Josh loves beer. So, there’s honestly no better place to take him but St. Augustine’s. I blogged about Craft, Tap and Barrel and Hop and Vine but felt really guilty I’ve never really mentioned Commercial Drive’s picks. Which are significantly better. I’ve been to Biercraft and St. Augustine’s many times before, but I haven’t actually ever blogged about it!
St. Augustine’s has a lot of craft beer to offer. They keep a percentage posted of how much they have left on screens and online. I hands down think that St. Augustine’s rotates and has better selection than Craft Market and Tap and Barrel. Yes, Craft has a huge list. But it doesn’t really seem to change or seem as interesting as what St. Augustine’s picks. I find if you’re a newcomer to craft beer, than yes, Craft and Tap and Barrel are a good start.
But the food is really good here. My review of Craft reveals their horribly slow service. Tap and Barrel is a bit pricey. But St. Augustine’s is just right. It explains why it’s always so packed here and is sometimes hard to get a table. This is a chicken burger with bocconcini and bacon, served with yam fries. This is a feature they have and man is it good. Bocconini gives you enough for it to be a cheeseburger, but it’s light enough to make you feel less guilty! We ordered the Dieu du Ciel Peche Mortel Imperial Stout, Parallel 49 Brewing Company’s Robo Ruby Ale, the Vanilla Porter, and N2 Series ESB. The N2 Series ESB surprised me. My partner loves IPAs, but I don’t like super hoppy beers. The N2 Series ESB was beautifully balanced, the malt and caramel sweetness added a mask to the hoppiness. The hops were still there but I could actually drink it down and it wasn’t too sweet for my partner. It was a great new discovery.
I must admit sometimes the service can get slower here, especially during their busier nights. But the volume and quality justifies the wait usually.
5/5
