Chris and I found another oasis in the otherwise beer backwater we call home: Trailside Cafe and Coffee House on Cannery Row. I know it seems weird because it’s better known for its breakfast and lunch menu. But Sean, the owner, is a beer geek, too, and he’s compiled a beer list that goes above and beyond the usual suspects.
We have mutual friends in the local beer scene and have heard about Trailside Cafe for some time. However, we never made it over there until the other night. Boy, I wish we had found that place sooner. It’s an adorable cafe with both inside and outside seating. Plus, it’s dog friendly, so Porter and Stout can come with us. When we went, we sat inside so we could chat with Sean, but the outside customers included a poodle-type looking dog and a stanfordshire terrrier. Being the prima donnas they are, I’m not sure that Porter and Stout would have enjoyed that company.
Trailside Cafe is a great place for date night with your significant beer other. It’s quiet, with a yummy menu and you don’t have to compromise your beer taste. Or, if your recreating along our local rec trail, you can make it a pit stop.
You can check out the menus on their website www.trailsidecafe.com, but I especially liked that they offer fresh baked pretzels and a cheese and fruit board.
Trailside Cafe has three taps and over a dozen bottle selections. On the night we went, the draught selection included Green Flash West Coast IPA, North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner, and Lost Coast’s Great White, which had just blown. Several German beers, including a Helles, and multiple Belgians in bottles round out the selection.
So, whether you’re a local beer geek or one visiting the Monterey Peninsula, be sure to checkout the Trailside Cafe. And tell Sean ‘Hi’ for us!