Maybe it’s because it has been raining for the past 11 days or maybe it’s because we just had our fence installed (more on that in a future blog post), but I’m dreaming of amazing outdoor spaces. One of my favorite belongs to Blue Mountain Brewery. Located on the Nelson 151, Blue Mountain was actually the first brewery to open in Nelson County. It’s now joined by plenty of others, but it’s somewhat of a pioneer in the Virginia beer world. They offer a variety of ales and laggers all brewed and bottled (or canned/kegged) onsite there at a second location which is a barrel house. The real treat though is the atmosphere. The place is absolutely gorgeous. It’s nestled in the mountains and has an amazing outdoor space for dining. It’s also pet friendly, which is always a plus for those who want to bring their four-legged friends to dinner.
Being gluten free, I’m not into the beer and it’s certainly not why I love the place. For me, it’s definitely the twinkling lights, mountain views and patio that draw me in. I also love any place that has a gluten free menu and not one of those, “Oh yeah, we have a salad that’s gluten free,” menus. I mean a real menu with real food. In addition to salads, they have a bunch of gluten free appetizers, burgers and sandwiches. My favorite, though, is the pizza. The margherita gluten free pizza may be one of the best available from any place I’ve tried. The toppings are plentiful, the crust has a great taste and at $14 for a 10-inch they’re fairly inexpensive. My husband, Ron, and I usually split one, plus they include a house salad.

If you’ve never been to Blue Mountain Brewery and you find yourself out near the Nelson 151, be sure to stop by. You won’t regret it, especially if you have an evening where you can watch the sun dip behind the mountains and eat under the twinkling stars in the glow of the patio lights.