On The Menu: Thompson Brewing Company in Riverside believes in good food, good beer and true love

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- The owners of one brewing company in Riverside believe there's no such thing as not liking beer. That just means you haven't found the right one.

Beer and food lovers all over Southern California are heading over to Thompson Brewing Company where you'll find more than 20 beers on tap, games, plenty of outdoor space and a menu loaded with delicious southern-inspired comfort food - all made from scratch!

"We like food. We like making food. We like eating food, so our menu just keeps getting bigger," said Martha Thompson while sitting alongside her husband, Brian.

The couple met and married when they were just teenagers.

"When we turned 18, we were like, 'Let's get married,' and we literally got married that day," recalled Martha.

"We went to the courthouse, got the papers, got a cake, some flowers ..." added Brian.

"We went to Costco for a cake and flowers!" said Martha.

For decades, the couple worked as elementary school teachers, but in 2011, they decided to pour their efforts into a new passion: beer and food.

Martha handles the cooking while Brian takes care of the beer. When visiting their restaurant, make sure to check out their award-winning Pub Burger. It's a garlic aioli burger known across Riverside that Martha recommends pairing with truffle fries.

"They're triple cooked. So they end up being this little crispy, delightful, starch broken-down nuggets of joy," she smiled.

Then there is the Hot Mess Chicken sandwich. Think chicken and waffles but in sandwich form. The chicken is coated in brown sugar, syrup and chipotle, on a bun with crispy bacon and house made ranch. So it's sweet and smoky.

Looking for sides? Check out the brisket baked beans, pork fries and nachos. Maybe some beer? You'll typically always find beer master Brian in the back.

He brews a mix of rotational beers and traditional offerings.

What started out as a hobby developed into a beloved brewpub.

"To see someone bite into it and give that little moment where they close their eyes and shake their head and you know you've given them a little bit of joy," Martha said.

Great food, great beer, great people. To top things off, every Friday, the restaurant has a special on ribs.

"The real payment for all this work that we do and we work a lot. The real payment to us is the joy on people's faces," Brian said

Thompson Brewing Company, located at 9900 Indiana Ave #7 in Riverside, open from Wednesday to Sunday and hours vary.

Thank you Joe for the submission!