Named after a Prohibition-era bootlegging organisation that once supplied Philadelphia with illegal spirits, Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company carries that history without irony. The basement location on 18th Street establishes the tone before you even sit down. Low ceilings, brick walls, candlelight. A cocktail list that treats the classics with the same seriousness a chef applies to their strongest dishes.
The programme here has won national attention repeatedly. The drinks are technically precise and intellectually considered. A Corpse Reviver No. 2 arrives in perfect balance. The barrel-aged programmes rotate seasonally. The spirits selection behind the bar is deep enough that a dedicated whiskey drinker could spend an evening working through it methodically and still have reasons to return.
What makes Franklin stand apart from Philadelphia's other serious cocktail destinations is the combination of ambition and accessibility. The bar is not exclusionary in the way that Hop Sing Laundromat is. You can walk in, order a Manhattan, and be completely at ease. The staff are knowledgeable without performing it. The atmosphere is dark and convivial rather than intimidating.
For anyone putting together a tour of Philadelphia's best cocktail bars, Franklin is a non-negotiable first stop. It anchors a neighborhood that includes some of the city's finest drinking, and it has maintained its standard long enough to be considered genuinely institutional. The Ranstead Room nearby offers a different vibe for the same quality-conscious drinker.
What to order
- 01
The Paper Plane
Equal parts Aperol, Amaro Nonino, Lemon, and Bourbon. The bar's signature equal parts cocktail, balanced with exceptional precision. One of the best in the city.
- 02
Barrel-Aged Negroni
Aged in house for 6 weeks, the Negroni here takes on depth and roundness that the standard recipe cannot achieve. Ask which batch is currently on tap.
- 03
The Corpse Reviver No. 2
Gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, fresh lemon, absinthe rinse. Technically demanding and perfectly executed. Order it as a benchmark for the bar's technique.
- 04
Seasonal Punch Bowl