Cameron Bren
Matt Van Nest will apply lessons from Brasserie V to his new venture, Longtable.
You are going to want to be in a social mood when visiting Longtable Beer Cafe, Matt Van Nest’s new restaurant in Middleton.
Both the layout of the restaurant, slated to open in early October, and the menu are intended to create a communal feeling, says Van Nest, who opened Brasserie V on Monroe Street in 2007 out of his love for Belgian beer. One long table for 20 will be in the center; the smallest tables will seat eight, as will the bar. Boards of cheese, poultry, fish, sausages and veggies are designed for sharing, as is the option of ordering small glasses for sharing individual beers.
“The beer was the number one thing that drove the idea of what we wanted to do,” says Van Nest, but creating a casual space for convivial gatherings was close behind. “My wife and I love hanging out with friends, sitting around a long table, sharing good food and drink and lively conversation. We decided to bring the concept to life.”
Van Nest describes his new project as a combo bottle shop, beer cafe and tasting room. “You could say it’s like an indoor beer garden,” Van Nest says. Garage doors will open up to patio seating for about 30.
Brasserie V stocks about 300 bottled beers; roughly 80 percent are imports from Europe. Longtable will also have 300 bottled beers on hand, but these will be about 60 percent American and 40 percent European. The American selection will feature a variety of beer styles from craft breweries all over the country. In choosing beers for Longtable, Van Nest will draw on his relationships with the handful of special importers who bring in beer from smaller breweries in Europe as well as a vast knowledge of domestic beers.
The bottled beers will be in a cooler; about a third will be available consistently. Patrons can grab a single or create a 4- or 6-pack.
The dozen tap beers will also rotate. Van Nest expects all of them will have turned over in a month’s time.
Food, including sandwiches and frites, will be ordered at a counter for dine-in or carryout.
Sandwiches will include pulled pork, barbecue brisket and an Italian hoagie. Sausages will be available as five on a board or one with a bun and side — or two sides with no bun. There will always be six to eight house-made sides to choose from.
As at Brasserie V, ingredients will be sourced locally as much as possible. Many meats and vegetables will come from local farmers, with next preference given to small farms from around the country. “We might get prosciutto from Spain or Italy, but we’ll make sure even if we get it from there it’s from a smaller reputable company,” Van Nest says.
Longtable Beer Cafe will be located at 7545 Hubbard Ave. in the new Middleton Center development, across from the Mustard Museum.
