Firm Foundation
BY FRED THOMPSON

It’s a place where I feel both comfortable and intrigued. Nothing is over done. A subtle warmth greets you as you open the door at the end of the steps leading down, seemingly under the sidewalk on Fayetteville Street. The one simple neon sign announces you have unearthed Foundation Bar.

The Foundation Bar sits under what will soon be downtown Raleigh’s community theater, and on the upper floor, offices for the building’s owner. Architect Vincent Whitehurst and Alphi Design Build owner,Will Alphi did the renovation work on the building at 213 Fayetteville St., which has housed everything from a grocer in the early 1900’s, to a movie theater through 1925, to most recently, a card shop. The two are business partners in Foundation Bar, and it has taken them 3 years to finally open the doors. Neither had thought about something like this before. “We really liked the walls and the structure, and wanted to be our own client. The space was hand excavated at night. We really didn’t get excited about it until we had all the permits,” explains Will. “Then the question of ‘what this was going to be about?’ needed to be answered,” chimes in Vincent. “You don’t go to Mexico to eat at McDonalds,” voices Will, “so we knew we wanted something that had a local bent. You know, like Cheerwine instead of Coke.” Vincent adds, “Not retro, but forward. A quality of place, with a different experience of space, cocktails and local flavors.”

I see Foundation as forward thinking with a nod to the classic past: a place to enjoy a well-made cocktail with a novel (never stupid or unnecessary) twist, or to experiment with local beers, developing your palette.  Even the wines are regional. The spark to Foundation came when the partners found Andrew Shepard. “We had interviewed so many manager slash bartenders before Andrew. Most didn’t get what we wanted. ‘No Bud Light?’ they would say, and wish us well with a sarcastic laugh. We continued to think this was a no brainer, that we could create a bar in the spirit of local. When we interviewed Andrew we knew we had found the person who shared our vision. ‘Drew’ was excited. He thought we should make our own sodas. We didn’t even know that was possible! 

Andrew Shepard grew up in Elkin, and like many of us had to leave North Carolina to appreciate the place. “I went to New York…. went to The Institute for Culinary Education (ICE, formally Peter Kump’s) and worked in some of the top kitchens including Tom Colicchio’s (Top Chef judge) Craft.” He occasionally stepped from the kitchen and got behind a bar, adding to his food and drink knowledge. North Carolina finally pulled him home where he did a stint at the hyperlocal Watts Grocery in Durham, both in the kitchen and at the bar. 

“We try to think like a farmer and use everything, no waste. We make coffee liqueurs from Larry’s Beans, and extend fruit seasons with various infusions. I want to incorporate anything local whenever I can into cocktails. We serve only local beers from our eight taps, and with so many good, local breweries, we frequently rotate in different brews.  Our wines are from regional, family-owned vineyards.”

Foundation’s menu reflects the fun and sophistication of the place and changes about four times per year. The classic Tom Collins becomes a Farmer’s Collins with a bit of farmers’ market jam. Sangria is transformed into Yadkin Valley Sangria with Shelton Vineyards wine and Junior Johnson’s moonshine. A little sorghum molasses adds an awesome nuance to bourbon. And speaking of bourbon, they have the best and longest list of this distinctly American whiskey in the area.  Foundation is a place where tuxedos and tie-dyes will both feel comfortable.  It’s a place that you can enjoy as you wish, and the owners are committed to keeping the experience new and enlightening. Foundation is a bar to savor in a true sense, without the hype of a sports bar, or the “holding pen” feel of a restaurant bar.

Foundation is well worth the journey down the steps. It’s a step that’s both classic and forward, and maybe just what you’re looking for. It is for me. eP

Fred Thompson is the publisher of Edible Piedmont, the columnist –The Weekend Gourmet in The News and Observer, and the author of the newly released book, Bourbon. He takes his cocktails and his bourbon very seriously.