The Nerdy Portland Brewery That Goes Beyond A Typical Board Game Cafe By Making Good Beer
Food and drink are often an afterthought at board game cafes.
Co-founder Jess Hardie (with Elliott Kaplan and Dana Ebert) is TPK's head brewer, and made beer at home before interning at Von Ebert and working at Oregon City Brewing. The IPAs and lagers at TPK are smooth and hoppy, without the usual hop bitterness but with plenty of flavor. The seasonal Village Lich (a North American Beer Awards gold medal-winner) is a Maibock with candy cap mushrooms that add a maple undertone. Many of the beers and cocktails have tabletop gaming-inspired names, like the Critical Sip Cream Soda (housemade cream soda with vanilla-bean-infused vodka) and the Short Rest (a zero-proof cocktail with NA orange bitters, lime, ginger, and soda water).
The food is made by TPK's kitchen partner, En Vida PDX, and goes beyond the standard hummus platter. Caribbean and Latin American dishes like maduros, Cubanos, and a Colombian hot dog dominate the menu, but you can still get a burger and fries. The arepitas de queso were crispy, cheesy, and paired well with the beers.
The atmosphere at TPK Brewing is more than your typical nerd space
The name TPK stands for Total Party Kill, which is when an entire adventuring party dies in a roleplaying campaign. Unlike other gaming cafes that are essentially a standard coffee shop with shelves full of games, TPK leans into a medieval pub atmosphere with cottage doors and a peaked roof. Visitors can still find games, figurines, D&D books, and Magic: The Gathering cards to borrow or purchase, but the hardwood accents, carved tap handles, plants, and wooden signs make the space more immersive. A large, brick hearth oven anchors the main room, calling back to the days when the space was occupied by Tabor Bread. Upstairs is another themed room where players can buckle down and focus on their D&D campaigns.
In one of the best U.S. cities for craft beer, it takes a lot to make an impression. A brewery can't get by with mediocre offerings, and even skilled brewers find the market difficult. Not everyone visits TPK to game. Plenty of Portlanders sit at the sidewalk tables enjoying the sun and a standout beer. At TPK Brewing, you don't have to settle for a dull lager — you can order a bright, flavorful one like the Labyrinth Lager (made with maize!) or Rice and Dice.