Raise a Glass Where They Raised It First: Pennsylvania's Oldest Taverns Still Serving

Here's a question worth chewing on: what did Americans do before restaurants? The answer, for most of the 1700s, was taverns — and Pennsylvania had some of the finest between Boston and Charleston. These weren't just bars. A colonial tavern was where travelers slept, mail got sorted, auctions got held, and the local militia got recruited. When the Continental Congress needed somewhere to blow off steam, they went to a tavern. When the Liberty Bell needed to be hidden from the British, it went to a tavern too (more on that in a minute).

The good news? A surprising number of these places never stopped serving. Here's your day-trip shortlist, organized roughly by how far you're willing to drive from Philadelphia.

City Tavern, Philadelphia

The original City Tavern burned down in the 1850s, but the 1976 reconstruction on Second Street is faithful enough that the National Park Service operates it. This was the power lunch spot of the Founding Fathers — Washington dined here the night before he left to take command of the army in 1775.

The menu leans historical: venison, game pies, and ale brewed from 18th-century recipes. It's touristy, sure, but the colonial ambience is the real deal, and the waitstaff in period dress commit fully to the bit.

The Blue Bell Inn, Blue Bell

About 25 miles northwest of the city sits a tavern that Washington's troops passed twice — once before the Battle of Germantown in 1777, and again as they retreated. Legend has it the general stopped for a drink both times. The inn also briefly hid the Liberty Bell in 1777 as it was carted to Allentown to keep it from British hands.

The modern menu is upscale American — crab cakes, prime rib, a serious burger — but the building's low ceilings and hearth rooms haven't changed much since the stagecoach days.

The Red Fox Inn, Bethlehem area

Actually located in the Lehigh Valley's countryside, this 18th-century roadhouse has fed travelers since stagecoach routes crossed the region. The stone construction and beamed ceilings are original, and the menu splits the difference between colonial inspiration and modern comfort food. It's a good lunch stop if you're pairing this trip with a visit to Bethlehem's Moravian historic district.

The Dobbin House, Gettysburg

Built in 1776 — the year that mattered — this stone house served as a stop on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War made Gettysburg famous. Today it's a candlelit dining room serving period dishes like Colonial French onion soup and a tableside-prepared prime rib. The servers dress the part and the cellars, where formerly enslaved people once hid, are open for tours.

The Inn at Barley Sheaf Farm, Holicong

Bucks County's contribution to this list dates to the 1740s and sits along the old York Road, the main stagecoach artery between Philadelphia and New York. The dining room is more modern-refined than rustic, but the bones of the place — wide-plank floors, stone walls — are all 1700s.

The General Warren Inn, Malvern

On the old Lancaster Turnpike (now Route 30), this 1779 inn was named for a Revolutionary general and served as a stop for travelers heading west. Washington's troops passed through the area during the 1777 campaign. Today it's one of the finest dining rooms on the Main Line — think tasting menus and an excellent wine list — but the original bar room still pours.

The Ship Inn, Exton

Rounding out the Lancaster Turnpike stops, the Ship Inn traces its roots to the colonial era as a watering hole for drovers and teamsters moving goods between Philadelphia and the interior. The current building is a later construction, but the tradition of hearty plates and local ales is unbroken.

Tips for Your Tavern Crawl

Most of these spots book up on weekends, especially the Gettysburg and Main Line locations, so reserve ahead. If you're serious about the history, ask your server about the building — tavern keepers love this stuff and often know stories that don't make the brochures.

Pair a tavern lunch with a nearby historic site and you've got a perfect Pennsylvania day trip: City Tavern with Independence Hall, Blue Bell with Valley Forge, Dobbin House with the battlefield. History tastes better with a full plate in front of you.