150438 Wed Jan 26 08:32:42 -0800 2005 19 12 Boston Area 0 806717 Any opinions on the best spot to hit for better beer and nice food in or around Boston? Thanks in advance. betterbeerhound Wed Jan 26 08:32:42 -0800 2005 0 betterbeerhound 1 806719 I really like Half Way Cafe in Watertown for beer and a good dinner. It's nothing fancy, but I have never not liked anything I got there. I also like Sunset in Brighton. Again, it's nothing fancy, but they have an AMAZING beer selection...it's huge! Silvertone off Washington Street near downtown crossing also has great "home cooked" meals and is very reasonable. They have a great wine selection too (as well as beer). Wed Jan 26 08:39:20 -0800 2005 806717 0 CoddyJ 2 806733 I guess I wasn't specific enough. Quality beer. Thanks for your responses though. Wed Jan 26 09:39:17 -0800 2005 806719 0 betterbeerhound 3 806735 Cornwall's in Kenmore Square has a great selection of real ales on tap from the UK - and their menu, though fairly basic pub grub, is executed pretty well. Also, Redbones in Davis Square, Somerville has a fantastic, rotating selection of brews, and BBQ that ranges from passable to outstanding. Wed Jan 26 10:10:51 -0800 2005 806733 0 garlicbreath 4 806738 Good call on Cornwalls..I forgot about that place! They serve a GREAT ceasar salad too! Wed Jan 26 10:51:42 -0800 2005 806735 0 CoddyJ 1 806725 I'd say Anam Cara (Brookline), Sunset Grill (Allston), and Bukowski's (downtown Boston and Inman Sq. Cambridge/Somerville line) have the most beers available. Never been to Anam Cara, but based on the responses to my query below, it's fast approaching. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/150255#805655 Wed Jan 26 08:48:10 -0800 2005 806717 0 Dax 1 806727 A seemingly underrepresented location is Tims in the South End. It's on Columbus at Dartmouth and, although it's nothing to look at, the burgers are GREAT and they have beer. I'm not promising the most exotic beer list you've ever seen, but just the standards. If you really want an extensive beer list, I agree with the above poster - Sunset cannot be beat! Wed Jan 26 09:07:28 -0800 2005 806717 0 Melissa 1 806732 My local favorite after work is the Publick House in Maynard. Small local draft list, good bottle selection, Concord, Harpoon, Sam, Oiklsner Urquel, etc. and some interesting specials in addition to there reguklar menu. I had some very nice gnocchi with short ribs last week, and warm garlic sausage last night. I don't think they list the specials on the website, though they will fax them to me. www.Maynardfood.com Wed Jan 26 09:35:15 -0800 2005 806717 0 Petey 2 806743 I'll have to check this out soon and try to convince them to get some better beer. Only been hearing good things about the food though. Wed Jan 26 11:13:15 -0800 2005 806732 0 rl 3 806747 I was talking to one of the managers one day and they were rambling on about storage and glycol and such. It's not too bad though. They have some of the usual suspects and Harpoon, Sam, Corona, Guiness, Bass, Rapscallion?,,and a great Porter from Concord so there is a decent range. They look like they could use a boost some days though. Half empty spots don't seem to last long. Wed Jan 26 11:21:37 -0800 2005 806743 0 Petey 4 806830 By the way Rapscallion is an artisinal beer with a "Belgian" influence that was developed by Dann Paquette (brewer at The Tap in Haverhill now)when he was the head brewer for Concord. Some interesting stuff - especially the Creation. The Concord saga is a whole sorted mess that is still being worked out. Basically with Rapscallion taking off, they needed more space, moved from West Concord to Shirley, and got evicted from the Shirley space after starting up production there. Looked like the brewery was going to shut down, but was saved when it was sold to an outside investor and the operation was moved to the Lowell Brewery (Mill City). Mike Labbe (bewer before Dann and part owner before the sale) is still brewing Concord, Rapscallion, Mill City (for brewpub consumption), and newly revived Z-Street brews on a contract basis. The brewing business is a tough one with very low margins, its a wonder how any of the small guys survive. Wed Jan 26 15:24:02 -0800 2005 806747 0 rl 1 806746 For a combination of great beer and good food, there really is only one place in Boston-or maybe two. Anam Cara for sure and Redbones depending on how good the food is. Sometimes the pulled pork, beef ribs, and brisket can be very good at RB's, other times not. Sunset's beers are very hit or miss. Too many taps that lets kegs sit around too long, unclean lines, and horrible food. The bad beer and buffalo wings made with ketchup the last time I was there was the last straw for me. Bukowski's is just a rip-off. Wed Jan 26 11:20:48 -0800 2005 806717 0 rl 2 806799 I disagree about Sunset. The beer is the best selection around. I love the place. The food is standard, not fantastic, but as long as you order bar food it's not bad either. But if you want to try a new beer and eat a decent meal, I think Sunsets a good bet. I also like Boston Beer works, Cambridge One, and the BBC in Plymouth and the Cape. Wed Jan 26 13:58:08 -0800 2005 806746 0 GirlFriday 2 806806 I agree that Anam Cara is a good bet if you want great beer. The food is okay. Stick to the bar basics, as the more "cheffy" choices can be iffy. They also seem to care more about the presentation, sometimes matching beers to specialty glassware. I also agree that Sunset is not the best choice. While the length of their beer list is impressive, they are often out of many of the more obscure choices. We'll often pick a beer we've never heard of to try, the waitress will say they are out, and then we'll ask what is available in that same category. Sometimes there will only be one or two choices per section on the beer menu. In general, the waitstaff is less knowledgeable about the beer, probably because they cater a lot to the local college crowd. Wed Jan 26 14:10:39 -0800 2005 806746 0 Jujubee 1 806756 I guess this would depend on what you consider "quality beer". The local microbreweries with decent beer (Cambridge Brewing Co comes to mind) generally have very standard pub fare. There are tons of places that feature five to ten craft beers on tap, including some cask-conditioned ales, but few with really noteworthy food. Then there are a bunch of bars whose food I really like, but don't go much beyond some big commercial beers, some of which are good (I am perfectly happy drinking Guinness most of the time, otherwise Harpoon IPA, Bass, Stella, Sam Adams Lager, Boddington's, Tsing Tao, Pilsner Urquell, Dos Equis Amber, the odd can of old-school American beers like PBR and Schlitz, bottles of Miller High Life, cans of Tecate, etc.) So, bars with noteworthy food and good-enough-for-me beer selection: The B-Side Lounge, Audobon Circle, the Miracle of Science, the Silvertone, the Delux Cafe, Tim's Tavern, R.F. O'Sullivans, James's Gate, Cambridge One, Matt Murphy's, River Gods, the Middlesex Lounge, Doyle's, and Johnny D's. Brasserie Jo has one draft (a house lager called Hopla, very nice), lots of Belgians in bottles, and good French bistro/Alsatian fare. Decent beer, passable if unremarkable food: the Overdraught, the Crossroads, Bukowski (Back Bay), the Good Life, Lucky's, Charley's Kitchen, and Clerys. Wed Jan 26 12:26:45 -0800 2005 806717 0 MC Slim JB 1 806760 I like Boston Beer Works in Kenmore... they brew the beer there and the food is good too. Don't try it before a Red Sox game, gets way too crowded. They have one over by North Station and one in Salem too Wed Jan 26 12:31:24 -0800 2005 806717 0 Sherry 1 806770 try O'sullivan's in Somerville....cold beer and the absolute best burger you'll ever eat. I never went to a restaurant and ordered a hamburger til I tried this place. It takes about 30min's after you put your order in to cook these things because they are so big and juicy. give it a try Wed Jan 26 13:00:38 -0800 2005 806717 0 chris 1 806887 Another vote here for Anam Cara. I was wildly impressed by their beer list when I went there last month. They also have a fireplace -- a real plus in this weather. Redbones is a good possibility too. Wed Jan 26 23:26:09 -0800 2005 806717 0 Bluebell 1 806895 One more for Anam Cara. Also worth checking out Audubon Circle or Miracle of Science - more of a standard beer list, but above average food. Especially a fan of the juicy burgers at Miracle of Science and the sandwiches at Audubon. Red Bones - yes, great beer variety. Worth a visit to find out if you are a fan of their bbq. Thu Jan 27 07:47:37 -0800 2005 806717 0 nomadfromcincy 1 807148 Anam Cara certainly offers the best beer choice and the food is great. Redbones is a close second on both counts. Try these two before you try anything else. Sun Jan 30 16:18:02 -0800 2005 806717 0 marnamial