When it’s Autumn, it’s Time for Hearty Artisan Beer and Comfort Food

Popping a cold one is a summertime tradition, but sitting down to indulge in a seriously good brew paired with some hearty comfort food is our idea of a perfect cool weather sport. So as autumn closes in, we thought you might want to make some plans to drop by one of these Chicago hot spots for good food and a memorable beer.

The Beer Bistro

1061 W. Madison St. - Chicago
312-433-0013; www.thebeerbistro.com

STATS: Beers on tap: 20 |  Bottled beers: 125

This West Loop spot is a casual neighborhood place to party with good food and great beer. The beer collection showcases domestic craft beers as well as imported delights, while the eats are focused on comfort bar food. Starters include spinach and artichoke dip with pita chips, baked goat cheese, beer-battered chicken fingers. Sliders come in several varieties; if you order them all you get a basket of fries or tater tots free. Try the cheeseburger, pulled pork, buffalo chicken, patty melt, fried fish, Caprese, turkey or Reuben. Other goodies include nachos, quesadillas, wings, soups, salads and large full size burgers. Here’s a unique burger to try: The Gourmet Burger, on a pretzel roll with peanut butter, fried egg, bacon & cheddar.

Hopleaf

5148 N. Clark St.

Chicago, IL 60640

773-334-9851; www.hopleaf.com

STATS: Beers on tap: 36 | Bottled beers: 300

Hopleaf is a great Chicago institution, not unlike a Belgian abbey. If you haven’t been there, it’s time. This is a beer aficionado’s heaven and the food is casual, creative and very tasty. The beer collection is varied, and there is an exceptionally robust collection of Belgian beers.

The signature starters are steamed mussels, which you can order Belgian-Style, steamed in Wittekerke white ale with sliced shallots, celery, thyme and bay leaf or steamed in White Wine: with sweet and spicy chorizo, caramelized onions and pepadew peppers. Other interesting starters include the Sausage Plate (organic sausages served with bourbon pancetta, white beans or German potato salad); the Sweet Corn Flan and Crepe (savory flan with sweet pepper caramel and a corn crepe stuffed with assorted local vegetables and goat cheese) and the Rabbit Saddle stuffed with housemade Mortadella sausage. 


Sandwiches are ambitious: Tilapia Sandwich with lemon pickles, butter lettuce & gribiche sauce; the Duck Reuben featuring Pekin duck breast on marble rye with cranberry cream cheese spread; Cashew Butter and Jelly, made with fig jam and morbier cheese with stilton macaroni and cheese; Organic Montreal-Style brisket on sourdough rye, slow roasted, briefly smoked. For entrees, try the Loch Duart Salmon with cucumber-creme fraiche salad w/walnuts & mint, avocado-banana puree, plantain chips, mache, curry oil; pan roasted Poussin w/summer squash pancakes, minted English shelling peas, roasted carrot puree & herb oil; the Fish Stew is made from tomato-white wine fish broth, sweet corn, bell peppers, red onion, new potatoes, plus Lake Superior whitefish, Loch Duart salmon, Laughing Bird shrimp, Prince Edward Island mussels, and smoked salmon rouille. Another robust choice is the Grilled Gunthorp Farms Pork Tenderloin  with sautéed sweet corn, shallots, red peppers, mushrooms, sweet corn spaetzle and tomatillo salsa verde.

Jak’s Tap

901 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago

(312) 666-1700; http://jakstap.com

STATS: Beers on tap: 48 | Bottled beers: 5

Tucked away in the Greektown/West Loop area is this fun neighborhood bistro where draft beer and a large comfort food menu are the main attractions. The beer selection includes a sizeable collection of American regional brews as well as German, Belgian and Irish favorites. The food is an eclectic variety of American, Southern, Mexican and Italian comfort foods covering lunch and dinner and late night, including excellent egg dishes.

Starters include the popular favorites such as nachos, quesadillas, hamburger or pulled pork sliders, wings and baby back ribs. There is a Six Gun Chili (vegetarian) as well as two Mexican inspired salads—Ensalada Del Rey with chicken, avocado, Yucatan pico, cheese, tomatoes, onion, cucumbers and tortilla strips, and the Fiesta, a taco turkey in a tortilla bowl with black beans, rice, lettuce, pico de gallo, cheese, avocado & sour cream.

Pizza lovers can choose from six thin crust varieties or they can concoct their own from a variety of toppings. Sandwiches include a Cubano and a decadent Grilled Cheese as well as a Reuben and Pulled Pork. The burger selection is huge (17 choices, to be exact). If you want to go for the gusto, you can choose entrees such as BBQ Baby Back Ribs, Burritos, Country Fried Chicken, Fish and Chips, and Southwest Steak,

Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro

3905 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago

(773) 248-3905; www.irishbistro.com

STATS: Beers on tap: 15 | Bottled beers: 40

This Irish restaurant, owned by the same Murphy’s who own Murphy’s Bleachers next to Wrigley Field, is a Mecca for quality, modern Irish food and the beer selection is more than ample to pair with the cuisine. Your meal starts with amazing homemade Irish soda bread and then you can meander through a long menu that includes traditional Irish dishes and a wide variety of contemporary creations made from authentic ingredients.

Tasty, unique starters include the Duck and Crispy Brie, featuring “corned” duck breast, crispy brie cheese, arugula and candied walnuts and the Baked Cheese Rarebit, a blend of Irish cheeses with bacon and green onions served with a bread basket. Soups include a rich Guinness and Onion soup with white Irish cheddar and a Potato Leek soup. Salad choices include a Barbecue Salmon Salad with whiskey marmalade barbecue sauce and a Roasted Beet Salad with marinated beets, walnut vinaigrette and Irish Chimay Beer Cheese. Among the nicely conceived entrees are the Beef and Guinness Stew with roasted root vegetables and buttermilk mashed potatoes; Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin in a Murphy’s Bleachers Ale reduction; the Fisherman’s Chowder with Cod, Shrimp, Mussels, Littleneck Clams and Scallops, Yukon Gold Potatoes in a Tomato Saffron Broth and the Grilled Lamb and Figs with a fresh fig chutney, tomato-walnut butter, bleu cheese mash and vanilla balsamic cream.

Publican

837 W. Fulton Market; Chicago

(312) 733-9555; http://thepublicanrestaurant.com

STATS: Beers on tap: 12 | Bottled beers: 62

This handsome, wood-toned restaurant is the brainchild of chef Paul Kahan and his multi-award winning culinary team from Blackbird and Avec. There is no question about the quality of the food here. The raw oyster bar is stocked with eight kinds of oysters. Also on the menu are many fish and seafood entrées including yellowtail, ahi tuna, swordfish, scallops and trout. Ham lovers will enjoy the artisan aged ham selection, each served with goat’s milk butter and hearty peasant bread. Other inspired entrées feature suckling pig, sweetbreads, Pot-Au-Feu made with sausage, ribs and pork tenderloin; a delicious half-chicken with summer sausage and frites; ribeye steak and a ham chop with beets, leeks and saba.

Cindy Kurman Barrie and Lee Barrie are the principals of Kurman Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing and public relations agency. Please subscribe to their blog at www.gotbuzzatkurman.com and check out all DineWise articles at www.dinewisechicago.blogspot.com.