Philly's Ale House Ambassadors

Local 44's Frito Chili Pie

When you look at husband-and-wife owners of legend in Philadelphia, you now have to look at Brendan Hartranft and Leigh Maida. The savvy couple swiftly and successful stormed onto the bar scene in Philadelphia and strengthened it with three very different pubs in spread-out, intuitively-chosen locales.

Memphis Taproom, the first to open, seemed like a risk, placed just outside of Fishtown. The area was soon referred to as Port Fishington, a term that has been used unabashedly ever since. The craft beer called in the locals, the fried pickles kept them around, and the vegan desserts won over a stubborn few. There's nothing else quite like this taproom, such a far crawl from any other bar of its kind, that it simply works.

Time had hardly passed when the Hartranft-Maidas were working on bar #2, bringing the amazing beer/creative bar food formula to West Philly. They reached a younger crowd and won over the neighbors simultaneously, with Local 44. They also had a baby.

Success under their belts, the ambitious pair were not slowing down. Next up was Resurrection Ale House, set in Grays Ferry, a stretch of Naval Square that was quickly making a scene of its own. Here, the focus was on the food, though there was plenty of excellent beer to go around. If you've never had a roasted miatake mushroom with celery root puree at a bar before, now's your chance. When the Hartranft-Maidas move into a neighborhood, they give it what it needs. A hangout with personality, a well-thought-out menu with variety and flair, in a smartly-designed space, with a wide selection of some of the best beer around.