My favorite north bay pubs and brewpubs:
Santa Rosa: Russian River Brewing - they make some outstanding world class beers, including some of the best Belgian sour ales. Although the pub isn't much to look at but the food is good and the staff is nice.
A little ways north of Santa Rosa is Healdsburg and Bear Republic Brewing - also outstanding beers, good food, and good pub atmosphere. My favorite overall brewpub.
Petaluma: Lagunitas - great beers but I have not been to the pub.
Sebastopol: Hopmonk Tavern - very cool place, good selection of beers from craft breweries and it has a separate theater for live bands.
Novato: Moylan's - great beers, good food and atmosphere in a European styled post and beam building. Excellent staff.
Napa: Forget the brewpubs in town and just go to Norman Rose Tavern - upscale but reasonable. Excellent food and good selection of beers (including Russian River, Lagunitas, Bear Republic, etc) and wines.
Anyone else have any North Bay Area spots? - I am always willing to try someplace cool with good craft beers.
I don't have a lot to add because I don't live there anymore, but a big +1 to Russian River and Lagunitas.
RR has awesome pizza and well, the beers make you just smile after every sip. I don't know how else to describe that feeling.
Lagunitas has a "tap room." I use quotes because it's really a "tap courtyard." Very laid back staff with good beer. We didn't try the food, but the atmosphere was great.
My favorite north bay pubs and brewpubs:
Santa Rosa: Russian River Brewing - they make some outstanding world class beers, including some of the best Belgian sour ales. Although the pub isn't much to look at but the food is good and the staff is nice.
A little ways north of Santa Rosa is Healdsburg and Bear Republic Brewing - also outstanding beers, good food, and good pub atmosphere. My favorite overall brewpub.
Petaluma: Lagunitas - great beers but I have not been to the pub.
Sebastopol: Hopmonk Tavern - very cool place, good selection of beers from craft breweries and it has a separate theater for live bands.
Novato: Moylan's - great beers, good food and atmosphere in a European styled post and beam building. Excellent staff.
Napa: Forget the brewpubs in town and just go to Norman Rose Tavern - upscale but reasonable. Excellent food and good selection of beers (including Russian River, Lagunitas, Bear Republic, etc) and wines.
Anyone else have any North Bay Area spots? - I am always willing to try someplace cool with good craft beers.
I agree fully with all the above-mentioned spots. As a local in Santa Rosa, I have spent my time in each. I would add top notch food at Hopmonk and Bear Republic.
One of the coolest spots around the North Bay is Barley & Hops Tavern in Occidental. The bar is tiny and quaint with friendly staff and locals. They have music at various times. But the real treats here are the exceptional food choices and the outstanding beer selection that Noah comes up with. When everyone else is looking for those hard to find beers, they can often be found on tap there.
An absolute not-to-miss spot when in Occidental! Then stop by the incredible bakery down the hill to the south in the little burg of Freestone.
A little farther north but Anderson Valley/Booneville has some of my favorite micros.
Before I moved out here I visited on R&R leave and my sister took our whole family there. Loved the brews, and there are some great wineries to visit without the commercial feeling you get in Napa Valley.
My favorite north bay pubs and brewpubs:
Santa Rosa: Russian River Brewing - they make some outstanding world class beers, including some of the best Belgian sour ales. Although the pub isn't much to look at but the food is good and the staff is nice.
A little ways north of Santa Rosa is Healdsburg and Bear Republic Brewing - also outstanding beers, good food, and good pub atmosphere. My favorite overall brewpub.
Petaluma: Lagunitas - great beers but I have not been to the pub.
Sebastopol: Hopmonk Tavern - very cool place, good selection of beers from craft breweries and it has a separate theater for live bands.
Novato: Moylan's - great beers, good food and atmosphere in a European styled post and beam building. Excellent staff.
Napa: Forget the brewpubs in town and just go to Norman Rose Tavern - upscale but reasonable. Excellent food and good selection of beers (including Russian River, Lagunitas, Bear Republic, etc) and wines.
Anyone else have any North Bay Area spots? - I am always willing to try someplace cool with good craft beers.
Russian River Brewing is hands down awesome
Went to the hopmonk once for a rock show not bad.
Another ok one is Mount St Helena Brewing Co in Middletown, a bit out of the way, about an hour from Santa Rosa in Lake County, their house made beer isnt bad at all
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