Half Moon Bay Brewing Co. is a brewery and a restaurant. The indoor part of the restaurant was closed due to COVID-19. The outdoor seating was bustling and they had created an annex outdoor seating arrangement in part of their parking lot. The wait for a table was going to be more than an hour so my husband and I decided to go get take out. We followed the signs to the back of the building to the to-go counter.
Kolsch is one of my favorite styles of beer. I was excited to see it on the brewery’s menu and ordered it immediately. I drank it while I waited for my food to be ready. The Kolsch was light, crisp, and very refreshing. As I drank my beer from a bottle, other patrons with their own to-go cups of wine or small cans of beer kept inquiring after my Kolsch. I happily described the beer and gave them my hearty recommendation of it.
When our food was ready we took our brown bag to the beach across the street from the restaurant. All the ocean view outdoor seats were taken at the restaurant so we decided to find out own kind of ocean view dining experience. We sat on driftwood at the beach and dug into our bag of delights.
One of the best things that go with beer are burgers. I tried the Brew Burger and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was a 1/2 pound beef burger that I ordered to medium doneness, and my choice of cheese was cheddar. The rest of the burger was surrounded by a sesame bun, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles. The flavors were a delightful combination of savory, sweet, and tangy. The burger came with beer battered fries that were crisped to perfection. They were wonderful without being too greasy.
One of the reasons I wanted to try this restaurant was because of their New England Clam Chowder. I had read that The Food Network TM had awarded Half Moon Bay Brewing Co.’s clam chowder as “One of the best clam chowders outside of New England”. I was not disappointed when I tried it. The chowder had a medium consistency. The clams were cooked to perfection. They were not too tough and gummy like in other clam chowders. The potatoes, celery, and bacon were very flavorful. Lastly the spices that garnished the top of the chowder brought a hint to the heat to the creamy concoction.
My husband ordered the Baja Tacos. The fish tacos could be either grilled or deep fried/crispy. He ordered one of each. The tacos sat upon soft tortillas and were covered in cabbage, cilantro, and chipotle ranch. Both the grilled and crispy tacos were made from fresh cod and they tasted delectable. The platter came with rice, black beans, and guacamole. The guacamole was creamy and flavored with a lot of citrus.
Overall, I highly recommend eating and drinking at Half Moon Bay Brewery. They have a lovely selection of beer, wine, and food. The staff was very kind and accommodating. We will definitely be back!
I have received no compensation in exchange for this post. The food described are accurate as of time of publication.
Open 11:00 am to 9:00 pm every day
390 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 728-BREW (2739)
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