If you are looking to quaff a few stellar brews, you don’t need to look outside of the Exton area anymore. Several local establishments have upped their beer game lately, there are a few tried and true favorites and some newcomers have opened in the area as well. Here, I’ve put together a list of my favorite watering holes to grab a pint.
Appetites on Main
Appetites has 14 constantly rotating taps usually featuring at least 10 craft beers from breweries like Dogfish Head, Victory, Bell’s, Southern Tier, and Green Flash, and they keep a well-stocked bottle list of over 80 craft beers. Check out their happy hour seven days a week from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. for $1 off of crafts. In the nicer weather, sit on their beautiful patio where you can listen to a live D.J. several nights a week and even bring your dog.
Find Appetites on Main at 286 Main Street, Exton, PA; (610) 594-2030; www.appetitesonmain.com
The Pour House
Brand-new to the scene in Exton, located in the former Cheeseburger in Paradise, The Pour House hit the ground running with 30 rotating taps and a hand pump. The bottle list boasts over 100 varieties that will change frequently due to the limited and seasonal nature of some of the offerings. They have already held Allagash and Saucony Creek tap takeovers and have live music in the bar some nights. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for specials and new tap offerings. The bar can get crowded, but the staff is attentive so you never have to wait too long for your beer.
Find The Pour House at 116 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton; (610) 280-7900; www.pjspourhouse.com
Uno Chicago Grill
I first went to Uno’s for their deep dish pizza and casual, family-friendly dining, but I became a regular because of their craft beer selections. Weyerbacher specially brews Big Ern’s IPA, a West Coast-style India Pale Ale for Uno’s restaurants in the Philadelphia area. With 21 rotating taps, I can always find something new and interesting to sample. They host frequent craft beer pairing dinners with off-menu bites and speciality brews brought in for the occasion. On Thursdays you can grab a flight of four 4 oz. pours for only $5. Growler fills are also available.
Find Uno Chicago Grill at 8 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton; (610) 280-4555; www.unos.com
The Drafting Room
The Drafting Room has been one of my go to places in Exton ever since my husband and I started dating way back in 1995. Even though I have been here more times than I can count, I can always find a new beer to try from their ever changing draft list of 14 rotating beers and hand pump. I appreciate that their tap list includes the outstanding (rated 100 on RateBeer) Bell’s Two Hearted Ale as one of their two “usual suspects” instead of a macro beer like Bud Lite. They offer a diverse bottle list and the bottles are sold at a reduced price for carry out. You can also fill up your growlers here. New this summer, The Drafting Room is featuring a different homebrewer on their taps daily in conjunction with Artisan Homebrew of Downingtown.
Find The Drafting Room at 635 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton; (610) 363-0521; www.draftingroom.com
Ron’s Original Bar & Grille
Ron’s has been serving great food and beer to the Exton area for over twenty years and has been one of my favorite places since I moved here. The bar is warm and inviting, with knowledgeable bartenders who can direct you to a beer that will meet your preferences. I love that they present you with a printed beer menu that not only lists what’s currently on draft, but gives you a full description of the brew. Their bottle selection is large and ever changing. Visit the carry-out shop for a superior selection of bottles. If you “mix-a-six” pack of beer, you get $1 off each bottle, too.
Find Ron’s Original Bar & Grille at 74 E. Uwchlan Ave., Exton; (610) 594-9900; www.ronsoriginal.com
Brickside Grille
Brickside Grille is nestled in Wellington Square in Eagleview, giving it the feeling of being an out-of-the-way restaurant, which is rare in the commercial, well-traveled strip mall area of Exton. Brickside has 12 taps with eight serving rotating crafts from local favorites like Victory, Springhouse and Troegs. Happy hour specials on beer are every Monday through Friday from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Try and grab a seat on their gorgeous outside patio during the warmer weather and maybe take in a live concert on Tuesday nights through the summer.
Find Brickside Grille at 540 Wellington Square, Exton; (610) 321-1600; www.bricksidegrille.com
Liberty Union Bar & Grill
Travel a few miles north from Exton on Route 100 and you will find Liberty Union in a renovated Blockbuster store serving up great American pub-style food and craft beer. The restaurant features specials based on the state of the week so they attempt to get in a beer from the selected state if it is available for distribution in our area. They always have a Victory or Stoudt’s beer on one of their 12 taps and on Tuesdays Pa. drafts are only $3 from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. Additionally, you can get a $2 4-ounce sample pour of any beer on the menu. With karaoke every Thursday and live music on Fridays and Saturdays, you can kick back and enjoy your beer with some great entertainment, too.
Find Liberty Union Bar & Grill at 325 Simpson Drive, Chester Springs; (484) 359-4061; libertyunionbar.com
Exton Beverage Company
There aren’t any pints sold at Exton Beverage, but no talk about beer in Exton could be complete without mention of this beer paradise.They offer one of the largest and fairly priced selections of craft brewed and imported beers in the Chester County area. If you have any questions about a particular beer or even about beer in general, their staff is friendly and very knowledgeable. Exton Beverage also hosts frequent tastings by brewery reps at the store with giveaways. Check their calendar for a list of upcoming sampling events from breweries like Evolution, Belfast Bay, and Long Trail.
Find Exton Beverage Company at 310 E. Lincoln Hwy, Exton; (610) 363-7020; www.extonbeverage.com
Photo credits: Brickside Grille, credit Brickside Grille; Liberty Union, credit Liberty Union; Exton Beverage, credit Exton Beverage; Uno Chicago Grill, credit Uno Chicago Grill; all others credit Nina Lea Photography.
