| Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens 1999 Citracado Parkway | Escondido, CA 92029 (760) 294-7899 www.stoneworldbistro.com |
With an abundance of Stone Brewing Company locations in California, it was tough to choose just one to visit during our California trip. We chose the Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens in Escondido, California, and I believe we chose wisely.
The 12,000 square foot restaurant offers an expansive interior with high ceilings and impressive design. Look to the left, and a wall of windows offers an impressive view of the brewhouse. Look right and enjoy views to the beautiful open-air patio and one-acre beer garden.
We sat by the window inside the restaurant, impressed how the dining area melds nature with elements of wood, metal, stone, and water. Tall bamboo stalks shoot up from a bed of river rocks. Concrete and stone walls, wooden tables, a steel stairway, and tile floors continue the theme.
The bistro menu complements the impressive architecture, featuring world-inspired cuisine and a unique take on comfort food made from locally grown, small-farm ingredients.
Appetizers include The Really Stinky Cheese Plate, Quail Knots, Stone-Style Hemp Seed Pretzels, South American Ceviche, Housemade Hummus, Housemade Kimchi and Fried Castelvetrano Olives.
Entrees include Wagyu Top Sirloin, Low Country Chicken, Duck Tacos, Grilled “Mojo” Pork, Shrimp & Grits, Coconut Green Curry Salmon & Mussels, and Sausage & Kale Rigatoni.
Additional entrees include Peruvian-Style Chicken, Short Rib Birria, Stone BBQ Beef, Almond Crusted Tilapia, Yakisoba, and the Organic Vegetable Platter.
For a lighter option, I recommend the Bruschetta BLT, which is served with garlic pepper potato chips and can be made vegetarian upon request. Another lunch option is the Moroccan Lamb Pita.
The menu has vegan and vegetarian options clearly marked, and most dishes include a suggested beer pairing on the menu.
There are 36 craft and speciality beers on tap, including both Stone beers, as well as guest brews. With lunch I enjoyed a pint of Stone Pale Ale 2.0 and a sampler of W00tStout.
After lunch, we perused the Stone Company Store before our tour of the brewery.
Tours are $3 with samples and a 4-ounce branded sample glass to keep, or $1 for youths or those not wishing to drink. Tour passes can be purchased at the Stone Company Store or online. Tours are limited to 25 people, and weekends and holidays are very busy. Book a tour now by clicking here.
During the tour, we learned about the history of Stone Brewing Company and the process of making beer. We toured the impressive facility, checking out the brewhouse and fermentation area, and peeking into the lab.
Brewery tours end with visit to the brew tour tasting bar where visitors enjoy 4 Stone brews. The beers we enjoyed after our tour included Go To IPA, Stone Saison, Delicious IPA, and one of my personal favorite Stone beers, Smoked Porter.
A growler fill station in the Stone Company Store offers 1 liter, 40-ounce, and 64-ounce growler fills. Visitors can choose from 15 different different Stone beers on tap or pick up a few bottles from the cooler.
After enjoying lunch and a tour, we enjoyed the sunny California weather and strolled through the gardens. The diverse one-acre habitat behind the restaurant features vegetation among elements of wood, water, fire, and stone. There are fruit trees, pine trees, bamboo, and sugarcane, as well as papyrus, elms, acacia, and olive trees, and numerous herbs and flowering plants. A koi pond, a rocky pool, and fire features add to the serene environment.
The bistro is open everyday from 11 AM to 11 PM with the last seating at 10 PM. The store is also open everyday from 11 AM to 11 PM. Tours are offered Monday through Friday at 12, 2, 4, and 6 PM and Saturday and Sunday at 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 PM.
