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Coney Island is New York City‘s legendary seaside destination. With sandy beaches & a long boardwalk, it’s been a popular place to hang out on hot, sunny, & humid days for generations of New Yorkers. The amusement park rides at Luna Park add to the fun (assuming that you’re someone who enjoys roller coasters & doesn’t prefer to stay on the ground). Best of all, it’s easily accessed by Subway. If there’s warm weather in NYC, or if you’re just tempted to see what’s out at the end of the Subway map in Brooklyn, a trip out to Coney Island is a nice way to escape the city for a day. While there’s not a huge amount of craft beer in Coney Island, there’s one major craft brewery that also distributes its beer to other local hangouts. Here are my favorite Coney Island craft beer spots.
The Best Craft Beer in Coney Island, Brooklyn
Coney Island Brewing Company
Coney Island Brewing Company is a Coney Island destination itself. Even on an off-season day when the beach & boardwalk are quiet, you’ll still find plenty of drinkers trying new beers here.
The brewery is attached to the Brooklyn Cyclones ballpark. It has 12 rotating taps that go beyond their usual core beers that you’ll find elsewhere. These brewery-only creations extend beyond their more mainstream styles. They also have can releases of these beers, as well as a full food menu.
Two sets of flights are offered – one with flagship beers, the other is brewer’s choice. If that selection happens to align with what you want to try, great, otherwise you’re likely to want full pours.
There’s a beer garden out front where you can sit & people watch while listening to good music such as The Cure, The Smiths, Queen, David Bowie, & The Stone Roses. It’s a great place before or after a baseball game, or just whenever.
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Address: 1904 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224 (map)
Nearest Subway stations: Coney Island – Stillwell Av (D-F-N-Q)
Nathan’s Famous
The hottest place in Coney Island for carnivores, Nathan’s Famous has been serving up hot dogs since 1916. They also offer seafood, burgers, & chicken sandwiches.
But most people are there for the hot dogs. Every July 4th, thousands of people head to Coney Island for the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. The competition has been dominated by the legendary Joey Chestnut for years.
I don’t recommend trying to replicate his feats by eating 70+ hot dogs. Instead, get one or two, plus some of their classic crinkle-cut fries, and pair it with a massive craft beer from Coney Island or Brooklyn Brewery.
Nathan’s has two draft taps from Coney Island featuring their Mermaid pilsner & Beach kölsch. Both are a classic pairing with hot dogs.
Address: 1310 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224 (map)
Nearest Subway stations: Coney Island – Stillwell Av (D-F-N-Q)
In addition to the above, there are a few other local spots such as Grimaldi’s and Freak Bar that serve a small selection of craft beer, usually from Coney Island Brewing Company.
If you have another favorite place for beer in Coney Island, let me know in the comments!
Do you love craft beer? Check out more of my recommendations for the best craft beer around the world!
Here are some great New York City tours & activities & other things to see & do in New York City.
If you’re looking for a place to stay near Coney Island, check out these New York City hotels.
