Whether it’s haute cuisine or late night bar snacks, there’s no denying beer and food are meant to go together. It’s always fun to try beer and food pairings at home, but what about dining at an actual craft brewery? The amazing reality is that there’s no limit to the number of craft breweries serving up delicious eats. We appointed ourselves with the heavy, daunting task of sorting through America’s best craft breweries to find out which establishments can satisfy both your thirst and your hunger. Note: do not read this list while hungry.
1. Founders Brewing Co.
Founders’ All Day IPA is one of our favorite session beers, and we can imagine having more than a few cans of it with the delectable munchies available at their on-site taproom. Feast on french bread pizza, a ‘Bad Habit’ sandwich, beer cheese dip, and a side of tangy cole slaw. Ahoy, all day eating!
2. Dogfish Head Brewpub
Dogfish Head brewery actually originally started as a brewpub. While the brewery itself does have on-site food, make sure you head over to Dogfish Head Brewings & Eat in Rehoboth Beach for some characteristically Dogfish offbeat offerings. Your options include duck poutine made with Chicory Stout gravy, Alpine Idyll pizza made with 60 Minute IPA-braised mushrooms, the ‘Indulgence Burger,’ and crispy chickpea falafel.
3. Karbach Brewing Co.
This Texan brewery’s on-site restaurant serves both lunch and dinner, and the menu is chaotically beautiful. Are you ready for Korean fried chicken, gulf shrimp and heirloom grits, and ‘Pineapple Express Pizza’ (smoked pork belly, charred pineapple, mozzarella, onion, togarashi, and bonito)? We’re not even sure we’re ready. No, actually, we are. Please pass us a duck taco.
4. Devils Backbone Brewing Company Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows
Virginia brewery Devils Backbone has two locations – a brewery/taproom and a scenic brewpub. We’re pretty into the gorgeous brewpub, which looks like the place to spend hours locked into conversation over a plate of pork rillettes, fried pickles, lamb meatballs, and drunken mussels steamed in Trail Angel Weiss. Butterscotch pudding and chocolate frozen bananas for dessert? Why, yes, we think we will.
5. Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens Liberty Station
Talk about fancy food! Stone Brewing’s restaurant at Liberty Station is nothing short of breathtaking. Look at the beautiful outdoor seating, the trees against the clear blue sky, and (not to be cute) all that ornate stonework. The food menu is equally stunning. Splurge and dine on Baby Bay scallop and prawn ceviche, spicy Texas quail knots, Louisiana crawfish jambalaya, and red wine-braised short rib. For the vegetarians out there, there’s a Meatless Monday offering!
6. Cigar City Brewpub
Cigar City has food trucks that regularly visit their brewery (hello, awesome). Still, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention their fantastic brewpub. You can sip mouthwatering Cigar City beer while visiting their brewpub at basically any time of day – including brunch! Particularly yummy brunch specials include swordfish tacos, gulf oyster po’boy, black bean Benedict, and creme brulee French toast.
7. Ballast Point Miramar
San Diego brewery Ballast Point has several locations, but their Miramar menu is out of this world. Their house made pretzel includes Sculpin beer cheese (the beer, not the animal), truffle mushroom & ricotta IPA flat bread, rosemary and buttermilk fried chicken, and crispy duck nachos with blue cheese sauce and port syrup. What? Sorry, just fell into a food coma.
8. Wicked Weed Brewpub
Wicked Weed’s off-site brewpub has an off-kilter (and scrumptious) food selection, including small plates like popcorn and wasabi, and large plates like their heaping bison burger with haystack shallots and blue cheese coleslaw. If you show up after 5 p.m., you can try the lamb t-bone, or the HNG pork shank with orange, parsnip, red watercress, and citrus jus. Remember: drinking+driving=bad, drinking+eating=pat on the back from the crew here at VinePair.
