Cellar Dweller
A Beer Temple Lands on Valencia

You’ve got to hand it to the monks.

They sure know how to rock a brown robe.

Also, how to devote themselves completely to their calling.

And by calling, we mean beer...

Related: your new beer sanctuary is here. It’s called The Abbot’s Cellar, it’s from the guys at Monk’s Kettle, and it’s slated to open next week on Valencia.

Go ahead, compare the place to an old-world monastery—with its high ceilings, reclaimed 1880s barn wood floor, two-story stone cellar and all those monks. Okay, we’re kidding—no monks.

You’ll want to take over the sole window booth and grab the beer list (hint: it’s under the table). If you need a moment, we’ll understand: the list has roughly 100 bottled beers, 20 on tap and a handful poured by the glass from 750 mL bottles. (If you’re wondering how they store all of this, look no further than the 500-case-capacity cellar in back.)

They’re giving beer the VIP wine treatment, so when you order, say, a Sinebrychoff (it’s a Baltic porter, whatever that is, out of Finland), you’ll get it served at the proper 50 degrees Fahrenheit. And it’ll come served in the proper stemware. Go with it.

The food leans toward fine dining (think: roasted-quail-and-green-garlic sausage and braised sea bass). But we recommend doing the five-course pairing menu.

One guess what the food’s paired with.