Good food, good service, and good location– it must be Brewsters Beer Garden.

Located in the historic area of downtown Petaluma, Brewsters is a restaurant for everybody. The outdoor seating is great for pets, children and adults. The fire pits and heaters keep guests warm, while entertainment includes bocce ball. It’s a home for good food to be enjoyed with even better company.

“We set out to create a community gathering place, more than a restaurant,” owner Benjamin Hetzel said. “We wanted to create a space that felt like a backyard barbecue, with your closest friends and family.”

If the ambiance doesn’t draw you in, the food certainly will. On the menu, you can find anything from salads and small bites to burgers and barbecue. According to their website, they strive for sustainability and local foods, basing their menu off of South Carolina’s barbecue. “Think southern barbecue meets California produce with a refined touch of explosive flavors.”

One of their most popular food choices is the Chicken Sando ($15). The meal includes fried chicken with romaine lettuce, house made bacon, garlic mayo and their decadent goat cheese sauce on a village bakery challah bun with fries or salad. Reminding customers to eat their veggies, Brewsters also offers a selection of greens and salads which includes their own take on a caesar salad. They toss all the things we love about the traditional caesar salads with kale rather romaine lettuce to make a tasty and healthy choice ($13).

To accompany the hearty food menu, the restaurant also offers a list of 30 craft beers on draught, local wines, and a full selection of cocktails to enjoy with the meal.

The menu choices are carefully curated, as is everything else the beer garden has to offer. “[We have] well thought out and seasonal cocktails, natural wines and a food menu that celebrates the bounty that surrounds us,” Hetzel said. He goes on to explain that details are everything, and that’s why they pay attention to things such as what crayons they give out and how their napkins feel. To support local produce and ranches, they work to make responsible decisions about how their food waste is used.

While visitors savor the food and company of close friends, they can focus their attention towards the stage where there is occasionally live music. Brewsters offers more than just what is on their menu; they offer an experience in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

“I love working here!” Alex Brody, a student at Sonoma State and server at Brewsters, said. “It is a positive environment that reflects Petaluma’s friendly community and shows we’re a family as well.”

Their goals are to be a place that is more than just a restaurant. Both Hetzel and the webpage emphasize the same values: a place for people looking for more than just a tasty meal. A place for a community gathering where people want to have fun; they have succeeded in just that.

Next time you’re in a situation where everyone is hungry but nobody knows where to go, it shouldn’t take 20 minutes to decide. The answer is Brewsters. . . It’s always Brewsters.