By Owen Miguel, Staff Writer

There is no place that screams Norwood quite like Listermann Brewing Company. Operating since 1991, it has been the place to kick back and relax for townsfolk and students alike. If you’ve taken a walk on the outskirts of campus on Dana Ave., you’ve probably seen the “Super Listermann Bros.” mural on its side wall that is (most likely) subject to copyright infringement. You may have even gone inside to do some homework, hang out with some friends, or, if you are 21 years old or older, to get one of their award-winning beers that they brew in-house. Bottom line, it is a cozy and friendly place that’s been a staple of the community for a long time. 

Some students might remember Tickle Pickle, a Northside Burger Restaurant, opening a kitchen inside Listermann in the summer of 2022. It was a welcome addition to the brewhouse, and it gave an incentive for younger students to come in and have a bite, not to mention the food was incredible. Unfortunately, they closed down their kitchen this past summer, leaving all of us wondering what Listermann will do to replace it. 

Listermann has rolled out their own new menu for us to try. This isn’t their first attempt at the culinary arts — as even older students might remember the Listermann’s Trail House just down the road from the main brewery. Although it closed only a year after it opened, it had some quality food that was prepared with passion and love. Just like their Trail House, Listermann’s new menu offers a variety of food options to choose from, including shareables, salads, sandwiches and flatbreads. It also features some sauces made with some of their beers, like their Chickow! BBQ sauce. 

So, does this new menu live up to its predecessors? 

For this review, I ordered their “Cordon Bleu” sandwich with chips and their “D’artagnan Dunkel” Lager, totaling $20. I was given my food, and I could tell right away that the sandwich was not worth $15. The portion was very small, and the sandwich looked like it was thrown together and tossed in a cheap toaster oven. 

The taste was decent, however. The Nutcase Mustard, one of their other beer sauces, was the star of the show, with the spice of brown mustard and bits of nuts in it. The chicken and serrano ham were adequate, although I feel like I could find them in the Kroger cold cuts section. Overall, the sandwich was good, but a bit disappointing given its $15 price.

Is this indicative of the whole menu? I do not think so. Although its cheap presentation has me worried about their other sandwiches and entrée style food items — especially the flatbreads — their shareables did have me intrigued. The pretzel bites and chips with spinach artichoke dip looked very promising, and with their price, it justifies getting multiple orders of them to share with your friends. 

The final verdict? I have conflicted feelings. 

I have hope that their other food items are good, but I would recommend staying away from their entrées, as their presentation and taste do not justify their high price. 

Will that stop me from going in after a hard day’s work and chatting up the bartenders and locals? Absolutely not. 

Will I be hungry while I do it? That just might be the case.