Local 44 Restaurant & Bar

"The neighborhood bar of neighborhood bars—it really is. Local 44 is in West Philly. When I'm over there, that's my pick of where to go gab. They have stained glass windows, which is kind of silly, but it gives it a reverence. The bar is really dark wood. It's a very dark space, but it is just a classic neighborhood bar. You can eat there, you can talk there, and nobody is going to bother you. They have mulled wine in the winter. The last time I was there, someone told me the most insane story about shit they had seen on Nextdoor; they were pulling up Nextdoor posts and comparing them to posts on Instagram. And I was like, 'I love this.' Something about living in a city that is big but feels like the smallest town in the world is such a delight and truly a treasure." - brennan carley

"In speaking to restaurateurs around the city about their strategies for successful neighborhood restaurants, it’s clear that it’s more than just vibes. It can be as simple as greeting everyone when they walk in and killing them with kindness, whether they’re a patron or not, as co-owner Nate Irish does at Local 44 in West Philly." - Alisha Miranda

"When I lived in West Philly, I would go to Local 44 once a week and grab a meal, have a drink, and just hang out at the bar. I’m excited that they made it through the pandemic because they’re the neighborhood bar." - Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme

"Leave it to a West Philly beer bar to serve up some of the best vegetarian and vegan brunch options in the city (along with one of our favorite burgers). Local 44 has always been one of the best places to seek out rare craft brews, but when we realized their mushroom scrapple tasted better than the pork version, we never looked back. If you’re looking for something a little heartier, the brunch BLT with sriracha mayo and the full English breakfast are two good choices." - Jordan Price