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The mark of a serious beer bar is whether or not it carries cask-conditioned ale, and this candlelit corner, owned by the team behind midtown’s brew mecca Stout, displays its pump handle as a point of pride. For discerning imbibers, the few dozen regular taps belch out anomalies like Australia’s Blue Tongue Lager and New York’s own Wailing Wench IPA as well as plain ol’ Bud or Bud Light to the NYU Law students who come simply to debate whether they should get BlackBerrys or iPhones. Meanwhile an international assortment of over a hundred bottles, including a healthy stock of Scottish, Brit, and Australian varieties, are lit up in coolers. The room, covered in dark wood, is sleeker than when it housed neighborhood institution Harry’s Burritos, but the food remains hearty and playful: You can build your own sandwiches or pizzas using a multitude of ingredients like applewood-smoked bacon, goat cheese, and lemon hummus spread. (Can’t decide between a pizza or a sandwich? Try the Reuben pizza!) Wisconsin cheese curds are available for the slightly less famished; entrees like a salad of yellowfin tuna with snow peas and radishes, for the hungrier but healthier. — Daniel Maurer