After more than a decade of starts, stops and missed timelines, Birdtown Brewing is finally on track to open in Lakewood this spring. The old St. Gregory the Theologian church on Quail Street is being turned into a taproom and pizzeria with space for roughly 260 guests spread across an upstairs level, a downstairs barroom and an outdoor patio. Owners say the plan is to pair house beers with pub-style fare and whole pies, and they are aiming for a late-March to early-April opening window. For neighbors who have watched the building sit dormant for years, it is shaping up to be the most visible new hospitality project in the area in some time.
Inside, a 32-foot live-edge bartop will run along one side while the brewhouse sits above the former sanctuary, and much of the downstairs furniture was crafted from the old Lakewood High School gym floor, as reported by Cleveland Scene. The venue will seat about 260 guests and includes a lower-level barroom that looks into the cellar and fermentation tanks. That same reporting names Zach DelPriore as head brewer and notes a partnership that will bring Geraci’s pizza to Cleveland’s west side as the brewpub’s pie option.
From parish to pint
The conversion of the 100-year-old Byzantine-Gothic church has been in the works for years, with planning approvals and stop-and-start construction keeping the project in limbo until recently, as noted by NEOtrans. Over the past year, crews added stained glass, murals and a new patio while interior carpenters installed the large live-edge bar and other finishes. The brewery’s own site simply bills the work as “craft brews & pizza coming soon” and asks visitors to sign up for email updates.
Equipment was staged years ago
Owners say this is not a rush job. Major brewing gear was imported and installed years earlier, which helped speed the final fit-out, according to an earlier Cleveland Scene report documenting the delivery of the brewhouse equipment in 2017. That long lead time has allowed the team to concentrate on the interior finishes, food plan and staffing as opening day approaches.
What this adds to Birdtown
Birdtown and the broader Lakewood area have seen a steady run of new concepts, from mini-golf lounges to upscale bistros, and a sizable brewpub anchored in a landmark building is expected to affect traffic patterns and restaurant options for the neighborhood. Observers of Cleveland’s food scene note that new concepts have reshaped the west side dining map in recent years, giving places like this a crowded but engaged audience, per Eater. For nearby residents, the question will be whether Birdtown Brewing can keep customers on site with beer, pizza and pub fare instead of sending them elsewhere.
Owners are still finalizing permits, staffing and last-minute details, so the brewery’s signup page remains the clearest place for official updates and soft-opening announcements. The site repeats the simple promise of “craft brews & pizza coming soon,” and notes that Geraci’s pies will be available alongside wings, burgers and other pub staples. If the current timing holds, late March or early April should bring the first pints and pies to Quail Street.
