Best of Boston

In years past, we anointed Back Bay, but with one reservation. Brewmeister Tod Mott always made the damn small-batch beers this side of the Mississippi. (His seasonal Imperial stout is a classic, notwithstanding that goofy squabble over naming it Boston Strangler Stout.) But the food left something to be desired. New chef Jim Casey has taken care of that, however, with a fine inventive menu devoid the culinary pretense that hobbles other brew pubs.