As we continue to see the maturation of the current craft brewing boom, one piece that’s always a question for breweries is: what food options do you have?
Long gone are the days when a brewery had to be connected to a restaurant, although there are still some brewpubs in Cincinnati that thrive, such as Christian Moerlein and Taft’s Ale House.
It’s popular to see food added to a taproom as a separate experience, so that it’s there if you want it, but it’s not seen as a necessary piece of the experience.
Multiple breweries have recently announced or opened new food options to their taprooms, and we’re seeing many of them move away from the traditional pizza or bar food options.
Mambear’s Mac is set to open next week inside the taproom at Grainworks Brewing Company in West Chester. The brand has had a popular food truck for years, including becoming a staple at Grainworks. Owner Kimberly Heileman decided to go all-in with Grainworks, and will open a kitchen inside the brewery to sell her popular baked macaroni and cheese dishes. The menu on the food truck changes regularly, but some staples include Vermont Cheddar Mac, Buffalo Mac-N-Cheese, and Jalapeño Popper Mac. They’re also expected to offer mac and cheese flights, which should go perfectly with your beer flight.
If you’ve been to Listermann Brewing Company in Norwood, you’ve seen their small kitchen at the entrance to the back part of their taproom. There have been multiple partners there, but Tickle Pickle is set to open a second location in the near future. Based in Northside, Tickle Pickle features burgers and milkshakes and they’re also known for their popular vegan options.
Speaking of Northside, Urban Artifact is set to get a new food partner, as Pata Roja Taqueria began offering their Mexico City-style street tacos in the courtyard on Fridays and Saturdays earlier this month. Pata Roja also has a food truck that is permanently parked behind Bar Saeso on Sycamore Street in Over-the-Rhine.
Some other Cincinnati breweries added new food options to their taprooms earlier this year, including Decibel Korean Fried Chicken at Esoteric Brewing Co. in Walnut Hills and Beards & Bellies BBQ at Wooden Cask Brewing Company in Newport.
Also in Walnut Hills, Woodburn Brewing added a full Korean-inspired kitchen to its taproom earlier this year.
Heading into next year, Braxton Brewing Co. is expected to add a partnership with Dewey’s Pizza, which is opening a restaurant next to their original Covington location. An ordering window will be available directly from the Braxton taproom.
Check out a full list of Cincinnati Breweries here.