New Rooftop Beer Garden for Downtown Westport

Bob LeRose, owner of and president of the Downtown Merchants Association, listens to all the chatter about what people want in a redesigned Westport. That’s how his latest venture, Bobby's Rooftop Beer Garden, came to fruition.

“The twn talks about wanting to have a nightlife and we took that to heart and put our money where our mouth is,” LeRose said.

The rooftop area, accessible from a flight of stairs in front of the Main Street restaurant, has been around for 25 years, but wasn’t fully utilized. LeRose said it had been open for weekend music and private parties, but never as a place just to hang out and enjoy a beer outside.

With the reimagining of the outdoor area, the hours have been expanded and so has the selection. The amount of beers on tap doubled to 12, and there’s a full bar serving wine and liquor. Aesthetically, the place has undergone an overhaul. A thousand or so string lights hang from the ceiling, and planter purchased from the Westport Garden Club now line the area. Ample seating is available.

The opening of the beer garden coincides with a push to revitalize downtown with more parking, a diversity of businesses and the possible opening a movie theater. The by the Planning and Zoning Commission and residents who miss the way the area used to be.

While Bobby Q’s offers the only beer garden in town, the German-inspired bars are undergoing something of a renaissance in nearby New York City. The New York Times reports that some are concerned there might be too many sprouting up. In an attempt to explain the popularity of beer gardens, the reporter writes “people like beer and will tend to drink it in large amounts, while sitting outside at long, communal tables in the sun.”

Indeed, that’s exactly the type of customer that LeRose wants to attract.

“We hope we get people who appreciate a quality beer,” he said.

Bobby's Rooftop Beer Garden is still in its infancy, but LeRose hopes offer scotch tastings, Octoberfest and other events throughout the year.

The beer garden is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to close. On Fridays, a low-key solo music act will typically perform. On Saturdays, a full band will rock the place. Music begins at 9 p.m. and you must be 21 years or older to enter.

Editor's note: This article originally was published by Westport Patch. Norwalk Patch recently published these other articles related to nearby restaurants:

• (a "Restaurant Row" column with more links to articles about Norwalk restaurants)
• (A "Restaurant Road Trip" column with more links to articles on area restaurants)