Chattanooga has quietly become one of the most exciting craft beer towns in the Southeast. What started as a handful of pioneering taprooms has grown into a tight-knit scene of family-run breweries, historic converted buildings, and Belgian farmhouse experiments tucked between mountain trails and the Tennessee River.
At Enjoy Unique Stays we’ve hosted thousands of guests since 2015, and brewery hopping is one of the most common questions we get from travelers checking into our downtown rentals. So we put together this local’s guide to the best breweries in Chattanooga, complete with what to order, where to sit, and which neighborhoods deserve a slow afternoon of taproom hopping.
The Top Breweries in Chattanooga
These are the spots we send our guests to first. Each one has carved out its own personality, from outdoor-adventure IPAs to medieval-themed cellars, and together they paint a pretty complete picture of why Chattanooga’s beer scene punches well above its weight.
Hutton & Smith Brewing Co.
Hutton & Smith is the brewery most often called the gold standard of Chattanooga craft beer, and after one pour of their Tectonic Session IPA you’ll understand why. The taproom is just east of downtown on MLK Boulevard, walkable from most of our city rentals, and the vibe is exactly what you’d expect from a brewery named after two of the climbers who first explored the local sandstone: outdoor-adventure theming, comfortable couches, and a quietly serious approach to hop-forward beer.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (353 Google reviews)
- Address: 431 E M L King Blvd #120, Chattanooga, TN 37403
- Phone: (423) 760-3600
- Hours: Mon to Fri 4 to 10 PM, Sat 12 to 11 PM, Sun 12 to 6 PM
- What to order: Promenade IPA, Tectonic Session IPA, Prusik Pale Ale
- Good to know: Dog-friendly patio, 21+ only, walkable from downtown
One recent visitor put it simply: “Honestly the best brewery in Chattanooga maybe even Tennessee.” Another called it “a relaxed and comfortable place to have a few beers and make some new friends.” The annual “Can-iversary” releases every June are worth planning a trip around.
View Hutton & Smith on Google Maps
Oddstory Brewing Co.
If Hutton & Smith is the steady veteran, Oddstory is the inventive friend who keeps surprising you. Opened in 2016 on Central Avenue, this is the place to come for funky sours, pastry stouts, and the kind of seasonal experiments that get traded between beer geeks at festivals across the Southeast. The original taproom is plant-filled and dog-friendly, and the kitchen turns out a genuinely good KFC Sando and OG Smash Burger that pair surprisingly well with a hazy pale.
- Rating: 4.6 stars (758 Google reviews)
- Address: 1604 Central Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37408
- Phone: (423) 541-8560
- Hours: Mon to Sat 12 to 10 PM, Sun 12 to 9 PM
- What to order: Trellis Hazy Pale Ale, Sky Burst IPA, anything in their pastry stout series
- Good to know: Kid-friendly with a no-leash kids area, pets welcome on leash, full food and cocktail menu
A frequent visitor noted, “They have a lot of good beers on tap and plenty of other options as well like cocktails, wine, and non alcoholic. Leashed pets are allowed. And it’s very kid friendly too.” Oddstory also operates a second location called The Greenhouse, which adds a taco truck and an even more spacious patio to the lineup.
TailGate Brewery Chattanooga
The Chattanooga outpost of Nashville’s TailGate Brewery sits in a beautifully restored historic Southside building (longtime locals will remember it as the old Terminal Brewhouse). The double-decker patio overlooking Market Street is one of the best sunset perches in the city, and the scratch pizza kitchen is the not-so-secret reason regulars keep coming back.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (788 Google reviews)
- Address: 1464 Market St, Chattanooga, TN 37408
- Phone: (423) 654-3850
- Hours: Sun to Thu 11 AM to 9 PM, Fri and Sat 11 AM to 10 PM
- What to order: Southeast IPA, Pineapple Eclipse Hazy, Hot Honey pizza, Spicy Vodka pizza, garlic knots
- Good to know: 30 draft options, Belgian and farmhouse styles, family-friendly, near the Chattanooga Choo Choo
One guest summed it up: “They of course have great brews but what really surprised me and why I came back was the food. The Hot Honey pizza was excellent.” Another called the Spicy Vodka pizza “world class, one of the best pizzas I’ve ever” had. We’d plan a long lunch here on a sunny afternoon.
View TailGate Brewery on Google Maps
Wanderlinger Brewing Company
Wanderlinger sits inside a restored building on Station Street and feels like the place locals slip into when they want a slow night with friends. Belgian and farmhouse styles are the focus, but the rotating tap list always has a few surprises, and the live music calendar plus themed nights make this one of the most consistently fun rooms in town.
- Rating: 4.5 stars (437 Google reviews)
- Address: 55 Station St, Chattanooga, TN 37408
- Phone: (423) 269-7979
- Hours: Mon and Tue 4 to 10 PM, Wed 3 to 10 PM, Thu 3 to 11 PM, Fri and Sat 12 PM to 12 AM, Sun 12 to 10 PM
- What to order: Joose Caboose IPA, the giant pretzel with house beer cheese
- Good to know: Live music, themed nights, kid-friendly until 9 PM, kids play area outside, free street parking
A regular described it as “a combination of super chill atmosphere, comfort, cool lighting, great variety of music (a lot of live music), quality food options with fresh ingredients, reasonable prices, and activities/themed nights.” Another noted, “Lots of seating inside and outside. There’s a play area for kids outside as well.” Bring board games on a quiet weeknight.
View Wanderlinger on Google Maps
Five Wits Brewing Company
A few blocks south of the Choo Choo on Long Street, Five Wits has a distinctly different energy from the rest of the Southside breweries. Big projection screens for soccer matches, a deep bench of elevated bar food (the Mushroom Cheesesteak and Animal Fries earn cult-level loyalty), and a calendar of live music turn this into a brewery you can comfortably spend an entire afternoon at.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (538 Google reviews)
- Address: 1501 Long St, Chattanooga, TN 37408
- Phone: (423) 541-5300
- Hours: Sun to Thu 11 AM to 9 PM, Fri and Sat 11 AM to 10 PM
- What to order: Sunblaze IPA, Shadows on the Southern Moon Imperial Stout, Mushroom Cheesesteak, Animal Fries
- Good to know: Soccer-friendly with big projection screens, live music, family-friendly, great pre-show stop
One reviewer said, “Fun place to grab a bite and or drinks while waiting for a show. We got there early and were able to hear the sound check, watch some football and have dinner.” Another noted, “I had a Sunblaze IPA that was very good. I also had the Shadows on the Southern Moon Imperial Stout.”
Chattanooga Brewing Co.
The oldest brewery in the city, founded back in 1890 and revived in 2010, Chattanooga Brewing Co. occupies a comfortable downtown corner on Chestnut Street. This is the spot for travelers who want classic styles, a full pub menu, and a lighter midday option that won’t throw off the rest of the day. The Chestnut Street Brown Ale is the move.
- Rating: 4.4 stars (481 Google reviews)
- Address: 730 Chestnut St, Chattanooga, TN 37402
- Phone: (423) 498-2739
- Hours: Mon to Thu 11 AM to 9 PM, Fri and Sat 11 AM to 10 PM, Sun 11 AM to 5 PM
- What to order: Chestnut Street Brown Ale, club sandwich, tomato basil soup
- Good to know: Walkable from downtown, family-friendly, full lunch and dinner menu
A guest wrote, “The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and perfect for relaxing with good food and even better beer. I tried the Chestnut Street Brown Ale, and it was outstanding. It was rich, flavorful, with a wonderful nuttiness and a smooth chocolate finish.” Another simply said, “Food was awesome, service was even better, and the beverage was outstanding.”
View Chattanooga Brewing Co. on Google Maps
More Chattanooga Breweries Worth a Stop
These spots sit a little off the obvious tourist track, but they’re some of our favorite recommendations for travelers who want a more local-feeling afternoon. If you’ve got two days in town and you’re serious about the Chattanooga craft beer scene, plan one of these into your itinerary.
Heaven & Ale Brewing Co.
Tucked onto East Main Street in the heart of the Southside, Heaven & Ale is a small, neighborhood-feeling brewery with a tight rotation of in-house beers, a small but smart food menu, and a patio that fills up quickly on warm evenings. It’s the kind of place you stumble into for one and end up staying for three.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (328 Google reviews)
- Address: 342 E Main St, Chattanooga, TN 37408
- Phone: (423) 541-6570
- What to order: Baked brie, trout mousse, whatever rotating IPA the staff is excited about
- Good to know: Dog-friendly patio, walkable Southside location, small space (great for couples)
One regular wrote, “Love the atmosphere here on the patio! They are dog friendly and have an awesome selection of beer. They also have a small selection of snacks, we tried the baked Brie which came with some bread and sliced apples and it was great.” Another called it “another great local craft brewery in Chattanooga. Small downtown location, great beer selection. Delicious beer.”
View Heaven & Ale on Google Maps
The Tap House (St. Elmo)
The Tap House isn’t technically a brewery, but no honest guide to drinking craft beer in Chattanooga can leave it out. This veteran-owned spot in the St. Elmo neighborhood pours 30+ rotating taps that lean heavy on local breweries you might not otherwise get to try, plus ciders, kombucha, and gluten-free options. Pair it with a hike up Lookout Mountain and you’ve got a perfect Saturday.
- Rating: 4.4 stars (816 Google reviews)
- Address: 3800 St Elmo Ave #114, Chattanooga, TN 37409
- Phone: (423) 682-8234
- Hours: Sun and Mon 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Tue 11:30 AM to 8 PM, Wed to Sat 11:30 AM to 9 PM
- What to order: A beer flight, the Tap House burger, the Comfort Burger daily special
- Good to know: 30+ rotating taps, validated parking, family-friendly food, neighborhood favorite
One visitor wrote, “Large selection of tap beers. We did the beer flight. Great option to try different beers. Good price value. The food was great. We had the tap house burger with fries, very great. The burger came juicy with beer cheese and bacon, delicious.” Another called the staff “very kind” and noted that the bartender helped sort out parking validation.
View The Tap House on Google Maps
How to Plan a Chattanooga Brewery Crawl
Three quick tips from years of helping our guests build the perfect beer-soaked weekend in the Scenic City.
Stay where you can walk. The Southside, downtown, and the MLK corridor are home to most of the breweries on this list, and they’re all comfortably walkable from each other. If you book one of our downtown rentals, you can knock out Hutton & Smith, Chattanooga Brewing Co., Oddstory, TailGate, Wanderlinger, Five Wits, and Heaven & Ale across a long afternoon and evening without ever calling a rideshare.
Plan for the views and the trails. The Tap House sits at the base of Lookout Mountain in St. Elmo, which means you can pair an afternoon flight with a sunset hike at Point Park or a ride on the Incline Railway. Pencil in a hike before the beer (your morning legs will thank you).
Time it with Chattanooga Beer Fest. The annual Chattanooga Beer Fest at First Horizon Pavilion features 23+ breweries from across the Southeast and consistently sells out. If you can plan a trip around it, you’ll meet most of the local brewers in a single afternoon and get a feel for which ones you want to visit before you leave town.
Plan Your Chattanooga Beer Trip
Chattanooga’s brewery scene rewards travelers who slow down. Pour by pour, neighborhood by neighborhood, you’ll find a community of brewers who collaborate more than they compete and who treat the taproom as an extension of the city’s outdoor, creative, riverside character. Whether you’re chasing IPAs at Hutton & Smith, trying every pastry stout Oddstory has on rotation this is a town that takes craft beer seriously without ever taking itself too seriously.
Ready to escape the ordinary? Browse our Chattanooga vacation rentals and start planning the brewery weekend you’ll be telling friends about for years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the oldest brewery in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga Brewing Co. on Chestnut Street is the oldest brewery in the city, originally founded in 1890 and revived in 2010 in the same downtown corner location.
Which brewery in Chattanooga is best for IPAs?
Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. is widely considered the best for IPAs in Chattanooga. Their Promenade IPA, Tectonic Session IPA, and Prusik Pale Ale consistently win local awards.
Are Chattanooga breweries family-friendly?
Many of them are. Oddstory, Wanderlinger (until 9 PM), TailGate, Five Wits, Chattanooga Brewing Co., and The Tap House all welcome families and serve full food menus. Hutton & Smith is 21+ only.
Which Chattanooga breweries have food?
TailGate (scratch pizza), Oddstory (full kitchen with smash burgers and chicken sandos), Five Wits (elevated bar food), Chattanooga Brewing Co. (pub menu), Wanderlinger (giant pretzels and shareables), Heaven & Ale (small bites), and The Tap House (full menu) all serve food.
When is Chattanooga Beer Fest?
Chattanooga Beer Fest is held annually at First Horizon Pavilion. The 2026 edition takes place Saturday, May 23 from 12 to 3 PM, featuring 23+ breweries from across the Southeast.
Can I do a Chattanooga brewery tour on foot?
Yes. The Southside, downtown, and MLK corridor put most of the city’s breweries within walking distance of each other, especially if you stay in a downtown vacation rental. Hutton & Smith, Chattanooga Brewing Co., Oddstory, TailGate, Five Wits, Wanderlinger, and Heaven & Ale form a comfortable walking circuit.
