FYI Philly's guide to top things to do this summer in Philadelphia

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Thursday, June 1, 2023
FYI Philly's guide to top things to do this summer in Philly
Christie Illeto and Alicia Vitarelli get you ready for all things summer with stops at BBQ, burger and summer drinks

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- DBG has a $700 burger and burger for under $3

DBG is the city's newest burger bar venue.

Formerly named the Drury Beer Garden, the space has been reimagined as a burger-forward space with a new cocktail menu giving vacation vibes.

The beer garden vibe is still alive with a beautiful back patio space for dining.

The menu highlights include the Gold Standard, a $700 burger featuring A5 Wagyu beef, caviar, truffles and lobster flambeed in Louis XIII cognac.

The burger is served with a one-ounce pour of Louis the XIII and served with fries dressed with Manuka honey. It's an elevated experience for extreme burger lovers.

On the other side of the menu is the $2.95 smash burger they serve during happy hour.

Offering guests the high and low extremes is part of the fun, but they also feature a menu of choices in between, including the classic, El Diablo, a vegan option and a lamb burger.

DBG | Facebook | Instagram

1311 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA

Charlies Country Ribs has been serving up soul food, BBQ since '96

At Charlie's Country Ribs, you'll find Denise Wade in the kitchen singing to gospel music, while her husband Charlie is in the yard grilling the restaurant's namesake country ribs.

The couple opened the restaurant 28 years ago, serving up Southern-style soul food and barbecue platters.

Charlie does the meats; Denise does the sides and sweets.

She learned to bake from her grandmother, he learned to barbecue from his grandfather.

They started the business after the lighting company Charlie was working for downsized.

Their pastor, having tasted Charlie's ribs, suggested he start selling them.

Demand was so high, they decided to open a brick-and-mortar and estimate they had 600 customers on Day 1.

Their son works with them in the kitchen. Their daughter has her own food truck in Georgia.

The scratch-made, generations-old family recipes include a secret barbecue sauce, and the place is also famous for its cornbread.

Charlie's Country Ribs | Facebook | Instagram

2528 W. Diamond Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19121

Ice cream and teas find their perfect matcha at Cafe Maiko

Matcha Cafe Maiko is cooling down this summer with Japanese drinks and desserts in Philadelphia's Chinatown.

Matcha Cafe Maiko's treats derive from Asian cultures with a Japanese focus providing a globetrotting experience for your taste buds.

The main flavor is matcha, which is infused in drinks and desserts such as the popular matcha soft serve.

"Most of the world's high-grade matcha comes from Japan, and ours particularly comes from Harima Garden in Uji, Japan, which is just south of Kyoto," said Ava.

Matcha isn't the only flavor on the menu. There's also Filipino-inspired Ube and Pandan from Vietnam is a rotating seasonal flavor on the menu.

Customers come back for authentic flavors from Asia that can be found right here in Philadelphia.

Matcha Cafe Maiko | Instagram | Facebook

923 Race St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

The 'Cakie' is the signature dessert at micro bakery Dreamworld Bakes

Dreamworld Bakes is a micro-bakery created by Ashley Huston.

The self-taught baker has worked in the food business since she started working and has built a menu of decadent desserts she shares around the city at pop-up destinations and through her Instagram page.

Her menu changes monthly featuring seasonal selections.

Her dessert club offers the chance to sample her entire menu without having to find her at select stops.

Dreamworld Bakes | Facebook | Instagram

Chester County gets summer started with festivals, fairs and more

Nothing says summer like road trips, and you don't have to go far to find summer fun.

Here are some options for things to see and do, almost all outdoors, in Chester County's Brandywine Valley.

Philly Balloon Fest | Facebook | Instagram

1326 Pottstown Pike, Glenmoore, PA 19343

610-679-8865

July 2-3

Devon Horse Show and Country Fair | Facebook | Instagram

23 Dorset Road, Devon, PA 19333

610-688-2554

May 25 - June 4, 2023

Styer's Festival of the Peony | Facebook | Instagram

4313 S. Creek Road, Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Through May 29

SIW Vegetables | Facebook | Instagram

4317 Creek Road, Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Field to Fork with Jezabel's: June 14 at 6 p.m.

Chaddsford Winery | Facebook | Instagram

632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317

610-388-6221

Kennett Summerfest | Facebook | Instagram

100 block of South Broad Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348

June 11, 2023, 3-7pm

Voices Underground: "Fashioning Freedom" | Facebook | Instagram

Longwood Gardens

1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348

June 16, 2023, 6:30pm - at Longwood Gardens

Nascar, Camelbeach milestones highlight summer at the Pocono Mountains

Summer has arrived in the Pocono Mountains with Nascar weekend at the Tricky Triangle, Camelbeach's 25th anniversary and the big day out scheduled throughout the season in the Jim Thorpe area.

Camelbeach is celebrating a quarter century of wet and wild fun.

Get ready for some really big celebrations, live music and events memorializing 25 years of Camelbeach in the Poconos.

Camelbeach will also have a great new way to race your friends down the mountain when it opens in mid-June.

Want to combine hiking, biking and rafting?

Pocono Whitewater and Pocono Biking invite you to the big day out. On multiple dates this summer, you can pay one price and bike on the trail, hike to an overlook, then hit the rapids for eight miles on the Lehigh River.

It's part of the big day out - and you get lunch, dinner, equipment and trained guides to make sure you have a big experience!

Your heart is sure to pound at the Nascar at Pocono Raceway from July 21-23.

It's the 75th anniversary of Nascar and the 50th season of the race in Pocono.

New this season is a revamped paddock and victory lane, creating an enhanced fan experience.

Explore the Pocono Mountains this summer. Head to poconomountains.com/events to get all you need to plan a memorable summer experience!

Pocono Raceway

1234 Long Pond Rd, Long Pond, PA 18334

Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark at Camelback Resort

301 Resort Dr, Tannersville, PA 18372

Cambridge Pavers has been transforming backyards into oases since 1984

Cambridge Pavers is introducing new colors, textures and shapes this season along with a first-of-its-kind backyard feature and a combination fireplace and pizza oven that Owner and CEO Charles Gamarekian says can cook a pizza in less than 60 seconds.

Gamarekian founded Cambridge Pavers on the promise of concrete hardscaping that can last a lifetime.

The company's ArmorTec technology is the secret behind its staying power.

Gamarekian says the company saw a huge bump in business during the pandemic when people couldn't travel, and he says that trend has continued with homeowners wanting to give their own home a staycation vibe.

He says creating an outdoor room increases the value of a home between 15-20%.

Features like pavilions and fire pits make it a year-round outdoor space that is an extension of the indoors.

They have setups for big backyards and small patios, and Gamarekian says you can build in phases, based on your budget, creating year by year that space that will become your perfect escape.

Cambridge Pavers | Facebook | Instagram

SHOW EXTRAS

The Philadelphia Orchestra's second Annual Pride Concert will be on June 3 at 7 p.m. in the Kimmel Center's Commonwealth Plaza.

Legendary conductor Marin Alsop is guest conducting and describes it as more like a celebration/concert with choirs, Broadway stars and a playlist that elevates LGBTQ+ composers and allies.

Highlights include Lady Gaga's "Born This Way", Katy Perry's "Firework" and the world premiere of The Marvels "Suite" in anticipation of the movie's release.

The Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus is back again this year and will be joined by the ANNA Crusis Feminist Choir and Philadelphia Voices of Pride

Philadelphia Orchestra Pride Concert

Kimmel Center's Commonwealth Plaza, 300 S Broad St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19102

June 3, 7 p.m.; the concert is free, but tickets are required