Food and Beer

Where? In Boston or in MA or New England?

 

I completely agree. beer bar menus can be weird and limited.

 

In Boston, my favorites are:

Picco—excellent pizza and pastas and great rotating tap list. Pretty much all American craft beers.

Coda—great food and small but consistently good tap/bottle list.

There are obviously others, but these two come to mind immediately and stand out because they are restaurants that I would frequent even if they didn't serve excellent beers.

 

Pico comes to mind as well.

The Publick House is one of my favs for quality food/beer, but it can get very busy and loud on the weekends. I suggest going early.

 

Noreys, Pour Judgement, Rogue Island, Dohertys East ave, Julians are my general reccomendations.

 

Depending on where you are in RI, you might just head to Worcester.

 

My area includes Rail Trail Flatbread in Hudson and Armsby Abbey in Worcester.

 

Well, it all depends on what you're looking for in food. In RI, I'd suggest Louis Fullers on the West End. They have great food and solid taps. But it's not a "burgers and wings" type joint (although I recently had their duck wings, and they were awesome). With that said, Harry's Burgers and Beer, also in Providence (South Main St.) has great sliders and decent taps. If you're just looking for typical bar and grill fare, with the stereotypical nonsense like "loaded chipotle jazzy potato skin zingers with bourbon cheddar melty sauce" then Doherty's in Pawtucket is your spot.

In Boston - Deep Ellum has tasty food (home made charcuterie is always a win in my book) and I absolutely love their beer selection.

 

Then Louis Fullers is worth checking out for sure. The prices are reasonable considering the quality of food they are serving (I think they could get away with charging more, but don't tell them that). Also, for what it's worth, in my opinion Chez Pascal on Hope St. in Providence and New Rivers on Steeple St. in Providence are among the best, if not THE best restaurants in the state. Chez Pascal has only two taps, but a variety of bottles. New Rivers doesn't have taps. So the beer is hit or miss, but the food is unreal (especially at New Rivers, chef is a genius). But you'll pay a good amount of money at both. My advice, have beers at Harry's and then make the two block walk to New Rivers for dinner. Now THAT is a night of great food and beer.

 

I'd like to add Farmstead up on Wayland Square.

 

I am yet to go there. Whenever my wife and I save enough coin we want to go, but because it's so rare that we get to do such things, we feel a strong urge to go to New Rivers. Obviously when going to Farmstead my focus is on the food, but what's the beer situation like? I remember going there for a drink years ago, but I am sure things have changed since. Do they have taps?

 

How about in or around Newport?

 

I was there over the summer and the food is indeed delicious. There is always good charcuterie, and some really inventive entrees (the burger is amazing, as are the accompanying polenta frites). They also play awesome music in the restaurant.

I don't recall what I had for beer, but I remember a small, but solid bottle list with some rotating taps.