Brewery Ommegang

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.65/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$$

Any day at a brewery is a good day. But the meandering through rural Cooperstown scenic byways culminates in a magical entrance onto the Brewery Ommegang's property and easing through the building's breeze way. A mental transforming goes from Upstate New York and into an authenic Belgian getaway.

Along with a guided tour through the brewery and a concluding beer tasting of all six of Ommegang's flagship brands, the newly erected gift shop and cafe further reinforce the the classy and quirky fashions and traditions of true Belgian farmhouses. Modern amenities, lighting, and proportions complement the rural European woodworking, color scheme, and rustic nature well.

The cafe is cozy and spacious at the same time, and tucked through the gift shop. Seating 15-20 at the bar and additional table seating for maybe 30-40 more is ample and void of clutter. Clean lines, tile flooring, polished woods, and sleek stainless steel create a comfortable and modern space for a casual afternoon of beer sippin' and dining.

Of couse the beers of Witte, Abbey Ale, BPA,Rare Vos Hennepin, and Three Philosophers were well on display; but so were Aphrodite, Chocolate Indulgence, Leifmans Framboise and Cuvee, and Duvel Draft. With several bottles from Trappist brewers and other Authenic Belgian Ales from Achouffe and Maredsous, the cafe boasts a concentrated but array of flavors to sample and enjoy without risk of boredom.

Belgian waffels, crepes, frites, stews, sandwiches, and deserts are all available on their extensive food menu, but I opted for the gruyere and white cheddar fondu with apples, artisnal breads, and gormet sausages for dipping-certainly enough for a light lunch among two. Although a bit on the pricey side, the quality makes up for it- still running in the $12-$18 price range for most dishes.

Stopping in just after the lunch crowd, left us with a lot of one-on-one attention with the bar staff and a brewer on break. The conversation lead to a lot of education about the beers and philosophy of the brewery and cafe, so the knowledge of the staff left us very impressed.

No visit to the cafe is complete without a venture through the gift shop where among tee shirts, bar wares, and chouffe statues are all available for purchase- so are artisinal spreads and cheeses that incorporate the brewery's beers.

All this makes for a charming and delightful day at the brewery. The cafe certainly takes the art of making beer into more than just a quick stopover, but is now a destination spot for those who don't want to leave the brewery, but are in fear of wearing out the welcome. Set on a gentle hillside and on a calming estate, it's hard to want to leave the brewery.

06-29-2011 02:34:54 | More by BEERchitect

Nutleybeer

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -14.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$

I think this place is pretty new. When you go thru the entrance, you are in the brewery store. Not huge, but a good selection of glassware, shirts, signs, etc. You can purchase warm bottles of beer only. I tried to get a cold one to go, but I think due to some law in relation to the cafe, they can't allow it.

The cafe is not that large, but it is nice. The bar has about 15 or so seats. There are a half dozen or so pub tables. Then, 2 long communal tables. You order from the bar and they bring your food and drinks to you. A bit chaotic perhaps, but the waiters did a good job and were on top of everything.

Obviously, the beers are Belgian style. Aside from the Ommegang selection, there were was Duvel on tap and others bottled. The prices ranged from $4.50 and up. Of course all was served in the proper glasses, as you would expect.

Finally, the food was good. A larger menu than I thought. Fritis was several choices of dipping sauces. About 10 types of crepes. they also had sandwiches, cheese, etc. All pretty reasonably priced.

Overall, a good time. Nice people and well worth the stop.

04-18-2011 13:28:34 | More by Nutleybeer

socon67

New York

4.05/5  rDev -10.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Went here with the wife and a good friend on a Thursday.

A - A mixture of people hanging at the bar working on quality belgian beer and families at the tables. Not exactly a beer pub atmosphere, but the large tables make for conversation with the locals.

S - We had to wait a bit to get seated, but once we did the waitress was friendly, knowledgeable and everything came in the proper glass. Our food came out promptly. Overall was solid.

S - Plenty of great belgian beers. All the year round Ommegang staples, plus Gnomegang and other belgian imports. I had plenty to choose from.

F - Belgian fair, which is great for this place. Frites, crepes, and fondue. Many items made with their beers. I found this added to the experience.

V - For 3 of us, a fondue, 2 orders of frites, a filled crepe, 2 flights of 3 beers, and 3 pints came to $55. I felt that was reasonable. But being from NY I'm used to an average meal beig pricey.

Overall this was a fun experience. I was looking to try this place for a while. Highly recommended, and 6 miles from the Baseball Hall of Fame.

08-19-2011 00:07:09 | More by socon67

jayhawk73

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev -0.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

I traveled to Cooperstown this last week for a tour, and afterwards stopped by the Cafe Ommegang for lunch. The cafe seems to be fairly new, and is decorated beautifully. Very colorful, w/ the reminder that you're in a brewery that's owned by Duvel. The service i had was fantastic. Advice when I wanted it, and very attentive while I was there. The selection of food and beer was really good of course. The menu generally features Belgian style faire, and my meal/dessert was amazing. In addition to Ommegang's brews, there are several from Belgium/Duvel as well. Duvel on draft of course. Prices were also pretty reasonable for what you got. I was extremely happy w/ my visit to the Cafe, and have been raving about it to anyone who will listen ever since.

08-13-2011 01:15:55 | More by jayhawk73

Cmack15

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev -7.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

Wow the food was so good at the cafe and to pair it with Ommegang beer is awesome. The menu is very Belgian inspired with Mussels and Frites, Cheese Plate, and other beer cooked food items. Really clean and sharp looking inside, big bar, high def tv, and long tables. I would make this place a destination for the combination of good food and good beer. I think they have 6 or so beers on tap and a guest beer or 2 in the mix. I wish I lived closer to Ommegang because I could see this place becoming my fave local bar.
Cheers

06-27-2011 21:14:26 | More by Cmack15

fmccormi

New York

4.47/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

Café Ommegang at the Ommegang Brewery outside of Cooperstown is worth a side trip in and of itself, even aside from the brewery. It's in the visitor's center / tasting room / brewery shop complex behind the brewery, and man is it good.

The atmosphere at Café Ommegang is good: the lighting is comfortable, the tables and chairs are nice, the decorations are interesting and whatnot, and it's a decent-sized space. It felt a little cold and empty when I was there, but I could imagine the place being excellent when traffic picks up a bit. Also, service at the café was excellent. The hostess was friendly and helpful, and the waiter was very helpful, as well. Great service, actually.

As may be expected at a place like the Café Ommegang, the selection was good, but not "excellent," per se. They had a number of fantastic taps and bottles, but of course it was all Ommegang, Duvel, Maredsous, Liefmann's, Brasserie d'Achouffe and De Konnick. Not exactly the place you'd go for a Miller Lite, or a Lagunitas on tap for that matter, either. If you're there, you're expecting good Belgian beer–probably connected to the Duvel family–and that's exactly what you get. On that note, that's exactly what they've got, and lots of it. I think they had 8 taps there, including the standard Ommegang line-up (plus Aphrodite!) plus Duvel "classic" and "Green," and one or two Liefmann's on tap, as well. Everything else they've got in bottles, but they've got plenty of it! The quality of the beer there is unreal. So, so good, and fresh as can be. Definitely the place to go if you're looking for any of the above-mentioned Belgian beers, and since Ommegang and the Duvel family are so wide-ranging in terms of style and taste, they've got plenty for just about everyone.

This is all well and good, but the food absolutely cannot be overlooked! The food is excellent, and they do have a number of vegetarian options (though, sadly, gluten free and vegan options are hard to find). They've got traditional Belgian food (check out the Ommegang website for a pdf of the menu there), plus meat and cheese plates, and desserts. Waffles and crepes, both sweet and savory, top-notch cheeses with a variety of tasting accompaniments on the side (like honeycomb, gherkins pickled radishes to accompany an aged goat cheese I had there), wonderful soups and stew, and inventive desserts like their fried crepe sundae with Three Philosophers ice cream and chocolate sauce. I mean, honestly.

And finally, the value is reasonable, I'd say. You can spend a few dollars, definitely, but what you're getting is fantastic: both the beer and food you're receiving–via excellent service, I might add–will leave you satisfied and wondering when you can get back. I'm still drooling over that cheese plate and the tomato bisque I had with my Houblon Chouffe. So yeah, the value is really quite good, when you consider what you're getting for your money.

In short, Café Ommegang is great. It's a great value for what they've got there, and they really aren't skimping anywhere. I personally can't wait to go back, and enjoyed it at least as much as the brewery tour (which I've done four times now, I believe) and the gift shop (which has grown, and is definitely the cheapest (and freshest) place to get Ommegang and Duvel family products). Go to Café Ommegang, plan on having at least one meal, and enjoy yourself!

09-06-2011 17:44:15 | More by fmccormi

Edwaka01

New York

4.88/5  rDev +8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

Ommegang is a gem. From rolling up the driveway to the store, tasting room, and cafe, even the bathrooms, Brewery Ommegang is as aesthetically pleasing as can be. Staff are friendly, there's music playing, and obviously, plenty of beer - both for purchase and for consumption on site.

The beer Ommegang makes is world-class, and the fact that they have all of their sister companies (Duvel, Liefmans, Chouffe, Maredsous) only increases your options.

Service is awesome. Both in the cafe and store, these people know their beer. Food in the cafe comes out quick despite the cafe being jam-packed.

Selection is not vast, its only Ommegang and Duvel family brands, but those brands are all awesome, and the reasoning here is understandable.

Food is the best yet. I haven't tried it all, but I assume it's all awesome. The frites are fantastic, as is the strawberry arugula salad, and probably everything else.

The prices aren't too bad, just not dirt cheap.

Skip the hall of fame, head to Ommegang.

01-29-2012 21:31:50 | More by Edwaka01

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +9.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Best damn brewery in the U.S. in my book. A very special quad, 3 Philosophers, my favorite dubbel, and in walked Hennipen, what a beer. I also love the Winter Adoration Ale among others. What a bright beer that is. Art of Darkness another nice choice.

Don't forget to check out some of my favorite glassware too.

02-21-2013 00:02:24 | More by frankiepop

coopbrewer

New York

4.2/5  rDev -7.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

Cafe Ommegang is located in the vister center beyond the beautiful arched entry of the brewery. The gift shop carrys all the Ommegang stable of beers and an occasional special selection. I say the selection is good simply because the all the Ommegang beers are at the very least decent plus they have Duvel, Maredsous, Liefman's, and Chouffe. The Cafe has many of the beers on tap. There are several large tables for seating plus some smaller raised tables running around the perimeter of the room. The bar is large with seating for 15 or so patrons. The food is generally outstanding. There are a variety of crepes, soups, cheese/cracker/meat trays, fondue, frites, and waffles. The only down side being the concrete floor that negatively affects the acoustics of the room. Still it is well worth the trip for great beer and a quality lunch/early dinner if you are visting the Cooperstown area.

08-22-2011 19:14:27 | More by coopbrewer

vomfoss

Florida

4.66/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.75 | $$

Being form the area, The best thing to have happened to the Cooperstown area is this brewery and adding the restaurant, well only took Ommegang to a level that very few breweries ever get too, this place is just done right, great beer, great staff and the menu is what you would find if in fact you where in Brussels drinking away the day. So do yourself a favor, if within driving distance, MAKE THE TRIP!!! Ommegang if you are listening….now it’s time to expand the restaurant because the locals who have supported you for so long cant find a seat….even in December :)

01-26-2013 19:24:28 | More by vomfoss