Whole Foods Market

woodchip

North Carolina

4.36/5  rDev +5.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4 | $$$

I go to this Whole Foods regularly. Is it primarily for beer? No, but I've made some runs here strictly for beer and since I shop here for food I always check out their beer selection because for the small size it is, it can kick some ass.

Their beer selection is better than any grocery store I've been to in the Triad area and hell, I picked up my one and only bottle of Foothill's, Sexual Chocolate there when no other bottle shop in the area had it.

The atmosphere is good but it's normally quite busy.

The (beer) service has been top notch.

The food is pricey but I've found the beers I've bought to be fairly reasonable. That said, I'm going to say that the value (overall) is a bit pricey.

06-01-2013 14:48:10 | More by woodchip

GallowsThief

Florida

4.1/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

My affinity for stopping in Whole Foods continues in Raleigh. Whole Foods is a great place to grab some food and this one is no different. Salads, sandwiches, hot food galore and all top shelf but onto why your reading this..the brews.

Back left side of the store neat the deli you will find the beer. An endcap has some bombers and growlers (Carolina Brewery was here this day). All the way back you will find many more bombers and singles along with six packs etc. Has a real solid selection with Chimay, DFH, Sam Smith, Victory, Spaten, Maudite etc etc

I was there looking for locals and I found Duck Rabbit which was the goal. Picked up some milk stout, brown ale and porter. Nice.

Definitly worth a stop if your in town. Did not see anyone offering help but thats fairly typical in these stores and honestly its no big deal. I rate it as average on service for the cashiers and deli help. Go and pick up a few brews.

10-19-2011 00:59:14 | More by GallowsThief

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.3/5  rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | $$

This place was very decent. We weren't initally planning on stopping here, but were in town to visit some friends, and wanted to get some local brews without heading to a brewery, as my dog and pregnant wife were in the car with me. While I was shopping in here, the beer and wine guy came right over and helped me locate all the local brews they had in singles, 6-packs, and their fairly new growler section. The guy was telling me that they were hoping to get more growlers going from the local breweries. On this particular night, I went with a growler of the Carolina Brewery's seasonal. Prices were all very reasonable, including glass deposit, which I think was around $4. Of course, there was a ton of food, but I didn't get any this time around, so I can't really review any of that. As I said, the service was spectacular. The selection was decent, but especially decent in the local department. Good options and fair pricing, I would definitely return if we are in the area again.

07-17-2011 23:24:02 | More by GarthDanielson

slowbie

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $

Let me just start by saying that, depending on what you're looking for, this can be the best beer store in the Triangle. If you're looking for singles and a huge selection, this isn't the place for you. If you're looking for six packs and locals, then check it out. They have as good a selection of locals as anywhere else and Duck Rabbit seasonals always seem to show up here first (and cheapest).

Besides their selection of locals, there are some other beers as well, but it almost seems as if they got out a list of breweries available in the area and started flipping coins to decide whether or not to get beers from them. And even then they tend to have a partial selection of the beers from the breweries they do get.

It's almost like opening a present sometimes when you walk in because there always seems to be a surprise beer at a great price, but you can never guess what it will be. Last time I was there they had Rochefort 8 and 10 for 5.50/bottle. Another time they had DFH olde school. I've heard reports of Founders Nemesis showing up there.

I've never been offered help while looking for beer there, but the cashiers are nice and the last time I was there they gave me a free reusable bag specially designed for six wine and beer bottles, which has been useful.

And for the record, they do have a small singles section, and some of the higher ABV beers they have are individually priced or can be bought by the six/four pack (olde school and DR barleywine are two examples).

I would definitely recommend this as a stop for visitors to the area, but visit Sam's too if you can.

03-29-2011 03:12:39 | More by slowbie

beer2day

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -6%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | $$$

This Whole Foods is the best of the chain in the Triangle area when it comes to beer. It used to be SO much better, but still represents the area well.

There is a singles section across from the hot bar that is easy to miss on your way in. Don't. There are a few jewels usually hidden there.

The beer section is divided in two. The cooler section is in the back of the wine department and offers around 50-60 six packs and 20 or so bombers. As you face the cooler, turn around to find a wine rack with 15 or so Belgian and Belgian-style bombers.

Another main section for beer is immediately behind the cooler section. Also check out the floor space under the cheese section in the deli. One more place to look - just around the corner from the warm beer section behind the main cooler.

Overall, you can find some of the locally brewed beers here - mainly Big Boss and Duck Rabbit. Pleased to see they had some French Broad bombers today. Not much CBC selection, though.

02-28-2009 01:53:53 | More by beer2day

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I stopped here to find some Duck Rabbit beers to take back to OH. I found a couiple bottles of Rabid Rabbit in addition to ample supplies of the milk stout and amber ale. This Whole Foods is a little smaller than the ones I'm used to (downtown Chicago, Manahattan, and Dublin OH), but has a really good local and Belgian beer selection. I saw several Big Boss and Terrapin beers in addition to the Duck Rabbit, and loads of the "standard" beers I see at Whole Foods (German imports and Belgian imports mixed with USA craft beer). Most beers are available as singles, and in the case of some Terrapin special release the sales associate split the 4-pack and priced singles for us. As usual Whole Foods is a recommended stop!

11-12-2008 05:22:23 | More by TurdFurgison

NCBeernut

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.6%
quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$$

For the most part, I have been happy with the beer I have had here, with the exception of a random single on two occasions. Lots of direct light on their beer...I guess I have to cut them a little slack for it since it is primarily a grocery store but still...

Service? Well I have never had to ask about anything beer related but I frequent this store often and they always have good service. I have been asked if I need anything a few times by the beer guy.

Selection is pretty nice. A small cooler of singles, a larger cooler of sixers and twelve packs. A rack of bombers and sixers, and two racks of all kinds of singles and bombers that are mostly Belgian or other such imports. JW Lees, Rogue, Bells, Duck Rabbit, Weyerbacher, Victory, Sierra Nevada, Rochefort, Allagash, etc, etc. They promote local beer and are almost exclusively craft beer. You will not find a single BMC product in here. Good selection, but I have seen better.

Price is just slightly higher than average on some products, but not bad.

03-09-2008 16:41:11 | More by NCBeernut

kms910

Maryland

4.65/5  rDev +12%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$

Visited during my trip to Raleigh for the World Beer Festival

I was very impressed by there craft beer selections! It was a huge selection however you could get some good up to date stuff out there and I even managed to find a hard to find for me Boon Marriage Parfait - whoda thunkit!

They also carried Rogue, Duck Rabbit, Scaldis, Flying Dog, and a few Belgians.

I missed this place on Saturday because they close at 9pm, so on Sunday I went bright early to make my selection only to find out that in NC you cannot buy beer until noon!!!

Would highly recommend if you are ever in that area.

04-30-2007 13:59:14 | More by kms910

atsprings

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +6%
quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

I visit this place quite regularly especially since I live less than 5 minutes away! One of the best things about this place is about every two weeks I know I will find some new seasonal on display right as you approach the coolers. The coolers are well stocked with a decent selection of good beers, almost half of which is NC beers. Directly in front of the coolers is a wine rack that displays some quality corked Belgians and a few selected corked American beers (most recently Left Hand Smoke Jumper). In the back aisle on the other side of the coolers is a slightly better selection of good craft beer that is not chilled. They do have a wine chilling tank of cold water that claims it will chill any bottle in 5 minutes, while that does not quite get it to refrigerator temps, it comes somewhat close if you want to enjoy your beer as soon as you get home. Prices are reasonable, and while most employees aren't as knowledgeable as someone at a smaller beer store may be, but there is usually someone who knows a little about what seasonals they will be getting in the near future.

03-08-2007 04:39:25 | More by atsprings

wagenvolks

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +1.2%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$$

One thing I like about this place is the ability to purchase single bottles. Peace Street market and SixTwelve in Raleigh both only have bombers and sixpacks to purchase. So big props to Whole Foods for that.

Don't go here on the weekend...hippies and yuppies are everywhere! Nah, but seriously its wayyy to crowded. An average selection of microbrews (Victory, Sarnac, some others) and some imports (Brasserie d'Achouffe, Chimay, etc...). Workers are friendly. Decent prices, if not on the pricey side...but hey, it's a Whole Foods Mart, that's to be expected.

03-06-2007 03:58:58 | More by wagenvolks