The Economical Eater: Blue Lobster Brewing and The Community Oven

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Blue Lobster Brewing and The Community Oven | Hampton, NH

If you're heading up to the Hampton Beach area this weekend, I have two great places to recommend for pizza and beer - and they're right next door to each other.

Z and I wanted to check out Blue Lobster Brewing Company two weekends ago (after a round of mini golf, of course), but we knew we had to eat something before going in. Thankfully, right in the same plaza is The Community Oven, which serves up great brick oven pizza - as well as a few on-draft Blue Lobster beers (among others).

The Community Oven in Hampton, NH | The Economical Eater

We decided to order the Balsamic Veggie pizza ($13.25 for a small; $17.75 for a large), which was topped with artichokes, red onions, red peppers, broccoli, and organic diced garlic tomatoes. The pie's then finished with a balsamic reduction, a blend of cheeses, and The Oven’s seasonings.

Balsamic Veggie pizza from The Community Oven in Hampton, NH | The Economical Eater

The pizza was fantastic, and we both loved the thicker, airy crust that still had a little crunch to it. The balsamic reduction was also a wonderful addition to this pizza, and gave each bite a hint of sweetness.

After we had our fair share of pizza, we walked next door to Blue Lobster Brewing.

Blue Lobster Brewing in Hampton, NH | The Economical Eater

Blue Lobster Brewing is a nano-brewery with a spacious, comfortable tasting room. Their freshly brewed beers are available for sampling and for sale at their brewery, and I highly recommend sampling one of each of their beers - as we did.

Besides all of Blue Lobster's beers being quite delicious, Ian - one of the head brewers, along with another guy named Ian (true story) - also made our experience that much more fun. Ian is clearly passionate about his beer, and is excited to tell anyone who walks into his doors about it. Ian even showed us (and the other patrons) the back room, where they brew all of their beer. It was interesting to see how their beer is made, and it made his beer taste that much better, knowing the love and work that goes into every keg.

So, if you find yourself in the Hampton, New Hampshire area this weekend (or anytime this summer, for that matter), definitely give Blue Lobster Brewing and The Community Oven a try. I mean, what's a weekend without beer and pizza anyway?

Have a safe and happy 4th of July! What are you doing for the holiday weekend?