Raleigh Food Question

Poole's Diner will suit that well enough. Food and wine are excellent, beer is decent.

Trophy is good on food, decent on beer, just not a great wine list.

 

Poole's is off the chart food but not sure how great the tap list is. Personally, I would go up the street to Busy Bee. Food is still really good but their tap list is usually tough to beat.

 

A nice place for a date, and is a little unique, check out Sitti and Buku ... I've been to both; good food, wine and beer. No, they don't have a taplist like BB but I haven't had a problem finding something I like at either place.

 

I'd recommend Stanbury, my favorite restaurant in town. The taplist is modest, but always includes something that goes well with food. The wine and cocktails are top notch though, and the pork chop is a thing of beauty.

Poole's is also awesome, but is also more focused on cocktails and wine than beer. They'll have something good beer-wise, just probably not a ton of choices. This place gets super duper packed though, it's not my ideal choice for a date place honestly, but also check out one of Ashley Christensen's other spots called Joule, it's also very good and has good beer and wine.

Another place I'd throw out is Bloomsbury Bistro, which has a very good wine list although only a few beers.

As far as just beer, no restaurant in town has a tap/bottle list that even comes close to Busy Bee. So if that's your main priority then I'd consider going there. But their food (while good) is not on the level of these other places or many others in town.

 

Other good options, 18 Seaboard and J. Betski's. Not sure on the beer selection but they are right next to Tyler's taproot so you can walk over before or after your meal. Also the Pit tends to have good beers on tap. The other week they had Sexual Chocolate on tap. And again right across the street from Crank arm brewing and tasty bottle shop for stops before or after the meal.

 

To be honest, you'll have to choose between the best food in Raleigh and the best tap lists in Raleigh. Best food, it depends on what you're looking for, but I would hit Poole's or Stanbury for dinner, and just do wine and/or cocktails at either. Beer, you're looking at Busy Bee (closest to what you're looking for, but the food definitely isn't up with places like Bida Manda/Stanbury/Poole's/Taza Kitchen/J Betski's) or Raleigh Times/Tyler's (bar food, not a date atmosphere at all) or maybe Trophy (great pizza, solid beer, neighborhood bar type feel).

But seriously, the food in the area is the way to go. Just go to Taza or Stanbury and drink wine or wine and cocktails (respectively). You'll have a much better time than trying to find a great taplist and awesome meal in this town, and there's plenty of spots to drop by for a beer after if you're so inclined. You'll have a better time at one of these places just based on the quality of the food than trying to match up world class beer and food in this town.

 

I love finding great food as much as beer. There aren't many place where a great food experience coexists with a stellar beer list. Few restaurants sell enought beer to justify more than a few draft lines... my recommendation is to pre-game someplace good, go to a great dinner, and then go out for a few more...

Poole's to Busy Bee to Tyler's would be quite a walk. There are cabs and Uber or even a pedicab if you're feeling peckish.

Poole's doesn't take reservations. The food is great, especially the mac & cheese. In order to minimize the wait, we arrive when they open the doors and grab a drink, so we can get in on the first seating. Otherwise, you're in for a long wait most nights.
Mandolin, in the Five Points neighborhood, is really good and their beer list is above average.

I'm a huge fan of the Stanbury. The menu is inventive and witty.

 

Look up the R line it's a free bus that constantly loops almost all of the downtown hot spots. Makes bar hopping a breeze and you don't need to stress about parking.

 

You're going to wait at least an hour for a table at Poole's, so just be aware of that and expecting it. Is the food worth the wait? Yeah, it probably is.

Good call on Mandolin @Sayson !

 

I used to be a quasi-regular at her first place in town, Enoteca Vin. Was really sad when it shut down. Unfortunately I don't make it back to town all that often anymore and waiting in line for an hour at Poole's has never appealed to me (or mainly my wife) all that much so I haven't tried any of her other places.

@nas4atu: There's been many a time that I and the wife have made the walk of The Oxford (I wouldn't particularly recommend it, generic English food, passable beer list, but they're one of the few places around that makes a Pimm's Cup...), Raleigh Times, and Busy Bee. I don't think I'd call any of those places 'date night' worthy for eating though.

 

I would add a combination of Tasty Beverage for great beer, then go next door to Jose and Sons for some good eatin'

If you want both under the same roof, I would second the suggestion on Busy Bee Cafe