Colin C.
Yelp
Nestled in the crook of the Route 8 on-ramp is a small restaurant marked on the Connecticut Beer Trail and a short drive away from the hockey rink and concert venue. Brewport, as the name implies, is a brewery, but you'll probably come here for their signature pizzas.
What kind of pizza is this? They're definitely New Haven inspired, but not quite full-on Frank Pepe. I love New Haven pizza, but my girlfriend hates it, and we both love Brewport pizza. There's some char, but the bottom crust is thin and floppy. The pizzas are mostly red, almost always with cheese (sorry, New Haven purists; head east), and a large one is plenty to feed two hungry people.
Not into pizza? Well, you're in the wrong spot. But, if you're not in the mood or you want to round out your meal, the salads are better than you'd expect -- and big! I came here once for lunch on a weekday and ordered a salad, and that was it for me.
The beers aren't really something to write home about, but they're only a taproom; they don't distribute. You won't find a bad beer on their menu, and they obviously pair well with the cuisine. They don't have a good mix of styles, but if you can't find something you like (which is rare), they do have a full bar as well.
Much of the seating is in tall booths on the upstairs perimeter of the restaurant, but your server will always find you -- and often. They're good like that.
The only thing to note is that they tend to have a limited menu the afternoons and evenings of a big game or concert. Their website will usually warn you (if you can get past the warnings that say Internet Explorer is no longer supported by Microsoft, even if you're on your iPhone), but keep that in mind.