CLEVELAND — As the summer grows closer, breweries and bars in Northeast Ohio will anxiously await more crowds now that they can open their patios and outdoor spaces. Specifically for breweries, that means busy beer gardens and flowing taps. Maybe you're hoping to add a new beer garden to your repertoire. If so, we've got the full list for you -- and if you've never tried one, consider us your official tour guide to delicious brews under the sun.
This feature is part of the "Save Our Sauce" campaign, which is being done to support those in the Northeast Ohio restaurant industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Happy sipping!
Hofbräuhaus: 1550 Chester Ave, Cleveland
Playhouse Square scored a big win when this popular Munich-based brewery planted a flag in its neighborhood. The immense beer garden is one of the best places in town to gather with friends to enjoy liters of fresh-brewed helles (pale), dunkle (dark), hefeweizen (wheat) along with seasonal Bavarian-style beers. Pair those with one of their massive soft pretzels and you're golden.
Check out their full drink menu, here.
Masthead Brewing: 1261 Superior Ave, Cleveland
In early 2017, Masthead brought great, locally brewed beer to the heart of downtown. It also offered neighbors and visitors with one of the longest, largest sidewalk patios around, with 120 feet of frontage along Superior Avenue. Wash down Neapolitan-style pizzas with amazing lagers, IPAs and witbiers.
View their menu online before you go.
Collision Bend: 1250 Old River Rd, Cleveland
If you enjoy river views with your craft beer, Collision Bend is your kind of place. Perched along the Cuyahoga River in the Flats, this upscale brewery and restaurant is positively packed on warm summer days. Find your spot, order a beer and watch kayaks, freighters and pleasure boats glide up and down stream.
This place has a huge menu to choose from, so here's a link to view before you go.
Goldhorn Brewery: 1361 E 55th St, Cleveland
Goldhorn Brewery is located just east of downtown, and the industrial-style brewery and taproom are worth a visit. Look for European and American craft styles like pilsners, stouts, Scottish ales, hefeweizens and IPAs served up in a roomy complex. The beer garden might not be large but it’s still a wonderful place to enjoy beer alfresco.
Check out all it has to offer, here.
Nano Brew Cleveland: 1859 W 25th St, Cleveland
Nano might brew on a very small scale, but this popular Ohio City bar has expanded its physical footprint since opening. This sister establishment to Market Garden Brewery boasts a wonderful multi-level beer garden complete with bar pouring the full lineup of house-brewed beers plus select guest drafts.
To learn more about the brewing process and view the menu, click here.
Boss Dog Brewing Co.2179 Lee Rd, Cleveland Heights
This five-year-old urban brewery claims to have the “largest patio in Cleveland Heights.” And while we’ve never paced it out, we can affirm that it’s a roomy, comfortable and attractive place to enjoy refreshments and food. To get a lay of the land, order a 4- or 8-beer sampler.
Or, you can check it out first on their website.
Platform Lot: 4157 Lorain Ave, Cleveland
Located next to Platform Beer’s Ohio City brewery, The Lot is an ingenious adaptive re-use of a vacant urban lot. What started out as a safe outdoor space for people to gather and enjoy craft beer during the pandemic, the Lot has been upgraded to permanent status. Enjoy picnic tables, vibey shipping container rooms, and all the cold Platform beer you desire in the heart of the city.
You can look through all Platform is serving up, here.
Forest City Brewery: 2135 Columbus Rd, Cleveland
Call it a hidden gem if you must, but this off-the-beaten-path brewery in Ohio City is worth the trouble finding. Billed as one of the oldest breweries in the state thanks to the building’s deep history, Forest City boasts a secluded, leafy oasis that might be one of the most scenic places to enjoy a cold one.
We can taste the beer now. Check out their website!
The Jolly Scholar: 11111 Euclid Ave, Cleveland
It might surprise some to learn that there’s a brewery operating on the campus of Case Western Reserve University. While Jolly Scholar has been keeping coeds refreshed for 15 years, the bar and restaurant only began brewing a couple years ago. But the small and mighty brewery now produces some of the best suds in town – and those fresh-brewed pints can be enjoyed on the leafy campus-based patio.
We know you want to learn more. For that, click here.
Terrestrial Brewing: 7524 Father Frascati, Cleveland
Where else can one sip beer beneath a smokestack-topped powerhouse building feet from passing freight trains while enjoying amazing lake views. Nowhere, that’s where. This Battery Park brewery is succeeding thanks to great beer, gourmet weekend brunches and a lovely dog-friendly beer garden.
Wow, dogs, brunch, and beer. What more could you want? Well, there's a lot more, here.
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