Fiume

It's Where We Drink

by Will Dean

Above most bars is a roof—or maybe living quarters best suited for the hearing impaired. But above the bar at Abyssinia, one of Philly's best-known Ethiopian restaurants, a surprise awaits the intrepid drinker: another bar, known only as Fiume.

What originally started as an anarchist hub (the sign still reads "Die Hards and Wild Cards") now hooks a wide variety of folks, while still retaining its rep in the hearts of circle-A supporters.

"I like to have a mixed crowd," says manager Kevin James Holland. "I'm not happy unless there's crust punks saying there's too many Penn kids here and the Penn kids are saying there's too many anarcho kids."

One of Fiume's major draws, social strata be damned, is its excellent selection of bottled craft beers. The large fridge holds more than 40 different kinds, mostly from local breweries like Yards, Flying Fish, Tröegs and Dogfish Head.

Another selling point is the homey decor, donated mostly by Fiume's patrons. A broken cymbal hangs above the bar for last call. There's a bookshelf in one corner that features radical-friendly reading. A woodcutting that avant-garde jazz musician Dennis Gonzalez created after a performance is displayed on the wall.

Abyssinia's dual bars tend to attract different drinkers; the first level draws mostly from the Ethiopian immigrant community. But there is some solidarity: Upstairs boozers can order food from the kitchen, while drinkers below convinced the bar to stock different kinds of Hefeweizen after sampling it at Fiume.