Brannon’s Public House
Irish flavor comes to the downtown neighborhood.
THE DETAILS
Brannon’s Public House
1931 Third Ave. N.
(205) 326-8820
Hours: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m.;
dinner Wed.-Fri.
brannonspublichouse.com
It was in the cold urban shade on Third Avenue North that I first found Brannon’s Public House. Walking through the heavy door, it quickly became clear that this comfortable, well-ornamented place was not a pub. Light enters the front windows and finds its way to the order counter in the public house’s rear.The deceptively large chalkboard menu is made more manageable by being broken up into daily offerings—Fish and Chips Mondays, Belfast Burgers Wednesdays.
Owner James Hardin explains that the idea for Brannon’s came from Irish grandfather, though he did not live to see the doors open in March 2009. Rather than focusing on beer, which is the pub’s domain, public houses exist in England and Ireland to serve diners and families in a relaxed neighborhood setting. Thankfully, there is a small import selection including Guinness, Boddington’s Pub Ale and Smithwick’s Irish Ale (which pairs quite nicely with the shredded lamb Darby O’Gill sandwich).
Brannon’s menu rotates throughout the week, giving diners six options per day, including sandwiches, pot pies, soups, salads and fish. Hardin demures when asked to pick favorites, but when pressed mentions baked cod fish and chips, Robin Hood (meatball sandwich) and the Shell McCracken (lobster pot pie with a whiskey and Irish cheddar cream sauce).
The Belfast Burger—actually a cute pair of sliders—exemplify the chef’s commitment to serving reasonably sized portions of excellent food. The creamy macaroni and cheese gratin is itself worth a special trip.
In addition to weekday lunches, Brannon’s now offers dinner Wednesday through Friday evenings. In keeping with the neighborhood ideal, Thursday nights have evolved into a casual game night. For St. Patrick’s Day, Hardin is planning a beer cocktail tasting. For additional details, call the restaurant or check its Facebook page.
