The Session #5: Atmosphere

While I like the familiarity of sitting and having a nice pint at my local English pub Lucky Baldwin’s in Old Town Pasadena, I would have to say my absolute favorite place to sit down for some beers is the new Stone World Bistro & Gardens. Sound a little too commercial to have that fuzzy feel-good atmosphere of your regular evening stop? Well, I will put those notions to rest right here. Being at Stone provides an amazing and comfortable setting, and you may even feel fuzzy after a few hours with their top notch lineup of beers. Let me walk you through what makes this such a great experience to my senses.

The Setting: The brewery/restaurant/gardens is located just on the outskirts of an industrial/auto park. It’s a huge building, and as you roll into the parking lot I will admit you may get that commercial sort of feeling. Don’t worry though, once you enter that feeling will be gone. Enter the cavernous stone and wood constructed building and notice a waterfall and river on the inside cutting though the restaurant that runs underneath the floor to the outside patio. You have a beautiful wood bar and wooden tables alongside some greenery on the inside. Take a venture outside and go for a long walk though the garden and lawn areas, around the mini lagoon, and by more streams and waterfalls. It’s no doubt that Stone sets the mood visually. There are plenty of benches and seats within the gardens as well, so feel free to sit down with your beer and buddies.

Having Your Pint: Not only does a good atmosphere have to be visually pleasing, but it also needs a little buzz in the air. Something to make you feel like you’re taking part in something special away from the comfort of your home. With the bustling restaurant, the sound of running water, and the business of Stone Brewing happening around you, that is no problem. A glimpse through the glass wall that separates the beer tanks from the restaurant may remind you where the beer you’re drinking came from (if you’re drinking something made by Stone from among their very diverse tap and bottle list). And if you are there in the afternoon and feel like taking a break from eating and drinking, head over to the gift shop and take an entertaining brewery tour (with free tasting of their regular lineup afterward).

The Stone World Bistro & Restaurant is over an hour drive from me, and I’ve been there less times than you could count on one hand, but each time I’ve been there its beat every time I go anywhere else. If I lived closer to Escondido (and my wallet were bottomless) it would be my regular stop, it’s that fun of a place.