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Inside: The Tiedhouse
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Just north of the Ben Franklin Parkway on quiet Hamilton Street (footsteps from Whole Foods and a slew of Fairmount’s bars and restaurants) is The Tiedhouse (2001 Hamilton St., 215-561-1002), a new gastropub tucked away in the City View Condominiums that serves up tasty pub grub and a great selection of microbrewed beer from General Lafayette Beers, like Chocolate Thunder Porter (a robust dark) and Pacific Pale Ale (a hoppy citrus). While Tiedhouse is easy to miss (you walk up a staircase to enter from the street) it’s a formidable destination for anyone who likes wine and suds. Seriously, try the Tiedhouse for the beer and wine lists alone.
The Basics: Owner Christopher Leonard and his family (including mom Therese and brother Jon) redesigned the space formerly occupied by Goji, a sparse and streamlined sushi restaurant, into an elegant gastropub with dark wood bar, comfortable seating and plenty of nooks to enjoy a cold-weather dinner for two or 10. While the menu is small (with dishes ranging from cheese and olive plates to roasted salmon, shrimp, wings and burgers) there’s something for everyone, like marinated eggplant for the vegetarians or pork loin for the carnivores. Both sides and entrees are generous without being overwhelming. Also look for a new brunch menu with a standard selection of egg and French toast plates and a special brewmaster breakfast bowl of fried eggs, beer-braised sausage, carmelized onions, peppers, potato hash and cheese (ideal hangover food). The brunch menu also features grilled three-cheese sandwiches, flatbread pizza, fish and chips and beef chuck burgers.
The Look: The Tiedhouse is a little too cleaned up to be considered a notty old Irish or British pub (the flat-screen TVs are stunning), but it does honor the authentic tradition with dark woods, a chatty staff (including general manager Greig Clark) and long bar that extends across the rear of the restaurant space, ideal for cocktails and conversation. Tables, booths, stools and leather sofas punctuate the restaurant space shared with the bar area. The lighting could stand to be dimmer, but the overall style ultimately takes on the form of a modern, clean gastropub that’s welcoming to drinkers and families alike. There’s plenty of room for larger parties or singles. And while the space is sizable, the design (particularly the wooden partition that nicely breaks up the dining space) makes room for privacy and comfort.
The Schedule: The Tiedhouse is open Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to midnight (or later depending on the crowd), as well as Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. (or later). Look for specials during the holiday season like 50-cent wings and happy hour deals starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving night. A pre-Thanksgiving party on Wednesday also includes late-night happy hour (from 10 p.m. to close), select $3 pints (a steal considering most beers start at $6), discounted wine and appetizer specials (the cheese plate regularly introduces new savory varieties).
The Tiedhouse’s Best: Come for the food, but stay for the beer. The stellar collection of draught beers comes from the local General Lafayette Inn & Brewery (646 Germantown Pike, 610-941-0600), where Leonard is the brewmaster and proprietor along with his wife Kristin and dad Bill (both the brewery and Tiedhouse are truly family operations). Highlights include a smooth, comfortably sweet Briere de Framboises served in an eight-ounce wine glass (it’s far better than too-sweet bottled Framboises), as well as a hoppy Belgian ale called the Mirage (it’s known to disappear fast, explains the bartender Chris), a subtle Raspberry Mead Ale and 275th Anniversary Ale that showcases the brewery’s superb beer-making skills.
Who Should Go: Anyone thirsty for excellent microwbrews; winos; the after-work crowd; locals; condo residents; beer snobs; pub crawlers (there are plenty of great bars within walking distance); happy hour drinkers; late-night suppers; meat eaters; brunchers and salad lovers.
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