While we’re not one to encourage drinking and driving, Los Angeles is quickly becoming a gastropub forerunner. If you don’t know what a gastropub is, gastropubs are bars which focus primarily (if not exclusively) on beer and food. Specifically, craft beer and great food. Now, I know you might be thinking “Like Yardhouse?” Well, kind of like Yardhouse, but better.
Yardhouse features many different beers, collected from around the world from major beer manufacturers. However, these Los Angeles gastropubs, they feature craft beers made from artisan breweries. Some, like the Eagle Rock Brewery, brew their beers onsite. In fact, it’s the only commercial brewery operating within the city limits. But, this is not about any single brewery, this is about the gastropub.
If you aren’t a beer lover, you’ll probably have some difficulty recognizing some of the labels. In fact, some owners take pride in the obscurity of their offerings. Of course, most recognize that some consumers want familiarity and offer the usual suspects, but the real joy of a gastropub is experimenting with new beers that you’ve never heard of. Gastropub bartenders are usually very knowledgeable, so a recommendation from the bartender is a good bet.
One of the first gastropubs was Father’s Office. With two locations in Santa Monica and Culver City, Father’s Office has a great beer selection and lively crowd. But what really sets Father’s Office apart from it’s competitors is it’s hamburger. Having won many awards for best burger in Los Angeles, best burger in the United States, maybe even best burger ever, needless to say the Father’s Office experience is about the burger. All beef patty on a soft roll, maytag blue and gruyere cheese, carmelized onions and arugula, the burger is simply greater than the sum of it’s parts. The fries come in cool shopping cart baskets too.
Even if you don’t like beer, gastropubs also live and die on their food menus. Some, like Father’s Office, pride themselves on being on top of their game. As a bonus for the dedicated driver in the group, many Los Angeles gastropubs feature mexican coke, treasured for being made out of sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. That’s the great thing about gastropubs - there’s a little something for everyone.