"The highly-anticipated sausage and beer hall from Kenji López-Alt and his partners opens today in San Mateo, with a menu of hearty German and Austrian dishes. Partners Adam Simpson and Tyson Mao joined with López-Alt to open the restaurant, located in downtown San Mateo. Taking over a unique historic space, the restaurant is a two-level tribute to the lively beerhalls of Germany, with long communal tables and steins of beer. The main event, wursts, include flavors like bratwurst and knackwurst as well as merguez and Cajun varieties. A giant chicken schnitzel sandwich that is sure to inspire Instagram adoration, and a vegan doner kebap are all part of López-Alt’s kitchen magic. There’s also a legitimate kids menu, with choices like a kinderwurst (a mini-frankfurter on a buttered bun) and grilled cheese with tomato soup for dipping. The space was designed by Oakland’s Arcsine agency, who gave the classic beerhall an upgrade with bright blue throughout. In addition to communal seating beneath cozy string lights, there are also two-tops for date night, and an ingenious seating area for young families to keep their kids entertained while drinking beer. Starting today, March 12, the restaurant will open daily from 5 p.m.- 12 a.m. (there’s a late night food menu consisting primarily of wursts). Lunch will join the sausage party in the coming months." - Ellen Fort
