Brewery Guide: Coronado & Imperial Beach
It took a while for craft beer to trickle its way into the southwestern-most corner of San Diego County, but a handful of high-profile brewery-venue openings proved game-changers.
CORONADO
Coronado Brewing – Coronado Brew Pub 170 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118.
It was 1996 when a fraternal pair of islanders opened their hometown’s namesake red-brick brewpub. At the time, it was one of just a handful of breweries in all of San Diego County. Now, it’s among the largest brewing companies in the U.S. Despite that monumental rise, which was facilitated by the 2012 addition of a large-scale Bay Park production facility, Coronado Brewing’s OG pub remains a down-to-earth locale, where a menu of wood-fired pizzas, burgers, sandos and mains (pastas, ribs, seafood, steak) pairs with award-winning “coastal” beers like Salty Crew blonde ale, Nado rice lager and Weekend Vibes IPA.
IMPERIAL BEACH
Mike Hess Brewing – Imperial Beach Biergarten 805 Ocean Lane, Imperial Beach, CA 91932.
Enter a craft-beer compound, where al fresco imbibing options abound. Post up beneath the shade of palm-thatching, park the family at a communal picnic table, pull up a chair around a fire or perch atop a refurbished shipping-container bar. All are pleasant spots to take in Mike Hess Brewing’s array of largely hoppy and beachy (read: low-alcohol and refreshing) beers. Ditto tacos, nachos and other SoCal-style Mexican delicacies from Quiero’ on-site kitchen, including breakfast items that are available in the morning along with java drinks from IB Espresso, the motto of which is “coffee now, beer later.”
Novo Brazil – Imperial Beach 535 Florence Street, Imperial Beach, CA 91932.
Brazilian culinary flair (empanadas, croquettes, picanha with yucca fries) are at the forefront of this bar and restaurant at the southern tip of San Diego Bay. Like Novo Brazil Brewing’s other venues, it features a lengthy bar and a multitude of taps dispensing the company’s beers (including specialties brewed on-site) and hard kombucha. Value-addeds include an outdoor patio with plenty of seating, access to the Bayshore Bikeway, and sweeping views of the Strand, Coronado Bridge and Downtown San Diego, which are best enjoyed at sunset and during weekend brunch.
Pizza Port – Imperial Beach 204 Palm Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932.
One of San Diego’s most beloved businesses, Pizza Port opened its sixth brewpub in IB in 2022, bringing its popular “grub and grog” to the South Bay. Equipped with a pet-friendly patio stocked with picnic tables and a palapa-shaded rail bar, the latest link in this family-run chain leads with staples (“anti-wimpy” pizzas, salads, wings), but is the first to offer smoked pork and chicken sandwiches with picnic sides. Also unique is IB’s beer list, which includes Port’s popular West Coast IPAs, as well as a wide variety of lighter styles, including a pre-Prohibition-style cream ale, Citra-hopped blonde ale and a standout schwarzbier.