by Stephanie Thara Metzinger
Are you a craft beer aficionado yet also a foodie? Then this guide is for you.
Long gone are those days where I would crush three beers before eating just to keep my “buzz” going. I am now a semi-responsible adult that prioritizes eating while drinking – and if the food is made by a yeast-master who knows all thing bread and beer, then count me in!
Through my Babies & Brews Tour, I have managed to visit nearly every brewery in Orange County and have compiled a list of breweries that offer the best beer and food.
The breweries were ranked on
- Quality of beers;
- Variety of food options and taste; and
- Venue & Vibe
Please note that this is a compilation of breweries with food—aka beer-forward spots that are very casual (not your typical “sit down” eateries that have a dedicated server) where brews are the main entree and food is the side dish.
Below are the 10 top spots in Orange County for beers, food and ambiance.
1. Riip Beer Co
17216 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA 92649 | website
Riip ranks as my #1 because it has the best-tasting beers and its wings are out of this world. If you asked me which brewery has the best beers in OC, Riip ranks as my top contender.
- Food: Riip’s menu includes pub food appetizers like truffle fries and dry-rubbed wings; gourmet pizza by the slice; and an epic smashburger.
- Beer: I’m always impressed at how innovative and delicious the tap list is. For example, the XPA (a cross between an IPA & pale ale) was unique and tasty! I have yet to taste a beer from Riip that I did not like.
- Vibe: The brewery is located right across from the ocean, so the ambiance in both the skateboard-themed taproom and outdoor patio are all chill vibes.
What To Order:
- Food: Nashville Hot Dry Rub Wings; Criispy Brussels & Bacon
- Beer: Stratacaster IPA; Jetty Water Blonde Ale
2. Pizza Port Brewing Company
301 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672 | website
The pizza was good, but the beer is where Pizza Port really shines. I had a couple flights, so I was able to taste most of its beers—and every single one impressed.
- Food: The variety of pizzas is robust, and I love how each one has its own flare.
- Beer: It features a wide selection of incredibly delicious beers – everything from light to hoppy to dark. Hats off to their head brewer for achieving such a solid draft list!
- Vibe: Located a stone’s throw away from the beach, the surf-themed venue has an arcade upstairs, small outside patio and both a bar upstairs and downstairs.
What To Order:
- Food: Pizza Lahaina and add jalapeños
- Beer: Beachside Reset IPA; California Honey Blonde Ale
3. Docent Brewing
33049 Calle Aviador, Suite C, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 | website
All the beers I tried at Docent were a 10 out of 10. If you asked me which brewery has a menu where every single beer was delicious, Docent would be it. It’s just a small bonus that there’s a food menu.
- Food: A selection of sandwiches, salads, bowls and a few Mexican food items.
- Beer: 16 beers on tap that covered it ALL – from lager, witbier, red ale, pale ale, DIPA, IPA, porter and my personal favorite, a belgian-style saison. Plus, cider, kombucha and wine.
- Vibe: Bright yet homey décor; comfy couch area for leisure seating; dining area for more formal seating; private upstairs; and two outside seating areas with your option of benches or cushy seats.
What To Order:
- Food: Korean Reuben
- Beer: Gimme IPA; Self Titled Saison; Luna Belgian Witbier
4. Brewery X
3191 E La Palma Anaheim, CA 92806 | website
A robust selection of pizzas and burgers from its standing Brewery X food trucks; an even better selection of beer; and a fun and spacious taproom and outdoor beer garden.
- Food: Though there’s no in-house kitchen, it has its own X Eats food trucks that have a permanent space in the patio area, serving pizza and burgers. The New York-style pizzas are really big and incredibly tasty.
- Beer: What I love most about Brewery X is how experimental it is with its beers. With a whopping 30 beers on tap, it has everything from a peach IPA to light lager with pickle.
- Vibe: Brewery X has one of the coolest vibes out there. Both its indoor and outdoor spaces (which are massive!) are artistically decorated and give it a fun vibe.
What To Order:
- Food: Pepperoni Pizza
- Beer: Tangerine Shhh-Wheat; German Tootsie Roll Dunkelweizen
5. Golden Road Brewing
2210 E. Orangewood Ave, Anaheim, CA 92806 | website
Golden Road has the biggest beer AND food menu that I’ve seen yet. The variety is extensive and offers something for everyone.
- Food: Its menu features traditional items like burgers, tacos and pizzas to niche food items such as vegan pub pretzels, cauliflower wings and protein bowls.
- Beer: It sports ~30 beers and ~10 seltzers/wines on tap at any given time. Plus, you can make any beer a michelada, which is probably my favorite feature of Golden Road.
- Vibe: Both the taproom and outdoor area are HUGE. Hands down, it has the best outside patio of all the breweries in OC. The staff is great and the vibe is uplifting. This is my go-to brewery when anyone visits from out of town.
What To Order:
- Food: Poke Nachos
- Beer: Spicy Mango Cart with chamoy and tajin rim dip; Hefeweizen
6. Green Cheek Beer Co.
2957 Randolph Ave, Unit B, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | website
A memorable smashburger, nice outdoor seating area and hefty selection of brews makes Green Cheek Costa Mesa #6 on the list. Please note that the Sunset Beach location is equally good, but I’m a bit partial to the bigger patio at the Costa Mesa location.
- Food: The double smashburger with grilled onions and burger sauce is money. If you aren’t in the mood for a burger, there’s also a selection of shareables, salads and sandwiches.
- Beer: Though its menu leans IPA heavy, its light beers tend to be crisp perfection.
- Vibe: There’s a nice outdoor patio and two areas for seating inside, but the line to order beers can get really long which is a bit daunting.
What To Order:
- Food: Double Smashburger with fries (a bit better than the tots)
- Beer: Bier (Helles-Style Lager)
7. Left Coast Brewing
6652 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618 | website
A brewery with a full BBQ menu? Yes, please! Left Coast’s Irvine location rocks a nice selection of beers and an even more diverse menu.
- Food: Kansas City-style barbecue, featuring everything from braised bratwurst (which is infused with its signature IPA) to brisket burnt ends which is smoked for 15 hours in house made BBQ sauce.
- Beer: All the beers are what I consider “poolside beers” — beers you can enjoy in succession without getting burned out. The drinkability of each beer is on point.
- Vibe: It’s in an industrial area, but through its cozy outside patio, surf decor and open-air taproom, the brewery achieves an “industrial meets rustic and surf” vibe.
What To Order:
- Food: Mac N Cheese
- Beer: Una Mas Amber Lager; Orange County IPA
8. Bootleggers Brewery
130 S Highland Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832 | website
Bootleggers’ beers have always been on point! And in 2020, they launched a Bootlegger’s Concept Kitchen Food Truck to now offer a full menu.
- Food: Burgers, tacos, sandwiches – their huge menu has it all.
- Beer: I don’t know how they do it, but though they have a massive selection of beers, each and every one is amazing.
- Vibe: The taproom is on the smaller side, but their big outdoor patio makes up for it.
What To Order:
- Food: I personally had no favorite…
- Beer: Thai Tea Far Out IPA; Golden Chaos Belgian Style Ale
9. Hangar 24 Brewing
17877 Von Karman Ave Unit 110, Irvine, CA 92614 | website
I love Hanger 24 for its massive and very kid-friendly outdoor space, but the brewery also offers a big menu and good tap list.
- Food: Burgers, tacos, sandwiches – their huge menu has it all.
- Beer: Their claim to fame is the Orange Wheat and it doesn’t disappoint. There’s also a substantial selection of light to hoppy beers.
- Vibe: Offers an unmatched amount of open space and seating—with six different zones you can choose to sit in and multiple artificial grass areas.
What To Order:
- Food: Sweet potato fries
- Beer: Firebreak Cold IPA; Orange Wheat
10. Los Molinos Beer Co
151 Calle De Los Molinos, San Clemente, CA 92672 | website
Los Molinos rocks the unique concept of being a brewery that serves brunch. While most breweries open at 11am or 12pm, Los Molinos caters to the brunch crowd and serves brunch from 10am-3pm on weekends.
- Food: The brewery has come to be known for its robust brunch menu and all-day Taco Tuesday that sports a menu way beyond just tacos.
- Beer: From a hoppy lager and Belgian blonde to a triple IPA and hard kombucha, it has something for everyone.
- Vibe: Cozy inside with a cute patio.
What To Order:
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Though they didn’t make the top 10 list of breweries with food in Orange County, there were a handful of breweries that deserve a shout out:
- Divine Science Brewing (Tustin): a gluten-free brewery!! Divine Science has mastered the art of brewing with naturally gluten free grains and offers rotating gluten free beer options and gluten-free food like pretzels and paninis.
- Villains Brewing Company (Anaheim): It has an amazing venue and even better food (all burgers are made with wagyu!) but the beer menu is scarce and mediocre.
- Four Sons Brewing (Huntington Beach): a solid food menu and big selection of seltzers.
- For some pizza/flatbread, head to Laguna Beer Company (Laguna Beach), Ten Mile Brewing (Ladera Ranch) or GameCraft (Laguna Beach).
Please know that my list of Top 10 Breweries with Food—as well as my lists of Top 10 Breweries with Best Outdoor Patios or Top 8 Kid-Friendly Breweries—are not exhaustive. If you have a brewery that you think should be added, please let me know! Share below in the comment section or email us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!
Until next time, prost!
— Stephanie
Instagram @stephzinger
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniethara
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