Even during COVID-19, Intracoastal Brewing Company (ICBC), located in the Eau Gallie Arts District, offers plenty of space for socially distanced food, drink and music. All you have to do is beat the rush: with the brewery’s indoor seating section closed, outdoor tables located six feet apart and no parties over six allowed, lines and wait times rise astronomically on the weekends. Still, according to ICBC Brewery Representative Chris Ayres, customers – both regulars and newbies alike – keep on coming.
ICBC likes to keep things exciting, even during a global pandemic. In April, for example, they invited the Bearded Chef food truck to park permanently at the brewery. Brandon Basista, the truck’s owner, aims to create “American comfort food, just outside of what normal would be.” To Basista, this means anything from tacos with a twist to fried chicken sliders.
“They’re really passionate and creative about what they do,” said Ayres of IRBC. Plus, “you don’t have to leave to get dinner after a couple beers. It’s pretty nice.”
To Ayres, the best part of ICBC is the family-like atmosphere that has been cultivated over time, a feeling he says the Bearded Chef contributes to. From Southern-inspired Vietnamese food to “Orange a Peel” German style wheat beer, both the ICBC’s beer and the Bearded Chef’s cuisine encourage creativity and collaboration. Ayres said he loves listening to Basista talk enthusiastically with ICBC’s brewers about matching elaborate flavor profiles (although Ayers admits, he himself sometimes gets a little lost).
For Basista, a permanent home at ICBC is perfect because it allows for him to continue his creative cooking in an atmosphere he enjoys. Plus, he can continue doing what he loves most: serving customers delicious, exciting food.
ICBC is located at 652 W Eau Gallie Blvd, with outdoor seating currently open Sunday – Thursday from 12-8 and Friday and Saturday from 12-10 (with the drive through being open 7 days a week from 12-8).
Maya Mojica
My name is Maya Mojica, and I am a 20-year-old junior at Northwestern University with majors in journalism and creative writing and a minor in gender & sexuality studies. I grew up in Melbourne Beach, Florida, and was a competitive Irish dancer for 10 years. I have an unhealthy obsession with my cat (whose name is actually just “Cat”) and would eat sushi every single day for the rest of my life if I could.
