Two of humanity’s greatest achievements in fermentation—bread and beer—are on full display at Urban Village Brewing Company, the latest addition to the Schmidt’s Commons in Northern Liberties. Urban Village is co-owned and operated by head brewer Dave Goldman and Tom Revelli, who leads the baking program. The brewpub offers brick-oven fired pizzas, seasonal small plates and of course, tap upon tap of craft beer.
Urban Village Brewing Company is an active brewery, with its seven-barrel tank and production system visible to customers through a dramatic glass window. The brewery is capable of producing up to 12 beers at once, served through rotating taps. Notable beers currently available include the Space Station, a single-hop quaff for easy afternoon drinking, the smoky Madagascar porter and the Beets by J, a kettle-soured Berliner Weisse spiked with the juice from 300 pounds of roasted beets.
Just as much care goes into creating the pizza and bread. Revelli and his team specifically use natural levain, as opposed to commercial yeast starter—what some folks call sourdough, though Revelli himself demurs at the term. “Technically, the recipe I developed is a pain de campagne, which is a French country bread … my starter is not as sour as other sours.”
Yeast is a living thing, so natural starters can be tricky to work with, if not downright temperamental. But the rewards are evident. As Revelli explains, “Once I started actually baking and learning how to bake, the natural levain and natural starter became more interesting because it’s a little bit hard to manage and I like challenging myself. I thought that would be a great element, to have really flavorful pizzas and something that shows up some talent as well.” Additionally, the dough is proofed slowly at low temperatures over a matter of days, a technique popularized by renowned artisanal bakers like Peter Reinhart.
The result? A tasty, toothsome and uniquely Urban Village bread product.
The star of the menu is the pizzas, fired in the open kitchen’s brick oven and topped with a variety of mouthwatering ingredients. Options include the Penelope, which features house-made ricotta, house-cured pepperoni and basil pesto, and the truly decadent Becca, which is loaded with brisket, fresh horseradish, mozzarella, pecorino and an egg, among other ingredients.
Not in a pizza mood? Check out the sandwiches, like the pork belly, with pickled fennel, goat cheese and Romanesco, or the Kennett, with brick-fired mushrooms and fava bean puree. Of course, they’re all served on Urban Village’s signature artisanal bread. If you’re seeking lighter fare, consider ordering the Village salad with peaches and lemon IPA vinaigrette or the Jersey Bluefish fritters, among other salad and small-plate options.
Urban Village Brewing Company promises to be a new favorite haunt for both Northern Liberties residents and those coming from farther afield.
As Revelli puts it, “Our hope is for people to love it here, feel comfortable enough to come a few times a week and make it a neighborhood place.”
Find Urban Village Brewing Company at 1001 N. 2nd St. in Philadelphia; phone: (267) 687-1961.
- Photographs: Urban Village Brewing Company
