Branson, Missouri is a popular vacation getaway. Families from across the United States flock to this small, southwestern Missouri town throughout the year for its entertainment and natural scenery. Food and drink are a necessary part of any Branson excursion and craft beer lovers have many places within a short drive of their resorts where they can find the best in Missouri brew and compatible foods.
I visited Branson, Missouri with my family and we attended a wide assortment of restaurants, theaters, shops, and so much more. The misses and I managed to get away from the teenagers more than once to partake in some of the more adult- oriented establishments. Here are some of the best places in Branson for food and beer:
Montana Mikes– Let’s start off the Branson roundup with an establishment known for its food and much as for its beer. Montana Mikes is a steakhouse with locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, and other states including Missouri. Many who visit this rustic restaurant will go for the prime rib, New York strip, or other hearty slab of beef, but there are other excellent food options also, like burgers, salads, and entrees. The beer selection is tilted toward beers from other states and I was amazed to find Deschutes beers on tap when I visited. There are other beer options, too, which all pair quite nicely with a steak or burger.
Florentina’s Ristorante Italiano– It isn’t too surprising that we were in the mood for Italian food during our stay and we had heard that one of the best places for Italian food in Branson was Florentina’s Ristorante Italiano. We visited with the entire family and left feeling satisfied, as Florentina’s easily satisfied our Italian cravings. Specialty pastas, entrees, brick oven pizzas, and other foods and desserts will tempt your taste buds. I ended up going with a more traditional Italian meal consisting of Baked Ravioli while the other family members selected various pasta and other dishes. The wine selection is vast at Florentina’s, as one might expect, but they do have several beers on tap and in canned/bottled form to keep the craft beer crowd happy.
Waxy O’Shea’s– If you’re looking for a large selection of beer in a pub style atmosphere, then you need to find the time to visit Waxy O’Shea’s, located on Branson Landing. This is an Irish Pub and the inside décor and food/drink are reminiscent of what we have grown to love about Irish pubs: Emerald Isle themed décor, corned beef, Shepherd’s Pie, Guinness Stout, etc. The craft beer menu at Waxy O’Shea’s is one of the most extensive in the Branson area and this is reason enough to pay a visit. We spent a good deal of time here, examining the beer menu and seeking out new and unique suds from Missouri and beyond.
Macadoodles– Going out to a nice pub or restaurant for beer is a great way to spend your Branson vacation, but considering how nice many of the resorts are, there is a good chance you will want to spend at least a full day or two relaxing in the comforts of your chosen place of lodging. This means, of course, that you will need a make a beer run at some point and the best place in Branson for beer, wine, and booze is Macadoodles. They have just about anything you want at this large beverage store and it is common to find Macadoodles’ personnel serving complementary pours of beer, wine, and liquor. They even sell individual cans and bottles of beer for those who, like me, prefer to sample a large variety of brew when they travel.
Crown Valley Distillery– Branson and the surrounding areas have more wineries than anything, but distilleries are slowly making their presence known. Crown Valley is one of the best and they not only distill some extremely interesting vodkas and moonshines, they also serve their own beers and cider. The Gunslinger Double IPA and Big Bison Belgian Dubbel were among the standouts for beer and I really liked the Blackberry cider also.
Branson, Missouri is similar to East Tennessee and the Pigeon Forge area in many ways. The country music scene, amusement parks, theaters, and other forms of entertainment have helped Branson gain widespread recognition as a family destination and it reminds me of a scaled down version of the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area. It’s no wonder that so many people make their way to this small but charming Missouri town for a vacation or short term getaway given its family- centric credentials.
The craft beer scene in Branson is, I admit, not as strong as it is in other American cities. There are no significant craft breweries in Branson, but there is still plenty of world class beer available at the different restaurants and taverns throughout the area. It is just a matter of knowing where to go and the above establishments should serve you well as you seek out the finest craft suds and foods in Branson. If there are any entrepreneurs out there looking for a resort town that seems prime for a craft brewing operation, Branson would certainly be worth consideration. There are already a good number of wineries and distilleries so the addition of a quality craft brewery would make economic sense.
Whether you’re looking for a restaurant that serves excellent food and beer, a pub that is more focused on beer, a place to purchase beer to take back to your resort, or a place that serves its own beer, Branson, Missouri has an establishment just waiting for you to visit. The above five rank among my favorites and I recommend them to anyone seeking the best of food and beer in this small, friendly, Midwestern resort town.
Thanks for providing guidance to travelers heading through smaller towns. When we’re going to places like Chicago, we don’t worry about researching places to eat too heavily, because there are so many places to choose from. However, when we’re traveling through smaller towns, we end up scratching our heads and only finding 4 or 5 places on the Travel Advisor website to try. Once we’ve tried one or two, we end up heading back to national chains (which is NOT our goal when exploring), but we want to at least have something we KNOW won’t be a waste of time and money. Posts like this help us immensely. I pin them for later and just pull up Pinterest when we travel.
Thanks for the feedback! I, too, try to avoid chains and I often rely on Trip Advisor- where Great Beer Now is a Top Reviewer by the way- to guide the way. But there are often few or no Trip Advisor posts for small cities. I then rely on blogs to help find places to visit.
To be honest, Crown Valley is one of the best on serving their own beers and cider. I l like this!
Crown Valley was probably my favorite in the Branson area. There is only one brewery in the city- Charlie’s- and it isn’t very good.