By Matthew Moll
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At Beer Table, the drinks are from all corners of Earth, but the food is local.
The beer menu features around 25 bottles, three drafts and one cask – or as defined by the Washington Brewer’s guild “unfiltered beer…conditioned beer without introducing artificial carbonation” – listed on the evolving menu according to richness of flavor, beginning with least rich at the top.
But the snack-like menu comes from closer to home.
“For the most part it is a serendipitous thing that is happening to us,” said Justin Philips, the founder of Beer Table.
Phillip’s original intention was to offer foods that would go nicely with beer. But Philips said the nearby farmer’s markets at Union Square and Grand Army Plaza made it easy to serve local produce on the small menu in the mere 350 square feet that Beer Table occupies. “We aren’t designed to be a full restaurant,” Philips said. ” We are looking to make impact with really beautiful things that have great flavor and show off seasonality.”
“Our menu isn’t like a telephone book that customers work their way through,” Philips said. “We deal with what is seasonal and available which at the same time keeps it small and focused and something we can pay attention to.”
Since opening in February 2008, Beer Table – located at 427 B 7th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn – has embraced sustainable practices, which has earned the establishment recognition, including “a Snail of Approval from Slow Foods New York City.”
Slow Food NYC is part of a national organization that guides interested consumers towards sustainable consumption either at markets, bars or restaurants.
Sunil Kumar, who is a member of Slow Food NYC’s steering committee, said the scale of the operation is not a prerequisite, but rather following the principles of the organization and taking steps to education consumers about the food.
“It is not just about being local,” Kumar said. “It is about the philosophy and being connected to the production of the product.”
Philips buys locally and preserves when he can, by pickling, dehydrating, canning or making sausage. He also prepares fresh foods like lightly buttered asparagus and radishes. Philips says his goal is to have a personal story for each beer that is served, to understand its origins and relay those stories to his customers. The same ambition is true for the food.
“Everything is right here at our fingertips,” Philips said. “It is much simpler than dealing with a big food distributor and having to deal with meat minimums when we can just go to the market and see what looks pretty and tastes good to us right now.”
