Eating out with baby – Amsterdam Brewhouse

We’re no strangers to the Amsterdam line of beers and had been waiting eagerly to check out the new Brewhouse that opened by the Harbourfront  Centre with the little one. Brew pubs and baby.. oh yea! We had too much fun at the Mill Street Beer Hall, we were hoping for the same here. What I love about the Amsterdam Brewhouse is that it’s huge! You have dining options inside, upstairs and an awesome patio at the back where you can feel the cool cool breeze, watch the party boats cruise by and pretend that you’re on holiday.

Just being by the Toronto Harbourfront Centre enables me to pretend that I’m not ‘at home’ but somewhere fun, carefree and frivolous. The way you do whilst vacationing. Is that just me? Or do you feel the same Torontonians?

We walked up and were expecting a bit of a wait given the line up but were whisked away promptly to the patio, with our large stroller and all. High chairs and change tables are all check marks here. The beer list is stellar but unfortunately most of the brews our group requested were out! I know… how can a brewery run out? Though truth be told, our server was lovely but he may have been slightly off his game; we asked him if some of the brews would be available at the retail store next door and he said no. Well guess what? We found some of the beers there! Yes there’s a retail shop attached to the premises, taking a page from Bellwoods and Mill street… definitely the way to go! They retail store is open later than your local LCBO too!

As for the menu options, everything incorporates some aspect of beer making, be it an ingredient or a brewing process. I started with dessert – nothing wrong with that right? A root beer float was what I ordered and I was expecting a pint size of it, but what I got was a shot glass size with fried oreos. Yes fried oreos... they were pretty good. Warm, gooey and almost like a cookie, only once it cooled did I realize it was an Oreo. Our server recommended the Chicken Schnitzel and that’s what I got – it was good, the Little Monkey loved it and I was surprised by the fact that a brewhouse would offer sauteed rapini and crispy capers alongside the Schnitzel. The Brewmaster’s sausage pizza was good but it was no Pizzeria Liberetto! I didn’t taste the burger but our burger loving friend was all over it and said he’s be back for more. The Lobster rolls were my least favourite, but we knew we were taking a risk by ordering it – after the Common Goods visit right next door, it’s hard to try a lobster roll elsewhere! For you healthy fiends, there’s lettuce wraps on offer! Not one of my faves but my brother did order it and so I sampled some. Aeh… not my thing. It was just aite.

I’d be back to the Amsterdam Brewhouse. more for the atmosphere. the beer list (hopefully everything will be available next time!) and for select nibbles. I do love the patio and will be sure to miss it come winter! Something to look forward to come spring I suppose!