By Maura Stevens
As you walk through downtown Fairfax City, nestled amongst the shops and restaurants, you will find four great breweries within walking distance of each other. Each brewery has its own vibe and offerings but their close proximity makes it easy to do an afternoon with a stop at each one.
Commonwealth Brewery
Commonwealth Brewery, located at 10426 Main Street, is the newest brewery to the area. Opening in September 2023, Commonwealth is located in a space that allows for a 4,800 square-foot tap room with 48 taps. The vibe is very relaxed and its decor consists of several long tables for date night or group gatherings with an option for patio seating. They often have live music performances and they serve food onsite with a wood fire pizza oven, small bites and salad offerings.
Commonwealth hosts a number of events each month such as Jazz, Reggae and Bluegrass brunches every month with live music. They also host various local artisan markets. You can check out all their upcoming events on their website.
Commonwealth Brewery
10426 Main St,
Fairfax, VA 22030
(703) 865-0603
https://commonwealthbrewingcompany.com/location/fairfax/
Ornery Brewery
Ornery Brewery is another great option in Fairfax City. Located at the corner of University Drive and North Street one block over from Commonwealth. They are a full service restaurant and pub and offer a full menu as well as a full bar offering.
While they brew most of their beer at their larger facility in Bristow they have a 3 barrel pilot brewery in Fairfax where their brewers create both new beers and small batch creations.
They host social events including trivia nights, paint nights and a books and brews book club at the brewery. They also host a Sunday brunch each week.
You can check out all their upcoming events on their website.
Ornery Brewing
3950 University Dr. #106
Fairfax, VA 22030
571-459-2143
https://www.ornerybeer.com/
Chubby Squirrel Brewing Company
The Chubby Squirrel Brewing company prides itself on being the first brewery in Fairfax City and is just a hop skip and a jump from Ornery. The brewery expanded by taking over the space next door. This has allowed them to add much more seating as well as a great arcade area. If you don’t want to sit inside there is also an outdoor seating area in the front.
They offer a rotating variety of beers on nine taps and include guest taps to highlight craft beers from other breweries, as well as ciders and slushies – both with and without alcohol.
The kitchen offers small bites including chicken wings, a smashburger, pierogies, tater tots and more.
Check out all their website for more information.
The Chubby Squirrel brewing Company
10382 Willard Way
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
(571) 989-1082
https://www.chubbysquirrelbrewing.com/
The High Side
The High Side is a tap room and restaurant that offers pours from some of the most highly desired breweries in Virginia. Located on Chain Bridge Road and Main Street, the High Side boasts 20 taps of craft beer/cider/mead as well as wine and limited spirits.
The tap room provides a great opportunity to taste some great Virginia beers without having to travel very far.
The High Side also has a full service kitchen and is known for its asian street food offerings. There menu offers several small plates, plus dishes for lunch or dinner.
Check out all their website for more information.
The High Side
4009 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax VA 22030
https://highsideva.com/
