AT HOME IN TACOMA
A blog about all the little things that make Tacoma
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The Copper Door: Tacoma's Gastro Lounge
Sharon Benson • May 26, 2018
If it's been a little while since you've popped your head into the Copper Door – the Stadium District's friendly neighborhood beer mecca – you may be shocked at what you discover. Yes, the CopperDoor has always been top notch when it comes to the sheer volume and variety of beer they have at hand, both on tap and in a kaleidoscopic array of bottles and cans in convenience store-style fridges, but they've been steadily transforming themselves into something much more than your standard liquid bread emporium.
Since the Copper Door opened in 2014, they've always been, first and foremost, about the beer. After amassing an incredible selection of brews, and a dedicated clientele that's passionate about exploring so many options, the Copper Door had an opportunity to expand. Gibson's Frozen Yogurt Shoppe, which had previously occupied the other half of the Copper Door's building, had to close down in 2015. As Copper Door owner Craig Moore puts it, this presented a welcome incentive to turn the humble bar into something more.
“I definitely did not want to expand only two years into this,” laughs Moore. “I was thinking that Gibson's would be there for another six to ten years, and then I could expand. Overall, it's good, though, because it allowed us to create this nice new bar and bring in a kitchen, which were things that we didn't have before.”
With this newfound space came the ability to make the Copper Door into something resembling a gastropub – with curated, lovingly created food to accompany their bounty of beer. After developing the space for a little over two years, the Copper Door began experimenting with meal service, with chef Nathan Burns constantly at work making exciting new dishes. For what it's worth, though, Moore and company aren't so into the gastropub label.
“We're not really a pub, in that sense of what a pub is,” says Moore. “We're a gastro-lounge, a place to come and have a conversation, play a board game, watch a sporting event – a relaxing place away from the chaos. And I really enjoy what we're doing with our menu. It's still an ever-changing thing, where we're settling on certain items. Our newest item is a sandwich called The Underhill, where we've smoked a tri-tip and then we reverse-sear it, trapping in all the juices.
“We're creating things, which is fun,” continues Moore. “The menu will always be changing. Like, one of our main dishes over the winter was this Belgian lamb stew, which was phenomenal, but now that the sun is out, we're changing things up. That's the cool thing, is getting to play around and be creative.”
However things change, though, they stay the same. The Copper Door has and always will be about the beer.
“We've got 36 taps, and when our fridges are full, we have about 1100 bottles and cans of American craft beer and cider – none of the big boys, just craft,” says Moore. “And we can get anything of a style that you want. Like, if you want an import-style beer, we don't have imports, but we can find an American idea of what that would be.”
With a cozy atmosphere that's perfect for an easy-going night out or a business lunch – and select nights of the week featuring performances from small jazz ensembles, with plans for a weekly open mic being considered – the Copper Door has grown into a reliable spot for those who want a break from the raucous vibe of other bars. The inclusion of a more open space and a deliciously unpredictable menu should make the Copper Bar a destination for the unpretentious beer-lover in you.
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