Night Owl: German Sausage and Beers at Bronwyn

All photos by Katie Chudy

Certain foods are best enjoyed alone (without guilt)—especially those consumed in the wee hours of the night. Luckily a visit close to midnight at Bronwyn means a bunch of your German sausages and beers in one fell swoop.

The late-night menu at Bronwyn is short and sweet, hitting all of the right notes for the after-hours crowd, with a menu built around pork and spice. The cozy and medieval feeling vibe of the room is quite welcoming; it appears different because it is different. Most late night haunts are transparently either more focused on the booze or the grub, but here, it’s equally divided and successful all around.

The Uberdog is just fine and all you really need to sop up a couple of Polish beers with to round out the night. The Chicago-style dog hits the mark on the accuracy front, and it is a delicate accomplishment. A dry and over-worked filling does give way to a proper snap, a hallmark for any quality encased meat, even if the pork (or is it beef, the bartenders are unsure) lacks the appropriate potency. Still, how many places are really making their own hot dogs or sausages for that matter, and accompanying lettuce, tomato, peppers, pickles and mustard do the trick, adding a freshness that gives balance and sensibility. The homemade poppy seed roll is plush and appreciated, much like the rest of the components, the fact that Bronwyn is making the good majority of the items does not go unnoticed. The house-made Bretzel is similar in that while it may not be the best pretzel you’ll ever have, it’s easily ahead of the curve.

The late-night bar at Bronwyn hits most of the right notes. It’s a pretty room in a quiet setting where you can feel at home and relax. The lights are bright and the music is mellow, and sometimes that’s just the remedy you need for a sausage and beer tasting, no matter what time of the day or night it is.

255 Washington St, Somerville. Info: 617-776-9900, bronwynrestaurant.com.