Best American Beers & Bar Food by Host City

Right. Let's Talk About American Beer.

Before you say anything — yes, American beer is much better than you think. Forget the watery lagers you've seen on telly. The USA has over 9,000 craft breweries and produces some of the world's finest IPAs, stouts, sours, and session ales. Each host city has a thriving local scene. Here's your city-by-city guide to drinking like a local.

New York / New Jersey

The vibe: New York has an incredible diversity of bars — from Irish pubs in Midtown to rooftop cocktail bars in Brooklyn, to proper sports bars packed with every screen imaginable.

Don't miss these local beers:

Brooklyn Lager (Brooklyn Brewery) — The original New York craft beer. Smooth, amber, and iconic. Available everywhere.
Sixpoint Sweet Action (Sixpoint Brewery, Red Hook) — Cream ale style, crushable and dangerously drinkable.
Interboro All Day IPA (Interboro Spirits & Ales, Brooklyn) — If you want a session IPA to get you through a long match day.
Other Half Brewing (Brooklyn/Manhattan) — If you see it on tap, order it. Consistently world-class hazy IPAs.

What to eat at the bar:

Buffalo wings — Invented in Buffalo, NY, perfected in every corner bar. Get them with blue cheese dip, not ranch (ranch is for the uninitiated).
New York pizza by the slice — Grab a slice from a street window before you go to the bar. The folded-slice technique is mandatory.
Soft pretzels — Big, warm, salty. Everywhere. Perfect with a cold beer.
Jalapeño poppers — Bar standard across the US, but New Yorkers do them well.
Corn dog — Sounds odd, tastes brilliant. A hot dog in cornbread batter on a stick.

Top sports bars:

Nevada Smith's (East Village) — The original NYC football bar. Wall-to-wall with ex-pats on match days.
The Stag's Head (East Village) — Great atmosphere, massive screens.
Joshua Tree (Gramercy) — UK football staple in Manhattan.

Los Angeles

The vibe: LA bar culture is more relaxed, sun-soaked, and patio-heavy. Craft beer is massive here — the city has exploded with world-class breweries in the last decade.

Don't miss these local beers:

Angel City IPA (Angel City Brewery, Downtown LA) — Great hazy IPA from an iconic downtown taproom near the Staples Center area.
Golden Road Wolf Pup (Golden Road Brewing) — Session IPA, widely available all over the city, very sessionable.
El Segundo Brewing Mayberry IPA (El Segundo) — One of LA's most decorated craft brewers. Rich and tropical.
Three Weavers Seafarer (Inglewood — right by SoFi Stadium!) — Local to the venue; worth seeking out a pint before the match.

What to eat at the bar:

Fish tacos — LA does California-style fish tacos better than anywhere on earth. Battered or grilled, fresh lime, salsa, cabbage. Life-changing.
Loaded nachos — Not the pale cinema variety. Proper pub nachos: cheese, jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole, salsa.
Avocado fries — Yes, really. Breaded and fried avocado slices with dipping sauce. Don't knock it until you've tried it.
Chicken wings — Korean BBQ style if you can find them.
Street tacos — Order from the taco truck outside the bar, bring them in.

Top sports bars:

The Fox & Hound (Woodland Hills/Sherman Oaks) — UK football community gathers here.
Ye Olde King's Head (Santa Monica) — British pub transplanted to LA. Watch the match, eat a pasty.
Brennan's Bar (Marina del Rey) — Classic LA sports bar atmosphere.

Dallas

The vibe: Texas does everything bigger. The sports bars here are cavernous, the beers are cold, the food is enormous, and the BBQ is arguably the best in the world. AT&T Stadium is in Arlington — a proper Texas experience.

Don't miss these local beers:

Deep Ellum Dallas Blonde (Deep Ellum Brewing, Dallas) — Light, crisp, and perfect for Texas heat. Go to the taproom in the Deep Ellum neighbourhood.
TUPPS Brewery Full Pocket (McKinney) — DFW's most decorated craft brewer. Wide range, all excellent.
Cedar Creek Brewery Shiner Bock — Not technically Cedar Creek, but Shiner Bock is the essential Texas lager. Dark, malty, and beloved across the state.
Collective Brewing Boysenbarrel — Award-winning sour programme. If you like adventurous beer, Dallas has you covered.

What to eat at the bar:

Texas BBQ brisket — Stop. Do not pass go. Do not visit Texas without eating proper smoked beef brisket. Get it sliced, on butcher paper, with white bread and pickles. Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum is a pilgrimage.
Jalapeño poppers — Everything is hotter in Texas. Your mouth will water.
Queso and chips — Tex-Mex melted cheese dip with tortilla chips. Addictive. Order it immediately.
Chicken-fried steak — A Texas classic: tenderised beef steak, breaded and fried like chicken, covered in cream gravy. Absurd but brilliant.
Smoked sausage links — Get them alongside the brisket. "Jalapeño cheddar" sausages are outstanding.

Top drink spots:

Deep Ellum neighbourhood — Dozens of bars and restaurants; excellent at night.
The Rustic Dallas — Beer garden bar with live music.
HopFusion Ale Works (Fort Worth) — Great craft beers, friendly taproom.

Houston

The vibe: Houston is bigger than you expect and extremely multicultural. The bar food scene is influenced by Tex-Mex, Cajun, and Vietnamese cuisines. The heat is brutal in summer — cold beer is not optional, it's survival.

Don't miss these local beers:

Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower (Saint Arnold Brewing — oldest craft brewery in Texas) — Light and refreshing. Essential summer drinking.
Saint Arnold Amber Ale — Their malty flagship. Pairs perfectly with BBQ.
8th Wonder Hopston IPA (8th Wonder Brewery, Houston) — Named after the Astrodome. Tropical, juicy IPA.
Karbach Hopadillo (Karbach Brewing, now AB InBev but still good) — Easy-drinking IPA, widely available across the city.

What to eat at the bar:

Crawfish — Boiled crawfish (crayfish) in Cajun spices. May sound like a challenge but is one of the great American bar snacks. Peel them yourself, get stuck in.
Pulled pork nachos — Tex-Mex base loaded with smoked pork. Excellent match day fuel.
Gulf Coast shrimp — Grilled, fried, or in a Po'boy sandwich. Houston is on the Gulf; the seafood is exceptional.
Smoked sausage on a bun — Houston has Czechslovakian immigrant heritage; kolaches and sausage rolls are everywhere.
Queso fundido — Melted Mexican cheeses, sometimes with chorizo. Better than fondue.

Note on heat: It will be 35°C+ and humid. Hydrate between beers. Air-conditioning in bars is aggressive — bring a layer for inside or you'll freeze.

Miami

The vibe: Miami is party central. The nightlife scene is world-class. South Beach is expensive and flashy; Wynwood and Little Havana are more authentic and fun. Latin culture makes Miami's food and drink scene unlike anything else in the USA.

Don't miss these local beers:

Veza Sur Brewing (Wynwood) — Miami's best craft brewery. Specialises in Latin-inspired ales. The Wepa Wheat is outstanding.
MIA Beer Company — Small but excellent neighbourhood brewery.
Civil Society Brewing (Jupiter, near Miami) — Consistently award-winning, especially their hazy IPAs.
And don't overlook the classics: Miami has Cuban-influenced bars where a mojito or cuba libre is the correct order and frankly outstanding.

What to eat at the bar:

Cuban sandwich (Cubano) — Ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard on pressed Cuban bread. This is the meal. Find it everywhere in Little Havana.
Croquetas — Cuban ham croquettes. Crispy, creamy, addictive. Order a plate as a starter.
Conch fritters — Florida specialty. Conch (large sea snail) in a crispy fried ball. Sounds odd, tastes incredible. Get them with dipping sauce.
Stone crab claws — Seasonal delicacy, cold, with mustard sauce. If they're available during June/July, spend the money.
Fried plantains — Sweet and salty. The perfect bar snack alongside anything.

Top spots:

Ball & Chain (Little Havana) — Legendary Cuban bar with live music. Authentic experience.
Wynwood Walls area — Dozens of craft beer bars and cocktail lounges.
Tobacco Road (Downtown) — One of Miami's oldest bars. Great atmosphere.

Atlanta

The vibe: Atlanta has the best craft beer scene in the American South. The city has a massive sports culture (Braves baseball, Falcons NFL, Atlanta United FC) and proper soccer fan communities.

Don't miss these local beers:

SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale (SweetWater Brewing) — Atlanta's most famous craft beer. Available everywhere in the city. Light, hoppy, perfect.
Creature Comforts Tropicália IPA (Athens, GA — 1 hour east) — One of the best IPAs in the South. Tropical and aromatic.
Monday Night Brewing Fu Manbrew — Easy-drinking kölsch style from an excellent Atlanta brewery.
Second Self Thai Wheat — Refreshing and different; brewed with lemongrass.

What to eat at the bar:

Fried chicken — Atlanta does Southern fried chicken better than anywhere. Get it as a sandwich (Nashville hot version if you're brave) or as strips.
Chicken and waffles — Sounds mad, tastes incredible. Crispy fried chicken on a waffle with hot sauce and maple syrup. An Atlanta staple.
Boiled peanuts — A Deep South tradition. Soft, salty peanuts in their shells, boiled in brine. Available from roadside stands and bars. Try them once.
Pimento cheese dip — Southern comfort food. Cheddar cheese blended with pimento peppers, served with crackers or vegetables. Brilliant bar snack.
BBQ nachos — Atlanta takes Tex-Mex and adds Southern BBQ pulled pork. The result is spectacular.

Top spots:

SweetWater Brewery (Midtown) — Go to the taproom. Tours available.
The Porter Beer Bar (Little Five Points) — Hundreds of beers on taps and in bottles.
Joystick Gamebar — Retro games and good craft beers.

Philadelphia

The vibe: Philly is a working-class, no-nonsense sports city that takes its food seriously. Eagles fans are famously passionate. The bar scene is excellent value compared to New York and has bags of character.

Don't miss these local beers:

Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale (Yards Brewing) — Philly's iconic craft brewery since 1994. Their Pale Ale is the essential local pint. Visit the brewpub if you can.
Yards Brawler Pugilist Style Mild Ale — Low ABV, very drinkable. Perfect session beer.
Dock Street Bohemian Pilsner (Dock Street Brewing) — Excellent craft pilsner from one of the USA's oldest craft breweries.
Evil Genius Purple Monkey Dishwasher — Seriously good IPA from a fun Northeast Philly brewery.

What to eat at the bar:

Philly cheesesteak — Obviously. Pat's vs Geno's is the eternal war. Go to both (they're 20 yards apart in South Philly). Cheez Whiz, onions, on a hoagie roll. Don't overthink it.
Soft pretzels — Philadelphia is THE soft pretzel city. Street vendors, bars, everywhere. Eat them with mustard.
Hoagie sandwich — Philly's version of a sub. Every deli and bar does them differently and they're all excellent.
Pierogies — Polish-American heritage in South Philly. Potato and cheese dumplings, fried, with sour cream. The Baseball team throws them at fans. Now eat them.
Wings — Philly does enormous portions. You'll get a bucket of wings, ranch/blue cheese choice, and you will not finish them.

Top spots:

Yards Brewing Company (Northern Liberties) — Must-visit taproom.
McGillin's Olde Ale House (Center City) — Oldest continuously operating bar in Philadelphia, since 1860.
Brauhaus Schmitz (South Street) — German beer hall. Massive pretzels. Steins. Football on screens. Perfect.

Seattle

The vibe: Seattle is outdoorsy, progressive, and has outstanding craft beer. It's also the most naturally beautiful of all the host cities — surrounded by mountains, water, and forest. The weather is actually pleasant in summer (18-25°C, not the constant rain the city is famous for).

Don't miss these local beers:

Pike IPA (Pike Brewing, Pike Place Market) — Right in the historic market. One of Seattle's original craft breweries. Great tour too.
Elysian Space Dust IPA (Elysian Brewing) — Now owned by AB InBev but the beer is still excellent. Bold and tropical.
Georgetown Brewing Manny's Pale (Georgetown) — Seattle's best-selling local craft beer. Light, hoppy, universally liked. Try to visit the brewery.
Fremont Brewing Universale Pale (Fremont) — Another excellent taproom in a great neighbourhood.

What to eat at the bar:

Fish and chips — Seattle's fish and chips will rival anything you get at home. Fresh Pacific cod or halibut, perfectly battered. Better, frankly.
Dungeness crab — A Pacific Northwest delicacy. If you see crab legs on the menu, order them.
Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl — Pike Place Market specialty. Thick, creamy New England-style chowder, served in a hollowed-out sourdough loaf. This is as good as food gets.
Salmon burger — Fresh Pacific salmon on a brioche bun. Much better than it sounds.
Poke bowl bar — Seattle has exploded with Hawaiian-style poke. Raw tuna or salmon on rice with sesame, soy, and toppings. Light, refreshing, and excellent.

Top spots:

Pike Brewing (Pike Place area) — Legendary location, excellent beer.
Elysian Fields (various locations) — Multiple taprooms across Seattle with great food.
The Tap House (Belltown) — 100+ taps of craft beer. Overwhelming in the best possible way.

San Francisco Bay Area

The vibe: San Francisco has world-class food culture and a strong craft beer scene. The Bay Area also has Napa Valley wine country a 90-minute drive away if you fancy a day trip. The city itself is hilly, scenic, and packed with energy.

Don't miss these local beers:

Anchor Steam Beer (Anchor Brewing) — Sadly the original brewery closed in 2023, but Anchor Steam has been relaunched and is widely available. This is American brewing history. Order it.
21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon (21st Amendment Brewing, SoMa) — Wheat beer brewed with watermelon. Sounds gimmicky, tastes incredible. The brewpub is excellent.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Chico, California — the regional craft giant) — Available everywhere. The beer that defined American craft brewing.
Magnolia Brewing (Haight-Ashbury) — Classic neighbourhood brewpub. Great range.

What to eat at the bar:

Garlic fries — AT&T Park (Giants stadium) made them famous. Crispy fries, tossed in garlic butter and parsley. Available all over the city now.
Mission burrito — A San Francisco original. Gigantic foil-wrapped burrito from the Mission District. This is NOT like a UK Tex-Mex burrito. It's a meal and then some.
Sourdough clam chowder — Boudin Bakery at Fisherman's Wharf does the definitive bread bowl chowder. Make the trip.
Cioppino — San Francisco's Italian-inspired seafood stew. Clams, mussels, crab, fish in a rich tomato broth. Restaurant food but worth it.
Dim sum — The Chinatown and Richmond neighbourhoods have outstanding dim sum. Go for it.

Top spots:

21st Amendment Brewing (SoMa) — Must visit. Great food too.
Toronado (Lower Haight) — One of the great American craft beer bars. No-frills, incredible selection, beloved institution.
Zeitgeist (Mission) — Enormous outdoor beer garden. Always packed, always fun.

Boston

The vibe: Boston is the most European-feeling American city. It's compact, walkable, has a fantastic history, and a passionate sports culture. Red Sox baseball games at Fenway Park are a bucket-list experience.

Don't miss these local beers:

Samuel Adams Boston Lager (Sam Adams Brewing Company) — The beer that started America's craft beer revolution in 1984. Available everywhere. Visit the brewery in Jamaica Plain for tours.
Harpoon IPA (Harpoon Brewery, Seaport) — Boston's other beloved craft brewery. Their IPA is exceptional.
Night Shift Brewing Whirlpool — Excellent hazy pale ale from Everett, MA. One of the best modern craft breweries in New England.
Trillium Brewing (various) — Cult-status Boston craft brewery. If you see it, buy it.

What to eat at the bar:

New England clam chowder — Thick, creamy, white clam chowder. The best in the world is served in Boston. Legal Sea Foods version is the benchmark.
Lobster roll — Hot or cold (Connecticut vs Maine style — both are correct). Fresh lobster meat in a toasted split-top bun. This is the great American bar/seafood food and Boston does it best.
Fried clams — Whole belly fried clams. A New England specialty. Crispy, briny, perfect with a cold Sam Adams.
Boston baked beans — The city's namesake dish. Slow-baked navy beans in molasses. Served as a side at many traditional bars.
Fish sandwich — Battered haddock or cod on a bun with tartar sauce. As good as any chippy back home.

Top spots:

Harpoon Brewery (Seaport District) — Excellent taproom with food and tours.
The Bell in Hand Tavern (Downtown) — Founded in 1795. The oldest continuously operating bar in America.
The Cask 'n Flagon (Fenway) — Right beside Fenway Park. The pre-game destination for Red Sox fans — and during the tournament, football fans.

Kansas City

The vibe: Kansas City is the dark horse of the tournament. Most UK fans haven't been and don't know what to expect. What they'll find is a friendly, affordable, passionate sports city with arguably the best BBQ food on the planet and a world-class craft beer scene.

Don't miss these local beers:

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat (Boulevard Brewing — one of the largest craft breweries in the USA) — The essential KC beer. Available everywhere. Visit the sprawling brewery on Southwest Boulevard.
Boulevard Pale Ale — Their hoppy flagship. Excellent.
Torn Label Brewing (West Bottoms) — Excellent modern craft brewery with a wide experimental range.
Stockyards (West Bottoms area) — New wave KC craft brewing. Great taproom.
Martin City Brewing — Wide range, large brewpub, solid food menu.

What to eat at the bar:

Kansas City BBQ burnt ends — This is the reason to visit. Burnt ends are the point end of a smoked beef brisket, rendered down until they're cubes of concentrated, caramelised, smoky beef perfection. Joe's Kansas City (in a petrol station) serves the world's finest. Queue for them. Worth every minute.
BBQ ribs — Slow-smoked for 12+ hours. The KC BBQ sauce style is a tomato-molasses base, sticky and sweet. Different from Texas (drier) or Memphis (drier rub). All great; KC is exceptional.
Pulled pork sandwich — Simple, enormous, covered in sauce. Get it on a plain white bun.
KC-style pizza — Provel cheese and a cracker-thin crust. Not world-famous but locals swear by it.
Gates & Sons — Another KC BBQ institution alongside Joe's. Try both. Do a BBQ crawl.

Top spots:

Boulevard Brewing Tours — Book ahead; excellent experience.
Power & Light District (Downtown) — Entertainment district with loads of bars, screens, food options; will be excellent on match days.
The Crossroads Arts District — Trendy bars and craft beer venues.
Knuckleheads Saloon — Great dive bar with live music and cold beer.

General Tips for Drinking in America

Sizes: A "pint" in the USA is 16 oz (473ml), not 20 oz. Some bars serve 20 oz "imperial pints" — just ask.
Drinking age is 21. They will card you if you look under 30. Carry your passport.
Drink driving is taken seriously. Use Uber/Lyft. You will not talk your way out of a DUI.
Happy hour (usually 3-6pm on weekdays) means half-price drinks or special deals. Plan your schedule accordingly.
"What's on tap?" is always the right question. Draft options are usually better than bottles.
Tip 20%. Just do it. The barstaff earn their living from tips in the USA.
Don't ask for a pint of Foster's. Nobody will respect you.

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