Forager Brewery

Tasty! The husband and I were passing through during brunch hour on our way back from camping. A search of «brewery» in Unilocal brought up Forager and LTS. We headed to Forager first since food was guaranteed.
Made it in time for brunch. It was a bit roasty outside but I had a dragon with me so we grabbed a semi shaded spot on the patio. Server came by with beer and food menu, explained how we could do flights if we wished (we did).
Lots of different beers on tap. Everything from sours, light summer beers, hoppy stuff, dark stuff, barrel aged stuff. We each got a flight of 4 (or maybe 5) of most of the beers so we could swap and try each one.
The beer was quite good! The sour was actually pretty sour (yum).
We decided to go for pizzas for our brunch/​lunch. I went with the Hidden Stream, which was smoked pork, picked onion, goat cheese, roasted tomato rosemary sauce. Ugh, and I mean that in a good way. It really hit the spot.
My husband, well, he went for the Hot Stuff. Our server was like «it’s pretty dang hot, we could take the jalapenos out so it’s not so hot?» I’m thinking to myself, hmm, obviously they’ve done that a few times. Husband goes something to the effect of «Nah, I like it hot! No MN spicy for me!»
So he eats his pizza and I see this look come over his face. It’s the look he gets when he’s eating something really damn hot. His whole head is instantly covered in beads of sweat. Almost immediately he starts picking the jalapenos out from under the cheese, hah! I tentatively accept a bite of the de-​peppered pizza, and holy shit it burns even without them. He manages to eat the whole thing and shows no shame when he hands our server his plate back filled with jalapenos.
Enjoyed our experience overall, not to mention eavesdropping on the group behind us discussing 50 Shades of Gray book vs movie (sorry but how could we not). I’m sure we’ll stop back next time we’re passing through!

Very delicious food! Not too big on the variety of the menu items but still good enough. Love their indoor and outdoor setting. Nice service and ok on price.

The answer is «no» to the question“Can the wait staff at this place be nicer?” Had the pizza wih chicken, hazel nut, and honey. We got a more savory pizza to compliment with pork and goat cheese. Our server was Adam.
I regret not getting the nachos. Saw a table with them, looked great.
The real unsung hero is the caprese salad. With a place that has such unique flair for pizza toppings, the caprese is as authentic as it gets. They don’t mess with a classic, they do it right.
PS be aware of the flame burger. It is spicy. Get the habanero jelly on the side and add cautiously.
And eat outside if it’s nice. And get the candied cut of bacon with your drink.

Food is very good as is the service. Funky (in a good way) atmosphere. We’ve been on serval occasions and will be back.

My wife and I were visiting from Virginia (I was born and raised here). We wanted to try one of the local brew spots and heard good things. We each ordered a couple beers (Porter, stout and blonde), the nachos, poutine and Cuban sandwich. We loved everything! Great atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious beer and food!

Went here for drinks with my business team and had some amazing beer. I normally don’t like beer but theirs are amazing. We had the app with an array of meats and cheeses and it was so good! Can’t wait to go back again for dinner.

I have been here multiple times. Didn’t realize I didn’t write a review yet. There are not that many places to eat in Rochester. I like this place because I love beer and kind of trendy place to hang out.
I must say their service is not that great. Most of the times I have to go find our waitress to ask for another drink. I don’t know if they don’t train their waitresses… They will take my empty beer glass and don’t even offer another drink. I find it very strange for a brewery.
Anyway, I’ve had most of the stuff on the menu.
I LOVE their Mac and cheese with Kimchi.
Their pizza is great.
Burger is good. (Nothing special but good)
I love their poutine
Hen is great (a lot of food)
And of course I love their beer.
They don’t take reservation and wait can be 30 min Fridays and Saturdays.

Yes, yes, yaaaaas! My SO and I came in after a flight from NY and were greeted with crisp, delicious beers and our lovely bartender (I can’t remember her name but she said she’s a nurse at Mayo). We both ordered cubanos, I with a caprese salad, he with French fries, and spoke no words as we devoured them. So good! This will definitely be a go-​to when we move permanently in the summer!

Delicious Delicious… and the pizza bar and Margherita were awesome! A must! Live music, a la Dylan style, with a Blues background.

Since the place is the hottest new addition in Rochester (still after being open for a number of months) and is way too cool to be in Rochester ;) the wait is incredibly long! And it’s excruciatingly long on a weekend!:(they should start taking reservations!(yes please)
Went there in March with a group of girlfriends and after more than an hour’s wait we finally got seated. Ordered the nachos minus bacon, which were good! We were all super hungry and had already selected our dinner options. Everybody ordered a pizza! Overall the woodfired pizzas are great tasting! I got the forager which was unique and very tasty! The winner was margherita hands down though.
Will be bck once their patio opens!
The waiters there seem overworked but trying to be courteous and nice.

I thought it was strange that there were no tv’s and it seemed to be trying too hard to be hipster. My husband got the skillet breakfast and it was SO good. The Huevos were decent, nothing to write home about. I like that they have a coffee shop too. That was cute and the ice latte was good. I didn’t get a chance to drink the beers there but there are definitely a few on the list that looked good. Will be back to try them! The waitress was nice although the food took quite awhile to come out. And 2 meals at our table came out about 5 minutes before mine.

Forager is our go-​to place in Rochester. Great interior, awesome food and beers, and always a great crowd. They locally source all their ingredients and even though the menu is on the small side everything I’ve eaten was incredible.
Fun story, my wife loved their fish and chips and then suddenly it wasn’t available anymore. When we asked about it we were told they had a partnership with a local trout farm and literally bought all their fish! Good/​bad, as if they are true to local sourcing, then things like this will happen. My favorite so far is the cuban sandwich, just a great blend of fresh ingredients and the perfect size. The fuego burger is very good as well but the habanero jelly may burn a hole in you. All the beers I’ve tried are top notch, Johnny C being my favorite. It has a nice finish, almost like a fine whiskey if that makes sense.
The only negatives I can say are 1) they pizza comes out a bit too well done sometimes. 2) parking is difficult at times, but wight he crowds they get it’s to be expected.
We always seem to end up here and we can’t wait for the warmer weather so we can enjoy the patio again.
I shall return.

This place is money! Start with a pairing box, do yourself a favor. Chef makes perfect food pairs with great locally brewed beers. Then go for a little hip hops continue with a cream ale and get either a pizza or a burger. Desserts are really good too. Two bites of the fruit crisp with an espresso, put you at ease. Honestly not from the area and they do a great job here. Friendly staff and reasonable prices. I recommend.

My wife and I were in Rochester to see our new nephew and invited my mom and dad and sister and brother-​in-​law for a lunch at a new brew pub in town.
This place was packed! We waited about 10 minutes for a table and promptly ordered their Belgium Tripel. Light body but full of flavor.
I always order a Cuban if they have it on the menu, if you can make a good Cuban, you rule as a restaurant. I ordered the Caesar salad instead of the fries. Salad was AMAZING, super flavorful and you could tell the dressing was house made. They add kalamata olives, which was a fantastic touch. Really good!
The Cuban bread was like a super crusty and chewy inside baguette. The pork and cheese melded perfectly and done to perfection. Great portion size and just wonderful.
My wife and sister got two different pizzas. I tried both and they were both awesome.
My brother-​in-​law thought the fries were over done, but they looked good and my dad said he has had better fish and chips.
I tried two more of their beers and was a super happy camper.
The service was great and they added an infant no problem to the table. I took a walk around the restaurant and was hipster friendly, but a fun atmosphere. Great lunch!

Its building is shared with a coffee shop and you have to walk through said coffee shop to get to the actually brewery part. Pretty cool fact that the bartender told me was that a few things inside actually came from other spots around town. The bar top was actually from the Country Club and was refinished and brought here. They also have a sweet looking patio that was covered in snow but is probably awesome in the summer!
Everything i shoved down my gullet was delicious. 99% sure everything they cook here is bought or grown locally. I channeled my inner Erin G and had The Forager Burger with fries. It came with bacon on it so I figured I couldn’t go wrong. The bartender Amy gave me the rundown on all their brews and suggested a couple of her favorites. I had the Johnny C Brown and the Starry-​Eyed Blonde. She also suggested the Sherpa’s Survival Kit, which I didnt have time to try, which is their Imperial Stout with a strong coffee flavor. They don’t have flights (bummer!) but you can order full or half pours.
If I was Santa Claus Forager would definitely be on the «nice list»

Went here on Saturday for lunch. I always tend to approach brewpubs with a lower expectation when it comes to food and/​or beer. Forager was a pleasant surprise. The three beers I had (IPA, Pale Ale, and Stout) were all very good. I loved the mouthfeel and soft carbonation of the beers and each were quite tasty and clean without any off flavors. I wish they had flights, they do not, so it’s hard try all the beers they have on tap. The waitress said they do do half pours, but that’s not much of a compromise IMO.
I was craving a good spicy burger and saw the fuego burger on the menu and immediately ordered that. I’m a pessimist when restaurants say they only cook burgers «medium» since they almost always come out well done and dry, Forager however, delivered on their promise and I had one of the BEST spiciest juicests cheeseburgers I’ve ever ate. Cooked to a perfectly pink medium, It was packed with a buttload of heat and flavor and the fries and side sauces were equally delicious.
I give this place a solid 4.5 stars and will defiantly make the trek from south mnpls to Rochester again in the near future just for this brewery.
–0.5 stars for not being able to fill the growler I brought (what’s up with that?), and for having a confusing display menu that is hard to read. It just lists the names of the beers and not the styles.

Still awesome; my favorite in Rochester!!!
Now I know that a) their salads are as good as their pizzas and b) their beer (including the excellent Sherpa’s Survival Kit) is available in 750ml crowlers. Sweet!

I’ve been in Rochester for about 6 months now, but it wasn’t until I found Forager Brewery did I find my restaurant home. ZZest was close, but I think this is better — both in terms of food quality and ambiance. The inner hipster in me really digs the vibe — the chandeliers, penny tables, chalk boards, and excessive amount of wood art just really speaks to me. Form over function for sure, because the booths are bizarrely uncomfortable and high from the ground.
Service was excellent and exceedingly accommodating. We came in as a group of 8 that just barely fit on a booth. Our party unexpected grew to 11 when our «tentatives» showed up — who does that? Anyways, we were able to quickly swap to a larger table without much hassle.
Food was, as I mentioned, excellent. I got the Pan Roasted Cornish Game Hen that came out impeccably succulent and much larger than I expected. The parmesan risotto was a creamy sweet perfection. The arugula was … well, arugula.
They have a regular trivia night, so I expect to be back quite often. There is also a flannel and black tie New Years event. Let that level of hipster sink in for a bit.

It’s soooo Amazing!
The beer, the pizza, the cheeseboard, the service, the décor. Our waiter was so nice too.
I want to try everything on their menu. I haven’t seen a brewery which is sooo pretty. The tables with pennies are so innovative. The place have a gorgeous vintage look.
We have been trying to get a table for dinner for a couple of weeks, and everytime there is an hour wait. Finally managed to get in today! I wish they start taking reservations on the phone.
A little expensive but totally worth every penny!

Definitely the new hot frou frou eatery in town. If you own at least one fedora and a plaid shirt you will enjoy forager. My inner hipster loves the décor — the outside itself is a decoration statement. The interior is trendy, brown muted tables and walls. From left to right of Forager it is: restaurant, coffee shop, yard sale? The restaurant layout was definitely designed by some avant garde designer; odds and ends for tables and chairs. Benches, patio furniture. The bar looked fabulous, rustic and in full demand.
My food choices were unexpectedly carby… I will probably try the burger next time. The poutine is interesting; meatballs were good, dense fries and your typical salty gravy. Had the spicy pizza… will not try that again. The cubano was right up my alley. The service was a bit slow, but our waiter was friendly and to be fair it was very busy that night. The yard sale area is definitely something you should check out. Neat finds from naughty high end soap bars to garage sale cabinets at retail price. Other nick nacks are worth mention but I’ll leave that to your discretion.
Looking forward to trying their coffee and burgers next time.