Meeting halfway in Happy Valley to enjoy craft beer and crisp crust

Editor’s note: Reviews are based on a single, unannounced, and anonymous visit. Your experience may differ from what is presented here.

THE ATMOSPHERE

As an Appalachian State University graduate and a Catawba County native, I frequently found myself stopping in Caldwell County for a quick bite to eat before heading back up the mountain for school. On a recent Saturday, I took the same route to meet a friend halfway. My boyfriend Justin and I met my friend Asher at Happy Valley Filling Station on a particularly gloomy day, but the atmosphere of the place was cool, quaint, and convenient, situated not too far off U.S. 321.

Although it was a little damp outside, we still opted for the outdoor seating as it was nice and covered. Had the weather been nice, we would have started a cornhole game (although I always lose to Justin, even playing left-handed).

THE SERVICE

The staff were super attentive from the start. When you walk inside, you’re greeted and told to order at the bar. The bartender took the time to ask about my tastes, and because I’m not a huge beer drinker, he suited me with a drink that was light and fit to my preferences. He also poured some samples for Justin and Asher, who definitely have more of a preference than me when it comes to beer.

Throughout our time outside, we were able to chat with one another and catch up on what’s going on in our lives, while also getting frequent check-ins from Happy Valley staff. Everyone was pleasant and willing to help us.

OUR ORDER

Happy Valley isn’t just a brewery; it’s also a pizzeria … or a brewzeria, according to owners Angela and Jesse. We each ordered a drink and food for lunch. For drinks, the bartender recommended I try the Dead Drift, which is a light-bodied Belgian ale, and according to the menu, is brewed with local Pilsner, wheat, and rye malts and hopped with a contemplative blend of Noble and New World hops in the kettle with a fermenter. If I’m being honest, I don’t know a lot about the world of beer, but I do know that it was smooth and refreshing. According to the menu, the drink has notes of huckleberry, orange peel, cut flowers, and spice.

Asher and Justin both ordered the Supernaut Hazy IPA, which is brewed with locally malted Pilsner and oat malts, and hopped with a sensational blend of Galaxy, Krush, Superdelic, and Riwaka. Its notes include strawberry, pineapple, citrus, and hard candies with a dank undercurrent.

Asher noticed that the beer’s taste changed by being outside, making it more bitter and floral, which he said is a plus and something frequent IPA drinkers like. For Justin, he said he enjoyed the notes of fruit and appreciated that the beer was very hoppy.

THE FOOD

Now, for my favorite part … the pizza. Everyone’s preferences are different when it comes to pizza. Whether they prefer thin or thick crust or whether they prefer an abundance of toppings or something simple, there are many factors that come into play. For me, I think I may have found my perfect pizza.

Justin and I split the Mr. Piggy, which comes with red sauce, San Giuseppe soppressata salami, Happy Valley farms sausage, fresh mozzarella, Calabrian chiles, and red onion. I loved everything about this pizza and the fact that Happy Valley gets its ingredients from local producers and farmers, making everything more fresh. I love a little spice to pretty much everything I eat, so the Calabrian chiles were definitely the star of the show, but the salami and sausage added so much flavor to the pizza as well. It was the perfect blend of flavors.

Justin enjoyed the spice of the pizza as well and added red pepper flakes to spice it up even more. He enjoyed how the crust was a little charred and crunchy and was happy with the flavor of the pizza.

Asher had the supreme and was impressed by the fresh veggies and liked the size of the pizza because he could take it back up the mountain to Boone and enjoy his leftovers. While the crust was already crisp, he said he wished it would have been a little crispier and wished that there was more red sauce.

THE VERDICT

Overall, the boys were pleased with their beer selections and food, and I was a little jealous that Asher had leftovers to take home. I think it goes without saying that Happy Valley will definitely be a meet-up spot for us in the future. We hope it’s around for a long time.