I thought it only fitting that my first Thursday Barlogue post should be about Keg & Kitchen in Westmont since that’s the place where I ordered my first Pimm’s Cup and felt those early stirrings of love for the idea of making cocktails. Since then I’ve spent many a Friday night at Keg either with my family, or with good friends, or with some combination of both. The food is excellent, ranging from snacks and starters to sandwiches, pizzas, and entree plates that are large enough to share. I especially love the gilled octopus and the beet cured salmon as small plates, and the pork bahn mi sandwich, the chicken tinga tacos, and the Long Island duck breast when I’m hungry for something more (which is most of the time). And don’t even get me started on the pretzel bites as a snack or the doughnuts for dessert! The beer selection is amazing, there’s a decent wine list, and the specialty cocktails are excellent. My favorite is the Ruby Rose with vodka, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit bitters, and rosemary, and my husband likes the Avenue Manhattan with Redemption Rye, Averna Amaro, and black walnut bitters. The bar itself is awesome with a great corner spot where I love to sit if we get there early enough to grab it on a Friday night. From there we can see the whole restaurant, watch it get really busy, feel the bar fill up and the bartenders Faolan and Cindy manage the rush, until it quiets down again and they get a chance to come over and chat with us for a few minutes. When we leave I always know that we’ll be back, because it’s the kind of place that you go out to yet still feel like you’re at home.

Keg & Kitchen 90 Haddon Ave. Westmont, NJ 08108     856-833-9800