Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of regulars of a beloved, long-tenured restaurant like the words “new ownership.”
But fans of the Porter Beer Bar in Atlanta’s Little Five Points neighborhood can take heart; the restaurant’s new owners have kept its soul intact, and nearly every change could be called an enhancement.
The dining room is tidier and brighter, thanks to the addition of high windows that allow natural light into the very back of the restaurant’s narrow space. The stacks of vintage suitcases have been strung up artfully on a brick accent wall.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
The Porter remains clearly and recognizably itself, a narrow, old-fashioned, casual tavern that revolves around beer. A destination for beer obsessives, it has an extensive and thoughtful draft list and an unparalleled cellar. The restaurant’s collection of thousands of bottles dates back decades and has been organized into a helpful menu — a project made possible by the Porter’s two-year shutdown, chef and partner E.J. Hodgkinson said.
The Porter’s team recommends trying the same beer in different vintages, an experience few other restaurants can replicate.
The food is just as good. The new menu thankfully isn’t too new, with such longtime favorites as the goat cheese fritters, salt and vinegar popcorn and pull-apart pretzel unchanged. Former chef Nick Rutherford, who opened the Porter Beer Bar with his wife, Molly Gunn, passed along those recipes, and the execution remains consistent.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
The french fries, smashburger and fish and chips also remain the same, giving Hodgkinson leeway to be more creative and seasonal with the rest of the food.
Basics, such as the lil gem and baby kale salad, BLT and veggie burger, masterfully provide satisfaction, while other dishes, including the beef tartare, deep-fried hen of the woods mushrooms and the shrimp toast show a bit of fine-dining flair. The deeply savory beef tartare is meant to be eaten with a fork, with crunch and starch provided by crushed house-made cheddar potato chips, while head-on shrimp are strikingly beautiful on a thick slice of toasted sourdough.
The menu’s crowning achievement, though, might be the roast pork sandwich by way of Philadelphia. It might be the City of Brotherly Love’s less-famous sandwich, but it’s a masterpiece. Each component shows Hodgkinson’s uncommon attention to detail: The bread is from Philly bakery Amoroso, while the cheese is imported Italian sharp provolone — funkier and more flavorful than you typically find in the U.S. The pork is marinated for three days and roasted for several hours until it’s tender enough to eat with a spoon. Braised greens add a needed touch of vegetal bitterness, and the coup de grace is an impressively hot Calabrian chile relish.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
The servers will warn you that the sandwich is really hot, but the character of the spiciness is challenging rather than punishing. Something about the mixture of heat and richness compels you to take another bite, and it’s shocking how quickly this big, messy sandwich can disappear.
Beyond their kindly cautions about the hot pepper relish, the Porter’s servers are fabulous. They work quickly, know the menu and seem to have a sixth sense for reading tables.
The Porter is a highly specific restaurant that caters to serious beer enthusiasts in a space that might not be appealing or accessible to everyone. Yet the restaurant overdelivers on every front, from the kitchen to the bar to the service. The Porter has achieved something truly unusual by taking a step forward without leaving its original supporters — or its identity — behind.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
THE PORTER
3 out of 4 stars (excellent)
Food: Creative tavern cooking
Service: Impeccable
Noise level: Loud but not deafening
Recommended dishes: Goat cheese fritters, pull-apart pretzel, salt and vinegar popcorn, lil gem and baby kale salad, beef tartare, shrimp toast, roast pork sandwich by way of Philadelphia, tuna melt, smashburger, veggie burger, fish and chips, red wine and garlic sausage, fries, braised greens
Vegetarian dishes: Goat cheese fritters, pull-apart pretzel, popcorn, lil gem and baby kale salad, crispy hen of the woods mushrooms, mac and cheese, veggie burger, grilled cauliflower, summer succotash, fries, kohlrabi and cabbage slaw
Alcohol: Full bar, including spectacular beer selection
Price range: $50 or less per person, excluding drinks
Hours: 5 p.m.-midnight Wednesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-midnight Saturdays-Sundays
Accessibility: Bar area accessible from street level, but remainder of the restaurant is narrow with unavoidable stairs
Parking: Free lot behind restaurant fills up early
Nearest MARTA station: Half-mile from both Inman Park/Reynoldstown and Edgewood-Candler Park stations
Reservations: No
Outdoor dining: Yes
Takeout: In-restaurant ordering only
Address, phone: 1156 Euclid Ave., Atlanta. 404-549-7132
Website: theporterbeerbar.com
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s dining critics conduct reviews anonymously. Reservations are not made in their name, nor do they provide restaurants with advance notice about their visits. Our critics always make multiple visits, sample the full range of the menu and pay for all of their meals. AJC dining critics wait at least one month after a new restaurant has opened before visiting.
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