OK, let's get this out of the way up front. I'm a food snob. My nose is tilted 20 degrees higher when it comes to food as compared to beer. Yes, I'm very inclined to seek out the very best beers that are out there but I'm also happy to concede and drink some crap beer from time to time, I can't always say the same for food.
Living in New York City doesn't leave me short of options for beer or food but finding a great restaurant that has a beer selection to match isn't very easy. In most cases there are craft beers added to the menu haphazardly or the food is lackluster compared to what most of the city has to offer. There are a few exceptions to this that have been around for a long time, DBGB has always been a hidden gem as a beer destination and recently it was a pleasant surprise to see Other Half's Street Green on tap and bottle of Finn Back sour ales available at Marta.
Enter Lupulo, a Portuguese restaurant that opened earlier this year on Sixth Avenue and 29th Street. Any time you see Hill Farmstead Pale Ales and Grimm IPAs on the tap list you know you're in for a treat. I started with a short pour of What is Enlightenment which is a hoppy pale ale and something that I would drink over and over again. For food I split a few things with a friend while dining at the bar. Before ordering the smoked mackerel spread and chicken liver I switched to the Justin Blåbær, a berliner weisse from Evil Twin, its acidity cut the fat from both dishes perfectly. I was especially hungry so I ordered the burger which had been hyped up a bit on few of the local food publications. On the one hand it was significantly better than the frozen patties served at some of the other beer bars *Cough Pony Bar Cough* but I'm not sure it's a destination burger worth more than $20.
Regardless, I walked away very happy and this will be my go to spot for food before NHL games at MSG for the foreseeable future.