Raleigh’s craft beer scene is always on the up, and Downtown Raleigh is the district that’s speerheading this growth. Amidst the city skyline you’ll find a handful of downtown Raleigh breweries that are more than just places to drink – they are urban gathering spots, music venues, community venues, and where the biggest beards and biggest dogs are welcome – all are welcome in Raleigh, y’all.
If you’re a craft beer enthusiast, downtown is the place to go. Here you’ll find some of my favorite breweries in all of Raleigh, each with its own unique character and offerings, but all with a lively atmosphere and tasty craft beers.
Whether you are a beer lover or just looking for a fun night out, these are all the best breweries in downtown Raleigh that we love.
Best breweries in Downtown Raleigh
The breweries mentioned in this guide can all be found in the downtown region, but if you’re not sure where to find them, here is a helpful map so you can find each one.
Visiting a brewery is one of our favorite things to do in downtown Raleigh and is the ideal way to spend a summer’s evening.
1. Brewery Bhavana
- On-site kitchen: yes
- Outdoor seating: no
- Food trucks: no
- Games: no
- Live music: no
- Kid-friendly: no
- Dog-friendly: no
If you’re looking for unique breweries in downtown, then you won’t find anywhere more unique than Brewery Bhavana, which is a unique brewery that combines beer with books and flowers.
This brewery has a full-service flower shop, bookstore, and dim sum restaurant all under one roof. The brewery offers a range of beers that are inspired by Belgian and Asian brewing traditions. Some of their most popular beers include Grove, a farmhouse ale, and Burmese Gypsy, a Belgian-style Tripel.
Brewery Bhavana has won multiple awards for its beer and was named the best new brewery in America by USA Today.
- Address: 218 S Blount St, Raleigh
- Website: BreweryBhvana.com
2. Burial Beer Co Raleigh Taproom (The Exhibit)
- On-site kitchen: no (food hall attached)
- Outdoor seating: yes
- Food trucks: no
- Games: no
- Live music: no
- Kid-friendly: somewhat
- Dog-friendly: yes (outdoors)
Burial Beer Co is a brewery that was founded in Asheville, NC, but has since expanded to locations in Raleigh and Charlotte. Their Raleigh location is in the heart of downtown (next to Transfer Co Food Hall) and offers a wide range of beers, including stouts, IPAs, and saisons.
It has 24 taps offering what the local’s consider some of the best brews, poured by knowledgeable and helpful staff. The decor is modern and creative, with unique artwork on the wall.
Burial’s name is derived from the founders’ time in New Orleans, while their brewery in Raleigh is endearingly referred to as “The Exhibit” because of its distinctive immersion into Burial’s art world.
- Address: 500 E Davie St #170, Raleigh
- Website: BurialBeer.com
3. Crank Arm Brewing Company
- On-site kitchen: no
- Outdoor seating: yes
- Food trucks: no
- Games: yes
- Live music: no
- Kid-friendly: yes
- Dog-friendly: yes
If it’s your first visit to Raleigh, then you might have noticed that the city is quite big on cycling, and for cycling enthusiasts, the brewery for you is Crank Arm Brewing a sit’s dedicated to all things cycling – they even hold a run club on Tuesdays and a cycling club on Wednesdays.
The brewery is located in a building that was once a bike shop, and the walls are adorned with vintage cycling memorabilia. Crank Arm Brewing’s beer selection includes a range of classic and creative flavors, all of which are unfiltered and include a double hazy.
Crank Arm Brewing also has a large outdoor patio with a fire pit in the winter that is dog-friendly, and there’s even free popcorn and games such as Jenga and puzzles for kids to enjoy. Read our full guide to Crank Arm Brewery.
- Address: 319 W Davie St, Raleigh
- Website: CrankArmBrewing.com
4. Raleigh Beer Garden
- On-site kitchen: yes
- Outdoor seating: yes
- Food trucks: no
- Games: yes
- Live music: yes
- Kid-friendly: yes
- Dog-friendly: yes
Raleigh Beer Garden is not necessarily a brewery, but since it’s an establishment that has over 350+ beers on tap (the Guinness World Record holder for the largest selection of beers), it deserves a spot on this list.
The venue is housed in a historic building that was once a train depot, and the interior is adorned with vintage train memorabilia. It’s a huge 8,500-square-foot space made up of 3 levels, a huge outdoor beer garden (as you would expect), a back beer garden patio that is family-friendly, an airstream bar, as well as a rooftop bar.
Raleigh Beer Garden’s beer selection includes a range of beers from all over the world, as well as a large selection of North Carolina beers. They also host regular events throughout the week, including trivia nights, karaoke, and live music.
- Address: 614 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh
- Website: TheRaleighBeerGarden.com
5. Standard Beer + Food
- On-site kitchen: yes
- Outdoor seating: yes
- Food trucks: no
- Games: no
- Live music: no
- Kid-friendly: yes
- Dog-friendly: yes
Standard Beer + Food is a brewery that has a relaxed and chilled atmosphere, with a comfortable indoor and outdoor seating space. The brewery’s beer selection includes a range of classic styles like lagers, IPAs, and stouts, as well as some more creative offerings. They also have a QR code to order food and drinks to the table, so no more waiting around for the server to come to you.
Standard Beer + Food also has a full kitchen that serves up delicious food like tacos, Caesar salads, sandwiches, and crispy fried chicken. They will soon be openng a location in North Hills. We’re all eagerly awaiting for this new North Hills addition to the Innovation District.
- Address: 205 E Franklin St, Raleigh
- Website: StandardBeerAndFood.com
6. Tobacco Road Sports Cafe & Brewery
- On-site kitchen: yes
- Outdoor seating: yes
- Food trucks: no
- Games: yes
- Live music: no
- Kid-friendly: yes
- Dog-friendly: no
Tobacco Road Sports Cafe & Brewery is a huge brewery located in the heart of downtown Raleigh. The beer selection includes a range of classic styles like pilsners, IPAs, and stouts, including their own Tobacco Road beers that have been brewed on-site.
It has two floors, multiple bartenders, and lots of TVs throughout the space, making it the perfect sports bar in Raleigh to catch an NFL game or soccer game. And if you’re looking to play some board games, you’ll find a large games room next to the main bar area.
- Address: 505 W Jones St, Raleigh
- Website: TobaccoRoadSportsCafe.com/raleigh
7. Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing
- On-site kitchen: yes
- Outdoor seating: yes
- Food trucks: no
- Games: no
- Live music: no
- Kid-friendly: yes
- Dog-friendly: yes
If you’re looking for downtown breweries in Raleigh, nc with food, then Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing is the place to go. It’s one of our favorite brunch spots in Raleigh because of its amazing outdoor patio with scenic views, and an extensive brunch menu.
The brewery’s beer selection includes a range of classic styles like pilsners, IPAs, and stouts, as well as an extensive cocktail menu. Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing also has a full kitchen that serves up delicious food with a chef driven bar that uses fresh North Carolina ingredients.
The views from Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing are also fantastic, with sweeping views of the city skyline and river. IT also becomes a legendary Raleigh Christmas bar during the holidays. It’s the perfect relaxed setting for a date night in Raleigh.
- Address: 201 S Boylan Ave, Raleigh
- Website: WyeHill.com
8. Trophy Brewing & Pizza
- On-site kitchen: yes
- Outdoor seating: yes
- Food trucks: yes
- Games: no
- Live music: sometimes
- Kid-friendly: yes
- Dog-friendly: yes
This locally owned restaurant and brewery has a community feel and is a popular place to eat on a nice weather day since most of their seating is outside (their cozy patio is heated in winter).
We love the pizzas here, which are a classic thin crust with delectable combos that can be customized. It also has a rotating selection of beer on tap, so every time you visit you’ll be able to taste something new.
The actual brewery is quite small, but it has a huge patio that is kid and dog friendly. Trophy now has several locations for you to enjoy! Their brand new location in Five Points will also be serving their pizza restaurant menu. Their location on Maywood has food trucks, a cool outdoor area, and many fun events. And their State of Beer location is more of a casual place to drink in a historic house with a gorgeous outdoor seating area amongst the pine trees. They also have sandwiches and cocktails!
- Address: 827 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603
- Website: trophybrewing.com
9. Incendiary Brewing Co
- On-site kitchen: no
- Outdoor seating: yes
- Food trucks: no
- Games: yes
- Live music: sometimes
- Kid-friendly: yes
- Dog-friendly: yes
Opening in late 2023, Incendiary Brewing Co is one of the newest craft breweries to open up in downtown Raleigh. This company only began in 2018, by Winston-Salem high school buddies Brandon Branscome and John Bacon.
Since then, their IPAs and Stouts have solidified them as one of the best brewers in North Carolina, and it wasn’t long before they expanded into Lewisville, Greensboro, and now Raleigh.
Their 2,300-square-foot taproom in an old coal factory on Morgan St not only serves great beer, but it has a cool, industrial vibe with graffiti painted murals and exposes air ducts on the ceiling.
They have regular events on throughout the week, from DJ performances to Jazz bands, to more relaxing activities like pottery painting and Dungeons and Dragons games nights.
There’s always something happening to bring guests back time and time again. Plus, the outdoor seating area is in the old coal pit, which is pretty lively.
You can also grab a pizza from the restaurant next door and use the outdoor seating area. Since it doesn’t have a kitchen, it welcomes you to buy food from its neighbors. Definitely one for beer enthusiasts who like to take part in events and community activities.
- Address: 612 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603
- Website: incendiarybrewing.com
Parking in Downtown Raleigh
Parking options for downtown Raleigh include mostly street parking, as well as a few parking lots, and parking decks. You can see a full parking map of downtown here. City owned parking lots in Downtown Raleigh give you two hours free!
Street parking is well marked, and if you see a blue sign, then you have to pay between the hours of 8am to 5pm, Monday – Friday. On the weekends and after 5pm street parking is free.
If you see green signs, it means you have a limited amount of time to park, which is usually displayed on the sign. For example, you may find you only have 1 or 2 hour parking, but it could also say “permit required” which means that only permit holders can park in those areas.
Read the signs and the times carefully as traffic wardens operate regularly in this area. You should also keep in mind that numbered parking spots typically mean a payment is required in the designated time period. Read our guide to parking in Downtown Raleigh. Why not consider catching the bus? You’ll find stops near many of these downtown breweries!
FAQs about breweries in Downtown Raleigh
Here’s what people usually ask us about breweries in the downtown district…
What are the best Downtown Raleigh Breweries with outdoor seating?
The best downtown breweries with outdoor seating are Burial Beer Co, Clouds Brewing, Crank Arm Brewing Company, Raleigh Beer Garden, Standard Beer + Food, Tobacco Road Sports Cafe and Brewery, and Wye Hill Kitchen and Brewing.
What are the best Downtown Raleigh Breweries with food?
The best downtown breweries with food are Brewery Bhavana, Clouds Brewing, Raleigh Beer Garden, Standard Beer + Food, Tobacco Road Sports Cafe and Brewery, and Wye Hill Kitchen and Brewing.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, downtown Raleigh has a brewery for every taste and preference. Whether you are looking for a unique atmosphere or a classic beer style, you will find something for everyone at a brewery in downtown! If you have kids, here are our favorite family friendly breweries in Raleigh (and nearby)
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