Dear BiteClub
Where are the best places to get a beer/drink in the sunshine? For such an outdoorsy place, most places are so indoors and gloomy.
– Seasonally Affected and Disorderly
Dear SAD,
You are so right. Many of the best spots for beer happen to be, well, a little gloomy. Or tiny. Or like you’re sitting inside an ashtray.
But fear not, there’s hope, Sudsters! Because what’s better than drinking a little hops and barley in the sunshine? Come out of the cave, oh bearded beer drinkers and into the bright light of day! BiteClub’s Top 10 spots for beer and sunshine.
1. Lagunitas Tap Room (Petaluma)
2. Underwood Bar & Bistro (Graton)
3. Coppola winery’s Rustic Restaurant (or by the newly opened pool)
4. Bear Republic (Healdsburg)
5. Hopmonk (Sonoma/Sebastopol)
6. Healdsburg Bar and Grill
7. Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville)
8. Blue Label at the Belvedere (Santa Rosa)
9. Demsey’s (Petaluma)
10. Rocker Oysterfeller’s (Bodega Bay)
REVISED: You guys are right, I did miss a few big ones. Thanks for the insight.
Do you have some favorites I missed? Add ’em below. Got a question for BiteClub? Email me at heather@biteclubeats.com
Flavor Bistro in Courthouse Square…nice patio PLUS 5-6 Moonlight beers!
Where is 3rd St. Aleworks?! I do concur the Lagunitas Beer Sanctuary is Bomb-Digity! Live music and fresh from the brewery Lagunitas is impossible to beat!
Cheers to Suds in the Sun
Norcalwingman
DCGS – Dry Creek General Store – Best Place in Sonoma County to Spend a Sunny Afternoon
What better mix of people? Bikers, farmworkers, bicyclists, wine tasters, brush oakies, and I’ve even spotted a hipster or two there. It’s quite an ecclectic crowd. Usually too many dudes, but a nice place none the less.
Blue Heron!
Bear Republic never shows up at the battle of the brews, they have a great facility yet shun a local beer gathering, party and tasting.
Lagunitas, 3rd street, Dempsey’s and hopmonk 110% of the time they always show up and support local charities…… I see them every year at numerous small and medium sized fund raisers that are beer events. Bear republic and russian river have a habbit of shunning alot of the small charities around town
I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned the front yard at Ravenous – it faces west, so the tables catch great afternoon sun, and they always have a couple of good beers on tap. Not to mention a better than average burger to go with ’em.
The front porch of CaBianca is beautiful and looks out on their gardens. Also, I know it’s a little bit “shoppy” but Monte’s patio is quite nice. In Calistoga, Solbar has a great patio. All of these places are also dog friendly if you want to bring your furry friend.
Plenty of places in Sonoma besides Hopmonk. The patio at El Dorado Kitchen, Girl and the Fig, Estate on the Deck, Sunflower Cafe, the patio at the Red Grape, and the Swiss Hotel in the back or hang out in the front. We have lots of sun and suds in Sonoma.
It’s not huge, but the porch at Barley and Hops combines a huge beer selection with fantastic people watching.
Don’t forget about the Calistoga Inn and the beer garden! Right next to the Napa River, great outdoor spot for a great beer!
Lagunitas tap room, Hopmonk Sebastopol, and Stumptown. Your list is pathetic.
You missed the Stumptown patio. A MUST! Also, when you can Russian River Brewery on the front patio… I mean.. They are a cult beer that people from across the United States are DYING to get their hands on.
Also the outside lawn on a Sunday at Laungnitas to watch a local band is a good time.
We really are lucky here in Sonoma County… There are so many amazing places!
Russian River Brewery is great, but their patio is the pits. Absolute pits.
Bring a 6-pack to any winery with a good deck? JK
In Petaluma, Dempsey’s is good but it’s hardly ever even IN the sun! Thanks to the location it’s usually in the shade. Lagunitas is the best, and I can’t see how it got missed, except Petaluma always gets missed. It has a nice, big, open area outside with music in the evenings. You can even bring your dog if you’re so inclined. McNear’s (though also often shady) and Graffitti are also good spots. Outside Petaluma, I would add John Ash and Nectar to the list.
How could the Rio Nido Roadhouse be left off this list? Plenty of good microbrews, tasty food, a large lawn with Adirondack chairs, a few redwoods, a pool! Not to mention a great outdoor stage and dance area.
Stumptown for sure.
Russian River Pub in Hacienda a.k.a Forestville!
Lagunita’s tap room by far the BEST!!!
Stumptown is by far the greatest spot in the county for an outside beer. Underwood and Rockers are two other favs!
Stumptown should be top of the list! Best place to enjoy a beer and a burger in the sun, hands down!
Yeah, you have to hand it to Peter on that one – his deck is absolutely phenomenal, and my favorite place (my own Barley and Hops Tavern aside) to enjoy a beer outside. Honorable mention to Rio Nido Roadhouse, which also has a wonderful deck. And while we’re at it, nobody has mentioned Don’s Dogs in Monte Rio, which has a tiny selection of top notch beers (Racer 5 for starters) and a really fun outdoor area. Ace would have made the list before it closed.
In Petaluma, I’d recommend. McNear’s, Graffiti and although I’ve never been, I’ve heard that Lagunita’s tap room is pretty good.
Just remembered. In Santa Rosa there’s 3rd street ale works and Russian River brewery.