SF Chronicle

Taps, Petaluma

by Carey Sweet at the San Francisco Chronicle

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Hot dogs and hops. Brats and brewskis. Suds and sausages. Taps, which opened last fall in old town Petaluma, is a shrine to the delicious partnership, offering eight types of hot dogs (all $6.75) and four kinds of bratwurst and sausages (all $8) alongside 30 craft, microbrewed and Belgian beers on tap.

Still thirsty? Owner Eric Lafranchi has also amassed a wide array of domestic and imported canned and bottled beers, with varieties posted weekly on chalkboards above the giant wooden bar that spans the length of the room.

Housed in a "Cheers"-like wood-paneled space beneath the historic Petaluma Hotel, the basement bar is family-friendly (there's even a kids' meal), though you'll mostly be rubbing shoulders with a rowdier crew discussing the virtues of cask-conditioned beers and sampling uncommon quaffs such as Speakeasy Brewer's Reserve Old Godfather at a whopping 13.7 percent alcohol.

For franks, the BLT is dangerously good; the bacon-wrapped Miller's foot-long is deep-fried, then dressed with lettuce, tomato and mayo. A filling Reuben brings an all-beef dog piled with pastrami, Swiss, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing, while the chicken sausage boasts a bit of tangy artichoke and is delicious paired with New Belgium Lips of Faith Dandelion ale (yes, made with dandelion greens). A side of fries makes the meal (six flavors, $3.50-$7.50), and is enough to feed a party of four.

If you don't care for dogs, you shouldn't be here, although diehards can make do with the other menu choices: six kinds of Italian beef (all $9), or four kinds of chicken wings ($7.50).

Vitals: 205 Kentucky St., Petaluma; (707) 763-6700 (707) 763-6700 . www.petalumataps.com

4:30-11 p.m. Mon.-Wed.; 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.; 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sun.

Beer and wine.

- Carey Sweet, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

This article appeared on page G - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle