I wouldn’t call myself a connoisseur of beers, but when I do have a pint I prefer something fuller than a Bud Lime. Cokebaby dabbles in home brewing and wine making so he has a better appreciation for the art behind micro brews. When we recently checked out one of Halifax’s newest dining spots, Rock Bottom Brewery, it was mostly for the beer.

First off, I love the decor. Although owned by the same folks who run Your Father’s Moustache (located upstairs in the same building) the two restaurants are worlds apart. Where upstairs you have a wide-open North American style pub & eatery, downstairs is a cozy, warm and intimate bar. As the name suggests, there are plenty of rock walls. The low-lighting, earthy tones and wood beams give the feeling of being tucked away in a grotto of sorts.

So cozy.

The food is 100% un-pretentious. Simple comfort food is the impression I took away from the meal. I had the turkey & avocado burger with baked sweet potato fries ($10.50). The cheese, bacon, sautéed onions and chipotle mayo as toppings were all kinds of awesome. Even though the additional combination of avocado and tomato made for a messy burger, the combination of flavours was precisely what I love about burgers. For drinks, I went with wheat ale followed by a stout. Both were totally enjoyable. When it comes to beer, I may not know much about the process of making it, but I know what I like and Rock Bottom Brewery makes beer that I like.

Cokebaby went with one of the specials as he’s apt to do: a meat lasagna with Caesar salad ($7.95). Although he wasn’t disappointed in the meal, he said it was just average. The most interesting thing about the entrée was that the pasta was whole wheat. He loved the beers that he had with the meal though: nut brown followed by red. We finished the meal with warm gingerbread: made in-house & drizzled with a lemon vanilla sauce ($6).

Service was attentive, efficient, and very friendly. Other things that impressed me about the restaurant were the variety of healthier options available, like baked sweet potato fries or mashed sweet potato. They also provide gluten free options. The beers are also reasonably priced: 12 oz ($4.20), 18 oz ($5.75).

There’s no mistaking the pride taken in making the beer either. Each has a great little write-up on the menu and the metal casks are on full display behind glass for diners to see. Live entertainment takes place in various forms throughout the week, too. Overall, our experience at Rock Bottom Brewery was lovely and we’ll certainly be going back.