Capital Craft - Green Brook, NJ
This logo is genius.
A little over a year ago, Capital Craft opened its doors in Green Brook Township, NJ. Conveniently located on U.S. Highway 22, the restaurant and craft beer bar is located just 10 minutes away from Demented Brewing. Owned by Tom and Bonnie Graziano, their vision of being a craft location has been a reality that has quietly made its way through the craft beer channels. If I had to answer one more time, "Why haven't you been to Capital Craft yet?", I was going to have an aneurysm. Crisis averted and my health NOT be damned, it was time.
Needing a lunch with a side of beers, I visited Capital Craft this past weekend based on past recommendations. Upon walking up to the establishment, I could already tell that this would be my kind of place. Aesthetically, it is very spacious and pleasing to the eyes. There's a sense of comfort and warmth that naturally took me past the seating area and the pizza station and towards my home away from home, the bar area.
Sometimes I find it easier to just throw a dart at a taphandle and that makes the decision for me.
Capital Craft definitely has a wide selection of taps. I was pretty impressed with the local options as well nothing favorites like: Carton, Kane, Double Nickel, and even Harvest Moon. There's plenty to choose from and the taps seem to rotate consistently. I had been stalking Capital Craft's taps for a bit because on more than one occasion, I've had planned visits fall through and I always try to research what's available before a visit. The abundance of local taps can also produce quite the conundrum - excited at seeing options like Three 3's, Czigmeister and even Bolero Snort... how does one even begin to choose? Well... this fine craft beer bar has you covered.
Big beer or small beer, they're all wonderful.
You have the choice of full pours of 4 oz pours. And although it might seem to make more financial sense to get a full pour, having the option of the smaller sizes is something that completely attracts someone like me to a bar. Sometimes I want to sip and savor, and most of the times I have to drive. The smaller pour gives me a wider variety of tasting some beers that I might not be able to come across for a while. For example, pictured is Three 3's Brewing Citra Pale Ale (left) and Harvest Moon's Lunar Landing (right). Three 3's isn't that close to me but I am happy to see that they are distributing as far north as Capital Craft. The Citra Pale Ale was definitely enjoyable but so was the Harvest Moon's Lunar Landing.
I commend the job done by management or bar manager at Capital Craft since the list is pretty well curated and is sure to satisfy any palate. A cream ale from Czigmeister was on tap as well as a stout from Brix City Brewing. Bolero Snort's quad "The Herd" was here as well as Dark City's gose, Side Piece. Regardless of your taste and affinity for beer, I'm sure you'll find something to enjoy at Capital.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Because I had previously sinned prior to ordering a sandwich, I went with a bit of a safer option: The Grilled Chicken Sandwich. Don't worry, you'll read about the delicious sin soon... but the sandwich first. It's a pretty much standard grilled chicken sandwich but what sets this one apart is the inclusion of avocado as well as goat cheese and a white BBQ sauce. The sandwich plays it safe, because inevitably grilled chicken isn't exactly exciting on its own and for this, friends, I blame myself. Now don't get me wrong, I DID enjoy this sandwich, but it made me wonder what if I had ordered something else. If they could make a grilled chicken sandwich taste like "spring" and delightful then I'm sure they can work wonders with most other items on their menu.
DELICIOUS SINNING..... at its finest.
So I'm going to go ahead and turn this into confession time. I'd never had cheese curds until the Atlantic City Beer Fest, this year. I loved them. So, I decided to try them here, at Capital Craft. I'm so glad I did. The menu says they are beer battered Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds but the batter has SPICE and HEAT to it. They are phenomenal. Dip them in marinara or chipotle mayo, you can't possibly go wrong. In fact, order up the hoppiest IPA on their draft list and enjoy this fine culinary experience. And if you're with someone who wants to share, tell them to get their own. The batter on this is key and the curds are done to perfection. Forget sticks, cheese curds from Capital Craft are where it is at.
I love this bar, from the lighting, to the actual bar, to the setup...
With a vast amount of craft beer options, Craft Capital is already a must recommend for beer drinkers. Their website is updated consistently and constantly, so you shouldn't be afraid that you'll run into outdated information. Even if you did, don't worry, the assortment of choices and how well curated they are will definitely have you covered. Would I come back to Capital Craft again? Absolutely. Will I continue my newly acquired tradition of having cheese curds with them hoppy IPA's at this wonderful establishment? You better believe it.
Visit for happy hour or take a chance on a pre-selected flight or go because a visit to Demented Brewing just happened or is happening soon. Visit for the food, for sure. It doesn't matter why you visit, just make sure to add this as a blip on your culinary and beer radar. The service here by the friendly bartender pictured above was stellar. The vibe is fantastic and I absolutely love the skylight above the bar. The Graziano's have done a fine job giving this building life and turning it into what is a sure to be followed restaurant within the craft beer world. Salud!