Roof top bars are cool. They’ve always been cool, and sitting in the two-story AVA rooftop bar overlooking the stadiums and arenas in South Philadelphia was ideal. 

To me, the idea was to get an experience. And I think they will pull that off and then some.  

Chef Joe Shirley talked about shareable plates and tasty bites, and we had a chance to sample some of that. The pepperoni French bread pizza was legit. Chef divulged that they are using Liscio’s Bread, and they have a factory in my neighborhood, so I am very aware of how good they are. They are using them nationwide because as the Chef told me, after a lot of testing, this bread gave the right crunch and it does. It was fantastic. 

I also tried a Spicy Tuna Taco, and it had a great crunch with just the right amount of spice. It would be a go-to for me. The Parmesan herb fries caught my eye as well as the Toffee Popcorn, Edamame, and Wagyu Beef Dumplings, to name a few. The food was great. 

We saw some of their extensive drink menu. The drinks popped. Beverage Director Emily Lenderman explained the drinks, and the orange creamsicle crush and strawberry limoncello martini caught my eye.

I did sample the salted caramel espresso martini, and that was really good. They use all fresh juices, and the AVA dirty luxe tini is made table-side. Check my Instagram for that.  

On this tour, the entirety of it is expected to be open on May 29. We checked out the PBR backyard expansion and the main stage. All of it was impressive. The PBR backyard can host intimate live gatherings, and that’s cool.  

A lot of these areas will coincide with big events and bands that play AC/DC, as an example, will be out there performing on the Coors Light Stage. All of it is state-of-the-art sound and screens. They will host Eagles watch parties, World Cup Events, the upcoming UFC event, plus Phillies, 76ers, and Flyers as well, in-season. 

Stateside Live! Has something for everybody. It opens May 29, so it’s right around the corner. It’s a way of not being in the city and still enjoying fine food and entertainment.