You don’t have to be a beer nerd to enjoy STOUT, Capitol Hill’s new beer-centric pub on 11th and Pine, which opened over the weekend; it also serves satisfying pub fare and cocktails. Customers can hang their jackets and coats on the many wall hooks and grab a seat—at either a table of up to four, one of the many bar seats that don’t require squeezing in, or a raised community table.
The glass-bauble chandelier hanging over the center of the modern-design space adds warmth and a lot of light to what already feels cozy. Sports can be viewed on any of the many TV screens, visible from any seat. Extra perk: Charge your electronic devices in a slew of outlets, or even plug in your laptop at the bar.
STOUT offers a selection of 20 regional draft beers (Washington, Oregon) on tap, plus one Canadian: McAuslan Brewery’s St-Ambroise Oatmeal from Quebec. The bottle list is extensive, with beers from farther-flung places like Denmark, England, Austria, Belgium, and Germany. The friendly and knowledgeable staff can offer recommendations based on personal taste. Even beer lovers may be surprised by harder-to-find selections like Left Hand Brewing’s Milk Stout Nitro.
The drinks are buzzworthy too, with many a beer cocktail among them, like the Tagalong, a sweet and citrusy concoction—gin, Aperol, and honey syrup mixed with Bale Breaker Top Cutter IPA—served in a tall glass and garnished with orange peel. Sounds weird, perhaps, but it works. The Capitol Hill Mule—STOUT’s own take on the gin mule, made with blackberry and cinnamon-infused gin, lime, and Cock ’n Bull Ginger Beer—sounded intriguing as well.
The food is upscale comfort: think artisan flatbreads, like a delicious one with pasilla-chile-roasted cauliflower. The flatbread was on the thinner side, but sturdy enough to support the toppings, which included cauliflower, chipotle cream, chimichurri, roasted corn, tomatoes, cotija, queso fresco, green onion, and Mexican creme. It’s all vegetarian, but popular among meat-eaters as well, according to a staffer. I’ll second that.
Other menu options: Spicy Jameson BBQ wings served with Stilton aioli (STOUT is generous with portions), or for something lighter, the grilled chicken salad. Of the three burgers available, the “Morning After” burger is my pick due to the fried egg on top. Another personal fave: the kielbasa dog, served on a pretzel bun. Were I not already stuffed, the mac ’n’ cheese with smoked bacon sounded yummy, as did housemade cake doughnuts with a caramel and spicy-chocolate dipping sauce.
food@seattleweekly.com
STOUT 1530 11th Ave., 397-3825, stoutpubs.com. 11 a.m.–1 a.m. Sun.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–2 a.m. Fri.–Sat.
