SPUYTEN DUYVIL
359 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn
718-963-4140

No bar in the city pays more loving and thorough homage to beer—specifically Belgian beer, arguably the world’s best—than Spuyten Duyvil. In a neighborhood where $2 PBR rules the day, it’s built an almost cultlike following around obscure imported microbrews. Beer geeks from Manhattan, Jersey, Connecticut, and beyond make the trek for a stunning selection of Belgian brews that’s broken down by region—Flemish, Wallonian, and Lambic. After that, there are nine more countries to sample, and a grand total of about 100 often-rare bottles, plus a rotating hand-pulled cask ale. The simple mahogany bar offers the best view of the voluminous chalkboard beer listings and a chance to chat up passionate owners Joe Carroll and Kim Barbour. Snacks—plates of cheese, meat, and Brooklyn-made pickles—stand up well to that $19 bottle of rare Wallonian Blaugies.