Last Days of Philly’s Center City Sips

I’m not sure who coined the term Happy Hour, but my bet is that he or she had a stressful job. Walk past nearly any cube or office in the city at about 3 p.m., and you’ll see an obvious loss of focus coming on. By 4 p.m. there’s visible anxiety, at 4:45 it’s all people can do to not click “Log Off” and run for the door. Five o’clock, if you are lucky enough to have a 9 to 5, is that magical hour when dark becomes light and work becomes play, when glasses are raised and laughter uncorked. In honor of the post-work party, Center City District has been running Center City Sips all summer long.

Center City Sips is happy hour taken to the next level. More than 70 downtown bars and restaurants slash prices each Wednesday once five strikes, offering $4 cocktails, $3 wine and $2 beer specials, plus a selection of half-price appetizers. The deals only last until 7 p.m., but many establishments also offer 15 percent off dinner bills for those looking to extend the evening.

Don’t worry that you’ll be stuck drinking overstocks, either. These are quality items for a quality time. The jovial Jolly’s Dueling Piano Bar offers any Finlandia cocktail for $4, and their appetizers include three delish flatbreads. Jose Garces’ Chifa serves up lychee sangria and their popular pork belly buns. Newcomer Tweed puts their entire appetizer menu up on the chopping block.

You know where you want to be come Wednesday. So cut out of that late meeting and hightail it to your favorite bar, since there’s only two more Sips this summer; the program ends on August 25.

For a full list of participating restaurants and their specials, visit www.centercityphila.org.