Piazza Beer Garden is opening Thursday (see my report and the menu here). Last night, I was invited for a sneak preview, and now you can join me in this exclusive video showing the inside of the beer garden itself, and some of the beers and menu items.
I also learned that Piazza is considering having a menu of hot adult beverages (mulled wine is one possibility) when the temperatures get low, so that they can stay open year-round.
As you can see here and in the video, it's a nice space that blends in well with the existing patio and lighting at Cesco Osteria, which Piazza is out in front of at 7401 Woodmont Avenue.
The simplicity of the menu and space will give Piazza a wide appeal, in my opinion. If you are seeking an upscale, pleasant outdoor space - with the charm of stringed lighting and rustic wood furniture - this will work for you. But those just wanting a Happy Hour beer, and some well-paired snacks to munch on meanwhile, will be just as much at home.
With furniture made from 100% recovered wood (much of which came from shipping crates that might have otherwise gone to waste), the many environmentally-conscious residents of Bethesda will also feel good about patronizing Piazza. Some well-placed vegetation means you can find a seat that emphasizes you're in a beer garden, or another one with great city lights and people watching views along Woodmont Avenue.
I'm a big fan of Baltimore-based Heavy Seas, so I ordered their Small Craft Warning "Uber Pils." Flying Dog Dogtoberfest made an appearance, as well. You can't go wrong with either brewery. For now, all beers come in cans or bottles (but you can get a glass to pour them into). Eventually, they may add taps, however. As you'd expect, Montgomery County liquor laws are keeping some breweries off of the beer list. What's on it is all local, as you can see in my story yesterday.
I tried the Margherita Cheese pizzette, a thin and crispy personal-size pizza. The pizza crust went perfectly with the beer, and the standout flavor for me was the brighter-than-ordinary tomato sauce.
Next were the Fried Dough Sticks. You may be tempted to dismiss these as bread sticks. They are actually Italian fritters that are lighter in weight than a bread stick. And have a salty exterior like a pretzel. Which makes for a great texture and flavor combination, and the plate is empty before you know it.
Finally, I ordered the Bomboloni. These are Italian donuts. Lia's has round Italian donuts like this, with a lemon pudding sauce. The Piazza donuts are lighter in texture, and go one better: they are filled with Vanilla Custard Cream. Somehow, the custard is cool, while the dough exterior is hot, and the result is a real winner. 3 come to a plate for $6.
Overall, I thought Piazza exceeded expectations for cuisine and service for a beer garden. Service was especially good for only the second day in soft-opening operation. Regular beer list changes over the coming months may help compensate for the outdated Montgomery County liquor regulations.
Piazza opens Thursday at 3:00 PM, and I would highly recommend stopping by. DC has been dominating the beer garden scene for some time, and it's great to finally have one of these in Bethesda.
7 comments:
Do they have any non-alcoholic beverages (soda, juice, etc.)? I know this is heresy.
This is better than nothing, but a beer garden without beers on tap??!! In my opinion, that is not much of a beer garden. Maybe a garden that happens to serve beer. I think it is BS that they are blaming MoCo's liquor laws.
I was able to get a glass of water. You could try ordering a soda through the Cesco menu, as they share some facilities with the larger restaurant.
The issue with the liquor laws is primarily that many popular breweries remain unapproved for sale in Montgomery County. The taps dilemma was not blamed so much on county laws, as it was on the space limitations of the beer garden itself. They said they would actually prefer to switch to taps in the future, in keeping with the green, sustainable theme of the business. Sorry if that point was not clear enough in my article.
Also, keep in mind that it's mid-september. I'm sure this is a soft-launch for better things to come in the spring.
Folks, let's not pretend MoCo doesn't have arcane liquor laws.
The whole liquor system in Montgomery County needs to be updated and brought into the 21st century. It's more than just the couple of minor issues some elected officials have talked about recently. There's the fundamental question of what government role there should be in a private industry such as liquor. And from there, work out a policy that allows our establishments to fairly compete with DC and Virginia.
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