Lola and Riley's Culinary Quest: Brothers Beer Bistro (Review)

Brothers Beer Bistro is a definite hot spot for beer lovers and foodies alike. They specialize in offering premium craft brewed and independently produced beer and locally derived seasonal food.

This past Saturday night we finally decided to try Brothers as we had been dying to try the Gastropub for a while. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting and definitely did not lack a lively beer drinking crowd. The place was packed when we arrived at 8:30 and didn't seem to die down at all when we left around 11.

Their beer menu is quite overwhelming, but I was happy to see they offered beer flights, which are small tasters of six different beers. Our server was very knowledgeable about the beer and food and was able to make several suggestions for our drinks and meal. We decided to share a starter and a main course and we were not disappointed by either choice.

We started off with the Pierogies, which were served with braised short ribs, white beans, blue cheese, and parsley. The blue cheese and short ribs added a unique and delicious flavour to the traditional Pierogi dish. We then decided on the Kichessipi Fried Pork with cheesy Polenta spicy Rapini, malt and sausage gravy. It was a rather heavy meal so I was glad we were sharing. The combination of flavours and the heavy sausage gravy were so rich and decadent. The pork was cooked to perfection and coated in a crisp and tasty batter.

Pierogies ($9)

Kichessipi Fried Pork ($24)

The food menu is not extensive, but offers some great meat, seafood and vegetarian varieties, as well as a mix of healthier and slightly more decadent options.

Our overall dinner experience was very positive and I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a unique culinary and beer experience. The servers were very friendly and knowledgeable and the overall atmosphere was relaxed, yet remaining uniquely charming and gourmet.

They also serve brunch on the weekends but I have to admit the experience was slightly less pleasant. It seemed like they were rather new to the brunch/breakfast experience as they were a bit confused on what they offered and were also quite slow. The menu items are definitely not traditional and most of our table was quite surprised when our dishes arrived at our table. They also don't serve lattés or cappuccinos, which I think is a definite must for brunch. The "Bagel and Lox" was the most unexpected dish and the Breakfast Poutine and Spaetzle were both a bit too hearty and rich for a summer meal. Moral of the story is to carefully read the menu or ask the server what the dish entails.