Birroteca

 

EDIT:
Upping my score after stopping by again. It IS kind of a fancypants establishment, but much less so than many others. The tap list is midwest-heavy and one of the best curated in the city. The food is also very tasty.

Located in Meadowmill, a lovely, wooded area just abutting Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood. It's a very nice drive in the autumn.

It's also right near my gym. I showed up post-workout, maybe around 6 PM on a Friday. Wearing T-shirt and jeans and a little sweaty. Oh my, the stares I received.

The decor is surprisingly upscale. The bar has the dark, woody, and very polished feel of an inner city bar in an 80s sitcom. Like Cheers without the smoke, basically. And with lots of taps instead of just one.

The beer list is wide, and they provide take home and half pours. I'd say about 75% of the tap selections were from the region, including several from Waverly and Union breweries, which are both within walking distance of this pub. The prices are a little high, but they have frequent specials that bring them down to a more reasonable level.

Even though "Birro" is in the place's name, and even though they clearly care about their selection of beer, this is definitely a restaurant first and a beer bar second. The vibe is a little too upscale, and they think it's weird if you show up just to drink. Their main food offering are neapolitan pizzas that are expensive and not very good, and with the glut of dining options just up the hill in Hampden, it's hard to argue for coming here for a meal.

So... I dunno. It's certainly not bad. The surrounding area is very pretty, and if you're the type of person who owns a monocle (or an Acura) the vibe might appeal to you.

 

Great food. Large selection of beer on tap and in bottles.