I’d been itching to try Bayberry Beer Hall ever since I heard about it. It opened up on the West Side of Providence near some other excellent restaurants and some fantastic local breweries. With the little craft beer and restaurant boom happening in that area, I had high hopes for Bayberry. It turned out to meet those hopes head on to deliver an enjoyable, casual, yet classy, craft beer and food experience.
Bayberry Beer Hall
381 W Fountain St.
Providence, RI 02903
Service and Atmosphere
My friend and I sat at the bar where the bartenders were friendly and knowledgeable. They were respectful of any beer choices we made (believe it or not, but that’s a big plus!), but quick to offer suggestions when were unsure about what to try. They also offered small taste samples of beers that interested us. They checked in frequently and were pretty attentive without being intrusive.
Food
Obviously beer is at the forefront of a beer hall, but good food plus good beer makes it a fuller experience. Bayberry offers a small menu with some flavorful and well-crafted items. Much of it feels like pub food, but with an upscale twist. That type of food pairs excellently with the wide variety of craft beers offered.
Beer – Funny enough, I didn’t take any photos of the beer despite that being one of the main focuses of Bayberry Beer Hall! Nonetheless, the beers offered change with the season as well as what is being offered by regional craft breweries. There are a bunch of beers on tap, but there is also a large bottle selection as well. Everything I tried was excellent and the bartenders can usually suggest something in line with your tastes. For example, when I went there were a few sours on tap, but I don’t usually care for that style of beer. With that information, the staff offered me suggestions catered to my tastes.
Pork Terrine – I loved everything about this appetizer dish from the very mild pork terrine to the toasty sourdough to the course grain mustard and house pickled vegetables. The pork terrine itself was dense, but easy to cut. It had a very mild flavor, which let the pork speak for itself. The mustard on its own didn’t wow me, but when paired with the pork on a piece of crusty bread it all just worked in a mouth watering bite. I ended up very impressed that the mustard seemed chosen specifically for how it worked with the dish rather than just offering a strong mustard that tasted good by itself. That showed thoughtfulness in how the kitchen put the dish together. As for the pickles I loved them because they weren’t very vinegary like a lot of house made pickles, but instead had just the right balance of crispy vegetable and salty brine.
Gastros Hot Dog – It might sound funny to some people in the know, but I’d never had a hot dog made by the mobile food truck sausage makers, Gastros, before. It’s a pork hot dog with the richness and color of a beef hot dog. The casing is a little thicker than some other hot dogs, but that adds to its varied texture between the outside and inside. It has a lot of flavor too. Bayberry places the dog on a milk roll, which tasted fine, but fell apart a little more than I’d like when picked up. The toppings were beer braised shallots, pickled jalapeños, bacon, and cheddar cheese. It came served with a side of tasty fried potatoes and sweet pickles. The toppings were great and despite having so much going on, they weren’t especially heavy or overpowering. It was definitely spicy in a good way, but I could see it being a little too spicy for some. I rarely order hot dogs when I go out because it’s not hard to make a good hot dog at home. With that said, this is the kind of unique and creative hot dog that I would order out and that most people wouldn’t make at home, which makes it worthwhile.
Overall Impression
Bayberry Beer Hall lived up to the hype as a fun place to grab a cold craft beer and indulge in some creatively upscale pub style food. I’d recommend it to beer lovers looking to try something new as well as for anyone just looking for a place to enjoy some good casual dining food.
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