Philadelphia is an eclectic city with historic and family-friendly attractions, vibrant sports, and enticing neighborhoods. In the city center, you have places like Brewerytown, an artsy riverfront area and culinary gem with cafes and nightlife — districts that provide a rich cultural fix. But looking beyond the CBD reveals some incredible local scenes in Philly’s outer boroughs. Drive about 8 miles from the heart of the city, and you’ll reach Narberth, a historic borough that began as a humble farming village and today remains one of Philly’s most alluring areas, thanks to its walkable streets that feel like stepping back in time to a slower, simpler, and more peaceful era.
Small town charm isn’t always easy to find, but Narberth has oodles of it around most corners. The borough is one of the suburbs along Philadelphia’s renowned Main Line, a historic 19th-century railway line. Like many Main Line towns, Narberth traces its roots to Welsh Quakers. This includes its neighboring borough, Penn Wynne, one of Pennsylvania’s best family-friendly suburbs. And while the railroad has changed over time, these suburbs have endured, carrying an aura of old-world wealth and charm.
Narberh fits the mold, though it’s one of the more affordable Main Line neighborhoods if you’re looking to buy a house. Philadelphia Magazine lists it among Philly’s most walkable suburbs, with an overall score of 90 out of 100. Narberth’s center includes its main avenues — Haverford, Forrest, Haverford, and Essex — where you can find practically everything you need, from shops and restaurants to artsy spots and a cinema. These have maintained the town’s walkability and family-friendly nature for decades.
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Shoppers, diners, and cinephiles love Narberth
The historic facade of Narberth Reel Cinemas with cars parked in front. – Mr Matté / Wikicommons
When visiting Narberth, focus your attention on the borough’s center, where Colonial- and Victorian-era shopfronts line tree-dotted avenues. On Forrest Avenue, you’ll find Danny’s Guitar Shop, where you can browse a range of acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, as well as amplifiers and ukuleles. Danny’s is known for its laid-back vibe and offers lessons for anyone interested in learning a stringed instrument, including banjos and mandolins. If you’re looking for your next great read, walk across the street to Narberth Bookshop, a well-curated bookstore that also hosts book groups and readings by local authors.
For dining, stroll along Haverford Avenue to find The Little Blue Owl Baking Company, a French pastry shop with a 4.7-star rating on Google and a well-earned reputation for its croissants, chocolate chip scones, cheesecakes, and various sweet and crumbly treats. Slightly further down the avenue sits The Greeks, one of Narberth’s dining stalwarts. It has an iconic facade with a red awning and outdoor seating that spills onto the street. Inside, the tavern evokes a Philly-style pub atmosphere with booths, draft beer, sports on TVs, and hearty fare like stacked sandwiches and shellfish starters.
If you enjoy a night out at the movies, don’t miss catching a flick at Reel Cinemas on Narberth Avenue. It’s a small, vintage cinema that looks like something out of the 60s or 70s, but screens new movies. It only has one screen, though, so it often only shows two movies at a time. Don’t expect the flair of modern multiplexes -– love it or hate it, this is very much small-town cinema.
Art and neighborhood hopping around Narberth
Historic facades of homes with bay windows from the street in Ardmore PA. – Anna Kapustina/Getty Images
While art isn’t Narberth’s biggest draw, you can find some decent spots around town. The Sky Soup Art Center provides art classes for children throughout the week, where kids can socialize while working on various arts and crafts, including paintings. Along North Essex Avenue, Todd Rothstein Photography is a great place to get a family portrait for the holidays or just to have and to hold. Rothstein also runs one-on-one lessons if you want to hone your photography and editing skills.
Narberth sits just minutes from neighboring Main Line boroughs along the train line. It’s two stops away from Ardmore, another walkable Philly suburb packed with shops, art, and dining. You can also walk from Narberth to the main drag of Penn Valley in about 15 minutes, passing homes with Tudor and Craftsman architecture along the way. If you do, the Pub of Penn Valley makes a fitting stop at the end of the stroll, serving a gourmet dinner menu of lovingly made pasta dishes, burgers, and elaborate salads.
Driving from downtown Philly to Narberth typically takes about 25 minutes. However, you may want to catch the train instead. The PAO line only takes 15 minutes, with Narberth as the third stop. The station itself is one of the borough’s most striking historic structures — a preserved example of Victorian-era architecture still evident here.
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Read the original article on Islands.