It’s all about the local at The Village Biergarten, a beautiful patio-centric business that offers a perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon. This new St. Jacobs business is the culmination of a partnership between Block Three Brewing, a familiar St. Jacobs staple, and Mekong Brasserie, a new offering from Wooden Boat owner Chef Thompson Tran.
A sprawling patio dominates the space and it’s clear that this was always intended to be the focus. Two large trees offer just the right amount of shade with plenty of seating and standing space set back from the street. Honestly this place is so damn inviting it’s almost impossible to stay away.
With Block Three Brewing just down the street, you shouldn’t be surprised to see a number of rotating locally made craft beer offerings from the brewery on the menu. This location happily shows off some of the brewery’s patio-friendly beers, giving people a great new space to enjoy their product.
The three beers on draft during my visit included a Helles lager, a Belgian amber, and an American pale ale. I enjoyed the crisp Helles lager out of a nice large 20oz stein and the experience was definitely made that much more enjoyable outside. While the selection of beer might not be as robust as the selections at the brewery, the biergarten’s menu and atmosphere really help to set it apart, and there is always the option of walking over to the brewery afterwards should you want to explore the offerings a little further.
While I stuck with beer this visit I did see plenty of others exploring the other beverage options available, and there are surprisingly quite a few. Every beverage on the menu is crafted in Ontario with cider, wines, pre-mixed cocktails, kombucha, coffee, and craft sodas available. I can’t imagine that anyone could feel left out with all the options presented here, making it the perfect location to bring friends or family members. It’s nice to see other great Ontario businesses represented and it is always nice to have non-alcholoic local options.
The same care and attention has been given to the food menu from Mekong Brasserie. Chef Thompson Tran repeats the success of one of my favourite Waterloo Region food spots, Kitchener’s Wooden Boat, by offering another delicious menu focused on local and sustainable ingredients.
Vietnamese twists on familiar patio fare like burgers, fried chicken and fries make up the core of the menu with other great options rounding it out. Our group shared the fries and moon dumplings, which were phenomenal. While we didn’t have a chance to sample the entire menu it was clear that everyone around us was enjoying the food.
Overall I was very impressed by the Village Biergarten. This new patio focused business is a successful collaboration. Great local beverages, great local food, a great location, and great people make this spot … great. It’s hard to not enjoy yourself here, do yourself a favour and check it out.
Justin is currently enrolled in the Brewmaster program at Niagara College.
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