A visit to Monk’s Cafe, Philadelphia
Monk’s Cafe, Beer Emporium, Philadelphia
Monk’s Café has been a notorious Belgian Beer Bar for far longer than Carolina Beer Temple has been open, and the things I’d learned about them through others who had visited often inspired my own aspirations of owning a world-renowned beer bar. It was time to finally pay them a visit.
I had heard through various acquaintances over the years of several of the great things they are known for. I was told that they often have a Cantillon beer on tap - one of the world’s most exclusive brewers of lambic style beers. As well, you can order Orval by the year - a Trappist Brett beer known to age incredibly. Both of these features became aspirations of my own for Carolina Beer Temple - and we are getting really close to achieving these things at our new location.
The Monk’s Café, while known overall for their great Belgian beer selection, also features beers from Russian River Brewing out of Santa Rosa, California - they are the only bar on the east coast that I am aware of that can obtain their award winning craft brews (however, keep an eye out for an awesome Russian River related event coming to Carolina Beer Temple soon!).
Monk’s Cafe Front Bar
From the outside, Monk’s Café is rather unassuming. The front is donned in a black, red and yellow awning with the colors of the Belgian flag also flanking the walls on each side and along the top and bottom. A small hallway leads to the entry.
It was a Friday night at around 5PM when we visited - of course it was going to be busy. My wife and I weaved our way from the front of the building to the back looking for a seat - or even a place to stand. We learned quickly that there are two bars - one in the front and a second one in the back. At first glance, the second bar seemed to have taps more heavily focused on Belgian ales. However, with a bit of patience and luck, we managed to land two seats at the end of the front bar.
On this November 2025 evening, the front bar featured eight taps:
· Chimay 175 Pale Blonde Ale
· De La Senne Zenne Pils
· Hill Farmstead Susan American IPA
· Russian River Double Dry Hopped Pliny the Elder IPA
· Russian River Pliny the Elder IPA
· Russian River Shadow of Doubt Imperial Stout
· Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale
· Westmalle Dubbel
Monk’s Cafe Front Bar Tap List November 2025
Being the west coast IPA fan that I am, and the fact that it is rare that I come across a “Pliny,” I began with that. While the beer did not disappoint, I was a bit surprised it was served in an American shaker glass. As a beer connoisseur this is one of the worst ways to present a world-renowned beer - and those fond of Belgian beers know this all too well, as Belgium is known for serving their beers in the proper glassware every time.
(At Carolina Beer Temple we currently do not have the luxury of pouring every Belgian ale in the proper branded glass, but for many we will. And I promise, you will never get any beer served in a shaker glass).
After the Pliny, I moved on to one of my annual favorites - Sierra Nevada’s Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale (also served in a shaker glass). This is Sierra Nevada’s rare wet hop ale brewed each year immediately after the harvest of hops. It is very difficult to find each year as they brew it in small batches (and yes, we will have it on tap shortly - as of 11/13/25 - at Carolina Beer Temple). It is called “Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale” because they will occasionally offer a “Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale” version featuring hops cultivated in the southern hemisphere (although, I admit I have not seen this offering in several years).
Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale 2025
Meanwhile, my wife enjoyed one of her go-to favorites, Westmalle Dubbel - which was certainly served in the proper glassware, as expected!
Westmalle Trappist Dubbel
Where Monk’s Café gets a bit more exquisite is the back bar, which we unfortunately did not have the opportunity to enjoy. The tap list at the back consists of 17 taps - far more than the front bar - and very heavy on the Belgian brews. But no Cantillon. However, if you wanted Cantillon, it could be ordered by the bottle (just as it is at Carolina Beer Temple).
Monk’s Café is also nationally known for their house brew - Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale, which is brewed for them near Ghent, Belgium. It is a fantastic Flemish Red Ale and a great introduction to the style for those unfamiliar with sours and was available on tap.
Monk’s Cafe Back Bar Taplist November 2025
Monk’s Cafe also features a very extensive bottle list - comprising mostly of Belgian Ales, but a few other options from around the region and the rest of U.S.A. And while Orval was available, it was not listed by year as was reported to me in the past (that’s not to say you do not have the option).
Lastly, the folks at Monk’s Cafe are good friends with head brewer, Todd Boera, and the fine people at Fonta Flora Brewery, here in North Carolina. As we perused the menu, we couldn’t help but notice that the Cafe, like Carolina Beer Temple, would be one of the exclusive places in the country to be hosting a 12 Year Anniversary Party for Fonta Flora the day after our visit…just as Carolina Beer Temple was doing back home that very day, featuring a few rare offerings from this fine craft brewery out of Morganton (and with a taproom in Charlotte at Optimist Hall). It was nice to see us in such good company.
Legacy Belgian Beer Poster at Monk’s Cafe
Cheers,
Rob Jacik (Owner Carolina Beer Temple)