Wye Hill History
Our Story
For years, the scenic patio on Boylan Bridge has provided an unrivaled vantage point over our dear city. Many of us experienced milestones here, ingraining it as a special place in our community.
Raleigh residents had yearned for the restaurant on the hill to reach its potential, and we are honored to be the ones at the helm. At Wye Hill, it’s our mission to foster an inclusive environment for righteously good people, plates and pours.
We feel strongly about building a hospitality company that focuses on the intrinsic value of human connection, the opportunity for our team to move forward in their professional journeys and providing damn delightful food and drink.
Throughout the years, it became clear to us that the backbone of Wye Hill is the beer we produce right underneath our beloved patio. The brewing program is rooted in experimentation and devoted to the use of locally sourced ingredients. Every brew has subsequently become a love letter to this city and community.
We’re so thrilled to share Wye Hill Brewing with you all.
Behind Our Name
What is a ‘Wye’?
Right next to us, the train tracks that flow underneath Boylan Bridge separate in two – this specific and unique juncture in the tracks is known as a “wye”. It’s where the trains change direction on their course. For us, the wye in the tracks symbolizes a new beginning, a new direction, and a bright future ahead for our city.
OUR BEGINNING
Chris Borreson and Sara Abernethy are the powerhouse duo behind Raleigh’s beloved Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing and newly opened upscale eatery Glasshouse Kitchen in Research Triangle, NC.
Abernethy, a Raleigh native, and Borreson, who hails from Los Angeles, originally met in the theater industry in San Diego, bringing with them a unique blend of creativity, functionality and hospitality to their business ventures. Witnessing the promising growth of the Raleigh-Durham area from afar in San Diego prompted the husband and wife team to move back to Abernethy’s hometown in 2017. They quickly fell in love with the once defunct landmark space overlooking downtown Raleigh’s skyline that, under their direction and expertise, would become Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing in June 2019.
Together, Sara and Chris have successfully revived Raleigh’s most idyllic patio with ingredient-forward chef-driven bar food, creative and complex craft beer and cocktails, and unparalleled hospitality in Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing. In August 2022 they officially expanded their portfolio as successful restaurateurs, opening the Research Triangle’s premier dining destination, Glasshouse Kitchen, a modern, eclectic, upscale American eatery.
A note from chris & Sara
Shortly after our cross country move from California, we were immediately enamored by this space at 201 Boylan Ave and the potential we saw with they proximity to downtown Raleigh, the patio, and of course, the view of the city. We are energized by challenges that seem “impossible”, and as big “DIY”ers, we love getting our hands dirty through the process. We also knew how much emotional and physical labor would be involved to level it up, but that only fueled us more. In May/June of 2019, friends and family came from all over the country to help us turn this space over into Wye Hill in just 3 weeks time. After all, in the theatre, opening night is the hardest deadline of any industry you can name.
This location holds such a special place within so many hearts here in Raleigh. We were overwhelmed with all the amazing stories we heard from people, how they had their first date here, how they got engaged on the patio. It has been a privilege to bring Wye Hill to life, to build an experience that honors all those special memories while leveling up the food, drink and service to the best view our city has to offer.
Enduring the COVID certainly shifted our perspective on how we envision our business evolving moving forward. We feel strongly about building a hospitality company that focuses on the intrinsic value of human connection, the opportunity for our team to move forward in their professional journeys, and providing an f’in delightful place to drink, dine and work. We have such incredible talent on our team, and the best way to share a piece of Wye Hill with the greater community is through our beer.
Cheers,
Chris & SAra