Reno's Biggest Little Brewery District

Situated next to the bus and train station and dubbed the Biggest Little Brewery District in the World, Reno’s brewery district is a great place to sample many of the region’s best local beers without having to drive to multiple locations.

Spanning Fourth Street in downtown, there are several craft breweries as well as distlleries, a meadery and plenty of unique dining options.

All of this is a short walking distance from the El Dorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus casino resorts, making it a great way to spend an evening.

The Depot Craft Brewery & Distillery

One of the most bustling locations with both beer and food options is The Depot Craft Brewery & Distillery, colloquially known as The Depot. Located inside a historic building, an old railway headquarters, this brewpub features high ceilings, warm wood colors accented by brick walls, Edison bulbs and exposed pipes and ductwork.

While it often fills up fast in the evenings around the weekend, there is an additional upper level that tends to be calmer. On tap, you will find multiple types of beer popular on the West Coast, such as IPAs and American Ales, along with more exotic offerings such as sours, stouts and Belgian Wits. For those who prefer spirits, their distillery specializes in aged bourbons and whiskeys along with their house-made rye and gin. The restaurant serves new American cuisine – delectable appetizers, gourmet hamburgers, soups, salads and sandwiches.

The Depot Craft Brewery & Distillery

Black Rabbit Mead Company

For more intimate surroundings and an eclectic experience, Black Rabbit Mead Company allows you to sample the honey-fermented beverage popularized by the Vikings. This mead is made in a cider style that includes fruit flavors and carbonation to make a much more refreshing (and tasty) beverage.

Black Rabbit is dimly lit, with dark tables and brick walls, giving it the feeling of the hull of a ship or a cave, and will appeal to the adventurous and offbeat. Their meads can be purchased in bottles at reasonable prices for enjoyment at home and make great holiday gifts.

Louis’ Basque Corner

While not a brewery, no mention of Fourth Street would be complete without mention of the long-time locals’ favorite, Louis’ Basque Corner, an authentic Basque restaurant that serves meals “family-style” (and includes carafes of wine with each meal).

Because you can sit at a long table and share food, Louis’ makes a great location for large groups, such as families, meet-ups or business parties. The food varies from the typical, such as steak and lamb, to the more far-out, like their characteristic “sweetbreads” – organ meats served with vegetables and sauce. All the dishes are delicious, and it’s always a good idea to get multiple dishes and share them as a group.

Louis' Basque Corner is the place to fuel up between breweries.

The Jesse

For those seeking something more upscale, The Jesse is a hotel, bar and restaurant with an attached coffee roasting company. The bar is known for its modern aura and high-quality mixed drinks. The restaurant serves exquisite tacos and other Mexican dishes, which can be paired with margaritas and agave flights. Forged Coffee Roasting offers espresso drinks, fine European pastries and local merchandise such as t-shirts, knives and coffee mugs.

With outdoor seating, this is an excellent place to work remotely or hang out on summer evenings and enjoy the views of downtown Reno’s high-rises while sipping on coffee or a mixed drink.

Lead Dog Brewery & Nevada Sunset Wineries

If you want a more traditional brewery setting, with brewing equipment in view and barrels to sit at, Lead Dog Brewing is one of Northern Nevada’s largest producers of beer and has a wall-length of taps for you to sample in-house. Even if you think you’re not a stout person, trying their peanut butter stout is a must. IPA fans will find a dizzying number of choices to whet their palates. Sours abound for those who enjoy wild fermented ales. And there is no shortage of lagers and other light beers when you just want to imbibe something mild.

Right next door to Lead Dog is Nevada Sunset Winery, a cooperative where you can taste wine and purchase bottles from multiple local wineries. Since you can sit outside at both Lead Dog and the wineries, it’s a great location to share a table between both beer drinkers and wine drinkers.

Lead Dog Brewery and Nevada Sunset Winery are right beside each other for double the fun.

These options just scratch the surface of what’s available in the vicinity of Fourth Street. If you don’t mind venturing a little farther afield but want to stay in walking distance, some noteworthy watering holes include IMBIB Brewery and Restaurant, Slieve Brewing Company and 10 TORR Distillery and Brewery. And with each passing year, Reno continues to attract new breweries to the area – so stay tuned!