The Best Breweries in Raleigh

Top Of The Hill Restaurant & Brewery

★★★★☆ 3.7 (828) • $$

"Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery, also known as "TOPO," is a UNC and Chapel Hill institution. TOPO is located atop the intersection of Franklin and Columbia Streets, the epicenter of big Carolina basketball postgame celebrations, in the heart of downtown Chapel Hill. This place is busy and popular year-round and especially during Carolina basketball and football seasons. My wife and her co-residents tried to come here to watch the 2022 Final Four game between Carolina and Duke (Coach K's last game), but it was full so they went to Linda's up the street instead.TOPO has been a regular dinner spot for my wife and her co-residents during her four years in Chapel Hill. When she brought me here for dinner, there was another group of residents and attendings on the patio. We arrived just before 6pm on a Thursday (non-game night) and were able to snag one of the high-top tables that overlooked Franklin Street. It was nice. I can't think of any other restaurants or bars in Chapel Hill that have as good of a city view, so this place definitely has that going for it.TOPO is also a versatile spot, functioning more as a sit-down restaurant during the daytime and more as a bar Thursday-Saturday nights (open until 2am those nights). This is a brewpub; they brew their own beer on-site. TOPO has multiple award-winning brews, a few of which are noted below. Along with beer, they have a full bar serving several different types of cocktails ($8-16 each) including a variety of mules ($8 each). The cuisine is American. During our dinner visit, most apps, salads, sandwiches, and bowls were priced in the $10-15 range and most entrees were about $15-30 each.Here's what we got:Beer* Beer Sampler ($13) - five-ounce pours of all of TOPO's six draft beers' Kenan Lager - Best in Show, Carolina Championship of Beer' Bell Tower Blueberry Wheat - Platinum Medal, World Championship of Beer' Old Well White - Platinum Medal, World Championship of Beer' Quite Right IPA' Alma Mater Amber Ale' Blackwood Mountain StoutStarters* Jalapeno-Cheddar Hushpuppies (6 for $6.99) - cornmeal hushpuppies with jalapeno, cheddar cheese and buttermilk, served with white cocktail sauceEntrees* Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($18.50) - locally-sourced crispy fried breast with mushroom cream gravy topped with diced tomatoes and scallions, mashed potatoes, garlic-sauteed French beans, and a buttermilk biscuit* TOPO Whiskey & Coke Braised Beef ($23.99) - boneless beef short rib slow-braised in a Whiskey & Coke sauce with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoesIf you've never been to TOPO before, the Beer Sampler is a great way to go. You can sample all of TOPO's draft list without committing to a full glass. When we visited, there were six beers on tap, regularly $6-8 per serving. The sampler came with a neat and informative placemat menu. It had a description of each beer along with tasting notes. My wife's favorites were the Quite Right IPA followed by the Bell Tower Blueberry Wheat. I thought all six beers tasted good and I didn't have a favorite. It was a three-way tie between the Kenan Lager, Old Well White, and Alma Mater Amber Ale, all of which were very different. I guess what I'm saying is you really can't go wrong with any of the in-house beers here.My wife recommended the Jalapeno-Cheddar Hushpuppies. She likes them because both their texture and flavor stand out. I agree - they were tasty and addictive. The Jalapeno-Cheddar Hushpuppies are one of the apps that she and her co-residents like to order and share. Others they like to get include the Lizard Chips ($9.50), which are sliced dill pickles and jalapenos deep-fried in TOPO beer batter and served with a "Baja" dipping sauce, and the Sweet Potatoes & Peppadew Pepper Jelly ($11.99), which are sweet potato fries with a cream cheese and pepper jelly.The entrees that we got, the Buttermilk Fried Chicken and the TOPO Whiskey & Coke Braised Beef, are TOPO classics. The fried chicken is an entree that one of my wife's attendings, who has been in Chapel Hill for decades, usually orders. It was yummy. Crispy, tender, and not too greasy. I liked the mushroom cream gravy and I thought both it and the green beans went well with the chicken. The braised beef was hearty and satisfying. I thought the meat was a little dry, but it was flavorful. I do recommend both of these dishes if you want to try what TOPO "is known for."Service was good, from the hostesses up front to our server, Coale. All the staff we interacted with were polite and efficient, and everything we ordered came out in a reasonable amount of time.We parked for free in a paved lot behind the restaurant. You can enter the lot via a small driveway on S Columbia St between TOPO and the Ackland Art Museum. TOPO is located on the third floor (highest floor).TL;DR version - I give TOPO four stars not for any one reason, but for the whole experience as a brewpub with a good view, good service, good drinks, and decent food."

Trophy Brewing

★★★★☆ 4 (642) • $$

"We were making a pitstop in Raleigh on a two week road trip and knew we had to come back to the trophy room to have some great beer as well as check out the pizza. The last time we were here they had exceptionally good wings and we wanted to make sure it would happen again! . We are happy to report that the food was absolutely just delicious as we remembered when we were here back in June.My husband ordered the dry rub wings with the garlic sauce on the side. It was absolutely perfect! I opted for the indoor kid pizza, which was a nice mix of mozzarella with tomatoes and a little bit of sweetness. Really delicious pizza and I love that the personal size pizza, are just the perfect size for someone to be full but not feeling bloated. Also tried the Wildberry tart pop sour very fruit forward. Definitely reallyenjoyed that."

Fullsteam

★★★★☆ 4.3 (512) • $$

"Stopped by for some quick beers.I opted for their Hazy on tap. When I visited early August, it was very hot and humid out. There were only some fans on, and no AC was turned out (not sure if it is available).Not too busy for the afternoon. Parking is extremely difficult here. You may need to park a few blocks away. Read signs carefully. Lots of construction as well."

Clouds Brewing

★★★★☆ 3.9 (248) • $$

"Food and service was pretty good! We ordered a hazy ipa and a blood orange ipa both were good. We ordered the chicken flatbread and Buffalo cauliflower appetizers. Both were delicious. Added bonus we got to bring the pup with us as well! A lot of selections to choose from and I was even able to order an aperol spritz which was perfect and refreshing!"

Aviator Brewing Company Tap House

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (296) • $$

"TLDR: Great food and beer selection. Indoor and outdoor seating. Kind, helpful servers. Good music selection and occasional live music.Excellent taproom to visit by yourself or with friends. They offer a variety of American cuisine and drinks. I actually prefer their food over the beer. We liked the B-52 chicken sandwich and mahi tacos with tator tots and fries. The portion size was ideal and it all tasted great. For the drinks, I recommend choosing a beer flight. You can choose different size flights, 4, 6, or 10. I have tried most of their brews at the brewery location and wanted to try something new. I chose the 4 sampler flight with Mad Beach, Cosmic Crush, El Jefe, and BlackCherry Wit. Mad Beach was citrus and flavorful as always. I wasn't a fan of the Cosmic Crush, but I think it is because I drank it after the mad beach. El Jefe was my favorite. I love how the orange and lime slices were included even with the flights. I surprisingly did not like the Black Cherry Wit. There were other beers I wanted to try (e.g. Shark Fight and Mango Horchata) but they were either out of stock or only available as cans. I sat at an outdoor table with my dog. Our server (Alice?) was so patient and attentive. Only thing I didn't like is that the hostess stand is outside. When the host was there, they had to stand in the heat for a while. When they weren't, customers had to wait in the heat for a while to be seated. Seems like it would be better to have this indoors, especially during the NC summer. Overall, we had a great experience here and recommend this taproom to others!"

Norse Brewing Company

★★★★☆ 4 (129) • $$

"Too busy. We should have just left. The servers were trying their best but it seems like the kitchen needs help. It probably took every bit of 75 min to get our food Servers did their best to accommodate us with a French fry appetizer and drinks but it was a long wait The place is super noisy .... Would have preferred to eat outside but the food was good I had a BLT that was delish. The duck fat fries were not the best. They were shoe string fries and cooked a bit too long so they were dry Would give it another shot on a less busy evening"

Bright Penny Brewing

★★★★☆ 4.4 (101) • $$

"We decided to venture out to Mebane based on some great reviews from Yelp and some other investigations. Bright Penny Brewing was our main destination for coming to Mebane and we weren't disappointed with the stop.The brewery has over 20 beers on tap and after tasting a few both my wife and I decided on the Chocolate Covered Pistachio, according to the website (Imperial Stout brewed with over 50 pounds of real pistachio and 25 pounds of Dutch cocoa powder.) and according to my tastebuds WOW, frickin' awesome...! We also ordered a flight of deviled eggs, something that Bright Penny is known for and you get three choices with six half total. All were excellent, but our favorite we thought was Doreen's which was topped with dill weed, dill relish, and paprika, but Harriet's came in a close second. I think no matter what you choose you will be happy.Now, for the main we ordered the Sweet & Salty pizza (sort of like me and my wife...I will not say who is which), this is the description from the website again (Garlic oil base, topped with shaved prosciutto, sliced black mission figs, and goat cheese, finished with fresh arugula and balsamic glaze). I do this so you will know what was on the pizza. Okay, Bright Penny, there is WAY TOO MUCH GOAT CHEESE, you need to either dial it back or increase the fig or my suggestion would be to add a caramelized onion to the pizza to balance out the cheese. My wife thought a cream base would be better.A couple who sat next to us ordered the same pizza and on our way out I asked them what they thought of the pizza and they said the same thing. So, please take note, it was good but could be over-the-top good. My wife and I both agreed we would come back because this place is a gem."

Compass Rose Brewery

★★★★☆ 3.8 (130) • $$

"CRB is located in a hidden nook off of Gresham lake Rd. We come to Compass Rose frequently. There is a viewing area to see the brewing process, food trucks, yard games, and large tables for big groups. More of an industrial vibe for sure. This time around CRB featured amber to dark beer. They generally always have a cider on tap as well as a Hefeweizen. Each selection is a full tasting beer. For the non drinker they do have canned sodas and snacky foods. Even wine. I'd love to see CRB find their niche but overall we enjoy our time spent here. Game night is nice Bc they have a projector screen. Go Pack! Likes- clean Large space Projector screen Would be acceptable to bring children Scott's View (Scottish Amber) is a great tasting beer. Cons- no niche beer necessarily. Lack of distribution and advertisement. No food truck schedule. Chairs are appealing to the eye but not comfortable at all."

Railhouse Brewery

★★★★☆ 3.8 (104) • $$

"Rail House is a brewery clearly devoted to the military community from the moment you walk in, although it may not look it from the outside or in my pictures. The meatball sub was a first time Go at this station. The list of beer crafted here also has a military theme. I didn't taste it yet but I got a growler full of Knights Golden. Will update with an AAR when mission complete."

Heyday Brewing

★★★★☆ 3.8 (60) • $$

"A semi-hidden find being a bit off the beaten path this was a fun experience. They have two separate sides, the bar and the eatery, which was a bit of a pain just due to having to be in two different lines and pay at two different stations, but that was the only downer. The space is very large with both indoor and outdoor seating. The outside is dog friendly for those that might want that feature. The food was bar food and just fine for the location we were in. The bar staff was quick with drinks and moving the line. They have plenty of seating inside and a few arcade style games you can play. It can be noisy in there with the open atmosphere, but it's a bar, so it's expected. They are family friendly and there was a sports team celebrating after a game in there while we were there, which most definitely contributed to the noise, but it didn't bother us. Just a note for people it may influence. Overall: ASolid semi-hidden find with a fun vibe and an easy going experience."

Aviator Pizzeria & BeerShop

★★★★☆ 4.1 (31) • $$

"We went here for the first time this weekend to see one of my son's teachers band. We've always driven by and thought this place and the little Main Street were so cool and right up our alley being from MPLS. It was busy but thankfully we got a large table for our expected large party. It was beautiful outside. They even have an 2 story patio. We got the aviator pizza ( a few substitutes tho) Mac and cheese pizza and nachos. Everything was amazing. The nachos were my favorite. We had the best sour beer we've had since moving here. I also had the rum punch drink and it was fabulous and strong. Loved it!"