
Photograph by Katherine Bish
In the restaurant industry, it always helps to have a hook. In the case of The Stable, it’s a treble hook—restaurant, microbrewery and distillery. That’s right, distillery. Come September, premium rum, vodka, gin and (yikes) absinthe will trickle out of the first micro-distiller in the city. Until then, you’ll have to suffer with the finest draft beer selection in the city, a rotating list of 20 rare and unusual brews … and Budweiser. Co-owner Jesse Jones liked Charleville’s Hoptimistic IPA so much he bought the entire 16-keg run. No way you’ll miss the 14-foot marquis-shaped crystal chandelier—a 3-month restoration job that may qualify as another “best” in town—the crown jewel in an old brick room chockablock with antique beer paraphernalia. Food accompaniments range from creative “crumbly” burger grinders to an audacious pizza topped with ketchup, mustard and tater tots. May we suggest a beer for the latter? How about a Stag … It’s $1 a bottle.
1821 Cherokee (at Lemp), 314-771-8500, amalgamatedbrewing.com. Kitchen hours: Tue–Thu & Sun 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m., Fri & Sat 11 a.m.–12 a.m.