Teresa's Cafe & Next Door Bar

rikatine

New York

4.23/5  rDev -4.1%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

We took the train out to Teresa's from Philadelphia due to its reputation for good craft beer. Teresa's did not disappoint. They had a nice Hill Farmstead Harlan. It was very crowded when we arrived, but we managed to get a coupled seats at the bar after a short wait. We were served promptly, and the tap list was very good, so we decided to put our name on the list for a table. Be prepared to wait to be seated though. It was a Saturday night, and very busy. We didn't mind the wait.

Teresa's has a nice atmosphere. The staff was friendly. The food was good, with generous portions. We ended up spending several hours here eating and drinking and joking with the waitress. Our party of four all agreed that it was worth a return visit, and worth the effort to take the train from Center City. If you are a beer geek like us, you must visit.

05-09-2013 00:51:15 | More by rikatine

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +7.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

Came here for an evening with my girlfriend. Was told there was a 30 minute wait for a table, so we hung out at the bar for about ten minutes before a couple seats opened up. Our drink order was taken quickly by one of the three bartenders on staff, and filled just as quickly. Draft selection was impressive, with three European house beers, about a dozen more Euro brews, and about a dozen US craft, including the star: Maine Brewing's Zoe, which didn't even have a draft review on BA at the time I went. We ordered food, and it was excellent. I got the drunken mussels, which were fabulous, and my girlfriend ordered a steak taco type thing, which she loved. We finished by splitting a bottle of Speedway Stout, which was a steal at just $18. Most of the bottle prices seemed about standard, as did the drafts. Food was relatively cheap as well. Service was excellent at the bar all night. Will definitely come back, it was a fantastic experience.

12-11-2011 04:43:28 | More by bigfnjoe

MsRif

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -10.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$$

Just got back from one of my many visits to Teresa's with my husband. This place never disappoints. The selection both on tap/bottled is very pleasing and the food is phenomenal. Be prepared to pay a bit above average but rest assured that it'll be worth it. My favorite part of this place aside from the service, food and selection would definitely have to be the lack of TVs. This might sound odd, but my favorite sort of drinking establishment is one in which I will not be surrounded by screaming sports fans. The dark European feel of Teresa's is perfect. I will come here time and time again, especially during "game time."

I have yet to go to any events here, but I know there are always awesome events going on. Check out their website and head on down because you can get some really rare/delicious brews by staying on top of events/releases. I was very happy to enjoy Parabola from FW tonight. On Sundays they have 1/2 off meat/cheese plates...I'd go every Sunday if I could!

Honestly, this is one of the better drinking establishments on the Main Line. Go if you are in the area!

10-24-2011 22:55:39 | More by MsRif

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -2.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

A nice brew pub with an excellent selection of beer on tap as well as bottles. A good selection of Belgians as well as domestic craft brews. The staff provides good service and is very knowledgable about the selection. The food is good with mussels a specialty. They also have a fine selection of appetizers and sandwiches. This is a great place for a nice meal and a great beer. However, the one drawback is that the place is very noisy and can make it difficult to carry on a conversation. In spite of this, I recommend this place highly.

09-13-2011 02:05:09 | More by MDDMD

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev -5.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Based on the suggestion of Avalon68 (Frank) we hit this spot last night for a couple beers and a bit to eat. Great little location. We sat at the bar where we received excellent service with samples flying all around. In fact, once we established our craft beer bona fides, they would drop off samples without us even asking. Beer selection was very good. About 20 -25 tap line including two on cask. Sadly, both casks kicked as I arrived. Later in the evening they brought Troeg’s Hopback Amber on the cask line and it was fantastic. Bottle selection was pretty impressive and I could have gone for another visit and not checked off everything on the list I would have wanted to try.

Food was also very good. This is a more upscale Gastropub type location with a menu to match. When you order oysters they don’t have cocktail sauce. They bring a wasabi/caviar/vinegar ice that melts on the oyster and ads flavor. The Dirty Mussels with blue Cheese, Bacon and beer were fantastic. The frites were also just wonderful.

Definitely a worthwhile stop on any pub crawl, evening out or any occasion.

06-28-2011 10:13:37 | More by Reagan1984

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$$

Teresa's is a "two part" café and bar right off Route 30 in Wayne, PA. I have no desire to dine in the café, but it definitely looked nice. Moving on to the bar...

Very contemporary atmosphere, lots of wood and stone. Not an especially big place, with a long bar against one wall that seats perhaps 20-25 people, and a row of tables against the other wall. Beer aside, they have a very impressive selection of wine to choose from. But though I like the occasional glass of wine, I'm really in it for the beer. So, about 25 beers on tap, two hand pumps, and the occasional firkin, and all good stuff from all over the world, with a good rotation. On my first visit, I enjoyed a brew from the new Missourian brewery Urban Chestnut, as well as a Kulmbacher brew (Germany). Even more selections in bottles, again including domestics and international brews.

Interesting food menu, including some comfort foods, some game items, and several unique twists on old ideas. Also included was a make-your-own meat and cheese plate (the wife's favorite); go on Sunday for this...it's half price cheese day! Food order got to us very quick. The place is well staffed, and for the most part, our bartenders are attentive and helpful. Prices were a little bit on the expensive side, but not too too bad, and again, the half price cheese was a wallet saver.

Definitely a multiple visit venue. And actually the more I visit, the more I seem to find that the selection of beers they get on tap are pound for pound probably the rarest of any place I frequent. Not all rare items, but the most rare items on any given day. Recommended.

06-20-2011 00:50:48 | More by Rifugium

danfisher1

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Strictly beer speaking the only place in the philly burbs that compares is TJ's in Paoli. When you add Teresa's food menu to the equation you have the best place to eat drink and be merry. I went to their april showers bring may sours event last saturday and was totally in aw of the selection they put together...including pliny the elder and blind pig. any place that showcases Russian River brewery is alright by me. They also had two different Cantillons on the hand pump. The event was pleasantly overwhelming! Great event, great beer, great food...can't go wrong!

05-25-2011 22:09:55 | More by danfisher1

ForkAndSpoonOp

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

My first trip to Teresa's, I was a complete novice; I could literally count the number of times I had actually consumed an alcoholic beverage on one hand. I couldn't have picked a better place to go. The bartenders were all insanely knowledgeable, kept asking questions and kept the samples coming. Of all things, these rat bastard psychotics feed me Jolly Pumpkin Madrugada Obscura on the third or fourth try, and I loved it. How the crap do you even pull that off? Well done, gents.

They always have a great selection on tap, with the list on the website updated almost immediately as it changes (minutes, not days), and the bottle selection goes beyond impressive into almost intimidating territory, but the entire staff is great about explaining things and answering even my rookie questions. I have a personal soft spot for the little quotes from people like Ernest Hemingway, Frank Zappa, and Greg Koch on every page of the beer menu. 20% off take-out bottles, too, so I basically never have to worry about running out of crazy crap to try.

The food is really terriffic, too. The stinkiest of cheeses (half-price on Sundays), an outstanding brunch, and a well-thought out and executed menu. Even if I never drink another drop, I will support any place with enough sense of humor to serve rabbit fritters with a carrot sauce. Good range on the menu, too, from solid burgers and wings, to game and some very decent oysters. The Cheesy Pig salad, with goat cheese + bacon fritters, is just cheating if you ask me.

My only beef with the place is that the same architectural elements that make it look cool (exposed brick and ductwork, high metal ceiling, long narrow room) also make it an absolute echo chamber. If they ever decided to have live music there, they wouldn't even need a PA system. It can get hard to carry on a conversation once it gets past about half full. We usually end up going for lunch or on Sundays, so it's rarely a problem for me, but it could be tough as a Friday happy hour place.

To be fair, I have a kind of limited experience, but this is the best bar I've been to yet. Worth the trip out of the city. Yeah, I said it.

05-12-2011 19:07:53 | More by ForkAndSpoonOp

ThoreauLikeAGirl

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +3.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$$

My favorite place to go to in the 'burbs of Philadelphia if I want a combination of great beer and great food.

The bartenders are all very knowledgeable and helpful, and will gladly give you a sample if you are unsure.

Great and thorough selection of beers. Locals, Imports, Hard to finds. You name it. While some bars specialize in local, and others foreign or belgian, Teresa's is very well-rounded with good options for every mood.

Their food is top notch. Not your typical bar food. Their cinnamon wings are the best wings i've had in the area (i believe they won 'best of philly' last year). The wings are whole wings, not cut in half at the joint - so you get 5 whole meaty wings (which, if halved, would be 10 wings). Baked, not fried. Somehow it works.

Their bottle selection is also available 'to go' with 20% off with that option. Sometimes bottles of vintage Cantillon will pop up.

Also, the only place i've been to that will have Pliny the Elder on tap and have it last multiple days. And they have it often.

On Mondays, they do 'buck a shuck' oysters all day and night. They are served with this amazing frozen wasabi caviar stuff that I think is the most creative and tasty accompaniment to oysters i've ever had.

Brunch here on Sundays is a must. The menu is always changing and it has never been crowded when i've gone. Easy to avoid the crowds of city brunch from now on now that I know how great it is here.

The only downside is the noise - brick walls, tin ceiling = lots of echoing and noisiness when the place is crowded. This comes in handy, though, when I go out to dinner here with my equally noisy family.
Also, would be great if they had TVs, but that would probably just add to the noise and some people might actually prefer a place with no TVs. It definitely cuts back on the rowdy sports fans, if that is not your cup of tea.

05-05-2011 16:03:18 | More by ThoreauLikeAGirl

Kaydogg

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$$

Theresa's is an excellent bar. Food is very good and tap list is great. Bartenders are helpful and will gladly give you a taste of something. Great bottle selection as well. Only drawback is no TVS and it can get loud with the brick walls. A couple nice flat screens would put it over the top. Bottle selection is great but not always up to date. Make sure you try some of there cheese platters. Nothing like it when they have a good sour on tap with some top notch cheese trays. I have never been to the restaurant part on the other side so this review is for the bar only

05-04-2011 14:47:13 | More by Kaydogg