Astoria Breweries and Waterfront Dining on the Columbia

Astoria breweries are a short list with long reach, and the waterfront gives them a view few brewpubs in America can match. Brewpubs in old cannery and warehouse buildings sit on the pilings, and downtown taprooms pour a few blocks up the hill. Call ahead for hours and the kitchen's menu, then plan a pub meal with a view and rate the dish you order.

A rating that names the dish turns a pint into a recommendation another diner can use.

Which Astoria breweries are worth knowing?

Astoria's brewers work in two settings. A downtown brewpub has a full kitchen and a lively room, and a production brewery on the waterfront has a taproom, wide windows and, in season, a pier over the river. They sit a few minutes apart, so a pint at each makes an easy afternoon. A flight lets a first-timer taste several styles, while a pale ale or a lager is a safe partner for fried fish. Whichever you pour, say what you ate with it when you rate, because the pairing is the part the next diner wants to know.

What are Astoria brewpubs like?

Roomy, loud on a Saturday, friendly with children and dogs on patios. A brewpub here has a real kitchen, so you can order a burger, a fish sandwich, a pizza or a salad with a beer. A taproom is more about the pour. If you want a full meal, choose the pub. If you want a view and a drink, choose the taproom.

What do Astoria waterfront restaurants offer?

River views and seafood, mostly. Downtown Astoria runs along the Columbia on one side and climbs a steep hill on the other, so many dining rooms have a view of the water or of passing ships. Visitors are pointed to the riverfront for seafood and chowder, and the water is part of the flavor. The chowder guide covers the classic bowls.

What is Astoria river view dining like on a wet day?

Cozy. A big window with rain running down it and a pot of soup in front of you is an Astoria institution. Pick a table on the water side and watch the cargo ships, the pilot boats and the sea lions on the docks. If the sun appears, move to the patio, but bring a jacket.

What counts as Astoria pub food?

Burgers, fish and chips, chowder, wings, pizza and sandwiches, often built around local fish and farms. A good pub uses beer in the batter, in a sauce or as a mustard. Share a plate of fries to start, and pick a main that suits the beer you chose. Hoppy beers like fried fish; dark beers like burgers.

Why does a dish rating help at a brewpub?

A brewery has two jobs and a single score blends them. A rating that names the plate and the beer ("the fish sandwich with a pale ale, hot and crisp, a window table") tells the next diner what to order. Tags help too: Taproom or Brewpub, Sea View, Family Friendly, Dog-Friendly and Live music are the filters people choose by.

How do you keep your brewery notes?

Open the Mosey app, rate the dish and save the stop to a list called Astoria on tap. Add the beer you drank in the note. Follow friends who travel the coast, and on the map the Friends' picks layer shows places they rated or saved. Invite a friend to add theirs.

What practical points are worth knowing?

Parking by the waterfront fills on summer weekends, and the trolley line, where it runs, is a pleasant way to move between stops. Plan a designated driver. See the Sunday market guide for the morning, and the US food guides for other towns.

What if you want to learn more about the beer?

Ask for a flight, which lets you taste four small pours side by side. Describe what you like: light and crisp, hoppy, malty or tart. The staff will steer you. Brewery tours and tastings are offered by some places, and a short tour of a working brewery is a good way to understand how beer is made. Take notes on your favorites so you can rate them and recommend them later.

How do you get around the waterfront? On foot, mostly. The riverwalk runs along the shore, and the main streets climb the hill behind. A trolley has run on part of the line in some seasons. Park once and walk, and bring a jacket for the wind. The bridge to Washington dominates the view, and the cranes and ships make the walk interesting.

Which time of day suits a brewery? Late afternoon, when the light on the river is warm and the lunch crowd has gone. A weekday visit is calm; a Saturday night is loud. If you bring children, go early, and if you want to talk, sit away from the speakers. A pier on a bright evening is hard to beat.

This is one of many Oregon guides, and the Food in Oregon page lists them all by town.

After your last pint on the pier, download the Mosey app, rate the dish by name and share the list with the friend who asks where to eat.