“Beer hall” and “good design” aren’t often words seen together. But the first thing to know about the new Wursthall in San Mateo is that it’s the best-designed beer hall I’ve encountered.

Instead of the dim, cluttered feel of many, this one is modern and bright, with open storefront windows along one side and behind the bar. The ceiling is tall enough to include a dining mezzanine on one side, and the crisscross of round filament lights above the rows of blond wood tables helps to reinforce the bright, modern effect. The open kitchen in back is just as sleek with a painted-out wood oven in one corner that looks like a souvenir from the restaurant’s former life as Capellini.

The second thing that drew me to this spot is the pedigree of one of the owners: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, the chief culinary consultant at Serious Eats and the author of “The Food Lab,” which has won multiple national awards.

On my first visit the chef-owner was sitting at a small table in the middle of the full 150-seat restaurant, working on his laptop. That takes a lot of confidence for a chef to leave the kitchen of a brand-new restaurant, but in most cases the confidence was justified. Jonathan Ruedas efficiently handles the nightly influx and turns out impeccable sausages.

The focused menu consists of eight sausages (all $16) produced mostly by Dittmer’s Gourmet Meats & Wurst-Haus in Los Altos. Each served on a grilled bun. All are precisely cooked.

Back to Gallery Wursthall in San Mateo at its best with beer & brat 9 1 of 9 Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2 of 9 Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle 3 of 9 Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle 4 of 9 Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2018 5 of 9 Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle 6 of 9 Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle 7 of 9 Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle 8 of 9 Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle 9 of 9 Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle

















The bratwurst is made of finely ground veal and pork, distinguished by its firm texture and punch of white pepper. The hot Italian is as spicy as the name implies. The portobello chicken sausage has a looser texture and is appetizingly moist; it turned out to be my favorite. Others are the coarsely ground pork and veal Thuringer, a frankfurter, and cajun, Sheboygan and al pastor varieties.

Each sandwich comes with a choice of topping. The sauerkraut is a must-try. I’d order it every time — but then I’d miss out on the speck-cherry pepper relish, grilled onions or sweet peppers and onions. One topping comes free with each sandwich, but you can order the others for $1 each. The sausages also come with house-made potato salad, which got better and more assertive on each visit, and a mound of mixed greens.

I’d criticize the greens the most; barely dressed, they seemed like an act of repentance for eating the sausage.

I didn’t see many, if any, plates go back to the kitchen empty.

Diners can also order a “sausage party,” a collection of six sausages ($50), chosen by the chef and set on a bed of sauerkraut. This also comes with a bowl of potato salad with a mild vinegar kick.

While sausages are the stars, there are other items on the menu. Five sandwiches include a chicken schnitzel ($18) and an Impossible vegan burger loaded with Turkish spices ($19). For appetizers, there are three kinds of crispy fried potatoes ($7-$9) and, of course, pretzels. A pain d’epi version made by Backhaus Bakery ($11) looks kind of like a wheat stalk designed to be pulled apart and slathered with black pepper honey butter or a funky Bavarian cheese spread ($4) with pickles. Then, of course, there’s the more traditional pretzel ($7) — expected but equally well executed.

Boldly flavored, the appetizer salads are the antithesis of the greens that come with the sausage. Beets and Wheats ($14) includes cubed beets roasted to maximize their intensity and tossed with chewy wheat berries, cucumber, radish and bitter orange puree, then balanced with almond ricotta and the important addition of horseradish. Spring vegetable salad ($13) includes pea shoots, asparagus, snap peas, red onions and mint lightly bathed in lemon vinaigrette and placed on one side of the bowl with a smear of quark and toasted pumpkin seeds clinging to the other side.

Tables are set for efficiency. Containers of napkins and flatware are set with a collection of sauces such as hot mustard and ketchup, acting as mini-dividers between parties.

Service is quick and casual — and, at times, ill-timed. On one visit we got all six dishes we ordered within a minute of each other, which uncomfortably crowded the table. Other times the pace was rapid but dishes were spaced out, and waiters removed the empty plates before delivering new ones.

We also didn’t realize the first time around that the waiters are interchangeable, so we waited for a long time for the guy who took our order to put down the phone in the corner and come our way. I asked a waiter taking care of another table if he could signal our waiter, and he said: “Here, everyone is your waiter.”

While the food is good — and just what it should be — beer is obviously a major draw. It certainly is given top billing as part of the design: Pegs are installed in front of the bar windows to hold a display of more than 40 glass beer steins above more than 30 spigots.

The menu lists 28 beers, including the Weekly Tap. Beside the name of each are columns that give alcohol level, origin, size of pour, price and how it will be served.

I’m partial to sour beer and loved the Almanac Rotational Sour ($9/8 ounces) and the way it cut through the richness of the sausage and refreshed the palate. One of my friends, who fell in love with Germany on a recent trip, strolled down memory lane with the Andechs Helles ($8 for ½ liter), a German lager served in a stein.

In addition to beer there’s a short wine list and two ciders: South City Ciderworks from San Bruno ($7/12 ounces); and Two Rivers Pomegranate cider from Sacramento ($7/12 ounces). With an area stocked with low tables for children, this beer hall is particularly suited for drinkers and nondrinkers alike.

Because of the quality of the food and the pedigree of Lopez-Alt and co-owners Adam Simpson and Tyson Mao (who also own Grape & Grain in San Mateo), the place has been packed since opening. At peak times there’s often a line of 30 or more waiting outside. Fortunately, tables clear fast, and it’s definitely worth the wait.

★ ★ ½

Wursthall

Food: ★ ★ ½

Service: ★ ★

Atmosphere: ★ ★ ★

Price: $$

Noise: Four Bells

310 Baldwin Ave. (near B Street), San Mateo; (650) 931-4282. www.wursthall.com. Open 5 p.m.-midnight nightly. Beer and wine. No reservations. Credit cards accepted. Difficult street parking.