After hearing about the impressive happy hour menu at Giuseppe & Sons in Philadelphia, a friend and I headed over for a drink after work. Our Wednesday visit coincided with Center City Sips, essentially a summer happy hour catching young professionals after work midweek, as the city is pretty quiet on weekends.

We muscled through the line and ordered a $5 drink at the bar, both opting for the Palma Fizz —a bit fruity and really refreshing. The drink options were great and super-affordable, with a lineup of beer, wine, cocktails and specialty drinks ranging $4–9.

The food menu was, somehow, even cheaper. Sandwiches and small plates are all $3 each and include a wide variety of classic Italian favorites. Choose from handhelds of meatball, chicken or eggplant parmigiana, or Italian-style sandwiches. Small dishes offer a taste of everything, from gnocchi and meatballs with gravy to prosciutto and asparagus and crispy zucchini — just to name a few.

Skewer options are also available for your choice of shrimp scampi, swordfish, chicken and beef brascoile, $4 for two. By far, the best deal on the menu is the pizza. Grab a square slice of white, Margherita, eggplant, mushroom or sausage for $1 each.

— Angelique Platas, associate editor