Drink What Defines You

Get to know Identity Brewing Company’s beer (and food!) menu

By Greg Tasker | March 9, 2024

Meet the new kid on the block on Union Street: Identity Brewing Company. Identity took over the former home of The Dish Cafe, a popular luncheon destination in downtown Traverse City that offered alcoholic beverages and a healthy menu but with limited hours. The eatery officially rebranded as Identity on Dec. 1, 2023.

Traverse City couple Josh and Amanda Thomas purchased the business last fall. Josh’s craft beer dreams inspired the couple to reach out to The Dish owners Patty Hickman and Randy Waclawskil, who had previously tried to sell the restaurant the year before, though that deal fell through.

Josh and Amanda had their LLC for Identity Brewing Co. in hand and were waiting for the right opportunity to launch their own business. Happenstance brought them to The Dish.

“When Josh saw the space for sale at The Dish, it immediately felt like the perfect place to build our new home,” says Amanda, adding the couple wasn’t looking to open a traditional brewery. “When we approached Randy and Patty, they welcomed us with open arms and really helped us through the long process to finalize the sale.”

The Beer

Josh and Amanda have backgrounds in hospitality: Amanda spent years in the event industry before becoming a senior account executive for a local technology and training company. She focuses on the event, social media, and business elements of their company.

Meanwhile, Josh’s interest in beer began as a homebrewer. He worked for seven-and-a-half years at Traverse City’s Right Brain Brewing and was head brewer his last three years there.

One unusual element of Identity’s makeup is that their beer isn’t brewed on-site or even in the city. The beer recipes are specially crafted and brewed under contract with Starving Artists Brewery in Ludington, owned by Josh’s brother, Andy Thomas. The brothers work together to bring Josh’s recipes to fruition. Andy runs the production and delivers the beer to their operations through a local distributor.

“It is nice to be able to work with family and support both of our businesses doing what we love,” Amanda says.

Identity’s beers are IPA-centric, more in the East Coast style, meaning they’re fruity and citrusy and less bitter. Josh plans to offer some other styles throughout the year, perhaps some sours or fun dark beers, but he doesn’t want to replicate what is being offered at other breweries.

“I think everyone here is making great beer,” he says of the Traverse City beer scene. “We are here to add to the options.”

Five beers are on tap, as well as a Mawby sparkling wine. The most popular beers are The Kid and Ja Boom—the latter is the couple’s reference to “when the world exploded” after they met. (The beer was specially brewed by Andy and served at Josh and Amanda’s wedding.)

“The beer side is going very well,” Amanda says, noting that Identity sells beer to-go by the can in four packs. “We plan to expand our tap system to offer more selections of our label in the near future. We have some rotating and some that are always available. We love hearing feedback on everyone’s favorites.”

The Food

As neither Josh nor Amanda came from food backgrounds, they spent months working with the former owners and staff to learn food preparation and recipes. Each day, the staff is in the kitchen three hours before opening to prepare the fresh-made meals and ingredients.

“Many people loved The Dish and were regulars there when we moved, and we promised to continue to serve the same, fresh quality food they have always had,” Amanda says. “We have continued to see The Dish staples be popular selections, such as the Ahi Poke Bowl, the Buddha Bowl, and our Cuban is always a huge hit, along with our fresh daily soups.”

Other beloved dishes include Chicken Shawarma (with the choice to add whipped garlic toum); oven fried falafel on a thin, grilled pita with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pickled onion, and lemon-tahini sauce; and Avocado Toast with micro-greens and lemon parsley vinaigrette on toasted sourdough bread.

Josh and Amanda have added their own version of chili and use fresh, handmade dough from a local vendor for their pizza offerings, which they also plan to expand. They are working to offer additional healthy selections, tapping their staff for inspiration.

“We still want to keep that healthy vibe. Salads will still be here, and we want to do more vegetarian and gluten-free options,” says Josh, noting they’ve added functional mushroom shots, which boast healthy attributes and can be added to the customer’s drink of choice. The mushrooms are grown, extracted, tested, and bottled in Traverse City by Nexus Alternatives.

“We continue to add new items to the menu, especially to cater to the new evening hours we offer, and we continue to listen to our customers to be sure we are offering what they want to see,” Amanda says.

The Space

In addition to the food and drinks, the Thomases have made a few more changes to their new digs, transforming the Union Street space into a brighter, more open venue. Black trim, murals and new artwork, soft furniture, a TV, and a digital menu board—highlighting selections and their own beers—create a new, inviting vibe. They’ve also extended hours beyond lunch.

The name Identity plays on community, creating a place where everyone, no matter their identity, is welcome. The art on the walls play up that theme, reinforced with their slogan on the counter: “Drink what defines you.” The Thomases tell us everyone is welcome at Identity. The couple, who have five children, welcome kids and teens, too—Identity sells a variety of non-alcoholic beverages.

As they settle into the daily operations of their downtown business, Josh and Amanda are looking ahead. The Traverse City couple is striving to build a community space, offering bingo on Mondays, trivia on Thursdays, and live music every Friday night, with plans to continue to expand community and family events come summer. Recently, Identity hosted Pop-Up Story Times with Miriam Pico and a Taylor Swift release party. Amanda also works collaboratively with other local business owners to provide space for events and help support each other through community connections.

They’re also launching a Mug Club soon and have big plans for the summer, including an outdoor music series starting in June with the opening of their patio in the alley next door.

“We will be creating a really unique space out there,” Amanda says. “It will have its own unique vibe, with food and beverage service. We’re really excited about it.”

Find Identity Brewing at 108 S Union St. in Traverse City. (231) 932-2233; identitybrewing.com

Photo by Meridian Photography