An Evening at Urban Village Brewing

On an unexpectedly snowy night, Philadelphia’s Urban Village Brewing continued serving delicious food and well-crafted beer.

When entering Urban Village, you are greeted by a warm and familiar ambiance. The lighting sets the tone, just dim enough to make everyone feel at ease, whether it’s a group of friends catching up for happy hour or a couple on a romantic date. Immediately to the right of the 2nd Street door is the kitchen, prominently displaying the brick oven that fires their signature pizzas.

The goal has always been to create a unique pairing of craft beer and natural fermented yeast dough pizza. It’s easy to see when you sit down and look at the menus – pizza is the most prominent section of the dinner menu, and the dozen-beer tap list shows the range of styles head brewer Dave Goldman is not afraid to tackle.

Beers sampled included:

• Wildey – Witbier brewed with orange peel and juniper berries. It is distinctly Belgian in characteristic with a refreshing finish.
• Wrong Way – Cloudy IPA brewed with oats and featuring notes of lychee, passionfruit, and melon. It has the perfect amount of hoppiness with a clean finish.
• Super Villain – Hazy NE IPA with a touch of sweetness. With a mixture of haziness, hops, and tropical fruit flavors, this beer makes its mark and doesn’t overstay its welcome.
• All In – Black DIPA brewed heavily with malts and hops, combining the chocolate notes of a stout with the hoppiness of an IPA.
• Cinnamon Sticky Buns – Imperial stout with chocolate and cinnamon with a flavor reminiscent of, well, cinnamon buns.

These beers paired flawlessly with the chosen meals. Starting with an appetizer of dumplings and cheese, the vision of Urban Village became clear. The dumplings consisted of house-made gnocchi in a beer cheese sauce topped with bread crumbs. The main entree was the Becca pizza, a white sauce dish blending cream with horseradish and topped with brisket and a farm fresh egg. Every entree is handcrafted with purpose and direction, and is an equal to the beer rather than a supporting act.

Having recently released their first canned offering, Urban Village is looking towards the future. The bottom of the beer menu highlights beers that are in the works, including their next can release lined up for March – Paper Trail, an IPA brewed with oats and lactose. Crowlers and growlers are available for purchase as well at very reasonable prices.

Entering a crowded market is never easy, especially in a field that changes as much as craft beer. The need to provide a unique experience is increasingly more crucial. Urban Village hits the mark and leaves a lasting impression.