From the looks of it, Thimble Island Brewery’s new outpost will be a popular addition to the blossoming restaurant scene in Old Saybrook. It’s a good sign when you show up at 2 pm during the first week of business, and service is excellent (thank you, Emily), drinks arrive promptly, and dishes come streaming out of the kitchen. 

It’s a brewery, after all, so Laura and I sipped a flight of IPAs while perusing the menu of things that go well with beer: Smashburgers, check. Pizza, check. Wings, check. Blooming onion, check. And, as per our usual, we sampled everything. The smash burger is a double 3 oz patty with all the trimmings, including Thimble Islands’ special sauce, and I’d definitely go back for it. You cannot miss with mashed potato and bacon pizza, which seems to me a wholly CT invention. Wings come any which way you want, and we decided to try the Gochujang BBQ: spicy-sweet and a fresh update to standard Buffalo. We tried but could not refrain from picking at the Blooming Onion, and still, there was plenty to take home. 

While we don’t know a pilsner from a pale ale, we enjoyed the flight of IPAs. Feel free to create your own tasting or order from the 15 (or more) beers on tap. Hard soda, non-alcoholic beer, soft drinks, and wine are also available. 

A long bar, plenty of tables indoors and out, plus tasty grub and accessible prices will keep this spot hopping (pun intended) all summer long. Super kid-friendly, too. 

thimbleislandbrewery.com

75 Main Street

Old Saybrook, CT 06475

Hours:

Wed-Sat 11:30 am to 10:00 pm

Sun 11:30 am to 8:00 pm