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In a sea of child-friendly restaurants where the main draw is some kind of play structure or two-foot-tall chess set — and where everything else (i.e. menu, ingredients, methods) might seem like an afterthought — this brewery and restaurant stands out thanks to its gorgeous venue and broad menu, with everything from ceviche and steak frites to beer flights. While there’s no play area with slides or a sandbox, there are some cool shaped swinging seats. And the lagoon-front location with walking paths offers a perfect detour until their food (burger, grilled cheese, and more) lands or a place get the wiggles out after a slice of dense, squishy bread pudding.

Viewpoint Brewing will be hosting an event Wednesday, April 27th, starting at 5pm, for an evening of good food, good beer, and giving. They will be launching their donation matching campaign to support CORE’s humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. On “Good Morning San Diego” KUSI’s Kacey McKinnon was out at Viewpoint Brewing Company with details on their “Evening of Giving” event.

Italian pilsners are known for their crisp finish, German influence, and dry-hop aromatics, and this collaboration with Dos Desperados Brewing in San Marcos is no exception. This easy-drinking Pilsner packs a hefty olfactory punch—thanks to the Southern Cross hops—but bitterness remains wonderfully restrained in the finish.

Offering stellar views, a full dining menu, and a variety-filled lineup of beers, from lighter options like kolsch and IPL (India Pale Lager) to heftier choices, including a golden strong and bourbon barrel aged abbey stout, Viewpoint Brewery is a lively and engaging space to enjoy coastal weather and scenery. Nestled in a spot overlooking the San Dieguito Lagoon, Viewpoint is Del Mar’s first brewery, and is conveniently located near the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and features a bar and restaurant, complete with fire tables, communal spaces, games, and swings for plenty of outdoor enjoyment.

Some of the best brewery dining can be had at Viewpoint in Del Mar, whose kitchen is run by Gunnar Planter, a chef that spent many years at Mille Fleurs in addition to Rancho Bernardo Inn and the University Club.

It’s a project more than two years in the making, but this month marks the long-anticipated opening of Viewpoint Brewing Co. Initially called Vigilante Brewing, the 7,000-square-foot brewery and restaurant is housed in a unique industrial space, formerly a commercial pottery studio, located just a stone’s throw from the Del Mar Fairgrounds alongside the San Dieguito Lagoon and Wildlife Bird Reserve.

Viewpoint Brewing Co., Del Mar’s first brewery and restaurant, has a dreamy new location on the banks of the San Dieguito Lagoon and River Park just north of Del Mar Village and within eyeshot of the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Aiming to be fully up and running by Opening Day of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, it is a long-awaited first venture for founder Charles Koll, a local chef and homebrewer. The 7,000-square-foot brewery and restaurant is a family affair; the sleek yet warm warehouse space was designed by his sister-in-law, with his father, family members and friends counted among its backers and builders.

There’s a brewery every 7.5 feet in San Diego, but somehow Del Mar managed not to have one—until now. Viewpoint Brewing Co. has opened a 7,000 square-foot brewery, tasting room, and gastropub in a warehouse with roll-up garage doors spilling your eyes out to the San Dieguito Lagoon and Wildlife Bird Reserve. Owner, chef, and homebrewer Charles Koll and exec chef Gunnar Planter (both who worked under Martin Woesle at Mille Fleurs) are doing gastropub food like pretzel bao buns, steak frites, smoked gouda mac and cheese, plus some salads and lighter fare for the area’s fit crowd. Over 20 taps will pour their own beer and favorites from other local brewers, plus a couple Skee Ball machines and outdoor Astro-turf games.

I don’t cover every single new brewery opening in San Diego individually. To be honest, there are far too many of them, and the majority of new ventures—while they may be producing good, interesting beer—are (for the most part) not remarkable for their location, design, use of space, or other experiential aspects. The ones that do stand out—Stone Liberty Station, Bagby Beer, North Park Beer, Urge Common House, for example—all provide unique settings that add an extra-special layer of enjoyment for visitors. Viewpoint Brewing is also such a place.

There’s a brewery every 7.5 feet in San Diego, but somehow Del Mar managed not to have one—until now. Viewpoint Brewing Co. has opened a 7,000 square-foot brewery, tasting room, and gastropub in a warehouse with roll-up garage doors spilling your eyes out to the San Dieguito Lagoon and Wildlife Bird Reserve. Owner, chef, and homebrewer Charles Koll and exec chef Gunnar Planter (both who worked under Martin Woesle at Mille Fleurs) are doing gastropub food like pretzel bao buns, steak frites, smoked gouda mac and cheese, plus some salads and lighter fare for the area’s fit crowd. Over 20 taps will pour their own beer and favorites from other local brewers, plus a couple Skee Ball machines and outdoor Astro-turf games.

Viewpoint is one of those places that started out with a bunch of great things going for it. First in my mind is its killer setting: It’s nestled on the edge of San Dieguito Lagoon, overlooking the shallow water and the abundant wildlife that resides there. An idyllic setting such as this is rare for breweries and brewery restaurants in San Diego, so it offers something truly unique. Viewpoint is also the first and, to date, only brewery in Del Mar. Yes, that means they had to be brave enough to pioneer, but it also means they get to serve a previously (and woefully) underserved population. Good for them. And smart.

This beautifully designed brewery and restaurant space sits right on the San Dieguito Lagoon, directly across from the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The indoor tasting room opens out into an outdoor space that enables patrons to bask in a unique wetland habitat, replete with tall grasses, sand bars, and plenty of water fowl. Large booths with individual tabletop firepits are great for gathering with friends, and the full kitchen offers an excellent variety of unique, elevated pub-inspired dishes. Oh, and did I mention that the beer is also top-notch? All in all, this is one of the most satisfying beer-food-environments you can find in San Diego.

Del Mar’s first and only brewery and restaurant, Viewpoint Brewing sits on the banks of the San Dieguito Lagoon and River Park, where you can enjoy your beer from the deck and take in the river views. Although their initial philosophy was “drinkability,” the brewery is looking to be more aggressive with hops and bitterness as they tweak their beer recipes, in addition to their more approachable flavor profiles. They also have a seasonal food menu specifically designed to pair with the house beer, so keep an eye out for that.

Look for lagoons and native birds on this 5-mile path

Viewpoint features a selection of upscale bar bites, served with a unique view of the San Dieguito Lagoon. Menu highlights: crispy Spanish octopus, charred broccoli, naan mi.

Believe it or not, up to this point, Del Mar did not have a brewery. But that’s now a problem of the past: Viewpoint Brewing just opened its doors on a scenic plot overlooking the San Dieguito Lagoon, right across from the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Spacious, modern, and open to the air, this new location is a welcome addition to the local beer scene for a few reasons. First of all, it’s got plenty of space with seating options of many kinds. There’s room for families, dogs, large groups—there are even Skeeball machines and some playground equipment on a grassy patch for the youngins. Secondly, there’s not only a full menu available, it’s also a menu with creative, innovative, and very beer-friendly food (oxtail frites, anyone?). Third, needless to say, is the fact that the beer is very good.

Rather than the ocean, the view is of the sunset hues descending on the wetlands and scrub of San Dieguito Lagoon, a half mile from the beach in Del Mar. The massive shaded patio is made all the more inviting by Skee-Ball, corn hole, elevated pub fare, and 20 taps of local and house-brewed suds.

Wet hop beers, like IPAs and other hoppy beer styles, embrace hop flavor and balanced bitterness as desirable elements in smell and taste. But, unlike other hop-forward beers that are brewed year-round, wet hop beers tend to only appear around the beginning of September and only stick around for a month or two.

The loved ones of craft beer enthusiasts become accustomed to long drives through industrial areas to find yet another “unique” warehouse brewery.