Chester County

Malvern

A Victorian train-stop borough that also happens to be Vanguard's world headquarters. King Street runs past antique shops and a run of well-reviewed restaurants, and the actual Paoli Battlefield — despite the name — sits inside Malvern, not Paoli.

$814K typical home ~60 min rail to Center City Great Valley school district

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Downtown Malvern
Downtown MalvernIi2nmd, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

11 things on this weekend, 246 on the calendar in Malvern.

Everything in Malvern

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Venice Pizza and Pasta

Neapolitan thin pies, a no-cheese tomato pie, and 18-inch stuffed specialty pizzas that eat like a project. Pasta runs on a weekly schedule — gnocchi Tuesdays, baked ziti Wednesdays, stuffed shells Fridays.

4.6 (723) on Google

60 Lancaster Ave

The Valley House Bar & Restaurant

'Smash'-style burgers, pasta, and daily specials on the food side; 20 craft, domestic, and local taps plus craft cocktails on the other. The bar opens at 11 every day and keeps going after the kitchen calls it.

4.6 (306) on Google

1021 Morehall Rd

Cedar Hollow Inn Restaurant and Bar

A locally owned spot on Yellow Springs Road whose whole pitch is 'no gimmicks, no fuss' American cooking, open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. on weekends, which quietly makes it a brunch option too.

4.5 (685) on Google

2455 Yellow Springs Rd

Bao Nine

takeoutasian fusiontaiwanese

Bao buns at The Grove — the suburban sibling of the Rittenhouse original. The Bao Boa piles braised short rib with house truffle wiz and cherry pepper relish; the Sticky Chicky goes crispy teriyaki chicken, sesame-yuzu aioli, and cucumber.

4.5 (142) on Google

10 Liberty Blvd

Bamboo House of Noodle Soups

A family-owned Vietnamese BYOB with a hometown-inspired menu — the family traces its cooking to Quang Ngai province and isn't shy about it. Noodle soups lead, with vegetarian options throughout.

4.3 (505) on Google

245 Lancaster Ave

Pennsylvania Distilling Company

A Malvern distillery bottling rye whiskey, small-batch vodka, dry gin and white rum, all from local ingredients. The cocktail bar only opens Friday and Saturday nights, so plan the tasting around that.

4.7 (60) on Google

50 Three Tun Rd #3

Locust Lane Craft Brewery

Fourteen tap lines of flagships, seasonals, and test batches in a taproom off Three Tun Road, with food cooked in the Epicurean Garage truck and run to your table. Family friendly inside, dog friendly out on the deck.

50 Three Tun Rd

Sly Fox Taphouse at the Grove

Sly Fox's taphouse at The Grove, pouring since January 2020 with beer arriving fresh from the brewery and a pizza oven handling the food. Tuesdays do double duty — trivia from 6:30 to 8:30 and $9 select growlers.

20 Liberty Blvd

Malvern Farmers Market

The Malvern Farmers Market gathers local growers and makers near Burke Park through the warm months, with produce, bread, and things to eat on the spot. It's run by Growing Roots Partners.

4.4 (63) on Google

Warren Avenue and

Sheffield Furniture & Interiors

Sheffield Furniture & Interiors is a full furniture showroom on East King Street, with an in-house design side for whole-room redos. Plan for a browse, not a quick in-and-out.

4.5 (82) on Google

211 E King St

Terra Culture Gifts

A gift shop on East King Street, the earthy-and-handmade end of Malvern's downtown row. Good for the present you meant to buy a week ago.

4.7 (15) on Google

233 E King St Unit 109

Silver Linings Boutique

A women's clothing boutique on West King Street. One of the independent shops along Malvern's walkable downtown stretch.

5.0 (2) on Google

117 W King St

Kimberton Whole Foods (Malvern)

The Malvern branch of the family-run natural grocer, on East King Road since 2014 with shelves stocked from more than 200 local producers. The grab-and-go case runs gluten-free to vegan, with drip coffee and hot soup for the road.

4.7 (304) on Google

429 E King Rd

The Malvern Coffee Company

Malvern's own roaster, working from a second floor on King Street and selling its first blend, King's Cup, whole bean or ground for anything from drip cone to cold brew. No cafe yet — a social hub is the stated long game.

218 King St

Historic Sugartown

Preserved 19th-century crossroads village with a general store, carriage museum, the circa-1805 Garrett House, and a working book bindery. Grounds are open daily 9 to 5 year-round; guided tours run Saturdays and Sundays May through November, with parking at 273 Boot Road.

4.7 (59) on Google

690 Sugartown Road

The Willows Golf Lounge

golfindoor

Indoor golf simulator lounge on Liberty Boulevard with over 1,000 courses to play and lessons from PGA professional Maria. Food and drink from local partners land at your bay mid-round.

5.0 (51) on Google

20 Liberty Blvd

Paoli Battlefield Historical Park

The site of the 1777 Battle of Paoli, where a British night bayonet raid on Anthony Wayne's men turned into a Revolutionary War rallying cry. Open ground with walking paths and one of the oldest war monuments in the country.

4.6 (180) on Google

Monument Ave &

Historic Waynesborough

Georgian house museum that was home to Revolutionary War general Anthony Wayne, held by seven generations of the Wayne family from 1724 to 1965. Now a National Historic Landmark on ten acres in neighboring Paoli, run by PhilaLandmarks as a tour-able house museum.

4.6 (145) on Google

2049 Waynesborough Road

Battle of the Clouds Park

East Whiteland township park named for the Battle of the Clouds, marked on site by a state historical marker. Sports fields plus direct access onto the Chester Valley Trail.

133 Phoenixville Pike

Good questions

What is Malvern known for?

A walkable borough core wrapped in Revolutionary War ground, with People’s Light down the road and a Paoli/Thorndale train from King Street. History at the far end of the line.

How far is Malvern from Philadelphia?

About 40 minutes by car, off-peak. By rail, Malvern station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line reaches Center City in about 60 minutes. A long ride on the locals, about ten minutes shorter if you catch a peak express.

Is Malvern walkable?

Mostly. Park once and the middle of town covers a lot on foot, though a few of our picks want a short drive. We score its main-street walk 3.5 out of 5; the Malvern scouting report shows how that compares to the other towns.

Is Malvern a good place to live?

That depends on what you want out here, so we keep a full Malvern scouting report for exactly this question. The quick numbers: a typical home runs about $814K, schools are Great Valley School District, and 3,419 people call the borough home.