Top 11 breweries for babies, ranked

There’s no doubt, breweries are the new public spaces in our city – and babies and toddlers are all over the Charlotte brewery scene.

Have a baby and still thirsty for local beer and community? We’ve evaluated the top 10 baby-friendly breweries in Charlotte.

[Related: The #1 beer at each of Charlotte’s 18 breweries]

#11 Brewers at 4001 Yancey

LoSo’s newest brewery is a joint venture between Victory and Southern Tier Brewing Companies housed in a massive 28,000-square-foot taproom. There’s not that much outdoor space, but don’t forget OMB is just down the road for when your little one wants to do a lap or two.

• High chairs? Yes

• Changing tables? Yes, in a family restroom
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Kid food? Yes, a kids’ menu is available with things like cheese pizza and a grilled cheese
• Kid activities? Enclosed woodchip area for kids to run around in and cornhole
• Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

#10 Catawba

Beautiful, large indoor taproom on a super hot day. This newbie Charlotte brewery just cracked the top 10 and I expect it to increase its baby offerings once management realizes Charlotte’s baby brewery visitor volume.

• High chairs? Yes

• Changing tables? Yes, and a family bathroom
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Kid food? Yes — a variety of food trucks. They rotate, but there’s usually at least one that serves hot dogs/hamburgers. They also sell juices and kid-friendly beverages.
• Kid activities? Long Biergarten tables, outside patio that kids run around on. 

• Hours: Monday through Thursday, 3-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 12-11 p.m. and Sunday, 12-8 p.m.

#9 Lenny Boy

Will your toddler like kombucha? There’s only one way to find out…

• High chairs? No

• Changing tables? Yes
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Kid food? Yes, and non-alcoholic kombucha
• Kid activities? Large outside area with cornhole, board games and kid-friendly events.
• Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 4-9 p.m., Friday, 3-11 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

#8 Sycamore

Given the popularity of Sycamore, going during peak hours is brutal for parents. That said, you can’t beat a morning Countryside IPA when they throw their Saturday breakfast events that start at 9 a.m. — my 2-year-old son and I have been to several of these breakfast events and then we’ll walk the Rail Trail afterward (which he loves).

• High chairs? No

• Changing tables? No
• Free WiFi? No
• Kid food? Yes, Papi Queso food truck serves grilled cheeses out of their kitchen Monday-Friday. Gyro Twins serves on Fridays and Saturdays, and Tin Kitchen on Sundays.
• Kid activities? Large outdoor space, picnic tables, card games and Jenga. Live music on the weekends. Sycamore is also the host of Food Truck Friday, which is kid-friendly.
• Hours: Monday through Thursday, 4-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 12-11 p.m., Sunday, 12-10 p.m.
• Monday-Thursday, 4-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 12- 11 p.m.; Sunday, 12- 9 p.m.

#7 Birdsong

Birdsong’s outdoor beautiful outdoor space is a favorite of babies and dogs. Oh, and toddlers love free peanuts.

• High Chairs? No

• Changing tables? Yes, in both restrooms
• Free WiFi? No
• Kid freebies? Free locally roasted peanuts from Houston’s Peanuts
• Kid food? No kitchen, but there is a rotating food truck schedule
• Kid activities? Variety of board games and card games, along with cornhole and TV on the patio. Good outdoor space for hanging out.
• Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 3-10 p.m., Saturday, 12-10 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

#6 Sugar Creek

Sugar Creek’s clip-on-table high chairs are an unforgettable asset for parents.

• High chairs? Yes

• Changing tables? Yes, only in women’s room
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Kid freebies? Coloring
• Kid food? Yes
• Kid activities? Board games, sidewalk chalk, giant Jenga
• Hours: Monday through Thursday, 4-10 p.m., Friday, 2-11 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday, 12-8 p.m.

#5 Blue Blaze

Can’t beat the free snacks here. Pretzels, trail mix and s’mores for moms, dads and kiddos.

• High chairs? Yes

• Changing tables? Yes, in both restrooms
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Kid freebies? Complimentary snacks, including s’mores ingredients
• Kid food? Yes, as well as Honest Kids juice and other non-alcoholic beverages
• Kid activities? Lots of games, plus an outdoor area where kids can run around
• Hours: Monday through Wednesday, 4-9 p.m., Thursday, 3-10 p.m., Friday, 12-10 p.m., Sunday, 12-8 p.m.

#4 Legion

Beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces that provide the perfect mix of toddler freedom and gated restraint. Legion board games also provide parents a little extra peace and quiet as they sip their Juicy Jay.

• High chairs? Yes

• Changing tables? Yes
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Kid food? Yes, including beer pretzels

• Kid activities? In the taproom, there’s a big shelf of board games like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, along with card games and giant Jenga. There’s also a small outside space with sidewalk chalk, shuffleboard, and a pinball machine.
• Hours: Monday through Thursday, 2-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 12-11 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

#3 Free Range Brewing

With non-alcoholic drinks and a designated kids area (even though the space is much smaller than other taprooms), Free Range’s design is very inclusive. This NoDa brewery has a true “neighborhood” feel.

• High chairs? Yes

• Changing tables? Yes
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Kid Food? No kids menu, but their menu works for kids. They also created their own non-alcoholic drink sort of like kombucha, but lighter and easier on the acidity.
• Kid activities? Large kids area with books, toys, board games, art supplies and a large chalkboard.
• Hours: Monday, 5-11 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, 5-11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 12-11 p.m., Sunday, 12-9 p.m.

#2 NoDa Brewing Company

Owners Suzie and Todd are all about community and you can tell from their thoughtful space design and event programming.

• High chairs? Yes

• Changing tables? Yes, in both restrooms
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Kid freebies? Complimentary organic juice boxes
• Kid food? The Tin Kitchen food truck that’s there every day has a kids menu.
• Kid activities? Games, chalk and a large outdoor space with a patio and astroturf.
• Hours: Monday through Thursday, 4-9 p.m., Friday, 4-10 p.m., Saturday, 12-10 p.m., Sunday, 4-7 p.m.

#1 Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

OMB is crawling with babies. If Vegas were to provide an over/under line, it’d be at 50 babies/toddlers on any given Saturday afternoon.

• High chairs? Yes

• Changing tables? Yes
• Free WiFi? Yes
• Kid freebies? Coloring
• Kid food? Kids menu with hot dog, grilled cheese, ham and cheese sandwich. Also have milk, soda, and lemonade.
• Kid activities? Rows of picnic tables and wide open spaces of grass for kids to run around in. They also have cornhole, but some kids are just fine playing with rocks in the Biergarten. It opens at 11 a.m., 7 days a week, so you can go before nap time.
• Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.