Photograph: Roxana Marroquin

New Yorkers’ ironic appreciation of PBR is still going strong, but a parallel surge of serious beer bars suggests that our gullets crave more than two-buck cans. Before mustachioed hipsters even knew what Chimay was, Vol de Nuit was pouring bold Belgian brews in the West Village. The bar, which opened in 1995, is a contemporary with d.b.a. and Blind Tiger Ale House, but unlike those early specialists, Vol de Nuit’s list has hardly expanded with the times. While other bars focus on esoteric microbrews and special-edition pours, Belgian-only VDN remains one of the city’s coziest, if most predictable, hops havens. Inside its nearly secret West 4th Street entrance is a European-style courtyard, the gateway to the main attraction: a subdued barroom outfitted with worn wood furnishings and well-poured brews (in the appropriate glassware). Though the selection features a few snoozers like Stella and Leffe, there are gems to be had. Among the ten drafts, we lingered over the malty Maredsous 8 and the biting La Chouffe. The bar also stocks nearly 30 bottled beers ($8–$21), many of them Trappist (Westmalle, Rochefort). Though there are no surprises, it’s a solid, enjoyable lineup. Add some first-rate pub food—moules and crisp fries—and it’s clear that even in this beer-forward climate, VDN’s simple pleasures still satisfy.