The best outdoor beer gardens at New Jersey breweries
There are more options than ever to enjoy Garden State craft beer in an outdoor setting.
New Jersey is tied for first place (with Kentucky) with 43% growth in the craft beer scene from 2015 to 2019, according to C + R Research.
What follows is a roundup of the state’s breweries with quaint and dedicated outdoor seating, weather permitting.
Source Farmhouse Brewery (Monmouth County)
300 Route 34, Colts Neck
Telephone: 732-431-2337
The popular spot along Route 34, just off Route 18, welcomes walk-in customers.
The Source Farmhouse Brewery’s large beer garden is suitable for children and dogs.
Kane Brewing Company (Monmouth County)
1750 Bloomsbury Avenue, Township of Ocean
Telephone: 732-922-8600
No reservations are required for the beer garden, but as of August, seats are limited to 90 minutes.
Children under adult supervision are permitted at Kane Brewing’s beer garden, but pets are not permitted except for service animals.
Ship Bottom Brewery (Ocean County)
830 N Bay Ave # 23, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
Telephone: 609-207-6331
Brewing beer on Long Beach Island for over 20 years, Beach Haven Brewery is open year round.
Hours are seasonal in the beer garden and tasting room, where you can sample or purchase craft beers and lagers.
Last Wave Brewery (Monmouth County)
601 Bay Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach
Telephone: 732-450-8600
The beer garden is open for table service weather permitting. Families and well behaved dogs on a leash are welcome.
The tasting room is also open for bar service, with hours adapted to the seasons. As for the variety of beers on offer, Last Wave has 18 beer taps and can “usually keep them all full,” plus there are cans and growlers to take out.
Forgotten Boardwalk Brewery (Camden County)
1940 Olney Ave Suite 100, Cherry Hill
Telephone: 856-437-0709
Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing offers regular outdoor seating, weather permitting. The brewery also continued curbside and contactless pickup during the pandemic.
The brewery has been open since 2014, in the property that was once used by the Flying Fish Brewery.
Two Ton Brewing (Union County)
730 Federal Avenue, Kenilworth
Telephone: 908-241-1614
There are 20 tap lines with rotating draft beers, three unique taproom spaces and now an outdoor space, open seasonally.
Two Ton recorded its first sales as a contract brewer in 2015, opening its production facility three years later.
Flounder Brewing Co. (Somerset County)
2 Clerico Lane Bldg 4, Hillsborough
Telephone: 908-396-6166
After its debut in 2010, the new home of Flounder Brewing with a 15 barrel brewery just opened in June in a refurbished barn at Carriage Farm.
Accompanied and supervised children are welcome, as are dogs on the front patio. Guests can also bring their own food, as long as they clean up after finishing. The outdoor area is currently open from Thursday to Sunday, with hours adapted to the seasons.
Jersey Girl Brewery (Morris County)
426 Sand Shore Road Unit 1, Hackettstown
Telephone: 908-591-4186
The brewery (with a mailing address in Hackettstown but is actually located in Mount Olive) is open with extended hours, 16 craft beer options, and live music.
In the Beer Garden, visitors can bring their own garden chairs, in addition to using the available picnic tables, high tables and wooden barrel “tables”. Bring food or order locally for delivery, dogs are welcome.
Lone Eagle Brewery (Hunterdon County)
44 Stangl Road, Flemington, NJ 08822
Telephone: 908-237-2255
Open since 2016, Lone Eagle offers 12 to 14 beers on tap at any time, with a “balanced board” of IPA, seasons, stouts, porters, lagers and ales.
The outdoor space can accommodate over 60 people, while its 5,000 square foot tasting room with reclaimed Hunterdon County lumber includes an 1,800 square foot loft.
Conclave Brewing (Hunterdon County)
11 Minneakoning Road, Raritan Township
Telephone: 908-392-0893
Since 2015, Conclave Brewing has been serving its own beer in Hunterdon County.
Customers can purchase small, individual, prepackaged snacks on site or bring food outside (and clean up when done).
Suitable for families, although children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times. “We love dogs, but we are not allowed to have dogs on our premises,” according to the website, although assistance dogs are permitted.
Cape May Brewing Company (Cape May County)
1288 Hornet Road, Cape May
Telephone: 609-849-9933
Cape May Brewery offers a beer garden and tasting room, which offers up to 24 of their craft beers and house sodas on tap at any time. All ages are welcome and visitors must be 21 and over to drink.
The “Brewery Garden” in the field behind the tasting room is open until late autumn.
Icarus Brewery (Ocean County)
1790 Swarthmore Avenue, Unit 3, Lot 2, Lakewood
Telephone: 732-276-6273
Lakewood’s premier microbrewery prides itself on “the local flavor and fresh, craft beers and lagers.” There are about 20 beers on tap at any given time, and sometimes the Slushie beer machine is on.
The brasserie is closed on Tuesday and open every other day, with hours adapted to the seasons, from August.
Eclipse Brewery (Camden County)
25, avenue du Parc Est, Merchantville
Telephone: 856-662-7453
The only craft brewery in Merchantville offers a wide variety of styles of draft beer in small batches.
Eclipse Brewing offers plenty of picnic tables, chairs, shade, and tents for outside visitors, as well as a comfortable indoor tasting room.
Beach Haus Brewery (Monmouth County)
801 Main Street, Belmar
Phone: 732-202-7782
Since 2015, Beach Haus has been brewing every drop of its own beer in Belmar. A spacious tasting room offers 15 to 20 rotating draft beers.
The outdoor deck is season permitting. Beach Haus Bar & Grill by David Burke also offers a menu from the famous local chef.
Primary (Bergen County)
58 Voorhis Way, Hackensack
Telephone: 201-968-1290
The hours for families are from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, depending on the site. Starting during the week and after 4 p.m. on weekends, all customers and guests of the Biergarten must be 21 years of age and over.
The microbrewery and tap room have 8 taps, serving a rotating selection of craft beers. Alementary also accepts dogs in its outdoor Biergarten.
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