Local Breweries I Visit For Craft Beer Favorites In Atlanta

Most people probably don't think of Atlanta as a beer city, but if you know, you know — there's strong history of brewing in the Southern metropolis. The town's first brewery opened in the 1850s, and the tradition survived through prohibition into the modern era of melting-pot Atlanta, where, in mid-'90s, brewpubs finally became legal,and craft brewing exploded. Skip to today, and this strange trajectory has created a vibrant brewery scene. Apart from a few outliers like Sweetwater and Scofflaw, the breweries that call Atlanta home are only just begging to get a toe-hold nationally despite being local favorites. Instead, they've deeoloped their own character.  

As a Londoner, I'm not really a bar person. I want pubs; comfortable spaces with a story where the music isn't too loud to chat, the staff know the regulars' names, and the whole family is welcome including the kids and the dog. Good beer, of course, is a must, while good food is a plus. Perhaps because they come from the home-brew culture that thrived before brewpubs were legalized, breweries and taprooms of Atlanta deliver on all of this. In my experience as a regular patron, every taproom on this list is a creative, welcoming space. They all serve great food, hold community events, collaborate with local businesses, welcome families and in many cases pets, and yes, remember the names of regulars. In a car-centric city that sometimes feels atomizing, that's more important than it might sound. 

These breweries are also extremely nerdy about beer, with small teams making interesting, experimental brews alongside classics. There's nothing I want more right now than to sit outside a brewery with a hoppy IPA listening to the bugs screaming in the trees and feeling like I'm a part of something. If you visit, do the same.

Monday Night was spawned from a bible study. Three group members started a home brewing project together as a way to bond and loved it. Their eventual West Midtown brewery was named after that club which was held, you guessed it, on Monday nights. Since the first taproom in 2013, they've opened locations in Charlotte, Nashville, Noxville, and Birmingham. 

My favorite is the second Atlanta location, The Garage, at Lee Street South West. This is the Historic West End despite its orientation because 1800s residents with upwardly mobile mindsets voted to name it after London's theater district. And while it isn't nestled between opera houses as locals once imagined, Monday Night Garage has the oldy-worldy-charm of pubs in London; it's housed in one of many warehouses along the edge of the Beltline, a repurposed railway that circles the city as a nature corridor and running, walking, and cycling path. The elegant old building offers amazing square-footage. As well as the brewing area and huge bar there's an event room that holds everything from boxing matches to children's theater shows to weddings, plus several outdoor tables overlooking the bustling Betline.

Dogs and kids are extremely welcome at this brewery, including during low-key events like weekly trivia. There's also excellent, well-cooked, wood-fired pizza available. For hop enthusiasts wondering when I'll get to the point, the beer is good. Staples include a fruity, not-too-sweet sour, Dr. Robot; savory, hoppy IPAs; rich double IPAs, like Death Raptor and Dr. Pirate; and the flavorful, fresh Mexican Lager, Taco Tuesday. Rotating offerings are always interesting. There are regular barrel aged sours, umami stouts, and porters kicked up by additions like coffee or Southern praline. One of my seasonal favorites is a bourbon-barrel Scotch ale, Drafty Kilt, which reminds me of Innis and Gunn.

Arches opened in 2016 in Hapeville and became East Point's first brewery and taproom when it moved into Atlanta Utility Works in 2024. The brewing is lager-focused, but Arches makes a little of everything from rich porters flavored with Mexican hot chocolate to its own hard seltzers. The brewery's space is big and industrial, with polished concrete floors and vaulted ceilings. It's impressive, but can get a little chilly in the depths of Atlanta's short but surprisingly harsh winters. So, bring a sweater. There's also a huge outdoor area and weekly outdoor karaoke — the fresh air inspires performers to belt out classic rock at the top of their lungs. 

Arches shares premises with Cultured South, a kombucha bar, and this is reflected in its offerings. There's hard-kombucha cocktails on tap, a kimchi bloody mary, a take on the spicy marg (The Pedro Pascal), and, of course, kombucha as an NA option. The food menu is mostly modern Southern snacks with a twist. There's pimento cheese and crackers, boiled peanuts, buffalo ranch chicken dip, and a whole host of sandwiches and hotdogs with fermented toppings. My favorite of these is the kimchi grilled cheese which I daydream about at least weekly.

Atlanta Utility Works is a bit of a maze, but in a good way. The beautiful red-brick foundry ruins on-site are sometimes open to taproom visitors, but if not you can get a peek at them on a tour. The Utility Works was a location for 'Stranger Things' and runs tours of Hawkins' Brimborn Steel Works while Arches offers affordable brewery tours and tastings. 

The tap menu at Inner Voice is constantly changing, making every visit an adventure. You'll always find a good mix of lagers and pilsners alongside both hazy and West Coast IPAs plus a couple of sours as well as dark beers. There are wildcards, too, such as a mango lassi sour that drinks more like a smoothie than a beer or the hard-seltzer slushies it usually has churning behind the bar. 

The cherry on the cake is Inner Voice Decatur's choice of pizza partner. Brainwave Pizza is installed inside the taproom, making NYC style sourdough pizzas and heavy, square, grandma-style pizzas that are somehow high-quality and deliciously trashy at the same time. Brainwave also offers takeout, a move complemented by the brewery's four-pack to-go beer, whose flavors changes as often as the tap menu. I recommend grabbing a few beers for home if you visit, as one of the best things about Inner Voice is the bright, creative, cartoony design of its cans. 

Inner Voice is undeniably cool, but less spacious and family friendly than other Atlanta breweries, so the vibe is a little different. Children are welcome during the day, but probably won't be allowed in for the taproom's regular Sunday night DJ sessions even with a really good fake ID. Dogs must be kept out on the patio. Inner Voice isn't a stuck up spot by any means. Think: Cozy, modern bar with an edge rather than the usual spacious warehouse space you can hang out in all day.

Initially, Bold Monk Brewing seems unassuming. It's a converted warehouse like many other breweries — but this one is, well, huge. And featureless. That initial impression doesn't last long, though. Inside, the architecture and beer compete to be the most impressive thing about the place. Many of the brewery's award-winning brews are Belgium, including knock-out tripels and quadrupels. There are lagers and IPAs, too. I've never tried a bad Bold Monk beer. That Belgium theme is what really inspires this brewery, right down to the dark wood and abbey-like vastness of the interior. 

Depending on where you're based, Bold Monk's West Midtown location might be a bit of a schlep. Since it's on the way to both Round Trip Brewing and Scofflaw, it makes sense as part of a brewery crawl. If I was building the itinerary, I'd hit Bold Monk last as it's easily the best option for dinner. The restaurant serves Southern comfort food alongside modern, pan-European cuisine. You can get mussels Provençal, shrimp and grains, or a big fat burger and fries; it's all fine-dining quality. This makes Bold Monk a great choice for groups -– it was absolutely on my list when family visited me. 

The layout encourages DIY experiences. There's a restaurant with farmhouse tables, a taproom with floor-to-ceiling windows, cozy sofa nooks with rugs, and even a bookshop. Outside, the pet-friendly beer garden is lined with mature trees reminding you that Atlanta really is a city in a forest. While Bold Monk offers something for everyone, it doesn't short change anyone. They'll stick the game on for your dad if he asks, and they'll let you read on your own in a corner with a beer, just like a good pub.

Okay, I have a type. Wild Heaven is another Atlanta brewery with a Historic West End taproom right off the Beltline. In fact, it's on the same stretch as Monday Night Garage. Wild Heaven's motto is "serve your neighbor," and the brewery lives up to it by partnering with Atlanta restaurants to feed taproom visitors, working with local wine makers, giving to local causes, and holding community events. In other words, there's always something going on at the taproom.

Despite this, the vibe at Wild Heaven is chill. There's outdoor seating for cyclists to flop with a pint after a long ride and where kids can play while their parents enjoy tacos and drinks. Which brings me to the beer. Wild Heaven uses European techniques while adding its own touches. The brews are usually lower ABV as there's no sugar added during brewing. There's also a noticeable botanical focus to a lot of Wild Heaven's beers –- White Blackbird (a Belgian Saison) is brewed with pink peppercorns and Korean, Chardonnay-marinated pears while its flagship pils-style, Emergency Drinking Beer, features lime and lemongrass. Wild Heaven also makes a great non-alcoholic IPA, so you can enjoy a drink even if you're off the booze.

Taqueria El Tesoro always has an affordable daily special on top of an extensive, authentic street food menu. It even offers blue corn tortillas, a Mexican staple we don't see much in America. Brunch is served at the Taqueria on Saturdays and Sundays, and I can confirm that a breakfast burrito and beer outside in the sun is a good time even if brunch isn't normally your thing.