Belching Beaver Brewery Tavern and Grill (Downtown Vista)

"Once upon a time, microbreweries had to sell out to AB InBev to get really big, but nowadays, they can glow up all by themselves. Belching Beaver is one of the biggest (still private) success stories out of Vista -- they have a beautiful tasting room called Pub 980 near San Marcos (and other rooms down in Ocean Beach and North Park), but this Tavern and Grill right in downtown has revitalized the whole area. Everyone knows how great the Mexican Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout is by now, but you can also find a new favorite by picking a brew off of the screens above the bar. And for the food, the fact that they’ve placed vegetarian avocado toast on the menu right next to something called the Tator Tot Dam (with braised chuck, cheese curds and gravy, and a fried egg) should tell you all you need to know. With all of that and a lovely open air patio to boot, who needs a multinational corporation to buy you out anyway, right?" - Mike Schramm

"Call to place an order for takeout. The restaurant is offering 10% off all orders." - Darlene Horn

"There is an old law about beer in Germany called the Reinheitsgebot, or “purity order. “ The law was introduced in 1487, and adopted across the country in 1516, and it says, simply, that there can only be three ingredients used in making local beer: hops, water, and malt (the fourth required beer ingredient is microscopic yeast, but at the time, brewers didn’t even know it existed yet). That’s it. The law was originally created to control trade (and slow imports), and while it’s been limited quite a bit recently, it still holds today. The folks at Vista’s Belching Beaver, half a world away, respectfully decline to follow that rule within their walls. They mix all kinds of things into their best-in-class beers, including mango, honey, peanut butter, chocolate, and cinnamon. And the world is better off for it — Belching Beaver has some of San Diego’s best brews, hands down. Odds are good that you’ve tried them — Belching Beaver is one of North County’s biggest successes, too. This Vista location also has a great restaurant bursting with good food and atmosphere. So no offense, Germany (and thanks for everything you’ve done for beer!), but if you stick to the rules of the Reinheitsgebot, well, your loss." - Mike Schramm