First Look: Community Brewing Debuts New Kitchen

Known as one of Dallas’ original craft beer cultural hubs, Community Beer Co. is cooking up something new with the opening of its Community Kitchen.

With a seasonally rotating menu and a combination of traditional pub fare and German-inspired cuisine, Community Kitchen debuted during the brewery’s most recent anniversary party and it’s already firing on all cylinders. From the Mosaic IPA beer cheese to the Hausbier Brat, almost all of the food items are made with beer.

Seeing so many options on the menu, we decided to order a few of the staff favorites and other offerings that looked appealing. We started with the Giant German Pretzel, paired with Legion stout mustard and Mosaic IPA beer cheese. It was a step up from your typical bar pretzel and had a crispness to it without losing any of the doughy goodness that you come to expect from the knotted treat.

The Standard Burger comes with the trending smashed patty. We went with a single, which is served with a side of fries for $14. Maybe next time we’ll do a double for $2 more for a bit more beef. This, along with Community’s new non-alcoholic beer, Nada, was an ideal lunch in Community’s courtyard on a sunny day.

Next, we tried the schnitzel sandwich, simply named The Schnitz. Served on a pumpernickel bun locally sourced from Signature Baking Company in Dallas, The Schnitz is a Texan take on a German classic. With its healthy serving of red kraut piled on the fried pork cutlet, we would be remiss if we didn’t boldly proclaim that it is good enough to make our friends overseas proud.

The most surprising item on the menu is one that you may not expect to see at a pub. The Nashville Hot Dang is a Nashville-hot fried oyster mushroom sandwich with the power to turn people vegan. Even the most robust burger fan would have a hard time saying no to a sandwich this good, vegan or otherwise.

While we didn’t try one, a couple of Harvest Salads passed over the bar while we were there. It’s a bright mix of all sorts of fun nuggets (nine to be exact) over greens with an agave vinaigrette ($12). You can add grilled chicken for $3.

The food maestros at Community have big plans, and they aren’t stopping at trying to introduce palatable vegan delights. In the coming weeks, they’re planning to make their mark on Sunday brunch and release distilled spirits like tequila, vodka and whiskey that should go well with events like the World Cup and NFL playoffs.

Looking ahead, Kevin Carr, Community’s founder and part-time foodie himself, told us that once the new year rolls around, the upcoming menu expansion should coincide with the celebration of the brewery’s anniversary and will include more items like rotating elevated dishes and desserts.

With the opening of its kitchen, Community is more than just a craft beer pioneer. It’s become a shining example of what is possible when you bring the same big, craft energy to the restaurant scene. After the long and winding road that it took to get the new space open, it’s a welcome and tasty sign of things to come.