Arts-Entertainment
by Lisa Machac
Welcome to the second edition of Table Talk! I loved hearing from so many of you about last month's column. It sounds like a few of you tried some new spots because of it, and that makes me really happy. More than ever, I'm reminded that hospitality is about weaving together community and building the bonds that help us get through hard times together.
This month, I want to highlight some of my favorite summer spots. Last year I stumbled onto the rooftop bar at Neptune's Taphouse and Eatery. I'm sure plenty of you already knew about it, but it wasn’t until I looked up one day while riding my bike and saw people sitting on the restaurant’s rooftop that I decided to give it a try. It quickly became my favorite spot to sip a cocktail, grab a snack, and soak in the alpenglow. This summer, Neptune's is opening the full food menu to rooftop guests, and I can't wait. When the weather's clear, the upstairs will be open daily from 5:00 to 8:30 pm. I'll see you there!
Another spot quickly becoming a summer favorite of mine is Freak's Midnight Snacks, located behind the Murray Bar most weekend evenings. If you find yourself arriving at Gil’s or the Murray after the kitchen closes at 9:00 p.m., Freak's has you covered. And if you work in a local restaurant and you're just tired of the late night drive-thru options, you can grab a hot dog, a baked potato, or my personal favorite, the homemade snack mix. Freak's is run by Sissy (from The Gem) and her partner Jac, and they're already a super popular dining destination. They're looking forward to expanding the menu with even more hot dog specials and will be rolling out merch soon.
Finally, don't forget about the SouleBurger sweepstakes over at The Office. Head to their website and guess which day they'll sell their 10,000th SouleBurger, and you could win a free hamburger every week for a year. There are still plenty of open dates between now and the end of September, so it's worth taking the time to claim one. Livingston has no shortage of great burgers, and The Office serves some of my favorites.
As always, if you're a restaurant owner with news to share, or a customer with a question about one of our establishments, send me an email at hello@smallplatehospitality.com. I'll get the scoop and include it in the next edition of Table Talk. In the meantime, be sure to support our local businesses... and leave a big tip for your servers.