Friday, June 15, 2012

Restaurant Review, The British Beer Company, Manchester, New Hampshire, New pub a welcome addition to the Granite State

The British Beer Company Restaurant and Pub recently opened on South Willow Street in Manchester. They are a chain and have a number of locations in Massachusetts, one in Rhode Island and this is their first in New Hampshire. We have been a number of times to their pubs in Massachusetts and we have always been pleased with the experience. After we found out about this one opening in the Granite State we had to check it out as soon as possible.


We arrived on a on a Friday night to a mobbed and crowded parking lot and had to drive around a bit to find a parking spot. It was obvious as we walked up that it was going to be a long wait because there were a bunch people in the doorway and outside. We walked in and were told that it would be over an hour wait. After some discussion with my wife about whether we should wait or not we both agreed to put our names in for a booth. Unfortunately, the hostess was a little cold and not very friendly. I understand that they were really busy but they are one of the first impressions of this new pub.



Anyway, we went to the bar and ordered up a couple of drinks and settled in. I ordered an old brown dog ale and my wife a sweet martini and both were excellent. You will notice as we did that the bartenders at their pubs are competent, friendly and do everything they can to ensure an enjoyable evening.



As I looked around the large bar, I noticed booths sprinkled about and some additional tables in the bar. The booths are much more comfortable than seats you typically find in a pub. The atmosphere is one of dark undertones with low yellow hanging lamps.



Moving forward to about an hour later we finally got called and seated in one of the booths near the front of the restaurant. Our waitress stopped by and we began to think about what to have for dinner.



The menu has the standard fair that you might find at an English pub such as shepherd's pie, fish & chips and bangers & mash. They also have what I would call comforts foods including ribs, pizza, burgers and tips. These go along well with their theme of a warm cozy place to hang out and relax.



After no thought at all for the appetizer we decided on the Panko encrusted green beans. The reason this did not take long is that we have had them before and they are wonderful. All I can say is amazing and I think a must try if you do go to The British Beer Company. Crispy covering with a Parmesan Peppercorn sauce for dipping.



For dinner, we went simple and I ordered the meatloaf maximus that was nicely prepared, a browned and crunchy outer layer and a soft tender inside with cheddar mashed potatoes (delicious) and seasonal veggies. My wife decided on the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza, although she asked for it well done it was not and we had to send it back. All was not lost, they took care of it quickly and my wife agreed to let me sample some, it was very good.



Our waitress did a good job, no problems.



So there you have it, The British Beer Works is a fun place to relax, eat and have a great time. I recommend that you try The British Beer Works, a welcome addition to the Granite State.