Dock Street Brew Pub

[philadining]

I'm not sure what I was expecting. The new location at 50th and Baltimore Ave is certainly a different neighborhood from Dock Street's first home near the 4 Seasons Hotel. And I knew the menu was mostly pizza, a far cry from the upscale bistro style of the previous incarnation. I just didn't think it would be quite this funky... It's definitely a whole new thing, not a continuation from the old place.

Not that it's a bad thing, the new brew pub has a cool west philly vibe, and it certainly fits in with the intentionally unpolished scene out there. The unfinished cement floor, the cracked tile walls, the merely serviceable tables and chairs, the echoey acoustics dominated by slightly edgy music, none of that seemed to bother the slightly scruffy crowd. Which is to say, I didn't look or feel too out of place...

I think they need to do something about the lighting, and I don't say that from a neurotic photographer's perspective. Just from sitting there eating, out in the main dining room the light is somehow simultaneously dim and harsh. It actually seems much more pleasant at the winding bar that spans the room, overlooking the brewing tanks. There are dangling lamps over those seats, which I suspect makes the food, and one's general environs, appear a little less bleak.

I haven't drunk enough of the beer to say anything intelligent about it yet, but my Rye IPA had a pointy, dry, hoppy bitterness that I quite enjoyed. There's an interesting variety of beers, so I hope to get back and check more of them out soon.

And to accompany, pizza. I'm not going to suggest that it's the greatest pizza ever, but the two we got were quite enjoyable. I tend to like the crusts a little darker and crisper than they make them here, I'm thinking of asking for one "well-done" next time and seeing what happens. It might be that the oven's not quite hot enough for the kind I crave. Still, the crust had a nice texture in that airy, bready style, with some nice crackly, crunchy bubbles. And they offer some good toppings. We got two smalls for the sake of variety.

One featured grilled sausage, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, and a nice red sauce. No huge revelations here, but it was quite tasty.

The other was a version of a Flammenkuche, with Gruyere, bacon and caramelized onions. It's not going to give anyone from Alsace any tugs to the heartstrings, it's more of a reference to flammenkuche than an attempt at the authentic recipe. This crust was too soft and light, it definitely could have benefited from a few more minutes in the oven, and the toppings were not evenly distributed, yet it still tasted pretty darn good.

So, it's kind of strange, I had some issues with the pizza, yet I liked it. The space itself was a little off-putting, yet I want to go back.

Oh, in case it's helpful, they offer a vegan pizza and a vegan calzone, as well as vegan cake. And you know, the vegan chocolate mint cake is pretty bangin'.

Edited March 15, 2008 by philadining (log)

[MarketStEl]

Went out there for a Phillyblog Happy Hour back in the fall; we got a tour of the brewery courtesy owner Rosemarie Certo, who I met and interviewed when she was running Pizza Rustica on the street floor of the building where I worked at Penn. (I forgot to take my camera to that event, and I see from a post on the Sweet Lucy's thread that I never managed to post pix from that trip either. I'm getting sloppy in my old age...)

My friend Vince liked the pizza on his recent visit too.

I rated the pies 15-milers; he agreed.

The place is 100% University City; it wouldn't work anywhere else around here. But it works just fine where it is in Cedar Park.

[Buckethead]

I had the flammenkuche a while back and had the same experience. It seemed to me that the people working there didn't really care about what they were doing, the toppings were lopsided and the crust was underdone. I liked it, though, probably because the owners obviously care about pizza even if the young hipsters who made it don't. Getting them to pay any attention to us at all (to be seated, get our order taken, get more beers, get our check) was a chore.

I did ask about the desserts, they were far and away the best part of my visit. I was told that the vegetarian/vegan ones all come from the nearby Satellite Cafe.

[Rich Pawlak]

That's Jeff Ware, original founder of Dock Street (and Ms Certo's hubby) making the pizzas most of the time at the brewpub, BTW.

Edited March 18, 2008 by Rich Pawlak (log)

[philadining]

I had the flammenkuche a while back and had the same experience. It seemed to me that the people working there didn't really care about what they were doing, the toppings were lopsided and the crust was underdone. I liked it, though, probably because the owners obviously care about pizza even if the young hipsters who made it don't. Getting them to pay any attention to us at all (to be seated, get our order taken, get more beers, get our check) was a chore.

I did ask about the desserts, they were far and away the best part of my visit. I was told that the vegetarian/vegan ones all come from the nearby Satellite Cafe.

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We weren't at all sure if we were supposed to wait to be seated, so we just went ahead and sat down at an open table. Service was just fine otherwise the night we were there...

[sunra]

The beer is outstanding. Enjoy it before the brewer moves on. This is some of the best brewpub beer I have ever had. Far more flavorful and adventurous than those poured at the 'original' Dock Street, though Nick and Eric were outstanding brewers. It just seems the brewer is being given some freedom here right now, and you can taste it!

As for the pizzas, I have had better, but I will say that the crust was very good. Crisp and crackly on the outside with some carmelization, and chewy with fine bubbles on the inside. The topping are good, not great. I would like to see if they can put out a more charred crust a la the coal ovens in New Haven, Brooklyn and Queens, or even the oil burning oven of Tacconelli's.

We have had good service on our visits.

I give this place a big thumbs up for the overall quality of the beer and pizza as well as the real down to earth setting. I even bumped into the original Carrot Cake Man selling his wares on foot! It doesn't get much more real than that, lol.

Edited March 18, 2008 by sunra (log)

[Rich Pawlak]

The beer is outstanding. Enjoy it before the brewer moves on. This is some of the best brewpub beer I have ever had. Far more flavorful and adventurous than those poured at the 'original' Dock Street, though Nick and Eric were outstanding brewers. It just seems the brewer is being given some freedom here right now, and you can taste it!

And that is Scott "The Dude" Morrison, late of McKenzie Brewhouse in Chadds Ford and Malvern, doing the brewing, after a very brief stint by a young, supposedly experienced brewer from Colorado. Scott opened the place, then backed out for the Colorado guy, and now has returned. He is a brilliant brewer. That Gold Stock Ale and Rye IPA are just stunning.

[Scoats]

I finally managed to make it to Dock Street. After the yuppieness of the original location, the total funkiness of this one is a nice change. It fits the neighborhood like a glove. Sort of like how the original fit it's very different location back in the 80s.

- Scott and Mike's beers are first rate.

- The flaming koochie is a tasty pie.

- Very diverse clientel.

- Active street life outside the window.

- From the outside, the firehouse looks like it was built to be a brewery. It looks like something in Europe.

Everything combined, Dock Street is a place that definitely has a "there" to it. IMO as brewpubs go, it's definitely world class.

[philadining]

Wow, they really should change the menu to call it the Flaming Koochie. Genius.

[MarketStEl]

Everything combined, Dock Street is a place that definitely has a "there" to it. IMO as brewpubs go, it's definitely world class.

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That's pretty high praise, coming as it does from you.

[sunra]

Dock Street would be a destination brewpub on anyone's guide to Traveling the Spaceways!

Along with the Grey Lodge, of course....

"Space Is the Place"

[SouthPhillyFoodie]

Going there for Happy Hour tonight to try the Wormwood beer for the first time! Can't wait!