New York is well known for its various lounges and underground nooks to swill a good cocktail. But when it comes to beer, our city isn’t first on the list for its suds. That’s not to say there aren’t some amazing taprooms, beer halls and craft breweries to grab a cold one. According to the NYC Brewer’s Guild, there are 49 breweries across our five boroughs. In Staten Island, there are a treasured few, but Kills Boro Brewing Company is the only active brewery on the island.
Founded in 2017, Kills Boro Brewing Company pays homage to its environs, as “Kills Boro” references the ocean current that surrounds the island, which were once called “kills” by Dutch settlers. Owners Vincent Lima and Sean Torres nod to them and the German migrants who founded several breweries in the borough, with a dedicated program of lagers and then some. Previously operating inside the Craft House in the Tompkinsville neighborhood of the island, the duo sought to expand, purchasing an industrial-style building in 2019. Almost six years in the making, their opus to all things craft is now open.
As of June 25, Kills Boro Brewing Company unveiled its state-of-the-art brewing facility and taproom at 814 Richmond Terrace. Found steps away from the North Shore waterfront, the brick-heavy taproom is made for gatherings of all sizes with wooden tables that sit under candelabras, beautifully tiled floors and a long bar that houses their long lineup of taps. Nicely timed with the weather, the family-friendly brewery also houses an expansive outdoor area.
Naturally, beer is the calling card here—just one look beyond the bar past the soundproof glass reveals the inner workings of the brewery. As for what’s on tap, the brewery’s lager program is well intact, with Czech- and Vienna-styles on tap and in cans, alongside IPAs, sours and stouts. However, with a full bar to play around with, the drinking menu now includes wine, spirits and even cocktails that incorporate their famous beers, including the Spaghett with Aperol, lemon juice and a splash of one of their Kills Boro lagers.
The brewery can now also add “eatery” to its tagline with a fully equipped kitchen on deck. But its biggest draw is sure to be its pizzas as the interior houses two pizza ovens: an electric oven and a beautiful wood-fired oven, tiled in black and gold. Using naturally leavened sourdough as a base, the brewery is cooking up two types of pizzas, made square or round. Square slices include the Street Corn with cotija and crema and the Hot Pepperoni with curled pepperoni cups, asiago, mozzarella and smoked ricotta. If foldable slices are more of your jam, peruse the round Soppressata with smoked mozzarella, ricotta and peppadew peppers or the Mushroom, featuring two types of shrooms—shiitake and oyster—with a swirl of truffle oil. The menu rounds out with house-made pasta and Italian and Mediterranean-style tapas for the nibbling…