ZIPCODE EXPLORING
BRIDGEPORT B2 - BTO Bar: Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Store 960 W 31st St (773) 890-0588 community-bar.com
BY EMILY WEINSTEIN
I
f a foodie is someone with a relentless love for cuisine, what do you call someone with a passion for good beverages? Whatever the term, Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Store provokes thirstiness in everyone who walks into this seemingly nondescript bar. With more than 475 beers and a selection of seasonal cocktails on tap — that’s right, on tap — it’s no surprise that the front of the house at Maria’s doubles as a liquor store. Upon entry, you’re greeted by symmetrical shelves lined with an assortment of neon-colored bottles of booze and beer. Walk past the brigade of beverages and enter into a dark, pub-like room. The bar sits to the right and is illuminated by two rustic chandeliers crafted with clusters of old wine bottles. Two guys in T-shirts stand behind the bar waiting to take patrons’ orders before customers find their table of choice. BTO tip: Find one of the communal wooden tables on the back patio. With a vine-covered brick wall and low-hanging strands of light bulbs, the patio offers a homey spot to sip your brew. Maria’s rotates its 18 beers on tap, so make sure to ask what’s on the list. If you’re looking for a refreshing cocktail for a summer evening go for the G.T.L. — a take on the classic gin and tonic, jazzed up
SCORE: 3 • Black Tie Optional
with a little lemongrass. Fancy an Old Fashioned? Try the NOLA — a stout rye drink partnered with Creole bitters and lemon. Searching for something for your date to sip on? Order her a Rosemary Fizz — it tastes like lemon gelato in a glass. What’s not to love? Or, you could go for one of their most popular drinks: the Repollo Corral. Although the bright green hue might be off-putting, the spicy rim around the glass will zing your taste buds. This drink mixes tequila with cilantro, jalapeño and pineapple to hit your spicy, sweet and savory all in one glass. Crowds fill this watering hole on the weekends, but each night has its own special, so try stopping by after work. BTO recommends Mondays, when a special catered BBQ starts at 5:30 p.m. and is served until it’s all out. Plus, its top 13 beers and all whiskeys are $1 off. BTO tip: Maria’s is a hangout for the true hipster — not the pretend kind you see in Wicker Park. We’re talking hand-rolling your own cigarettes, discussing Neutral Milk Hotel-type of hipsters.
3.5/4