In March, Tin Lizard Brewing Co. opened its doors to the western end of Bryn Mawr, and the neighborhood hasn’t looked back. It all started when brothers Mark and Gary Farley and their wives, Alicia and Karen, got to talking about Gary’s love of home brewing one evening while on vacation. Mark (who runs his own construction company in Bryn Mawr) owned a former hookah-bar/apartment building that was available on Lancaster Avenue, and with that the Tin Lizard dream was born.
Renovations of the two-story space included adding a 5-barrel brewery and an extensive downstairs bar. The restaurant evokes an industrial feel and seats close to 100—including a second-floor outdoor patio that overlooks Route 30. The space sports sizable windows in front, several pub-height tables and a few well-placed family-style booths; it all adds up to a fun, lively beer-drinking atmosphere.
“We didn’t want to reinvent the wheel,” said ‘Jill-of-all-trades’ Alicia. “We brew a strong list of beers partnered with our Southern-inspired barbecue menu to create something we believe the Main Line can enjoy.” Perfect for young families, hipsters and locals alike, Tin Lizard Brewing is off to an admirable start.
Their thirty-something master brewer, Chris Young (most recently from Conshohocken Brewing), told us, “I originally took to homebrewing for fun and then worked for Round Guys Brewing in Lansdale for a year and a half.” He admitted that brewing isn’t always as glamorous as many might think, but still, he said, “I love the process. I love the end result.”
Tin Lizard pours from seven taps (the eighth tap is reserved for Kurant Cider). Though the brewing program has a focus on IPAs, the beer selection runs the gamut with lagers, Belgian tripels, dark British ales and weissbier. Chris strictly brews in small batches and doesn’t care to repeat the same recipe for at least the first year.
A few flagships may eventually come out of the mix, but for now he feels good at producing “warp-speed brews” that he believes make him a better brewer, while keeping beer aficionados excited by the complexity of the flavor profiles.
Wanting to complement those profiles, chef Luke Loomis (a recent transplant from Syracuse, New York) is steering the scratch-kitchen with a steady hand. His goal is to keep things simple yet flavorful. “I didn’t want the menu to be a mix of hard-to-pronounce ingredients and pretentious twists,” said the steely blue-eyed chef. But don’t let the simplicity fool you—the dishes use slow-cooked, smoked and marinated as culinary descriptions with soups (including a soup of the week), salads, sandwiches and plates rounding out the focused menu. Five signature sauces (think bourbon-based and jalapeno-spiced) grace the tables in squeezable bottles for those who care to personalize a dish.
Forks aren’t necessarily required to dig into what the staff (who are so pleasant and knowledgeable) calls the “High Five”—a table-sharing heap of tender brisket, succulent pulled-pork, fall-off-the-bone whole chicken wings, baby-back ribs and andouille sausage accompanied with all the fixins to hang out awhile. Grab a few extra napkins along the way as you let the belt out a bit to indulge in chef Luke’s house-made desserts (fried cheesecake this week).
The general manager, Sean Carney (also from Conshohocken Brewing), works the thirsty crowds by tossing out pints, flights and good advice like there’s no tomorrow. His recommendations for both beer and food (the Kings and Pawns Belgian tripel was our fave) are on point, and he clued us in that Tin Lizard recently started daily happy hours (Tuesday‐Friday from 4-6 p.m.) and said that afternoon business has been picking up nicely. The bar also offers glasses of pinot gris, pinot noir and gruner veltliner from award-winning Fero Vineyards & Winery in PA.
Tin Lizard is hosting their first-ever pig roast on Sunday, July 23 from 3-5 p.m. Don’t delay if you want to sink your teeth into all you-can-eat slow-roasted whole pig, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans and corn muffins for $25 a person. Only 50 tickets will be sold, so call Tin Lizard at (610) 525-1100 to secure your spot today.
Parking is free after 6 p.m. and available in lots next door and across Lancaster Avenue. Call Tin Lizard for takeout or catering, or use Caviar for food delivery.
Follow along on Facebook and Instagram to stay informed on seasonal menu specials and events.
Find Tin Lizard Brewing at 1000 W. Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr; phone: (610) 525-1100.
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