East Bay Dining Where the Game’s On

November is a sports fan’s favorite time of year. From kick-offs to tip-offs—and don’t forget about face-offs—there’s a TV in the house for everyone at these local eateries.

Hops And Sessions

Self-serve taprooms seem to be the new rage. If you haven’t tried one yet, check out Livermore’s Hops and Sessions.

We started with an order of Padrón peppers prepared with sea salt and served with a garlic aioli dipping sauce. They had good flavor and a nice kick that complemented my red ale.

The warm pretzel called out to us, and it did not disappoint. It comes with beer cheese (yum) and mustard.

The sausage platter featuring a poblano pepper, chorizo and chicken apple sausage completed our meal. Each was good, but my favorite was the chorizo topped with diced avocado and tomato.

Entrées start at $12. Beer and wine only. Open daily from 11:30am. 2339 First St., Livermore. HopsandSessions.com

---

The Growler

With schnitzel and bratwurst on the menu, you may think you’ve traveled to a German Biergarten when you walk in the door at The Growler. Luckily, the Danville brewpub is ready to satisfy all sorts of culinary cravings.

Take your love of tater tots to the next level with an order of Totchos, which are tots topped with deep fried cheese curds, beer queso, shredded pork and pickled jalapeños.

You can’t go wrong with a burger or sandwich. I’m partial to the mushroom swiss burger featuring rosemary aioli on a brioche bun. Skip the regular fries in favor of the pesto version. I was hesitant to order them, but would certainly get them again.

Many salads are available, including a Cobb that looks as great as it tastes.

Entrées start at $11. Beer and wine only. Open Monday-Friday from 10am and Saturday & Sunday from 8am. 515 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Danville. GrowlerPubDanville.com

---

Pick 6 Lounge

Sports fans will love the menu that pays homage to football, baseball and hockey favorites at Pleasanton’s Pick 6 Lounge.

Happening in on a Taco Tuesday, we sampled the carnitas tacos (three for $5). They were a great first course on an evening of playoff baseball. Pick 6’s sweet potato fries are among the best I’ve ever tasted. Perfectly crispy on the outside, the enormous platter comes with sweet pepper aioli for dipping.

We wrapped up the game sharing an order of Sante Fe spring rolls. Filled with corn, black beans, chicken and cheese, they were a little more on the spicy side than I expected, which was a good thing, and a nice variation from typical sports bar fare. Guacamole and salsa topped off these rolls.

Burgers start at $12.50. Full bar. Open Monday-Friday from 11am and Saturday & Sunday from 9am. 4825 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton. Pick6Lounge.com

---

Chicken Pie Shop

I can’t think of anything that says down-home cooking better than a chicken pot pie. Luckily, they are readily available to quell all of your “in need of a food hug” desires at Walnut Creek’s Chicken Pie Shop.

Before jumping into the pot pies, start with an order of roasted jalapeño poppers stuffed with cream cheese and Italian sausage—but only if you like to tread on the spicy side.

There are lots of potato selections on the appetizer list, but save your carbs for the main course, because a pot pie paired with a side of mashers and fresh veggies is the only way to go. A flaky crust encasing the savory filling of pulled chicken, gravy and green onion is all you’d expect it to be. Or try the marinara sauce sausage pie, which tastes just like pizza in a pot pie.

Pot pies start at $9. Full bar. Open Monday-Saturday, 11am-10pm and Sunday 10am-9pm. 1251 Arroyo Way, Walnut Creek. ChickenPieShopWC.com

---

Janet Fazio writes ‘Tastes of Your Town’, a monthly feature on East Bay dining in the print editions of Your Town Monthly. A version of this article was originally published in November 2018 editions.

>> Discover more of our favorite places to eat in the East Bay and beyond.