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If you ever find yourself cruising through Central California and are pining for an ice cold beer and some good pub food, Dust Bowl Brewing is a great stop!
We normally make it out once a year as sort of an annual pilgrimage after getting our taxes done in a town nearby. I look forward to sidling up to the bar, ordering the latest beers on tap, and hovering over a tray of hot and melty cheese curds!
Location of Dustbowl
But first – where is Turlock?! Turlock is in the middle of Modesto (to the north) and Merced (to the south) and Dust Bowl is located at 3000 Fulkerth Rd, Turlock, CA 95380, just off Hwy 99. If you’re driving up/down I-5 on a road trip, cutting over to Hwy 99 to the brewery looks to be about a 30-minute detour.
Coming from the Bay Area, it’s a bit of a trek (at least 1 hour – and that’s from the very East Bay), which is why we don’t make it out too often; but it’s nice to go out on an adventure every once in a while!
Website: https://dustbowlbrewing.com/
Dust Bowl Beer Lineup
Dust Bowl makes a ton of beer! They are best known (at least to me) for brewing their staple beers like Hops of Wrath IPA, Therapist Imperial IPA, and easy drinking lagers like the Taco Truck.
One of our current faves that we tried out on our last visit to the taproom (and can get in cans at Total Wine) is the Peace, Love & Haze Hazy IPA (I am, in fact, drinking a cold one right now as I type this).
Though they can and bottle plenty of their beer, visiting their tap room opens you up to a whole new world of options to choose from – beers that you can only get on draft (of which you can certainly get crowlers of to-go). Plus, their brewery aesthetic is open and modern, and you can play games like cornhole in the beer garden while sipping on your brew (once the pandemic is over, of course).
Pro Tip: We generally get to the brewery right when they open (at 11:00 a.m.) so we can just walk right up to the bar and take our seat. We find we get really good customer service sitting at the bar.
We always get a flight when we visit so we can sample some new brews they have – I recommend you do the same. They’ve been making some pretty darn good Hazy IPAs and Kettle Sours as of late!
The Food at Dust Bowl
Dare I say it and jinx it, but we’ve never had a bad meal here! I usually like to stick with their salads as they are refreshing, tasty and leave me extra room in my calorie count to be occupied by beer.
In terms of grub you’ll find on the menu here – it’s a brewery, which means elevated pub grub to pair well with a glass of beer. In addition to fresh salads, you can expect to see things of the sandwich nature, burgers, and specialty items like fish tacos. They also have specials that rotate and are posted on the chalk board when you walk into the brewery.
Do keep in mind that their menu does change periodically so something you see in this post might not be offered on their current menu.
Starters
One of our must-haves every time we come is an order of the Squeakers – cheese curds made with local Hilmar Cheese and fried in Hops of Wrath beer batter. They are hot and melty and served with a side of ranch and marinara (the marinara is the best – just ask for two of those!). Go for that cheese pull gold!
Though we haven’t tried their nachos, I think I’m going to next time because they come out in a heaping pile and look amazing. Hard to resist a good plate…or platter…of nachos!
Salads
The salads I get at Dust Bowl are always so flavorful and satisfying, and make me feel a little less guilty about consuming a bunch of beer! All dressings are also house-made.
Power House Salad: This was my very first meal at Dust Bowl and convinced me we would have to return again. The Power House is made with kale & sliced Brussels sprouts, broccoli stalks, shredded carrots, candied walnuts, and tomatoes with an orange-vinaigrette dressing.
Seared Ahi Salad: Definitely my favorite of the salads, this one is made with fresh salad greens and cabbage, seared ahi, green onion, mandarin oranges, fried won ton strips, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The salad is also served with a honey sesame dressing. So good!
Sandwiches & Tacos
My husband likes to go the heartier route with his meals and tends to stick with their different sandwich offerings and tacos.
Fried Chicken Sandwich: Breaded chicken with melted pepper jack cheese, candied jalapenos, and vinegar slaw on a burger bun.
Fried Chicken & Waffle Sandwich: This one was a big winner – spicy breaded chicken breast with melted cheddar cheese, bacon & candied jalapenos, topped with arugula & honey buffalo syrup served between two crispy waffles. Great combination and the garlic fries are delicious too!
Fish Tacos: If ever there was an ultimate California pub grub, it would be fish tacos and Dust Bowl does them well! You can order two or three (two is plenty though, especially when you’re throwing back a beer or two), and they come with a side of chips and salsa.
Specials
As I mentioned above, they also have specials posted on a board when you walk in. Below is an example of one I had that was so good!
Shrimp & Corn Tostada: Made with black beans, corn salad, and shrimp with a delicious creamy orange sauce.
I’ll keep this post updated each year we head back with all the goodies we get to try! If you make it out to Dust Bowl, be sure to let me know what you ate and what your favorite beers were.
Happy drinking!
Thank you for sharing such an engaging review of Dust Bowl Brewing in Turlock! I loved how you captured the vibrant atmosphere and unique beer selections. It’s always great to hear about spots that balance excellent food and drink with a welcoming ambiance.