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Beer is a better partner for food than wine. It’s just that simple. For far too long, wine professionals have extolled the virtues of perfect pairings, while dismissing that beauty of the same union between beer and food. Granted, our beer selection has grown significantly in the past decade or so to include new styles, new flavors, and a focus on creating a higher quality product, which has a lot to do with it. But, a piece of that puzzle is also the stigma that beer is a working-class drink, not one for the palates of the elite.
Locally, The Wine and Beer School of Philadelphia often holds competitions where people judge which sommelier does better work pairing food with wine, and it’s always a good time. Until the brewers show up. I’ve yet to see a tussle where the brewer and his beers have lost to crushed grapes even once.
The PLCB is responsible for confusing laws, ridiculous store hours, high prices, and limited selection, but the difficulties surrounding that all-knowing governing body have spawned to great things for Philly: the birth of the BYOB, and the craft beer bottle shop. Here’s a list of the bottle shops you shouldn’t miss, and the places to eat once you’ve bought all of your malty treasures.
The Shop: The Bottle Shop
1837 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
The lovely ladies of The Bottle Shop, Gena Montebello and Michele Aquino, have put together a fantastic collection of brews at competitive prices. More than that, they’ve carved out a niche with their hangout space that has tables and chairs set up like a clubhouse, complete with plasma TVs and foods for snacking. Expect an old-timey popcorn machine, rotating hot dog warmer, and more nuts than the Adult Video News Awards.
The BYOB: Fond
1617 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
After purchasing a nice crown and cork bomber, you should head to Fond, located at 1617 East Passyunk Avenue. Fond is owned by Chef Lee Styer, one of Philly’s best young chefs, who honed his skills for years at Georges Perrier’s Le Bec-Fin. While the atmosphere is slightly frou-frou, Styer’s personality is anything but. Fond’s menu is modern French and American, and sports the city’s best sweetbreads, which you shouldn’t miss.
The Shop: The Foodery
324 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA
The Foodery is the go-to bottle shop in Philly for rare selections. While there isn’t a ton of space in the Pine Street store (their 2nd and Poplar location is larger), you’ll come across the largest collection of odd European craft beers from Belgium, Denmark, France and newest hotspot, Italy. You sour fans will find a home here, too, as The Foodery doesn’t fear the funk. The local selection is plentiful, but be prepared to pay out the nose for your entire order.
The BYOB: 943
943 S. 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Located right in the heart of the Italian Market, 943 is home to a blend of Italian and Argentinian cuisine. Very reasonable in price as far as BYOBs go, they offer an array of small plates perfect for group dining and sharing. Be sure to try the pulpo and empanadas before finishing with a simple, yet extremely satisfying skirt steak.
The Other BYOB: Kanella
1001 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA
Kanella is the most underrated restaurant in Philly. Chef Konstantinos Pitsillides is an outspoken and supremely talented chef, bringing the flavors of his native Cyprus to Spruce Street. He’s a master of game meats, Mediterranean grains, and the legendary Dips of the Day.
The Other Other BYOB: Farm and Fisherman
1120 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA
New-to-the-scene, chef Josh Lawler opened The Farm and Fisherman very recently, but it’s already become a critic’s darling in a short amount of time. Lawler’s menu is heavy on the meats, but his vegetarian options are something to behold. Get the Bloody Beet Steak, a huge red-streaked mess of a veggie that resembles the finest dry-aged beef, cooked in pan jus, salt, and butter.
The Shop: Pinocchio’s
131 East Baltimore Pike, Media, PA
Pinocchio’s in Media recently expanded their beer experience, and as such, it was just named Best of Philly 2011 by Philadelphia Magazine. Pinocchio’s now has 23 rotating draft lines, but also has a ridiculously huge selection of bottles in their beer garden. While there are heavy local leanings, Pinocchio’s still has a big selection of import goodies, and rare one-offs.
The BYOB: LA NA
33 West State Street, Media, PA
La Na is a seriously amazing Thai-French fusion spot near Pinocchio’s that is a little bit pricey, but has some Old World classics that shouldn’t be missed. Go-to dishes are the Cornish Game Hen in Grand Marnier reduction and yellow rice, and a new spin on classic crab cakes in a saffron herb sauce. For starters, go with the Tulip Dumplings, stuffed with chicken, crabmeat, and shrimp in soy vinaigrette.
The Other BYOB: Fellini’s Cafe
106 West State Street, Media, PA
Not to be confused with the other Fellini Cafe in Philly, Fellini’s is a privately owned restaurant and an institution in Media. The staff breaks out into song every once in a while, but the portions are huge and the food is impeccable.
The Shop: The Craft Beer Outlet
9910 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
The Craft Beer Outlet is a bit out of the way for city denizens, but is the spot for those who live in the Greater Northeast. The shop is massive with an unparalleled selection (Plenty of rare Russian River, Lost Abbey, Evil Twin, Bruery, etc.) and has a 6-tap growler filler on the premises. The staff is an intense bunch who really know their goods, and there’s a tasting area available, too. The prices are on the high side, but it’s a small price to pay for a store this good.
The Other Shop: The Six Pack Store
7015 Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
One of the originals in the craft beer scene, The Six Pack Store has been selling great craft beers by the bottle since 1997. They may not have the largest selection when compared to some of the newer places, but there are more than enough options to put together some fine dinner pairings. There are even a few beers on tap for growler fills. Plus, owner Ray Swerdlow is usually on hand and more than willing to share a story on the roots of the beer scene in Philadelphia.
The BYOB: Sweet Lucy’s Smokehouse
7500 State Road, Philadelphia, PA
It’s not a two minute walk, but everything is driving distance in the Far Northeast. Sweet Lucy’s is about an eight minute drive from The Craft Beer Outlet, and is one of the city’s unsung heroes in the world of BBQ. Craig LaBan thinks they make the best BBQ chicken in the city, and their ribs are the real deal, with an intense smoke ring of flavor. If you’re making the trek to the Northeast for the selection of beer at The Craft Beer Outlet, you must make a stop here before heading home.
The Other BYOB: Makiman Sushi
7324 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
While there are a glut of also-ran sushi joints in Philly and the ‘burbs, Makiman really brings good stuff to the table. Their fish is fresh and tasty, of course, but they’re very creative and think outside the box with their specialty rolls. Go for the Cap N’ Crunch (kani, cooked shrimp, tempura flakes, and cucumber) or the Yellow Stallion (torched yellowtail surrounding spicy tuna and roe).
The Shop: Brew
1900 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Across the street from the popular South Philly Taproom is owner John Longacres’ Brew. Splitting space with Ultimo Coffee, Brew’s beer selection is loaded with local favorites, American craft heavyweights and a few from across the pond. But, they have the best per bottle price of any shop in the area, which puts them high on the list as one of the best in town.
The BYOB: Circles Contemporary Asian Cuisine
1516 Tasker Street, Philadelphia, PA
Currently the trendiest of all the South Philly hole-in-the-wall joints, Circles is the reigning Thai food champ in Philly. Every critic loves this place, and it has a long list of regular diners. Don’t sleep on this gem, and order the pumpkin curry, the mango sticky rice, and the lemongrass soup while you’re there. We had one of our favorite meals of last year at this fantastic BYOB.
The Shop: Joe Canal’s
1075 Mantua Pike, West Deptford, NJ
When it comes to beer selections in NJ, it really doesn’t get any better than this Joe Canal’s. People in Jersey looking for something special know this is the top destination. They also have a growler station with eight rotating lines at some of the best prices going (A 64 oz. growler of Allagash White is only $11). The staff is knowledgeable and love talking beer. Good luck walking out with only a couple bottles for dinner, though.
The Other Shop: Hops and Grapes
810 North Delsea Drive, Glassboro, NJ
It’s a bit of a hike, but the crew at Hops and Grapes make it worth the trip. The prices are Wegmans cheap, and the store has top shelf cheese, wine, and liquor as well. The store is heavy on the crown and cork bombers, so this is the spot for you aged barrel beer and sour fanatics. Those who can’t make decisions will love Hops and Grapes, too, as they are big on the mix-asix, and discount folks who go that route.
The BYOB: Zeppoli
618 Collings Avenue, Collingswood, NJ
Zeppoli is the biggest culinary surprise of 2011. The shiny, new BYOB from longtime Vetri vet Joey Baldino, is dishing up some unfamiliar Sicilian cuisine that we’ve yet to explore, but the critics are all really digging it. Since Italy is the new hotspot for craft brewing, pick up a couple before you go over the bridge for the Tagliatelle al Limone and the Rabbit Pizzaiola, which are two menu highlights.
The Other BYOB: Blackbird
714 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ
While it might be overkill to shove more Italian down your throat, we must mention Blackbird. Chef Alex Capasso has made quite the name for himself in a seriously crowded field of chefs. And, he was just named a candidate for the James Beard Award. If you stop by, go with the gnocchi.
