Heather's Hangout

Always stop to greet a horse

This weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a private sneak peek of the new Jolly Pumpkin location in Royal Oak. The event benefited Camp Casey, a local horseback riding program for children and teens with cancer. Horses, craft beer, good food and a good cause. It was a winning night all around!

I’m excited to have a Jolly Pumpkin location in Royal Oak. I love the other locations (Traverse City, Detroit and Ann Arbor. There’s a tap room in Dexter, but I’ve yet to visit.). The location remains at the site of Bastone Brewery and Vinotecca, on the corner of Fifth and Main in downtown Royal Oak. The interior has been renovated – still the same open concept but more rustic and natural, similar to the other Jolly Pumpkin locations (particularly Traverse City, which is my favorite); the bar is now in the center of the area; and it’s a larger space since they took over Vinotecca’s space.

Camp Casey had the brilliant idea to bring their well-branded truck and horse trailer, along with one of their Hero Herd horses, to the event. Parked in front of Jolly Pumpkin, a steady stream of people stopped to pet the pretty Queen B and learn about the organization. And, of course, I had to stop to greet my four-legged friend and the volunteers (I am a past board member of Camp Casey, and an equine therapist for the organization). My girlfriend sloooowly pulled me away from the horse so we could check out the restaurant.

My friend and I snagged an open table shortly after arriving, a good spot near the front to check out the restaurant and of course people-watch. Our donation got us a beer and plenty of delicious food. There was a nice buffet available highlighting some of the menu choices. I loved the various flatbread pizzas, and while I’m not usually a mac-and-cheese fan, I really liked theirs! The steak bites and pasta were also good. I’m looking forward to trying more of their food menu.

This Jolly Pumpkin serves craft beer from Jolly Pumpkin (do I need to write “of course?”),

Many craft beers to choose.

North Peak and Bastone’s. I heard that they will serve rotating beers from other breweries. They also have ciders, wines (I saw several Michigan wineries listed) and cocktails (many sounded delicious!). A nice variety of choices!

Bastone Brewery moved into the Monk Beer Abbey space along Fifth Street. You can still access it from Jolly Pumpkin. I liked the interior update and the menu also looked good (they are focusing on Belgian food and brews).

The location opens Monday, Aug. 7 to the public. With Jolly Pumpkin’s good reputation and the location, this will be a popular spot.