Flatbread Pizza at The Well

Over the past few years I have been really paying attention to what was going on at this cool old building in the bordering town of Thornton. It's a dinky little village with a population just over 2,000. Part of Thornton is a huge hole in the ground - the Thornton Quarry, which I-80 runs through the middle of. There's not much else in the town. A gas station. The American Legion. A couple little restaurants. An elementary school. And the old brewery. Most old timers would call it the old brewery because that's what it was for a century. 


The building dates back to 1857 and after the brewing business ended, the space was occupied by some light industrial businesses and some bars/restaurants. I recall it being Widow McCleary's and I went there a few times for lunch with co-workers. It sat vacant for several years before the latest venture at that location, The Well at the Distillery.

There isn't beer being brewed there now, but they're distilling spirts with that same water source. It's really a cool spot that has been painstakingly restored over several years and the project is still ongoing. Currently there's a tap room, the distillery, the lounge and a special events space as well as a little courtyard outside the entrance. They're now doing tours and things just keep getting better and better. New spirits are on the horizon. 

And when you stop there to drink, you're likely going to want something to eat. There's a simple menu with a cheese board, paninis, baked pretzels and flatbreads. Before Christmas we stopped there for an ugly Christmas sweater party and it was my first time trying out the flatbread. I had the Margherita flatbread, which had a nice crisp crust topped with fresh ingredients. The place was decked out nicely for the holidays and it was a fun evening to sit back, enjoy some pizza and sip on a cocktail.

For more info on The Well, go to thewell1857.com.