New Belgium Brewing opens first company flagship restaurant and taproom in Mission Bay

New Belgium Brewing opens first company flagship restaurant and taproom in Mission BayIndoor dining area at New Belgium | Photo: Courtesy of New Belgium
Matt Charnock
Published on April 09, 2021

Sandwiched between Oracle Park and the Chase Center, New Belgium Brewing — one of the largest craft brewers in the country — officially opened its first company-owned and operated taproom and eatery, New Belgium, at 1000a 3rd Street in San Francisco on Friday. 

With the city's vaccine rollout in full swing (and California expected to end its reopening tier system by mid-June), restaurant life as we know it is slowly returning. Case in point: New Belgium Brewing debuted its first full-service restaurant and experimental taproom, which includes a heated patio overlooking the Mission Creek Channel, in the city on Friday. 

"San Francisco has always been a strong market for New Belgium Brewing and is the second home of [the company’s] founder Kim Jordan,” says the company's CEO Steve Fechheimer about the new space. In total, the new resultant and taproom are able to collectively serve 160 customers — 100 indoor seats with another 60 outside — and will exist as a laboratory for the company to test new creations via its “four-barrel pilot system,” capable of producing left-of-center beers and on-site sour blends. 

The interior and exterior spaces were designed in partnership with San Francisco-based ROY; the inside walls feature works by local mural artist John Thomas; cycling knicknacks and hung vintage bicycles fill the location, echoing the company’s “born on a bike” roots.

And the watering hole — that features an array of reasonably priced finger-foods and entrees; New Belgium’s current menu boasts tartines, tacos, and upscale standards like Wagyu-patty burgers and chicken sandwiches… infused with truffles — will no doubt attract a fresh customer base and expand New Belgium Brewing’s presence in the Bay Area.

“We are lucky to have access to an exceptional location in the heart of a growing neighborhood to launch our first New Belgium-owned restaurant in a city where New Belgium Brewing has always had a strong brand presence,” continues Fechheimer. “We’re looking forward to growing our customer base in the SF market and building further loyalty.”

Right now, a dozen beers are on tap at New Belgium; five of those offerings are brewed locally. Wines, bottled and canned beers (which can also be ordered to-go), hard seltzers, low ABV cocktails, and a few mocktails round out the drink menu. As for food: the menu at the moment lacks a clear focus and spans the international gamut — but New Belgium’s fried green olives and umami-forward fries look to be safe, familiar choices.

// New Belgium is located at 1000a 3rd St, San Francisco; its current operating hours for walk-ins are Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.; for more information — including COVID-19 safety protocols, online reservations, and menus — visit www.newbelgium.com.