First Look: Barleygarden Kitchen & Craft Bar

Kevin Ouzts & Kraig Torres of The Spotted Trotter and Hop City, respectively, combine high-quality charcuterie and beer at their latest venture at Avalon

How did the concept for Barleygarden come about?
Kraig Torres: At the core, Barleygarden is an extension of what Hop City has done for the past nine yearsβ€”that is curate an amazing selection of beer, wine and cocktails so our guests can share our passion for the best in fermented beverages. I couldn’t think of a better culinary partner than Kevin Ouzts. I was inspired by the Munich biergarten, but I did not want to be pigeonholed, culinarily speaking.

What kind of guest experience did you work to create?
KT: Our goal was to create a neighborhood space focused on people interacting with peopleβ€”all while sharing the best that beer and simple but well-made food has to offer. For this reason we don’t have TVs. We do have a constantly rotating beer list of our favorite, often harder-to-find brews from around here and all over.

What was your process for developing the menu?
Kevin Ouzts: We wanted to prepare food that’s delicious, approachable and easy to consume. There’s a lot of concerts and events at Avalon, so we wanted things that could be consumed with the beer while guests walk around and have a great time.

Hop City beer and Spotted Trotter meats seem like a match made in heaven!
KO: A charcuterie board is something you inevitably think about when you’re drinking beer. We wanted something with portability, so we put our locally sourced and pasture-raised meats together on really great bread from TGM Bread.
KT: Kevin and I have a similar goal: locally sourced, house-made food that pairs well with beer. Our collaborative creation was the Braut Burger, and I feel like it is a home run.

What has your experience been at the Avalon development?
KO: They’ve welcomed us with open arms, and folks have really enjoyed Kraig’s concept. We’ve had a great experience, and with the hotel and office building coming right next door, we really have an opportunity to show what we’re all about, so we’re excited.

barleygardenkitchen.com