Bowling’s never looked so trendy as it does at this vintage-looking Philly hotspot. Head to Sansome Street in Center City when you’re looking to get together with friends in a place where you can sip downright delicious cocktails, nosh on good Philly pizzas and practice your strike skills. Harp & Crown is more than just a gorgeous restaurant, it’s got a hidden basement bowling alley too.
Prohibition Meets Industrial Vibes
Leather banquettes, tufted velvet sofas and antique club chairs fill the towering space at Harp & Crown, while antique portraits and photos line the walls and lead up to industrial chandeliers and pressed tin ceilings. While the aesthetic might best be described as industrial-meets-prohibition, the menu and cocktail offering is a mashup of global influences and classic Americana. Blink and you’ll miss the entrance to the hidden bowling alley downstairs, but missing it would mean missing half the fun. Go on and get your hambone on.
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The Feasting Options
Downstairs dining by the bowling alley lanes means you’ll be sipping on fancy pants cocktails like the Charred Stone (a concoction of bourbon, grilled peach, mint, and ginger beer), and chasing it with a fat charcuterie spread and spicy sopressata pizza with smoked mozzarella, honey and chili. And if that’s not enough of a feast for you and your crew, you can always head upstairs to the dining room and spread out with diver scallops, flat iron steaks, roasted chicken, whole branzino, and multiple pasta dishes. Yum.
Elbow Lane
Gone are the days of bowling alleys being full of kiddos and bright lights. This basement bowling alley, dubbed Elbow Lane, is low-lit and evocative of an old Americana saloon but with really good craft cocktails. With only two lanes, you’ll want to book ahead for your crew of up to 8 per lane. And hey, maybe pull your old high knee socks and varsity jacket out to dress for the occasion.
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Photography: Neal Santos & Harp & Crown
