Mill Valley Beerworks Is Now A Full-On Restaurant

If you've never visited Mill Valley Beerworks, now is probably a better time than ever to do so. Its brewmaster owners Justin and Tyler Catalana just reopened their Marin brewery last week after an extensive remodel and expansion into the former hair salon next door. Tyler is an architect by trade, and the brothers spent the better part of a year fabricating everything in the new space and kitchen by hand. What was once a brewery and small cafe, is now an even larger brewery (with new barrel-aging capacities), and a full-service restaurant with lots more seating, and a very open kitchen integrated into the design. The Catalana brothers brought chef David Wilcox up from the perpetually buzzy Gjelina in Los Angeles to create a menu that fluctuates daily based on the market.

As you enter the space, a large open kitchen (pictured, right) is visible on the left-hand side of the space. The dining room, filled with communal tables and bar seating, beckons on the right. (UrbanDaddy has a nice slideshow with more interior shots.)

On the beer program side of things, know that the Catalana's aren't into the "extreme" beers that are big on the market right now. They brew with ingredients "that were popular before hops got trendy," like juniper, bay leaf, and yerba mate. There's also a 60-deep bottle list and another themed list that changes quarterly. Right now, it's focused on the Italian craft beer movement, including Montegioco Rex Grue, Borgo ReAle Extra, and over ten others.

Visit Mill Valley Beerworks nightly from 5 p.m. to midnight. Look for lunch and brunch to be added in the next few months, along with Blue Bottle coffee and housemade pastries in the mornings. "There's not a whole lot offered in Marin," adds Catalana. "We're trying to change that."

A full sample menu follows:

radishes - butter · salt – $3
pickles – $5
marinated olives – $5
cheeses - roasted grapes · smoked almonds · fennel – $12
roasted pig cheek - eggplant relish · green onion – $7
fava toast - feta · fines herbs – $10
charentais melon & prosciutto - watercress – $8

Small Plates
jimmy nardello peppers - hazelnuts · sherry vinegar – $8
23 minute roasted new potatoes - romesco · aioli – $8
beets and cucumbers - charred onions · crème fraîche · dill – $9
lacinato kale - cherry tomato · fennel · croutons · red wine vinaigrette – $8
grilled little gems - yogurt dressing . shallot . sesame . bottarga – $10
mixed lettuces - olive oil · lemon . parmesan . aged balsamic – $8
romano beans - poached egg · roasted tomato sauce · luques olives – $9
snap peas - sofritto · guanciale · mint · chile – $8
summer squash - nettle pistou · lemon · parmesan · breadcrumbs – $8
king oyster mushrooms - fennel butter – $8
sautéed turnips & tops - chimichurri – $8
cured salmon - parsley . pickled onion . crème fraîche – $13
grilled squid - fava beans · frisee · cherry tomato – $13
grilled sardine - avocado · radish · parsley · lemon – $14

Plates
pan seared pork chop - cranberry beans · charred tomato · watercress – $25
confit rabbit - piopinni mushrooms . spring onion . mustard sauce – $23
wild rice - shiitake mushrooms · smoked almonds . radicchio – $17
short ribs agridolce · onions · peppers · roasted cauliflower – $21
pappardelle - tuna conserva · cherry tomato · fresno chile · thyme – $17

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