Brilliant Beer Bars

by various

January 1, 2004 By aab

What makes a great beer bar? Think of your favorite place to enjoy a pint, what makes it special to you, and that’s what makes a great beer bar. It may have mind-boggling variety, or a small range of beers that are lovingly tended. It may be funky, elegant, noisy, laid-back, spare, or historic; with music or without; serving great food or none at all; grittily urban or gently rustic. But it will certainly stand out from other bar choices for some combination of reasons, enough to bring patrons back again and again, and to lead them to recommend the bar to others.

We asked a long list of writers, industry professionals and beer lovers for the names of their favorite bars in their home town, plus a bar away from home that stands out. The list obviously cannot be comprehensive, but each name represents a difficult selection made by someone who loves beer. Check out some of these recommendations, and see if these bars belong on your list of favorites.

Alaska

Humpy’s, 610 West 6th Ave., Anchorage, 907-276-BEER

Arkansas

Hugo’s, 25 1/2 N Block, Fayetteville, 72701, 501-521-7585.

Pizza D’Action, 2919 W. Markham, Little Rock, 72205, 666-5403.

Sticky Fingerz, President Clinton Blvd, Little Rock, 501-372-7707.

Tiny Tim’s Pizza on the Square, 21 W. Mountain, Fayetteville, 72701, 501-521-5551.

California

Barclay’s, 5940 College Ave., Oakland, 94618, 510-654-1650.

Father’s Office, 1018 Montana, Santa Monica, 90403, 310-393-2330. We had our first draft Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Grant’s Russian Imperial Stout and Portland Timberline there in 1988 and other memorable beer before that.

Liar’s Club, 3844 Mission Boulevard, San Diego, 92109, 858-488-2340. Best beer selection, bar food, and juke box in San Diego.

O’ Briens, 4646 Convoy St, San Diego, 92111, 858-715-1745. Great beer selection.

The Tilted Stick, 4970 Voltaire St., Ocean Beach, 92107, 619-222-6895. Great beer selection.

Toronado, 547 Haight, San Francisco, 94117, 415-863-2276. Located in the Haight, this small, gritty bar has an interesting mix of biker leather, punked out rockers and plain ordinary folks, and one of the best line-ups of beer on the West Coast. There are other beer bars in the Bay area with a longer list of taps, but it’s doubtful that any are better thought-out than the Toronado. Always several Belgian beers on tap, Anchor and other local products, and a number of “heavy hitters.”

Colorado

B-52 Billiards, 1920 Market St., Denver, 80202, 303-383-1941. The owners spent tons of money installing the best draft beer system they could find. The result is that the beer in the glass tastes as good as it’s supposed to.

The Blake Street Tavern, 2401 Blake St., Denver, 80205, 303-675-0505. Great food and awesome beer. The Tavern serves Flying Dog beer brewed in the adjacent building. Twenty beers on tap. Great fun neighborhood place.

Brasserie Rouge, 1801 Wynkoop St., Denver, 80202, 303-991-2242. A French brasserie with a heavy focus on great beers. The owners installed a draft system similar to B-52 Billiards (same ownership), with the priority of preserving beer quality.

Falling Rock, 1919 Blake St., Denver, 80202, 303-293-8338. Apart from the best of the Rockies, manager Chris Black always seems to come up with the unusual and unexpected. Only a couple of blocks from Coors Field, there’s no better destination after a ball game. An unofficial brewers’ hangout during the Great American Beer Fest: stop by and mingle with your favorite brewers on the large patio.

Georgia

Harvey Washbangers., 1080 Baxter St., Athens, 30606. This great bar has a laundromat in the back, and a lighted laundry display in the front, urging the patrons to “drink until your light goes out.” They offer 70+ bottled beers, and several draft beers, not to mention 36 washers and 34 driers! Who says you can’t mix business and pleasure?

Idaho

The Alehouse, 226 W. 6th St., Moscow, 208-664-2739. Located on the edge of the University of Idaho campus, it goes through more beer than any other establishment in town. It is not a “beer blast” kind of place though: they have a really cool atmosphere and really care about serving and knowing about great beer. Great parking lot concerts.

Illinois

Clark Street Ale House, 742 N. Clark, Chicago, 312-642-9253.

Hopleaf Bar, 5148 N. Clark St., Chicago, 60640, 773-334-9851. Mike Roper is a crusader for fine beers, supporting all the locals and featuring the deepest Belgian list in the Midwest. New kitchen features local products and Belgian specialties.

Jimmy’s Grill, 245 S. Washington St., Naperville, 60540, 630-548-2500. Independent bar and restaurant in the crowded and trendy downtown Naperville. Jimmy’s is the down-to-earth place to sit on the patio and sip a craft beer.

John’s Buffet, 27W482 Jewell Road, Winfield, 60190, 630-752-2000. A great family-owned pub in the far west suburbs of Chicago. Great selection of draft beer, especially for the suburbs.

The Map Room, 1949 N. Hoyne, Chicago, 60647, 312-252-7637. One of the best in the country. Friendly staff, amazing selection.; remote but worth the journey.

The Maple Tree Inn, 13301 S. Western Ave., Blue Island, 60406, 708-388-3461.

Sheffield’s, 3258 North Sheffield Ave., Chicago, 60657, 773-281-4989. Best beer garden in Chicago, strong support for craft brewers, great selection of draft beers and obscure bottles.

The Village Tap, 2055 W. Roscoe, Chicago, 60618, 312-883-0017. Not only a tremendous tap beer selection, but a great place to hang out. A small kitchen cranks out specialties such as falafel sandwiches and standard burgers. The place to be is out back in the year-round beer garden, open in the summer and tented in the winter.

Iowa

Cooney’s Tap, 3719 Beaver Ave., Des Moines, 50310, 515-274-9877.

The Vine, 330 E. Prentiss St., Iowa City, 52240, 319-354-8767.

The Waveland Café, 4708 University Ave., Des Moines, 50311, 515-279-4341.

Kansas

Auntie Mae’s Parlor, 114 McCall Rd., Manhattan, 66502, 785-776-4556.

Nick & Jake’s, 6380 W. 135th St., Overland Park, 66223, 913-681-8535.

Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusettes St., Lawrence, 66044.

Rock-a-Belly Bar & Deli, 718 N Manhattan Ave., Manhattan, 66502, 785-539-8033.

So-Long Saloon, 1130 Moro St., Aggieville, 785-537-9292.

Maine

Great Lost Bear, 540 Forest Ave., Portland, 04101, 207-772-0300. 52 taps including 4 cask conditioned. Good pub menu.

Three Dollar Deweys, 241 Commercial St., Portland, 04101, 207-772-3310. One of the original craft brew pioneers re support etc., 36 beers on tap, all craft or import.

Maryland

The Cat’s Eye Pub, 1730 Thames St., Baltimore, 21231, 410-276-9085. Great interior with murals of local and historical significance, local art, photography, flags from around the world. Good draught beer, varied local bands. During the Fells Point “Mardi Gras North” you’re likely to find a Cajun or Zydeco band, imported from Louisiana. Favorite beers are Oliver ‘Ironman Ale’, named after Orioles great, shortstop Cal Ripkin, and the best pint of Guinness Stout around.

Duda’s, 1600 Thames St., Baltimore, 21231, 410-276-9719. Just a cozy Fells Point bar with a nice selection of both drafts and bottles. Outstanding burgers. Lots of locals, which is not always the case in that neighborhood.

Rams Head Savage Mill, 8600 Foundry St., Savage, 20763, 301-604-3454. Over 40 different taps in house. Music 4-5 nights a week from the local/regional music scene. Food is amazing: crab cakes, phenomenal.

Sean Bolan’s, 1236 Light St., Baltimore, 21230, 410-837-4440. Solid draft selection with lots of interesting stuff you won’t see elsewhere. Carefully selected bottles. Great staff, firkins every Thursday.

The Wharf Rat, 801 South Ann St., Baltimore, 21231, 410-276-9034. Great ambiance: old wood plank floors, interesting tables, wonderful collections of curios, pool table in back room, a “stand-in” fireplace that Santa Claus has no problem getting down, great selection of quality draught beer. On special occasions there’s likely to be a firkin sitting on the back bar that’s on the house.

Massachusetts

Anam Cara, 1648 Beacon St., Brookline (metro Boston), 02445, 617-277-2880. By far the best present “beer-bar” in metropolitan Boston. Great draft selection, superior bottle selection. If it’s available in Massachusetts and you hear about it—they will have it. Clean lines, beer served in proper glassware (most in exactly the right glass) and amazing food matched to the beers.

Bukowski’s Tavern, 50 Dalton St., Boston, 02115, (also in Inman Square, Cambridge), 617-437-9999. Boston’s hipster beer bar. Great selection in this tiny and loud joint. Beers mostly served in the proper glassware and with a flourish by the staff. A great place to go for the under 40 lot.

Doyle’s, 3484 Washington St., Jamaica Plain (metro Boston), 02130, 617-524-2345. Boston’s classic Irish Bar, close to the old brewery row. Over 20 beers on tap.

O’Hara’s, 1185 Walnut St., Newton Highlands, 02461, 617-965-6785. Comfortable, family-owned neighborhood icon located in village of Newton Highlands, about 10 minutes from Boston. More than 20 draft beers from around the world poured from cold, clean lines.

Redbone’s, Davis Square, 55 Chester St., Somerville (metro Boston), 02144, 617-628-2200. Fabulous BBQ and deep south cuisine, open pit, easily Boston’s best, 24 taps, some interesting bottles, and funky decor. Be sure to check out the cartoon murals in the basement by artist Rob Logan, way cool.

Sunset Bar and Grill, 130 Brighton Ave., Allston (metro Boston), 02134, 617-254-1331. Enormous draft (120+) and bottled selection (hundreds), a non-smoking section and bar (a real plus in Boston), fiery hot wings, and good all-around menu.

Minnesota

Al’s Bar, 3912 Excelsior Blvd, Minneapolis, 55416, 952-922-9940.

Ike’s Food & Cocktails, 50 South 6th St., Minneapolis, 55402, 612-746-4537.

Mackenzie Scotch Pub, 918 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 55403, 612-333-7268.

Patrick McGovern’s Pub & Restaurant, 225 W. 7th St., St. Paul, 55102, 651-224-5821.

Missouri

BB’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th, Kansas City, 64131, 816-822-7427.

Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar, St. Louis, 63130, 314-727-2277. Blueberry Hill sparked the revival of the University City Loop neighborhood, not far from Washington University. Rock ‘n’ roll decor, darts, good beer, and occasional appearances by Chuck Berry, a friend of Joe Edwards, the owner.

Charlie Hoopers, 12 W. 63rd St., Kansas City, 64113, 816-361-8841.

Club 609, 609 South Main St., Joplin, 64801, 417-623-6090.

Ebbet’s Field, 1027 East Walnut St., Springfield, 65806, 417-865-5050.

Growler’s Pub, 763 Old Ballas, St. Louis, 63141, 432-3110.

Nick’s Pub, 6001 Mancheter Ave., St. Louis, 63110, 314-781-7806.

O’Connell’s Pub, 4652 Shaw, St. Louis, 63110, 314-773-6601. O’Connell’s, like its bartenders, servers and regular customers, is a St. Louis institution. The conversations you strike up at the bar are likely to be literate and animated.

The Peanut, 5000 Main St., Kansas City, 64112, 816-753-9499.

Nebraska

Barrett’s Barleycorn, 4322 Leavenworth St., Omaha, 68105, 402-554-5805.

Crescent Moon, 3578 Farnam St., Omaha, 68131, 402-345-1708.

Mr. Toad’s, 1002 Howard St., Omaha, 68102, 402-345-4488.

O’Rourke’s Tavern, 1329 O St., Lincoln, 68508, 402-435-8052.

Zoo Bar, 136 North 14t St., Lincoln, 68508, 402-435-8574.

New Hampshire

The Barley Pub, 328 Central Ave., Dover, 03820, 603-742-4226. Great beer bar—Lots of live music!

Coat of Arms, 174 Fleet St., Portsmouth, 03801, 603-431-0407. Great English style pub, many imports and craft beers on tap including cask-conditioned beer. Great English food.

New Jersey

Whistler’s Tavern, 901 Rt. 130 South, Cinnaminson, 08077, 856-786-8776. Mix of macro and micro beers and awesome smokehouse out back. Friendly crowd, all the sports you ever want to watch. Nice place to hang out with regular folks.

New York

Blue Tusk Pub & Wine Bar, 165 Walton St.—Center Armory, Syracuse, 13202, 315-472-1934.

d.b.a., 41 First Ave., New York City, 10003, 212-475-5097.

Mahar’s Public Bar, 1110 Madison Ave., Albany, 12208, 518-459-9416. Mahar’s is a cozy pub, reminiscent of neighborhood pubs across the pond. There are no stools at the bar, if you cannot stand, it’s time to go home. Two dozen taps, hundreds of bottled beers, selections from the U.K, Belgium, Finland and here at home include many hard to find beers.

North Carolina

The Blue Bayou Club, 106 S. Churton St., Hillsborough, 27278, 919-732-2555. The Blue Bayou is one of the few blues venues in North Carolina that can boast a constant blues presence in addition to its frequent rock’n’roll acts. A fine selection of 60+beers and enough atmosphere to choke a gator.

Harrison’s Bar & Grill, 301 N. Harrison Ave., Cary, 27513, 919-481-2442. Relaxing atmosphere, very friendly, knowledgeable servers. A nice American craft beer selection of 35 different taps. Great bar food—be sure to try their beer-battered mushrooms and pickle chips. Sports fan friendly with a number of TVs, pool tables in the back room.

Tupelo’s Tavern, 101 N. Churton St., Hillsborough, 27278, 919-644-2223. Not only does this place have great beer and great food, they are conveniently close to several upscale restaurants!

Tyler’s Taproom, 102 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-929-6881. Great food and a pretty good beer selection, especially given the constraints of North Carolina’s 6% beer law.

Ohio

Grovewood Tavern & Winebar, 17105 Grovewood Ave., Cleveland, 44110, 216-531-4900. Terrific selection of beers (and wine.) Vicki (the beer manager) is incredibly knowledgeable. They hold regular beer-tasting events. Also, the food is wonderfully prepared and the portions generous.

Oklahoma

Arnie’s, 7310 East 2nd St., Tulsa, 74115, 918-583-0797.

Drake’s Tavern, 1546 East 15th St., Tulsa, 74120, 918-295-5850.

Library Bar & Grill, 607 W. Boyd St., Norman, 73069, 405-366-7465.

Maker’s Cigar & Piano Lounge, 25 S. Oklahoma Ave. #108, Oklahoma City, 73104, 405-606-9000.

VZD, 4200 North Western Ave., Oklahoma City, 73118, 405-524-4203.

Willie’s, 323 South Washington, Stillwater, 74074, 405-377-7716.

Oregon

County Cork Public House, 1329 NE Fremont St., Portland, 503-284-4805. Comfortable, friendly, a good selection of draft, cask and nitro beers, and the food is Irish-American.

Higgins Restaurant, 1239 SW Broadway, Portland, 97205, 503-222-9070. Great food, comfortable atmosphere, and PROPER GLASSWARE!

The Horse Brass Pub, 4534 SE Belmont, Portland, 503-232-2202. There’s a splendid beer list here, a goodly selection of cask conditioned and nitro-powered brews, plus a fine array of excellent draft and bottled brews. Food is British pub fare, very well done.

Pennsylvania

Cherry Street Tavern, 12 North 22nd St., Philadelphia, 19102, 215-561-5683. Classic Philadelphia downtown neighborhood taproom; no pretense, just excellent local craftbrews on draft, good sandwiches, friendly staff and clientele. Cool architecture, including the huge backbar and tiled “trough” at the foot of the bar from back in the day when men didn’t have to leave their spot when nature called.

Coopers Seafood House, Restaurant & Ships Pub, 701 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, 18509, 570-346-6883.

Fat Head’s South Shore Saloon, 1805 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, 15203, 412-431-7344. Thirty-eight draft beers and one beer engine. Huge selection of import and micros.

Flood’s, 732 Main St., Stroudsburg, 18360, 570-424-5743.

Johnny Brenda’s Tavern, 1201 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, 19125, 215-SEXY MUG. This dive bar was recently purchased by the guys that own the Standard Tap (2nd & Poplar Sts, Philadelphia, also great!). It offers a great local/regional beer selection and outstanding food in a great corner bar setting complete with a pool table, paneling and a tin ceiling.

Legendary Tannersville Inn, Rt. 611, Tannersville, 18372, 570-629-3131.

Ministry of Information, 447 Poplar St., Philadelphia, 19123, 215-925-0999. Ministry may look a little shady from the outside but once you’re inside the bottled beer selection is great. The food is really tasty and cheap! The juke box is outstanding and they have two pool tables. There is usually the house cat on a bar stool and the bar is dog friendly. It doesn’t get much better than this!

Monk’s Café & Beer Emporium, 264 S. 16th St., Philadelphia, 19102, 215-545-7005. Ground-breaking Philadelphia establishment. Belgian beer and food, local cask ales, superb beer dinners. When it comes to Belgian, Monk’s got there first.

Pearly Baker’s Alehouse, 11 Center Square, Easton, 18042, 610-253-9949

Pocono Brewing Company, Rt 611/ HC 1 Box 88, Swiftwater, 18370, 570-839-3230.

The Tap Room at Skytop Lodge, One Skytop, Skytop, 18357, 800-617-2389.

South Dakota

Old Style Saloon #10, 657 Main St., Deadwood, 57732, 605-578-3346.

Tennesee

Preservation Pub, 28 market Square, Knoxville, 37902, 865-524-2224. Great selection! 61 International bottled beers, 46 American craft bottles, 27 World-Class strong beers, and 9 taps. Live music every night!

Virginia

Capital Ale House, 623 E. Main St., Richmond, 804-643-ALES. With great food and an excellent beer selection, both on tap and in bottles, this is a top destination.

Dr Dremo’s Tap House, 2001 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, 22201, 703-528-4660. A great spot. The artwork and fixtures are garish & futuristic. A good draft selection in what remains of the old Bardo Rodeo brewpub. Pool, big screen, psychotronic movies.

Washington

Steam Plant Grill, 159 S. Lincoln, Spokane, 99201, 509-777-3900. In a renovated 1914 steam plant. The bar is on the lower level, with the restaurant around an opening above the bar. The original boilers are used as dining spaces and the catwalks, pipes and equipment are all over the place. This is not only one of Spokane’s coolest spots, it is unlike any building anywhere that I have seen.

Washington DC

The Brickskeller, 1523 22nd St., NW, 202-293-1885. Holds the Guinness World Record for the most varieties of beer commercially available, over 1,000. Mind boggling.

RFD Washington, 810 7th St., NW, 20001 202-289-2030. Operated by Dave and Diane Alexander (Brickskeller), RFD—“Regional Food and Drink”—features lots of great draft beers, a few hundred bottles and a menu featuring beer cuisine.

The Saloon, 1207 U St. NW, 202-462-2640. A worthy contender for best beer bar to hang out in. No pretense, no beer geeks spewing opinions you’re not interested in (because you have a life), just a carefully chosen, limited selection of beers not readily available anywhere else, a great bartender and good food (Tuesday is steak night!). And, at the end of the evening, the world-famous Ben’s Chili Bowl is only a couple doors down for that late night snack.

Wisconsin

Adler Brau Restaurant & Pub, 1004 S. Olde Oneida St., Appleton, 54915, 920-731-3322.

Baumgartner Cheese Store Inc., 1023 16th Ave., Monroe, 53566, 608-325-6157. Great sandwiches and beer!

Benno’s, 7413 W. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, 53214, 414-453-9094. Large selection of mostly micro and regional brews. Best fish fry I’ve ever had.

Essen Haus, 514 E. Wilson, Madison, 53703, 608-255-4674.

Hooligan’s Super Bar, 2017 E. North Ave., Milwaukee, 53202, 414-273-5230. Located near the funky beehive that is Milwaukee’s east side, Hooligan’s attracts factory workers, artists, and business folks alike. Cozy draft emporium meets sports bar, with an emphasis on the outstanding Wisconsin, especially Milwaukee, microbrews. At least 35 micros and imports on draft. There is no better place to watch the Green Bay Packers work their Lambeau magic.

Spats, 733 W. College Ave., Appleton, 54915, 920-738-7171.

Trim B’s Restaurant & Pub, 201 S. Walnut St., Appleton, 54911, 920-734-9204.

Weary Traveler Free House, 1201 Williamson St., Madison, W53703, 608-442-6207. Mostly micro, farmhouse, and regional brews on tap. They do a nice job with line cleaning and due to their small cooler, the local breweries deliver twice a week, so the beer is always fresh. The food is great. It’s located in a funky neighborhood where you’re just as likely to run into a tattooed skateboarder as your grandmother. Prices reasonable. Eclectic variety of live music several nights a week including country, bluegrass, rock, and jazz..

Wyoming

Dornan’s, Box 39, Moose Junction (north of Jackson), 307-733-2415. Dornan’s offers six taps, but it is adjoined by a beer and wine store with a wide selection of both. Aside from the more than adequate beer list, it has one of the best vistas of any bar in the country. Instead of a backbar, the owners installed large picture windows that frame an up-close and awe-inspiring view of the Tetons.

Many U.S. Locations

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, Eleven branches in the Southeast, eighty taps with “no crap on tap,” sponsor speaking tours for beer experts, “UFO Club” for serious beer lovers.

The Gingerman Houston, 5607 Morningside, Houston, TX 77005, 713-526-2770, also in Dallas, Austin and NY. One of the greatest gathering places in Houston since 1985. It is within walking distance of The Texas Medical Center and Rice University. It draws an eclectic crowd and is simply one of the best after-work destinations around. Over fifty excellent beers on draft, both micros and imports, and many more in bottles. It’s woody interior is soft and inviting and the large beer garden is always full of beer-loving patrons.

Mellow Mushroom, Over fifty locations in eleven southern states, serving pizza and good draft beer.

Old Chicago, locations in twelve states, over one hundred beer choices, at least 30 on tap and a steady rotation of new or seasonal choices. The “new/interesting beer brokers” for the neighborhoods where Old Chicago does business. The “World Beer Tour” rewards guests for trying all the selections.

Sharp Edge, two branches in Pittsburgh, over 92 drafts and 500 bottled selection between the two locations.

Taco Mac, now operates nineteen locations in the southeast. The stores range in size, appearance and selection; from 25 to 108 draught beers, from Chattanooga to Stockbridge, Douglasville to Decatur.

Beyond the US

Belgium

‘t Brugs Beertje, Kemelstraat 5, Brugge, 050-339616. One of the world’s best beer cafés, with five beers on tap and about 250 in bottles. A great place for meeting other beer lovers and enjoying good conversation. Expertly run by owner Daisy Claeys.

Garre, 1 De Garre, Brugges, 050-3411029. Hard to find, down a narrow alleyway just off the Breidalstraat, near the main square. Housed in a small, old candy factory, it has a heavy beamed interior and a relaxing upstairs lounge. Although it has but a handful of taps, the real reason to visit is the vast selection of Belgian bottled beers, served in glasses from the corresponding brewery.

Botteltje, 19 Louisastraat, Ostend, 059-700928. Just a short train ride from Brugges, Bottlelje is only a block in from the English Channel. It’s part of the Hotel Marion, and has both a bar, and a comfortable lounge with stuffed sofa-like booths and benches. The beer list is extensive (over 300) on a beer menu the size of a newspaper. Sizable section of lambics.

Canada

C’est What, 67 Front St. E., Toronto, ON M5E 1B5, 416-867-9499.

Fûtenbulle, 273 Bernard Ouest, Montréal, QC, 514-276-0473.

L’Ïle Noire, 342 Ontario St E., Montréal, QC H2X 1H8, 514-982-0866.

McKibbins Irish Pub, 1426 Bishop St., Montréal, QC, 514-288-1580. Excellent ambiance.

Nord-Ouest Café, 1441 Rue Notre-Dame, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 4X4, 819-693-1151. Bon choix de drafts.

England

The White Horse, Parsons Green, London SW6. Mr. Dorber and his crew serve up the finest examples of cask conditioned ale in this bright, tidy, clean, well-appointed pub. No one does a better job handling casks, pulling pints and describing the various casks than at the White Horse. If that weren’t enough, the food goes well beyond the usual pub fare. Risotto and a cask ale…a little heaven here on earth.

Finland

St. Urho’s Pub, Museokatu 10, Helsinki. Wide range in both draught and bottled beers. Finnish sahti is always available, and an annual sahti festival is held every May. Probably the most knowledgeable staff in town. Regulars include lots of Finland’s top classical musicians, as the bar is located next to the Sibelius Academy and the Finlandia concert hall.

Pikkulintu, Klaavuntie 11, Helsinki. This suburban bar is situated in an Eastern Helsinki shopping mall, and can best be reached by the underground. Finnish micros are always available on draught, and the landlord’s pride is the wide range of single malts.

Germany

Früh Am Dom, Am Hof 12-14, Altstadt, Cologne, 2580389. Früh is one of the best places to drink Kölsch in Cologne. Located not far from the famous Cathedral, it’s popular with both locals and tourists.

Netherlands

In De Wildeman, 5 Kolksteeg, Amsterdam, 020-638-2348.

Sweden

Oliver Twist, Repslagargatan 6, Stockholm. The best place for cask conditioned ale from small British breweries in Sweden. If you feel homesick, they also occasionally carry imported bottled beers from U.S. craft breweries. Lunchtime visitors may be surprised that the Swedes enjoy their bar lunch with a glass of milk, but that is the local custom.