As a newer resident of S. Raleigh, I was excited to hear about the build-out of Riparian Provision Co. right up the street from me. Brought to you by the people behind Pelagic Beer in Oakwood, I was a bit intrigued by the name. Both the “Riparian” and the “Provision” part of it! Since its opening in November of 2022, I’ve had a chance to visit several times and have a pretty good idea of what they’re doing here. If you live on the south side of Raleigh, read on and learn more about this exciting community spot!
If you plan on visiting Riparian, take note that’s in a busy area off of S. Saunders and sits in a tight plaza next to Slice Pie Co. with Earp’s Seafood next door. There are about 9 parking spaces in the plaza, otherwise, you’ll have to find parking on a side street (Maywood or Summit). Access to the small parking lot is also a bit steep so take care as you pull in and out! But once you find a spot, you’re in for a surprise! Inside Riparian, the feeling is light, bright, and open. Large plate glass windows up front to watch the street action along with the roll-up garage door make for a lot of natural light. On the right-hand side, there’s a nice corner bar, paneled in light woods, some refrigerated cases for cans and bottles of adult beverages, and a small lounge area for kids and games. To the left is the main seating area, a retail area with wine, plants, and Riparian merchandise. The polished concrete floors give the space a slightly industrial feel to the space but it all feels very comfortable.
For beers, Riparian has 14 taps usually offering up local NC drafts along with wine by the glass. Adult beverage prices here are very reasonable, pretty much everything is under $10. They are currently doing trivia nights on Tuesdays with wine tastings on Thursdays from 5 to 7 pm. And for some evenings, they will have a food truck onsite if you want some eats. Or maybe you could just sneak some pie over from Slice?! The crowd at Riparian is younger, usually under 40, and a mix of singles and young families from what I can tell. I’m guessing it’s a mix of locals from the area since Riparian opened up pretty quietly. I probably need to check out the plant area but given my brown thumb, I don’t have a lot of hope for much success there!
A little research shows that “riparian” means situated near a river or stream and the “provision” part of the name is pretty obvious given the retail and merchandise area. But I get what they are trying to do here, offering up a beer bar and gathering space for what hopefully will be the next area that’s revived in ITB Raleigh. And given the impending arrival of Downtown South, I suspect Riparian is anticipating that busier future. Until then, enjoy Riparian Provision Co. for its community feel and neighborhood presence. Follow their Instagram for the latest updates and I’m excited to see how Riparian evolves as it gets into a groove.
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