Anyone who craves the combination of good beer and good food will find cause for celebration in the recent openings of Holeman & Finch Public House in Buckhead and Cakes & Ale in Decatur.

Though neither restaurant is specifically beer-centered, each has thoughtful, solid selections, both on draft and in bottles. And each offers an exciting take on hearty eating and convivial drinking that combines elements of the British gastropub and the French brasserie, featuring the bar as the focal point.

Holeman & Finch, an offshoot of Restaurant Eugene, is located across the way in the Aramore building. The partnership between Eugene chef/owner Linton Hopkins, sommelier Gina Hopkins (Hopkins' wife), and three bartenders —- Greg Best, Andy Minchow and Regan Smith —- has the giddy feel of a labor of love.

Hopkins' housemade charcuterie —- Southern ham, aged prosciutto and sausage —- is showcased in tall glass cases near the front entrance, giving an immediate cue to the robust offerings. More glass surrounds the sleek kitchen. The inviting bar area is prominently situated in front, appointed with gleaming taps and towering displays of top shelf liquor. The more intimate "speakeasy" room in back has dark wood and assorted seating surrounding a long communal table.

Among the mostly small-plate tastes: nutty, lightly fried oysters with remoulade sauce; aromatic, griddle-seared hen of the woods mushrooms over Parmesan polenta; and silky pasta carbonara with pancetta and farm eggs. And then there's the more intense stuff: roasted marrow bones; "head to tail," with crispy pig's ears, fatback and tails; roasted veal sweetbreads with greens and hog jowl; and "the whole duck," a sublime arrangement of duck breast, confit, crackling, and liver.

Of course, with Best and Minchow doing the shaking and stirring, exotic libations are a huge part of the scene. But they're also serving up some nice beers, including, Delirium Nocturnum, Brooklyn East India Pale Ale, Victory Prima Pils, and Terrapin Golden Ale on tap, along with bottles of La Fin du Monde, Duck Rabbit Porter, and Young's Double Chocolate Stout. On a recent visit, Best was proud to present a vintage, 22-ounce bottle of Brooklyn Local 1, kept at cellar temperature.

Cakes & Ale offers a quieter, cozier bistro-like setting, with all the signs of a great little chef-run operation. It's the brainchild of Billy Allin, a beer-loving chef who most recently worked just up the street at Watershed Restaurant. Allin's philosophy —- "cook unassuming food using the highest quality ingredients" —- is certainly reflected in the dishes he serves at Cakes & Ale, many of which use local and organic ingredients.

From all-American deviled eggs and Italian arancini (fried, cheese-stuffed rice balls) with citrus and fennel pollen, to a perfectly grilled, medium-rare flatiron steak with arugula and Parmesan salad, everything is simply and suitably prepared, allowing all the flavors and textures to come through. The crispy, Belgian-style shoestring fries are a perfect example of that. And one recent evening, Allin offered up housemade head cheese and pickles, which proved a perfect match for a pint of spicy, amber Red Seal Ale.

Other fine beers on the draft list have included Allagash White, Highland Gaelic Ale, and North Coast Le Merle Saison. In the bottle, there's Reisdorf Kolsch, Dale's Pale Ale, Delirium Tremens, and St. Bernardus Abt 12, all of which provide plenty of possibilities for fun pairings.

btowns@bellsouth.net

> Holeman & Finch Public House

2277 Peachtree Road, Suite B, Atlanta

404-948-1175, www.holeman-finch.com

Monday-Saturday, 5 p.m.-1:30 a.m., Sunday 12:30-4 p.m.

> Cakes & Ale

254 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur

404-377-7994, www.cakesandalerestaurant.com

Tuesday-Saturday, 5:30-10:30 p.m.