Bikes and beers: Favorite breweries along the East Coast Greenway

Whether you’re thru-riding the entire East Coast Greenway and looking for a fun evening stop or planning for a round-trip destination for a day’s ride, local breweries are a great way to engage with locals, sample local craft brews and often refuel with snacks or meals as well.

Here a few of the growing number of breweries along our 3,000-mile route, listed south to north. Sip and sample — and let us know of your favorites if we missed them.

Because hours, locations and COVID-19 policies can change, be sure to check the brewery's website before heading out on the Greenway.

 

Florida

Islamorada: Florida Keys Brewing Co. (81611 Old Hwy, 0.04 mi from Greenway), recommended by Brad L.

Atlantic Beach: Atlantic Beach Brewing Co. (725 Atlantic Blvd Suite 3, 0.45 mi from Greenway), recommended by Harmon P.

Neptune Beach: BrewHound 1848 Kings Circle South (0.66 mi from Greenway) If you like dogs and beer, this is the place for you. BrewHound Dog Park & Bar just opened in May 2019. In addition to beer, this new spot in Neptune Beach also serves coffee. The dog park also has a dedicated section for small breeds.

Fort Pierce: Sailfish Brewery 130 N 2nd St (0.15 mi from Greenway) Sailfish opened in 2013 and has quickly expanded. It’s located in the beachy downtown of Fort Pierce and has ample outdoor seating to enjoy your brew in Florida’s perpetual warmth. The brewery emphasizes local ingredients and its menu includes brews with nodes of local blueberries, peaches and blackberries, among others.

Titusville: Playalinda Brewing Co. 305 S. Washington Ave. (on the Greenway) Beautiful space in former hardware store downtown. Enjoy the local brew, rotating guest taps, bottled craft beers, cider, wine, and nonalcoholic options along with a menu of lighter fare.

Jacksonville Beach: Green Room Brewing (228 3rd St N, 0.16 mi from Greenway), recommended by Harmon P.

St. Augustine: Dog Rose Brewing Company (77 Bridge St, 0.21 mi from Greenway), recommended by Harmon P.

 

Georgia

Savannah: Moon River Brewing Company 21 W. Bay St. (0.43 mi from Greenway) This dog-friendly brewery opened in 2013 and serves four beers year-round, including one called Yoga Pants. They also serve a rotating menu of seasonal beers and select small-batch beers, with the current specialty being a nitro beer. If you’re looking for a meal with your brew, they also offer a selection of appetizers and entrees on their pub menu.

 

South Carolina

Charleston: Charles Towne Fermentory 809 Savannah Highway (0.16 mi from Greenway) The fermentory hosts a variety of local chefs in their open kitchen, allowing visitors to get a taste of the different aspects of local cuisine. The beer menu changes daily and many brews are served in distinctive hourglass-shaped glasses.

 

North Carolina

Greenville: Uptown Brewing Company (418 Evans St, 0.27 mi from Greenway) and Pitt Street Brewing (630 S Pitt St, 0.47 mi from Greenway), recommended by Steven Hardy-Braz, who says, "Both have bicycle racks at or across the street for cyclists to park/lock up."

Fayetteville: Lake Gaston Brewing Company 124 Hay St. (0.05 mi from Greenway) Located in Downtown Fayetteville, Lake Gaston brewing company has a variety of local-inspired beer on tap. Beers can be enjoyed inside the brewery or outside on the patio, where there’s cornhole and giant jenga. The brewery also has a sizeable restaurant menu.

Durham: Fullsteam Brewery 726 Rigsbee Ave. (0.16 mi from Greenway) Unofficially dubbed "Durham's Welcome Center," Fullsteam is popular with the Bull City's active community. Fullsteam’s mission is to craft distinctly Southern beer that celebrates the farm and food traditions of the American South. The brewery offers a number of year-round and season offerings on tap, as well as a top-notch, Southern-inspired food menu.

Durham: Ponysaurus Brewing Company 219 Hood St. (0.54 mi from Greenway) Ponysaurus bills itself as “the beer beer would drink if beer could drink beer” and is a popular gathering spot in eastern Downtown Durham near the American Tobacco Trail. The brewery creates a variety of brews that can be enjoyed in their taproom or outdoors near their grills, which you can reserve & cook on, or order food from a daily visiting food truck. They also offer tours of their brewing facilities.

Raleigh: Raleigh Brewing Company, 3709 Neil St. (.03 mi from Greenway) "The owner of Raleigh Brewing is a big cycling supporter, she rides with a club every Tuesday night in the summer. She also donates 10 percent of beer sales on Tuesday nights to the annaul multiple sclerosis ride in New Bern, NC. The greenway is only 300 feet away." — Tim Pflaum

Virginia

Richmond: Stone Brewing Tap Room 4300 Williamsburg Ave (0.21 mi from Greenway) Though based in California, Stone Brewing’s Richmond tap room is a convenient stop along the Greenway. The taproom has a standing menu of ales, lagers and IPAs as well as a rotating seasonal menu.

Richmond: Triple Crossing Brewery 113 S. Foushee St (0.2 mi from Greenway) Triple Crossing releases new beers every week and has availability in both carry-out and consumption on-site. Their food menu includes snacks like ice cream sandwiches but outside food is also allowed.

Richmond: Väsen Brewing Company (3331 W Moore St, 0.66 mi from Greenway), recommended by Twitter user @offMetroNY

Fredericksburg: Spencer Devon Brewing Company 106 George St (0.04 mi from Greenway) Spencer Devin not only serves beer, but also a farm-to-table menu for both lunch/dinner and brunch. The mostly ale-based menu complements a selection of wine and cocktails.

Alexandria: Port City Brewing Company 3950 Wheeler Ave (3 mi form Greenway) Good selection. -- Jennifer B

 

Washington, D.C. 

Red Bear Brewing Company 209 M St NE (0.04 mi from Greenway) With an emphasis on inclusivity, Red Bear is a new addition to DC’s NoMad district and is located just steps from the Greenway. In addition to a several different brews, the menu also includes a selection of ciders, wines and cocktails. The brewery hosts events like drag shows, trivia nights and board game nights, and board games are always available for patrons to play.

 

Maryland

Hyattsville: Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. (4824 Rhode Island Ave, 0.26 mi from Greenway), recommeded by Darlene Hubbard

Baltimore: Checkerspot Brewing Company 1399 S. Sharp St. (0.02 mi from Greenway) Checkerspot holds a special event every Friday night, ranging from karaoke to casino and open mic nights to live music. The beer menu has a lot of variety, and includes several fruity beers. Their beers have cool artistic labels, thanks to an in-house graphic artist.  

Baltimore: Union Craft Brewing 1700 W 41st St #420 (.3 mi from Greenway) Good selection -- Alvaro

Baltimore: Waverly Brewing Company 1625 Union Ave (.3 mi from Greenway) -- Alvaro

Bel Air: Independent Brewing Company (418 N Main St, 0.67 mi from Greenway), recommended by Daniel P.

 

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia: Yards Brewing Company 500 Spring Garden Street (0.02 mi from Greenway) Considered the quintessential Philly brewery, Yards is large with an extensive menu, including several beers inspired by the American Revolution. It offers tours every day of the week and has a full restaurant in addition to serving beer.

Just down the road, Roy Pitz Barrel House at 990 Spring Garden Street (0.01 mi from Greenway), is a smaller and newer brewpub in an artsy district. Roy Pitz categorizes their beer as liquid art, and their draft list includes a variety of beers as well as cider. They also serve food, including a impressive brunch spread on weekends.

Love City Brewery, at 1023 Hamilton St (0.09 mi from Greenway), is another worthy stop. The Brewery’s mission is to help make craft beer accessible to those without extensive knowledge on the subject. They have a selection of beer and spirits that changes seasonally and they also have -packaged beer available for purchase.

 

Delaware

Wilmington: Iron Hill Brewery: 620 Justison St (0.01 mi from Greenway) Though Iron Hill has locations all along the east coast, their Wilmington location along the Christina River Riverwalk is just steps from the Greenway route. With a new outdoor patio for days when the weather is nice, this brewery serves a variety of beers on their lager-heavy menu and an extensive restaurant menu.

 

New Jersey

Jersey City: Zeppelin Hall Beer Garden 88 Liberty View Dr (0.67 mi from Greenway) This European-style biergarten boasts a large, open outdoor seating area and large steins of beer. It’s open late into the night on Wednesday - Sunday nights and hosts a variety of events, including trivia nights and sports watch parties.

Jersey City: Departed Souls Brewing Company 150 Bay St #2a (.25 mi from Greenway) -- Sailing Jerry

 

New York

New York City: The Standard Biergarten 848 Washington St (0.06 mi from Greenway) Located in The Standard Hotel’s Manhattan location near the High Line, this modern biergarten serves traditional German fare in addition to beer. In the summer, they have special tables, known as Stammtisch, allowing you to pour your own beer from 3 different taps built into the table. There’s also a game room, which includes foosball, giant connect four, and pick up sticks.

Connecticut

Bridgeport: Aspetuck Brewing Lab (3389 Fairfield Ave, 0.01 mi from Greenway), recommended by David B.

Milldale: Kinsmen Brewing Company 409 Canal St. (0.02 mi from Greenway) This brewery is so close to the Greenway that the main entrance is actually a gate from the Greenway itself. Because of its convenient location on the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, it caters to Greenway users and has become a popular stop for local cycling clubs. Located in a historic building, the brewery makes dozens of brews on a rotating menu both on draft and in cans, and also features ciders and brews from other local breweries.

Southington: Witchdoctor Brewing Company (168 Center St, 0.01 mi from Greenway), recommended by David B.

Willimantic: Willimantic Brewing Company (967 Main St, 0.02 mi from Greenway), recommended by Pat Eaton-Robb

 

Rhode Island

Pawtucket: Smug Brewing Company 100 Carver St (0.47 mi from Greenway) Using hops from the U.S., New Zealand and Germany, Smug Brewing Company is small brewery in Pawtucket with six signature brews. Food truck visits and trivia nights make this brewery a fun place to spend an evening - and there’s wifi!

 

Massachusetts

Worcester: Wormtown Brewery 72 Shrewsbury St (0.19 mi from Greenway) Though Wormtown recently announced plans to open a second location near Gillette Stadium where the New England Patriots play, their Wormtown Brewery will always hold the charm of being their first location. Heavily inspired by the town of Worcester, the brews have fun titles like Don’t Worry and Be Hoppy.

Boston: Night Shift Brewing (87 Santilli Hwy, 0.07 mi from Greenway) and Idle Hands Craft Ales (89 Commercial St, 0.24 mi from Greenway), recommended by Brendan C.

Boston: Trillium Brewing Company 50 Thomson Pl. (0.09 mi from Greenway) Located steps from the Greenway and just a few blocks from the Provincetown ferry to Cape Cod, this growing Boston brewery has a rotating menu with New England-inspired brews, many brewed in small batches.

A few blocks away, Harpoon Brewery at 306 Northern Avenue (0.39 mi from Greenway), is a large space with contemporary indoor seating on long, communal tables and a seasonally open outdoor seating area. They offer tours and frequently host events like trivia nights.

Everett: Bone Up Brewing Co. (38 Norman St, 0.04 mi from Greenway), recommended by Stephen W.

Newburyport: Riverwalk Brewing Company (40 Parker St, 0.04 mi from Greenway), recommended by Silvia A.

 

New Hampshire

Portsmouth: Earth Eagle Brewings 75 High St (0.26 mi from Greenway) You’ll know this brewery when you see it - a distinctive, geometric mural is a marker of this artsy establishment that holds live, acoustic music sessions every Monday evening. Their earthy selection of beers is accompanied by cocktail and pub food menus.

 

Maine

South Portland: Foulmouthed Brewing 15 Ocean St (0.1 mi from Greenway) Operated out of a converted auto garage, Foulmouthed is a small brewpub in South Portland. Their beers have unique names like Presidential Tapes and are accompanied by a menu of appetizers and sandwiches. They host events like trivia nights and new beer release parties almost every week.

Freeport: Maine Beer Company (525 US-1, 0.04 mi from Greenway), recommended by Allie B.

Augusta: Cushnoc Brewing Company (243 Water St, 0.01 mi from Greenway), recommended by Silvia A.

Brewer: Blank Canvas Brewery (46 Betton St, 0.02 mi from Greenway) and Mason's Brewing Company (15 Hardy St, 0.02 mi from Greenway), recommended by Greg Edwards

Bangor: Sea Dog Brewing Company (26 Front St, 0.01 mi from Greenway) and Geaghan Brothers Brewing Co. (34 Abbott St, 0.28 mi from Greenway), recommended by Greg Edwards

Ellsworth: Airline Brewing Company 173 Main St (0.01 mi from Greenway) Located in quaint downtown Ellsworth, Airline has an English pub feel and a pub-inspired menu to match. Food options include Shepherd’s pie and sandwiches, and ingredients for beers and ciders are sourced locally to form creations like Oatmeal Stout and Downeast Cranberry Cider.

Want more inspiration? Check out Traveling Brewski on Instagram (@travelingbrewski). He shared some of his favorites on his 2019 ride, from Key West to Canada, much of it along the Greenway!

Of course, we recommend you use these breweries as a way to reward yourself at the end of your ride. If you plan on imbibing, make sure you have a safe way to get to your accommodations.