The Beer Temple
Bar & grill · Avondale
3173 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
Highlights
Craft beer shop with diverse brews, daily tastings, Detroit-style pizza
Craft beer shop with diverse brews, daily tastings, Detroit-style pizza
"Middle Brow's own pizzeria and brewery space is already on here, but its pizza prowess extends past their Logan Square restaurant all the way to the kitchen at The Beer Temple in Avondale. Their Detroit-style pies still have sourdough in their DNA, this time formed into thick, chewy pizzas with crisp bottoms. It’s the perfect foundation for the layers of molten brick cheese, zippy sauce, caramelized cheese perimeter, and toppings like pepperoni or nduja." - nick allen, adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor
"Middle Brow in Logan Square makes some of our favorite Neapolitan and tavern-style pies, and their pizza prowess extends to the Detroit-style pies they exclusively serve at The Beer Temple in Avondale. Their rectangular pizzas—sorry, ”square pizzas”—have the same sourdough DNA in the form of a thick, chewy crust with a crispy bottom and caramelized cheese crown. They’re richer than their Logan Square pizzas, with a zippier sauce and extra nuttiness from molten brick cheese, plus some punch from toppings like pepperoni or nduja. They also serve slices aside from whole pies, so it’s great for a Detroit-style solo date." - john ringor, nick allen
"The Beer Temple is a craft beer bar in Avondale that searched for the ideal partner to provide food service. They teamed with Middle Brow, the beer maker known for its artisanal pizza, and came up with a Detroit-style pizza with a remarkable chassis that has a little bit more funk and sourdough taste (not overpowering) than traditional pies. The dough and ingredients are top notch, and the toppings are traditional with pepperoni cups, sausage, and giardiniera. Tip: There’s an awkward and tiny parking lot behind the bar. Make use of it." - Jeffy Mai
"The pizza prowess of Middle Brow in Logan Square now extends to Detroit-style pies in Avondale. Their rectangular pizzas out of The Beer Temple’s kitchen have the same sourdough DNA in the form of a thick, chewy crust with a crispy bottom and caramelized cheese crown. They’re richer than their Logan Square Neapolitan and tavern-style pizzas, with a zippier sauce and extra nuttiness from molten brick cheese, plus some punch from toppings like pepperoni or nduja. Unlike Middle Brow (which is always busy), The Beer Temple's taproom usually has an open spot for a post-work dinner or a couple of slices at the bar. Food Rundown Pepperoni Their pepperoni pie is great if you want a classic topping. It comes with a cheesy trifecta of Wisconsin brick cheese, mozzarella, and a dusting of parmesan. The thick sauce is tangy and slightly sweet, complementing the salty pepperoni cups and the glistening frico wall. photo credit: John Ringor 'Nduja A lot is going on here, and we mean that in the best way possible. There’s plenty of spicy, salty pop from the ‘nduja and a pleasant funk from the gorgonzola blanket on top. The layer of fennel confit helps balance it all out with a bit of sweetness. photo credit: John Ringor Slices If you show up solo or your group can’t commit to a whole pie, there’s a handy “by the slice” option, though the choices are limited to cheese or whatever is their Slice Of The Day." - John Ringor
"Middle Brow extends its pizza reach past Logan Square and into Avondale as the resident kitchen at The Beer Temple, this time focusing on Detroit-style. The rectangular pies are made with Middle Brow’s signature sourdough and have an excellent chew and crispy bottom. It’s the perfect foundation for the layers of molten brick cheese, zippy sauce, caramelized cheese perimeter, and toppings like pepperoni or nduja. And if you just want a snack to go with your beer, they also do slices." - john ringor, adrian kane
