Tom and Natalie Dennen challenged themselves to go where no newcomer to the R.I. restaurant industry had dared to tread. They opened a modern beer hall with communal tables, a menu of American craft beers and dishes inspired by local ingredients. After just a few short months, they have a success on their hands with Bayberry Beer Hall.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Tom and Natalie Dennen challenged themselves to go where no newcomer to the R.I. restaurant industry had dared to tread. They opened a modern beer hall with communal tables, a menu of American craft beers and dishes inspired by local ingredients. They took a chance locating among the burgeoning food scene in the West Fountain Street neighborhood, and after just a few short months, they have a success on their hands with Bayberry Beer Hall.

They have added 28 jobs to the local economy, including that of two in-house bakers (delicious sourdough pretzels and rolls), an executive chef (tender chicken schnitzel sandwiches, pretzel mustard butter) and managers.

They are new to Rhode Island, moving here just 4½ years ago, when Tom took a job with Fidelity in Smithfield. Natalie works as a finance director for Comcast, remotely. They came from Pennsylvania, where Natalie grew up as an Allentown native. He's from Camden, Maine. Providence offered a mid-point between their two families where grandparents can visit with 18-month-old Graham.

Tom's business travel took him to Munich a few years ago. While there he went to a beer garden. He loved it.

"It stayed in my heart and became my passion to make it happen here," Tom said. He has since left Fidelity, making Bayberry his full-time job.

"We want to be unique and offer something that is different for folks," said Tom. "We are an American craft beer hall inspired by German beer gardens."

They scoured many sites before settling on a first-floor space in the Armory Revival building at 381 West Fountain St.

"We actually started with the idea for an outdoor beer garden," said Natalie. But they chose a beer hall instead, realizing that anything outdoors could be problematic. Still, she wanted an outdoor feel, what she called "a green homage to the beer garden," for the restaurant. She committed to the concept of a living wall full of plants.

They worked with HB Design Build, which had experience designing two other relatively new spots, PVDonuts and Providence Bagel. For the living wall, the designers created a grid and filled it with green plants. They continued the modern grid style throughout the restaurant, including the bar design and the menu sign boards.

The design is light and bright with rows of communal tables. They do have two private tables, in two corners, for which they take reservations for six or more. There are also seats at the bar and some occasional seating around one of the more unique features you'll see in a restaurant, a fully exposed sprinkler system. There are eight residential lofts above the restaurant, and the sprinkler system is in a corner of the restaurant. They built walls around it and added stools, making it a conversation piece.

There is no wait staff; only the bar is full service. Guests order at the open kitchen and get buzzers that notify them when their food is ready to pick up.

Young families come in shifts and make use of the many highchairs in the accessible space. Though the restaurant has wood and other hard surfaces, they have sound-proofed the ceiling.

Guests do not feel rushed to finish and move on. Rather, many settle in for more, said Natalie. "People aren't leaving," she said.

The menu from executive chef David Johnson (formerly of RISD and Local 121) is easy to embrace. He has done his twists on good pairing dishes, including his pounded flat and breaded chicken schnitzel sandwich served on a sweet roll, baked in-house. It comes with his signature smashed Peewee potatoes, which are fried and seasoned with garlic, parsley and lemon zest.

They buy their produce from Little City Growers, and for some important meat, they turned to Gastros, a R.I. food truck and caterer. Gastros also has a wholesale business selling Bayberry handcrafted hot dogs, sausages, brats and more. The menu also includes great veggie salads, pickled veggies, a burger, littlenecks and pork belly on a waffle. The menu will change seasonally.

At the heart of it, expect the food to be inspired by the season and for each plate to have something familiar on it and something that will stretch your palate.

They make their own ice cream and shortbread cookies, as well as daily desserts. Non beer and wine drinks include Nitro Cart coffee and, soon, kombucha.

Hannah Brieg is the baker heading up the breadmaking, including sweet Portuguese rolls for sandwiches. Her pretzels are a must-try.

In addition to the taps, Bayberry has an extensive selection of bottles and cans, including gluten-free options, said Natalie.

"We are trying to do something different with our beer selection," she said. "We want those rare things."

On tap, you'll find New England beers front and center, including Maine (Allagash) and Connecticut (Two Roads) and local Rhode Island ones as they become available. They are forming new partnerships as local brewers are growing their businesses. They have gose and ciders on the menu as well.

The opening in August went with ease, said GM John Martone. Now they are set to introduce brunch this weekend. So far, they've opened at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Now they'll open at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday for brunch.

Details: Bayberry Beer Hall, 381 West Fountain St., Providence, (401) 383-9487, bayberrybeerhall.com. Street parking and parking lot across the street. Wheelchair accessible.

—gciampa@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7266

On Twitter: @gailciampa