazy” Eddie Funk, the shop’s pioneering and highly respected namesake. Though Funk passed away in 2016, his outsize reputation and influence on American tattooing as an artform lives on in this flagship shop.

Situated in an airy exposed-brick space in Fishtown’s 2424 Studios, True Hand is a tight operation established by tattooer Mike Ski and designer Jessie Jay. The appointment-only body-art operation, home to six artists, doubles as a graphic design studio that contributes logo, branding and concept work to local and national businesses—from pizzerias and guitar shops to cafes and clothiers.

This combo tattoo studio and gallery in Fishtown notches points in the atmosphere column via its high ceilings and stations dramatically decorated with artwork, vintage toys and graffiti-laden skateboards. Open since 2010, it’s home to a number of highly respected body artists who go out of their way to make people feel welcome. Regular First Friday show openings make the Girard Avenue shop a draw for collectors of body and conventional wall decor.

Offering both flash-based art and completely custom pieces, Kensington’s Seven Swords holds down the far end of Frankford Avenue in a pretty, clean-lined corner space that reflects the team’s approach to their work. Though it’s only been around since 2015, SSTC has carved out a reputable spot for itself in the Philly tattoo crowd thanks to its stylistic versatility.

Established by Jason Goldberg in 1999, Olde City has earned its reputation as a standard-bearer for the Philadelphia tattoo scene, offering work "by appointment or impulse" from an instantly recognizable storefront in the heart of the historic district. Olde City has the look and vibe of a classic shop, and the highly experienced artists to back it up. Goldberg and Co. have a classical bent to their style, though they are open to all custom jobs.

Once Upon a time, more beer flowed out of this city than any other part of the country. From the mid-1800s until the 1920s, a whopping 90 breweries operated within city limits—most in Brewerytown and another 100 cranked out suds in surrounding areas. Then Prohibition happened, and all of them closed. But over the past few decades a heap of new facilities put this city back on the beer map. Learn more about those in our guide to the best Philadelphia breweries, but here we take a look at some of the best new offerings, focusing on five new companies that are changing the game with innovative brewing techniques. Bottoms up, Philly. Brewery ARS Photograph: Neal Santos Originally from Rome, New York, brothers Andy and Sean Arsenault (pictured) landed in the City of Brotherly Love thanks to their work in the sciences: Andy as a wastewater engineer, Sean a polymer chemist. Though their mathematical backgrounds inform the goings-on at the year-old Brewery ARS, it’s the tweaks the twins don’t make that reap the most meaningful results. “We take a less-is-more approach,” says Sean. “As little automation as possible means more flavor for sure.” It’s an artistic luxury they can afford thanks to their lean-and-mean 10-barrel system, situated behind a whitewashed South Philly garage door on a nondescript strip of West Passyunk Avenue. The Arsenaults, along with brewer Miles Perry, focus on the three varieties they like to drink the most: saisons, hop-forward ales and dark beers. Photog