Holt's Cigar Company

Holt's Cigar Company is one of the oldest and largest cigar lounges in Philadelphia, and the word around center city is that it earns the reputation. The humidor is the kind regulars talk about, immaculate and stocked deep, with sticks from all over. If you know your brands, you'll find them here: Ashton, Arturo Fuente, Oliva, La Aroma de Cuba, Padrón, My Father, Perdomo, San Cristobal, AJ Fernandez, Rocky Patel, Nub, Davidoff, Montecristo, and Drew Estate all live on the shelves, alongside smoking accessories to round out your visit. Ask anyone who shops here and the selection comes up first, then the people.

The team knows their tobacco cold, and they're happy to walk you through it without a hint of the snobbery some places carry. One woman visiting Philly mentioned the service was friendly and warm without ever being patronizing, which says a lot. Manager Anthony and his crew get named again and again as a genuinely knowledgeable bunch, and locals will tell you to ask for Jimmy, especially if you happen to be a Knicks fan. The prices land fair, and the shop runs regular events when brand owners and reps come through town, so it pays to keep an eye out for those dates.

The lounge upstairs is where Holt's really becomes a home away from home. Leather chairs, good conversation, and a set of regulars in the back who make newcomers feel welcome. People lose track of time up there in the best way. Nick Perdomo himself has been known to point traveling cigar lovers toward this spot, which tells you the standing it holds in the cigar world.

Not everyone leaves happy every single time, and we've heard the occasional grumble about the lounge atmosphere, but that's a rare note against a shop most people in Philadelphia consider the best in the city. For anyone looking for a serious cigar shop in Philadelphia with a proper lounge attached, Holt's is hard to beat.