What it is: Beneath an attractive red-brick building on the grounds of what was once Joseph Schnaider’s brewery, maltings, and beer garden, this is a cellar bar with a speakeasy vibe and loads of local beers on tap. The employee-owned hospitality company that owns the bar also owns the pizza joint upstairs, so that whole menu is available. They also offer a range of nibbles that are half-price at happy hour (4 p.m.–6 p.m.), such as spicy hard pretzels or a cheddar-cheese ball rolled in IPA-poached walnuts. The décor honors the city’s brewery-heavy past, when German immigrants established and enjoyed several huge beer gardens.
Why it’s great: It’s hard to beat the atmosphere provided by the stone-and-brick walls of the old Schnaider cellars. There’s also an outdoor terrace with long tables. The 50 taps and 80-plus bottles feature a wide range from the city’s and the region’s best breweries—including Perennial, 2nd Shift, 4 Hands, Earthbound, and more—plus a handful of Belgium’s best. Or, do what many locals do: Enjoy a fresh glass of Busch from the tap.
Details
Hours: 4 p.m.–11 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday; closed Monday
Address: 2017 Chouteau Ave., St. Louis, Missouri
Website: 21stbrew.com