Schmidt’s Pub is so quaint and cozy it makes smoking seem cool again. There are probably bigger smoke shops around, but Schmidt’s unique atmosphere sets it apart. It’s a house converted into a tobacco shop and pub, with comfy chairs and a fireplace inside. The cashier tracks purchases by making handwritten notations in a ledger. There’s a handful of beers on tap from Guinness to Stella Artois ($3.75 a pint) which you can sip while smoking a pack of unfiltered Gitanes cigs ($6.75). Of course, you can’t smoke any of the imported European cigs or leafy pipe tobacco that you’ve just purchased inside the pub. However, there’s a decent amount of seating outside where you can smoke without having to worry about offending any sensitive noses.

Readers’ Pick:
Annapurna
2416 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, 510-841-6187