Biergarden - Encinitas, CA

http://biergardenencinitas.com

4.5 🍅’s

North County is becoming one of my favorite places to spend time. The scenic seaside communities make you feel like you’re on a permanent vacation and the endless beaches of surf and sand allow you to leave the stress of life behind.

This past March, I wanted to get together with my friend Patti but she lives near Camp Pendelton and me down in San Diego, so we don’t get to see each other very often. We felt like Encinitas would be a great spot to meet in the middle, so we met for brunch on a beautiful March afternoon at Biergarden in Encinitas.

If you didn’t know, this winter in San Diego got a TON of rain, so we were excited to have an afternoon of warm weather and sunshine. We grabbed a table on the patio and basked in the sunshine and warm weather. Not a bad way to catch up with a girlfriend, if you ask me!

Biergarden does have a large selection of San Diego brews on tap but I decided on Biergarden because of their brunch and FULL Bloody Mary menu! The bloody mary menu definitely steals the show! Not one, not two, not three, but FIVE bloody marys for your tasting and drinking pleasure. In a sea of tomato juice, vodka, and celery sticks, nothing makes your girl more excited than variety and individuality (that goes for my food and life in general).

Each Bloody Mary on the menu has it’s on flavor palette, garnish, and infused vodkas:

         Hearty

House infused bacon-cheddar vodka (bacon lovers rejoice), garnished with bacon, beef stick, cheddar cheese cubes, pepperoncini, and a bar onion.

         Mediterranean

House infused cucumber and green peppercorn gin garnished with cocktail shrimp, goat cheese stuffed pepper, tomato, bar onion, and cucumber. It’s like a party platter of apps as your garnish!

         Herbal

House infused basil, rosemary and garlic vodka, garnished with feta cheese, stuffed olive, basil and a rosemary sprig. Bringing the herb garden to your glass.

         Spicy

House infused habanero and Serrano tequila, garnished with pepperoncini, jalapeño and a stuffed olive. Feeling Hot! Hot! Hot!

         Classic

House infused horseradish vodka, #basic but #worthit

I’ve personally had the Mediterranean and the Herbal Bloody Mary. I not-so-secretly love a gin bloody mary and although it doesn’t like me, I love GARLIC! I would highly recommend either of those! Another great detail is that all bloody marys come with a beer chaser of your choice, which is a difficult decision considering their roster of beer. I tried to convince Patti to get a bloody mary but she’s a friend I’m still working converting to team #bloodymary. Patti ordered a pineapple mimosa, which is probably why her IG handle is Champagne and Pups!

Not only are the bloody marys epic at Biergarden, they knock the food out of the park! To start we went with the ahi tartare, which I knew I already loved from a previous visit. The ahi is fresh and seasoned perfectly with the right amount of crunch.

The huevos rancheros is a great choice for those who don’t want a heavy breakfast, but if you’re feeling an incredible need to get totally #brunchfaced then devour the steak and eggs; 2 eggs any way, a juicy, chargrilled 10oz ribeye steak, toast, and crispy rosemary potatoes. Yaassssss! SO GOOD! I will 100% eat that again! 

Whether you live in the area or are traveling to North County for a day of surf and sun with your friends or your family, Biergarden is a wonderful spot for brunch! The bloody mary menu, with something for everyone is one of the best around and I can’t wait to go back and try them ALL! The beer selection is on point and the food is down-right delicious, but the bloody marys definitely steal the show, IMO. Make sure to check them out next time you’re in Encinitas!