For nearly a century, the Filippo Palizzi Social Club cranked along quietly behind a heavy unmarked door, a time-warp hangout exclusively for immigrant men from Vasto, Italy (Philly features a large population from the region of Abruzzo). Now, chef and South Philly native Joey Baldino, a descendant of the late proprietor, has updated the space and opened it to the public—sort of. You need to hold a membership card, or be buddies with a card-carrying patron of the place, to get in. Once you do, however, everything behind the cash-only bar is all yours—the menu features unfussy and masterfully executed renditions on classics, including the espresso martini, Aperol Spritz and the Negroni (in several forms).
Palizzi Social Club

Known For
- craft cocktails
- live music
- bar food
- full menu