quarrygirl

when it comes to sipping on fine beer and dining on fresh vegan fare in a magnificently idyllic setting, you can’t go wrong with stone world bistro. stone is one of the biggest names in the craft beer business, but with its organic restaurant, impressive gardens and sustainable farm, its headquarters is so much more than a brewery. located in escondido just 100 miles south of LA, it makes for a quick and relaxing getaway or the perfect lunch stop on the way to san diego. 

earlier this summer, i (along with some fellow bloggers and friends from golden road brewing) was lucky enough to be treated to a four course vegan meal made with ingredients sourced from stone’s local farm and masterfully prepared by chef alex carballo. pictured above going clockwise we have: broccoli pea soup; spinach salad with beets, sweet onions, and orange segments; braised greens with quinoa tabbouleh; and tofu yakisoba. all phenomenal. i’m happy to report that the yakisoba is a regular item on the stone menu, along with many other vegan options, and it happens to be one of my favorite noodle dishes of all time. 

after our meal we grabbed a beer and strolled the beautiful stone gardens. so many little grassy secluded areas, a pond with a waterfall, and even a fire pit—-i’ve never been to a brewery so scenic and welcoming.

we concluded the evening with a tour of the tanks led by stone’s very own randy clemens (you may know him as the author of the sriracha cookbook), and boy was it impressive. i think my favorite part was being in a tiny chilled room containing $60,000 worth of hops—-the smell didn’t leave my nose for days!

if you’re a vegan beer lover and you haven’t been to stone, definitely add this place to your bucket list. there’s really nowhere else like it on on earth.

stoneworldbistro.com