If you’ve ever told yourself you’re not really a brewery person, Druthers Brewing Company is the place that tries to change your mind, and mostly with food. Yes, the beer is a big deal. But the real magic is that it doesn’t feel like a brewery with food. It feels like a great restaurant that also happens to brew award-winning beer.

You’ll find Druthers Brewing Co. locations across the Capital Region, including Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, and Clifton Park. Albany is their second location and where they produce enough beer for both their restaurant and off-premises sales programs.

What to Expect Inside

First-timers at Druthers Brewing Co can expect a massive, warehouse-style space with brewery views and plenty of room to settle in. It’s an easy pick for groups, and a surprisingly great road trip stop if you’re traveling through New York.

Even if you’re not a beer person, Druthers still hits the spot. Beyond the good vibes, it’s the kind of place where the menu holds its own. 

Must-Try Menu Items

Here are 15 menu items that prove you can skip the pint and still leave happy:

1. Druthers Mac & Cheese Skillet (the classic)
   Baked until it gets that golden, crunchy top, then served piping hot in a skillet. Guests keep coming back for the texture: thick, gooey, and cheesy.

2. Loaded Mac
   This is the one people repeat-order and even split after realizing the portions are massive. It’s loaded with bacon, pulled chicken, ranch, and Carolina BBQ sauce.

3. Mac-n-Cheese flight (3 x 5oz servings)
   If you’re stuck between Druthers or Loaded, go for the sampler-style approach. In addition to the macs listed above, you can also choose BBQ, Buffalo Chicken, or Bacon and Onion.

4. Cheese Curds
   Cheese curds are the kind of starter that disappears fast and makes the table immediately feel like it made the right call. These come with sweet pepper jelly and melba.

5. Beer Cheese Dip + Bavarian Pretzels
   A very “brewpub classic” situation: warm, savory, dunkable, and ideal for sharing. One guest even mentioned asking for extra beer cheese, so if your table is sauce-obsessed, you’re among friends here.

6. Bulgogi Beef Nachos
   Not your standard nacho pile. This is a full-flavor, sweet-salty-spicy situation: shaved ribeye on crispy wonton chips with kimchi, fruit-forward pico, chili aioli, and sweet soy.

7. Wings (bone-in or boneless)
   Locals rave about the wings. Crunchy outside, hot and fresh, with a unique mild sauce that still brings heat.

8. Fish & Chips
   A brewpub classic done the right way: crunchy batter, flaky cod inside, fries on the side.

9. Buffalo Chicken Pizza
   This one has a serious fanbase and for good reason. Plenty of chicken, perfectly cooked crust, and a sauce that’s gently spicy with a creamy, blue-cheese-style finish.

10. Angry Bee Pizza
    This is the kind of pie people order when they want something beyond plain pepperoni and end up talking about the hot honey and candied jalapeño combo long afterwards.

11. Vermuenster Pizza
    Muenster, apples, bacon burnt ends, candied walnuts, and a maple finish make it sweet, smoky, and salty all at once—adventurous, but still pure comfort food.

12. Druthers Burger
    It’s the little things (pickles, pickled onions, and their special sauce) that make it feel thoughtfully built and not just another basic burger.

13. Veggie Burger
    A house-made black bean/quinoa patty with pickled/fried green tomato, muenster, and special sauce that some vegetarians call life-changing.

14. Loaded Grilled Cheese
    Grilled chicken and crispy bacon stacked with cheddar and muenster on sourdough, then finished with Carolina BBQ and ranch for a smoky, creamy, totally over-the-top bite.

15. Cookie Skillet
    The perfect last bite comes as a warm cookie in a skillet topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. It’s a classic and built for sharing.

Award-Winning Beer

Even though this post is about what to order besides the beer, it’s worth noting that Druthers’ beer is the reason most people walk in. The hop-forward IPAs (including Uncurious, a Silver medal winner at the 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championship in the New England/Juicy IPA category) regularly pull serious fans. Their tart, crushable gose, The Dare, won Gold at the 2014 World Beer Cup. And they don’t stop there. Druthers also puts real craft into crisp pilsners and a steady stream of seasonal beer releases, so there’s almost always something new to try.

Planning Your Visit

Before you go, know that Druthers keeps things intentionally fresh. They release a new menu four times a year, so it’s worth a quick peek at the current lineup before you head out. Happy hour perks, live music, and other specials can also vary. Street parking is available on Broadway and Bridge Street, with some limited spots near the entrance.

If you want to turn your Druthers stop into a mini “taste of the region,” the Albany County Craft Beverage Trail Pass links breweries, distilleries, wineries, cideries, and meaderies from Cohoes and the Albany Warehouse District out to the Helderberg Hilltowns. It’s a great way to experience Albany’s 400-year-old craft beverage scene.