Stone Brewing Co. and Gardens in Escondido, CA

Rating: You Should Go

We found Stone Brewing Co. when we were looking for a place to eat after a wedding. It took us by surprise for several reasons. First, the building just looks like a big warehouse from the street. The only signs are for valet parking, nothing that says the name of the place on the outside. Then, once you figure out you're in the right place and park, the walkway is like the passage into a secret garden.
Once inside, there is a large store straight ahead and to the right it open up to a beautiful seating area and bar. In the middle of the day, the walls on the right side are completely open to view the gardens outside. You can also walk around and sit in the garden, which has a beautiful stream and nice shaded areas to sit.

There are two floors of seating, and certain areas are by reservation while others are open seating (you seat yourself if you can find a spot). The bar area and seating to the left of the restaurant entrance, the outdoor are to the left (behind a wall), the outdoor balcony seating, and the garden itself are all open seating (they're marked that way in case you forget). Everything else you need to put your name in for. The only problem with being served in the open seating areas is that they do not offer the full menu, only a small appetizer menu. To get the full menu, you need to sit at the bar or be seated by the host/hostess. I would recommend calling ahead and making a reservation if you want a full meal.

Since this is a brewery, they have a lot of beer on tap, and even more bottled. The beers on tap were only $4 a glass (I didn't see how much the bottled beer was). They also have wine by the glass or the bottle, but that averages $10 a glass/$35 a bottle. The food is the most expensive thing there. The appetizers average $11 each, and the cheapest full meal is $27. The best way to enjoy your stay here and not spend a lot of money is to order drinks from the bar and just relax out in the gardens with a group of friends. They also have late night movies in the summer (Wednesdays starting at 8:30pm), which would be fun to watch with friends while sipping a good ale.

The Restaurant