Zydeco Brew Werks 1902 E 7th Ave., Ybor City Photo via Zydeco Brew Werks Credit: Courtesy

When taking your kiddos to Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry, you’re typically limited to juice boxes and PB&Js for sustenance.

Well, one popular Ybor City brewery is about to change that in a huge way.

Located at 4801 E Fowler Ave. near the University of South Florida and Busch Gardens, MOSI will soon debut an outdoor taproom and food truck from Ybor City’s Zydeco Brew Werks—the second location for the New Orleans-themed brewery.

Zydeco’s General Manager Josh Henneman tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that MOSI’s newest hospitality concept is just a few weeks away from making its debut, slated to open sometime in August.

Zydeco Brew Werks at MOSI will feature an outdoor bar loaded with the brewery’s most popular beers, an 18-foot food truck next to the museum’s miniature golf course, four TVs and shaded seating under its amphitheater awning (where the IMAX theater once was)— which will soon host a variety of live entertainment, too.

After the hospitality concept opens next month, parents will be able to sip on lagers and IPAs while their kids enjoy the outdoor ropes or mini golf courses.

“Not only will we attract parents and their kids, but USF is on the other side of Fowler Avenue and students can walk on the bridge right to us,” Henneman says. “We’ll also have our food available on delivery apps so they don’t even have to leave their dorms.”

Zydeco’s newest outpost will open when the MOSI opens at 10 a.m., but will continue to serve beer and burgers long after the museum closes at 5 p.m. The outdoor bar and food truck will even have its own entrance from MOSI’s parking lot, although it won’t operate as a full-service restaurant like its flagship Ybor City location does.

Patrons can expect core beers like Zydeco’s Ybor Premium lager and its “All I Wanted Was a Pilsner” from award-winning head brewer Paul Rutherford (served in cans or plastic cups for safety reasons), in addition to popular food items like burgers, po’boys, fries, wings, boiled peanuts, soft pretzels and more.

And yes, Zydeco’s food truck will offer a kid’s menu, too.

Zydeco’s owner J. Paul Pepin says his partnership with MOSI started when the museum’s new President and CEO John Smith started frequenting the Ybor City brewery with his family. The addition of Zydeco’s bar and food truck is just a small facet of MOSI’s extensive renovations, which include a revamped planetarium and the possible construction of an in-house catering kitchen for large-scale events.

Zydeco’s outdoor bar and food truck at MOSI is the first phase of its expansive relationship with the museum. Pepin tells CL that there’s a very real possibility that Zydeco will open a brand new taproom inside of MOSI a few years down the line as a part of its lofty renovation plans.

“A lot of parents and adults came to MOSI as kids, and the addition of our food and drinks will definitely have those some people coming back,” Pepin says.

MOSI—a go-to destination for field trips and birthday parties—offers popular attractions like planetary shows, its outdoor ropes course, stargazing events, science-themed mini golf, VR experiences, interactive exhibits and much, much more.

The museum also hosts “Science After Dark” events for adults only, and the addition of its own in-house taproom and food truck might make those parties even more enjoyable.

Zydeco Brew Werks’ newest location inside MOSI won’t affect operations at its flagship taproom at all. The brewery and restaurant—which has been thriving on Ybor’s 7th Avenue since 2018— is actually about to launch a brand new menu loaded with new desserts, flatbreads and updated vegan and vegetarian options.

The Ybor City hotspot is also nominated for USA TODAY’s “Best Brewpub” contest; folks can place their votes until Monday, July 24.

For the latest information on Zydeco’s highly-anticipated debut at MOSI, head to its Instagram at @zydecobrewwerkstampa.

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