7 Best Breweries in Orlando for Families

If you’re looking for the best breweries in Orlando for families, your options are endless ... and growing by the minute.

Orlando may be known as the Theme Park Capital of the World, but it also tops the list of best cities for some pretty great barley pops.

My husband Brooks and I have been to most of the breweries in Central Florida, and I say “most” because it seems like there are new ones popping up every year.

Just this past year, we’ve seen Gatlin Hall Brewing and a new Bowigens location in Avalon Park officially open, with a few more coming in the next couple years.

So whether you’re here for a fun family vacation, visiting friends or family in the area, looking for your new favorite spot to grab a brew — or even a hoppy way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day — you’re definitely in the right city.



Now, Brooks is a huge craft beer nerd; he’s even got a beer blog where he rates all the different ones he’s tried. As his editor-in-chief, I get to try them all, too (hashtag wife win).

Our ranking system for each brewery includes a few factors. Everyone likes different things, so while you may be looking for something more kid-friendly, someone else may want a wide variety of beer styles.

When creating this list, we took into account:

• Location
• Family-Friendly Atmosphere
• Beer
• Food & Service

While you really can’t go wrong with any of these Orlando breweries, I’ve ranked them in order based on my own experiences and how family-friendly they are.

7. À La Cart

Let me preface by saying: À La Cart is not a brewery — but it IS a really unique spot to drink craft beer and hang out with your family.

It’s more like a “social dining experience,” and I absolutely love it, so I couldn’t not include it here.


^{Photo courtesy of À La Cart}

Location

À La Cart is tucked away on a side street off of Colonial Drive, almost right in the middle of a bunch of major neighborhoods: College Park, Baldwin Park and Downtown Orlando.

It’s right near a big shopping plaza and tons of low-key places to eat. We especially love the authentic Southeast Asian restaurants in Little Vietnam.

Family-Friendly Atmosphere

This spot pretty much combines a food truck park with craft beer. They offer a unique selection of beers from a variety of breweries, along with street food from local food trucks.

À La Cart has both indoor and outdoor seating, but it can get pretty busy and crowded since the space isn’t that big. I would recommend visiting during the weekday or earlier on the weekends to get a good spot with your family.

^{One time, we went on a rainy day, brought umbrellas and had the outdoor space all to our group.}

Beer

They have a lot of different beer, both on tap and in bottles. Some of it’s local, but most of it’s from out of Orlando.

They typically only have one or two of each style, but if you’re looking to try something unique and different, check out the beers they have here.

Food & Service

The food truck offerings are great, but my favorite Vietnamese place, Pho Vinh, is literally a two-minute walk away. So we always eat there first and then head over to À La Cart for dessert and beer.

The Dulce Pecado food truck is a must. It has ice cream/waffle concoctions and you can build your own, which is what I usually do.


^{Photo courtesy of À La Cart}

Rating

• Location: 8
• Family-Friendly Atmosphere: 8
• Beer: 6
• Food & Service: 7
• Total (out of 40): 29

6. Hourglass Brewing

Hourglass Brewing has two locations: one in Longwood and one in the new Hourglass District of Orlando. Across from the Orlando brewery, they also have Hourglass Social House, which shares a building with a bunch of local eateries and shops.

^{This awesome mural wall is located at the Hourglass District of Orlando location.}

Location

Depending on where you’re staying in Orlando, the Hourglass District location (off Curry Ford) is definitely more central to everything.

We prefer that one just because it’s closer to our house, and it’s right across the street from an awesome little Irish pub called Claddagh Cottage.

The Longwood location is a little out there and more north of Orlando, but it’s near some major roads that are easy to get to (unlike a lot of other Central Florida breweries).

Family-Friendly Atmosphere

Both locations give off hip, cool vibes and have lots of space to spread out with your family.

I like the Hourglass District location a lot because it’s got plenty of outdoor seating and lawn chairs. And they have a little booth nook inside with a big table for a larger party.

The Longwood location is definitely bigger inside, but since it’s in a plaza, they don’t really have much space for outdoor seating.

^{The Hourglass District location outdoor area}

Beer

The main reason Hourglass Brewing makes this list? The BEER.

They’ve got some of the best variety and best-tasting craft beer around. Just the sheer amount of brewing they do is astonishing.

And if you like sours, they have a whole separate brewery in Longwood called Sourglass, a couple doors down from the main brewery.

They have a ton of rotating taps, but their flagship “Brown Beer, Brown Beer, What Do You See?” is really good. The last time we went, Brooks really liked the Gone Mild English Ale, and I LOVED the 2 Million Bees and Cinnamon Roll Bear.

Pro tip: One of the best ways to try beers at new breweries is to get a flight. While you can usually ask to sample a beer before you buy it, flights allow you to try several (without bugging the bartender for a million samples).

Food & Service

In terms of food, Hourglass Social House has my vote. There are a few different spots to grab a bite, beer and/or coffee, but my friends had been raving about this “vegan crunchwrap” from Leguminati, so I had to try that first.

While it’s not as good as the Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme, it satisfies that craving if you’re vegan or vegetarian and is definitely Insta-worthy.

^{The “vegan crunchwrap” from Leguminati at Hourglass Social House}

At the Orlando brewery, the service is pretty good; the bartenders are quick to notice when your beer is low, which is always great, but there’s no food. Luckily, like I mentioned, Hourglass Social House is right across the street, so you can head there first if you’re hungry.

If you find yourself in the Longwood location and craving some downright delicious wings, order from Papa Bees a couple doors down. Hands-down best wings ever.

Rating

• Locations: 7
• Family-Friendly Atmosphere: 8
• Beer: 9
• Food & Service: 7
• Total (out of 40): 31

5. Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company

Ivanhoe Park Brewing is a great brewery with a cool space and good service, but one of the main reasons this one made the list is because it has a prime location.


^{Photo courtesy of Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co.}

Location

Ivanhoe Park Brewing is located in Ivanhoe Village, where you can literally spend an entire day with your family exploring the area — with a stop at the brewery, of course.

Right nearby, you’ve got the Orlando Repertory Theatre, Orlando Science Center and Orlando Museum of Art — all of which I would highly recommend visiting. For little ones and teenagers, the Orlando Science Center is really cool; my teenage sister loved it.

If you’ve got a babysitter (or someone to take the kids to the science center — hello, grandma and grandpa 😉), be sure to head to The Imperial at Washburn Imports around the corner. It’s a super unique cocktail bar inside a high-end, exotic furniture store. It’s perfect for a date night; I’ve really never seen anything like it.

There’s also a few other awesome places to grab beer around there if you’re interested in brewery hopping. Other than Ivanhoe Park Brewing, check out:

• Ten10 Brewing
• GB Bottle Shop
• The Lucky Lure (more of a dive bar)
• The Hammered Lamb (great brunch)

Family-Friendly Atmosphere

The space is pretty cool with a nice ambiance, and the giant water tower makes a great photo op with your fam.

They do have outdoor seating where you can spread out a bit, and the tables are big, making it the perfect place for playing games and hanging out. Our dog absolutely loves meeting new people on the patio.

Beer

The beer here is good, and they have some solid flagships. I specifically like the Joyland (American IPA) and the Bungalow (Belgian Witbier).

^{A Good Boy and a good beer make the perfect pairing.}

Food & Service

The bartenders at Ivanhoe Park Brewing are really friendly and knowledgeable. And there are so many incredible places you can eat nearby. Our personal favorites are Santiago’s Bodega and Hawkers.

Rating

• Location: 10
• Family-Friendly Atmosphere: 7
• Beer: 7
• Food & Service: 7
• Total (out of 40): 31

4. Tactical Brewing Co.

Tactical Brewing is owned and operated by veterans, and from the minute you walk in the door, you can tell that they love two things in this world: 1) our country and 2) GREAT craft beer.

^{Tactical Brewing in Baldwin Park}

Location

Tactical is located right in the heart of Baldwin Park, where you can also spend a day just exploring the area.

Baldwin Park is amazing for outdoor family adventures in Central Florida, where you can bike, walk, kayak, picnic and watch the kids run around on the playgrounds.

Other places and things you can do nearby include:

• Leu Gardens and Mead Botanical Gardens, where you can take a hike or stroll to see greenery and wildlife
• The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, where you can cruise around Lake Osceola and learn about the area
• And ax throwing, where you can have a blast seeing who can get the highest score

Family-Friendly Atmosphere

Since they’re located in a strip of shops and restaurants, they don’t have a ton of space compared to other Orlando breweries, but they do have both indoor and outdoor seating.

Beer

Tactical Brewing has such a good selection of expertly crafted beers (many are usually on the stronger side above 7% ABV). I LOVE that they rotate in some super unique, sweeter selections and that they’re always experimenting with new flavors.

They used to have a strong carrot cake IPA that was one of my favorite beers of all time. That one’s no longer there, but they always have other tasty options and solid flagships.

Food & Service

The service is good and, since the bar area can fill up fast, I like how they have a designated spot where you can order your beer.

There are plenty of places to grab food within walking distance. Gator’s Dockside is our typical go-to (we’re big on wings), but there’s also pizza, sushi, a Five Guys and more right nearby. Seito Sushi has an amazing tofu ramen dish that’s 10/10.

Got a sweet tooth? Tactical Brewing is literally right down the street from the best cookies you’ll ever have — and I’m NOT exaggerating. Gideon’s Bakehouse is one of the best dessert places in Orlando, located in East End Market, just a five-minute drive away.

Rating

• Location: 10
• Family-Friendly Atmosphere: 7
• Beer: 9
• Food & Service: 7
• Total (out of 40): 33

Another Pro Tip: Most breweries usually offer communal board games, and some have video games, but I’d highly recommend bringing your favorites from home to play with your family and friends.

My personal favorites right now are Phase 10, Sorry and Werewolf. Connect 4 and Jenga are also super fun (just watch your beers!).

3. Rockpit Brewing

Rockpit Brewing is actually my personal favorite brewery in Orlando because it has nearly everything you could ever hope for in a craft beer spot: good food, great service and downright delicious beer.

^{Rockpit Brewing in the SoDo district of Orlando}

Location

Rockpit is located in the south downtown (SoDo) district. It’s not exactly within walking distance of a ton of places (and the traffic can get bad in this area), but luckily, you don’t really need to leave the brewery to have a good time.

Since they’re right off the outskirts of downtown Orlando, if you’re looking for things to do downtown, definitely stop at Rockpit on your way in or out.

Family-Friendly Atmosphere

I would describe Rockpit’s atmosphere as rustic, friendly and lively. I see lots of families with kids come to Rockpit for the ambiance, food, service and awesome beer.

They also have live music, bingo, trivia nights and special events each month. One of my favorite date nights was watching FiddleRat, a local fiddle band, play at Rockpit.

Oh, and this is where Brooks and I first tried our hand at ax throwing. They partnered up with a mobile ax-throwing business that comes by on weekends.

So you can see why you don’t really need to leave the brewery for entertainment.



Rockpit has both indoor and outdoor seating, although outdoor is limited. They have large tables that accommodate bigger parties, and they even moved their homebrew store to the space next door to expand the taproom.

My favorite thing to do here is sit outside on the patio with my hubby and my dog listening to live music and drinking a wheat ale.

Beer

I LOVE the beer here. They have a few flagships, but they’re always trying new things and rotating taps.

And they’re not afraid to experiment with unique combos. I love the Blackstrap Con Leche (sweet milk stout), and they usually have some type of fruity wheat beer that catches my eye.

I was majorly surprised when they started dipping into hard seltzers, too. They absolutely knocked it out of the park with the Strawberry Lemonade Rock Hard Water.

^{This was a limited-release strawberry wheat ale they had for Valentine’s Day a couple years ago. It was AMAZING.}

Food & Service

When people ask me what my top FAVORITE Orlando brewery is, I say Rockpit hands-down.

For a number of reasons, but the main one is the people. All the servers are REALLY nice, and the owners are very cool, genuine, awesome people.

For food, they have a great relationship with Cecil’s BBQ right next door, so you can actually order food from your bartender or server (yes, you also get five-star service here), and it gets delivered right to your table at Rockpit.

They also partnered with a food truck, Fleur D’Elise French Quarter Cuisine, which serves bar bites, burgers and classic New Orleans cuisine. I got a delicious muffaletta during that super-fun FiddleRat date night I mentioned earlier.

Rating

• Location: 7
• Family-Friendly Atmosphere: 10
• Beer: 10
• Food & Service: 10
• Total (out of 40): 37

2. Persimmon Hollow Brewing Co.

If you have family members who aren’t beer lovers, definitely check out Persimmon Hollow. They have something for everyone in the family.

^{Persimmon Hollow Brewing at Lake Eola}

Location

Persimmon Hollow has been around for a while with their Deland location, but they just opened a brand-new one right smack dab in downtown Orlando. We’ve been to both, but in this review, I’ll be focusing on the one in Orlando because we’re more familiar with it.

It’s located right off Lake Eola, so while it is technically downtown, it’s not in the middle of all the action, which I personally like. It’s easily within walking distance to so many different places: restaurants, bars, art galleries, the history museum, etc.

If you’re looking for romantic date ideas in this area, I’d recommend:

• Going for a swan boat ride on Lake Eola
• Heading to Persimmon Hollow for craft beer and live music
• Grabbing a delicious dinner at Kres Chophouse
• Enjoying a hilarious improv show at SAK Comedy Club

^{Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando}

Family-Friendly Atmosphere

When we first walked up, there were big lawn chairs filled with parents watching their kids dance to the live music on the patio. The music was great, and there was tons of seating, both indoor and out.

Side note: Persimmon Hollow Lake Eola recently announced that you can host a Pup Party in their taproom! You can reserve the patio, preorder a pup cake or splurge on doggie ice cream. I’ll be doing this sometime soon for sure.

Beer

The beer is really good. I especially liked the Gypsy Hiker and the Raspberry Lake Time Lager (and I’m not usually a lager person).

And outside of beer, they have featured beverages (like peach lavender lemonade) and lots of different mimosa flavors.

Food & Service

Like I said, Persimmon Hollow has a little bit of everything. The beer is good, but the variety of offerings? Even better.

They have craft coffees (try the cold brew), they have delicious food (try the flatbreads) and they have flavored mimosas (definitely try the Blueberry Mint). The menu is so extensive, and everything we had was really really good.

Our service was great, too. It’s restaurant-style, so you also have a server here.

^{The avocado toast and a beer flight from Persimmon Hollow at Lake Eola.}

Rating

• Location: 10
• Family-Friendly Atmosphere: 10
• Beer: 8
• Food & Service: 9
• Total (out of 40): 37

1. Crooked Can Brewing Co.

If you’re looking for the best brewery in Central Florida for families, look no further than Crooked Can. It’s the holy grail of breweries.

^{My lil fam at Crooked Can Brewing Co. in Winter Garden}

Location

Crooked Can is set up right inside Plant Street Market, which is essentially like a big, indoor farmer’s market with lots of local vendors that sell things like coffee, tea, honey, meat and more.

Aside from Plant Street itself, the brewery is right near downtown Winter Garden, which is a really cool place for families to explore.

They’ve got tons of spots to grab food and a little interactive fountain and splash pad for the kids to cool off on those hot Florida days (before you cool off with a cold one 😉).

Not to mention, Crooked Can is only 31 minutes from Disney’s Magic Kingdom_® Theme Park. So, if you’re here for a family Disney trip, you’re really close to good times and great beer.

^{Plant Street Market in Winter Garden}

Family-Friendly Atmosphere

Crooked Can has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and it’s even got a patch of grass for little ones to run around and play. They also have live music on weekends, which makes a great dance party for the kiddos.

Despite having massive amounts of outdoor seating, it’s a super popular spot, so it can get crowded quickly. I would recommend going as soon as they open to get a table for your family.

The good thing is that they do have an outdoor service window, so it makes the indoor and outdoor lines a bit shorter.

Beer

You really can’t go wrong with any of the beer offerings here. They’re all pretty good and they have enough variety for any palate. I personally like the High Stepper (American IPA) and the Cloud Chaser (one of the best hefeweizens I’ve ever had).

Food & Service

Every time we visit Crooked Can, we try a different place to eat and we’re never disappointed. Some of our favorites are MAC’d Out, Michael’s Ali and Fat Mike’s Hot Chicken. MAC’d Out has buffalo chicken mac and cheese, and it’s everything you could ever want in a comfort food.

And while the food is awesome, you might’ve noticed a slight pattern with my craft beer pairings: dessert. I always walk over to David Ramirez Chocolates and grab a sample pack of macaroons (the birthday cake is my fave).

The service is also good, but you might have to wait in line or wait a little longer for your food if it’s busy.

Rating

• Location: 10
• Family-Friendly Atmosphere: 10
• Beer: 10
• Food & Service: 9
• Total (out of 40): 39

Ready to grab a brew with your crew? If you’re staying with us at Orange Lake Resort, you definitely don’t have to go far for a cold beer or fruity vacation cocktail.

Head over to Breezes Restaurant and Bar in West Village for indoor and outdoor seating and live entertainment at night.

^{Breezes Restaurant and Bar in West Village at Orange Lake Resort}

There’s plenty of room in front of the bar for kids to play and run around, and even some activities between Breezes and the Water’s Edge Bar by the pool. (Check your Activities Guide for more info.)

There are also drinks at Water’s Edge Bar, Leeward Bar, Windward Pool Bar and Paisan Pizzeria.

There are so many great breweries in Orlando for families, and I hope this list helped you get a feel for the epic craft beer scene in this hoppin’ city!

Here, there’s no shortage of microbreweries, theme park fun and spots to explore. And nothing beats exploring new places with the ones you love.

I’ll cheers to that!




All information is subject to change. This article is a curated guide and is neither sponsored nor considered an official endorsement. Please be sure to check information directly with any/all tours, guides or companies for the most up-to-date and direct details.