Cave 1912

Cave 1912 has the potential to be a great wine bar. Great ambience and wonderful food and nice wine flight selection. However, the menu is very limited, portion sizes are very small for the price. The management was very inflexible for a large size party.

This is a tale of two visits. The first was underwhelming, but I went back a few days later and am glad I did. I went for brunch and had the Shrimp & Grits. This dish varies in consistency and flavor from one restaurant to the next, so it’s very subjective. You like what you like, right? I was put off by the fact that the shrimp were intact. Their heads were on. Yes, this is how the French and the Chinese serve shrimp, but we don’t see that so much in Raleigh. A heads-​up (pun intended) on the menu would have been nice. There were a total of two shrimp in my dish, and the grits had the texture of al dente steel-​cut oats. Although the flavor was good and I ate the entire thing (sans heads), I left hungry.
I went back a few nights later for dinner and had the Seared Virginia Scallops – delicious! There were three or four medium sized scallops served over a few slices of parsnips with dollops of a few different sauces. I tried to savor, but I might have inhaled them instead. For $ 21, I would have liked a little more on my plate, even if it were a side. But, the bottom line is these were fantastic scallops.
The only option for dessert was the Dark Chocolate Bar. The name is a bit misleading as the chocolate is somewhere around the 60% cocoa mark. You really should be at 70% to claim dark, but I’m no expert. The bartender described this as a homemade Snickers bar, and even though I don’t care for overly sweet, I gave it a try. My guess is that most folks will enjoy this dessert. There was a cookie/​biscuit type base with peanuts and maple drizzled, all encased in a hardened «dark» chocolate shell. It was too sweet for my taste, and to be honest, I was surprised this was their only offering. It seemed a little juvenile relative to the rest of the menu and the atmosphere.
Given that Café 1912 is a wine bar, I was pleasantly surprised to see a nice selection of craft beers on tap, including a Kolsch. Color me happy! The bartender, Cory, was as pleasant and professional as could be. I would describe the atmosphere as upscale/​cozy/​casual if that makes any sense. There are a few other items on the menu I’d like to try, and I’m looking forward to seeing how their menu evolves with the seasons!

I don’t normally post, but felt the need. Went this past Saturday, the restaurant said we did not have a reservation even though we received a confirmation email two days before. The manager preceded to argue that we didn’t have one until we showed him the email. He then «found» us a table. After placing our order of a salad, an appetizer, and an entrée we waited an hour before the manager asked how we enjoyed our meal. My response «I wouldn’t know, it’s been an hour and we haven’t received our food yet». His response «at least you have had some bread to tide you over». My response «nope». The waiter brought our food eventually, but forgot my wife’s drink. The manager brought our bill without even an apology or an attempt to make our visit right. On top of that, the food was just ok, not worth the wait.

First time and i will definitely return. Very hip atmosphere. Loved the menu. We had the meat and cheese plate which was plentiful and lots of local cheeses. I ordered the local greens salad. It was a big portion and perfectly dressed. Then I had the swordfish. It was cooked perfect and the verde sauce had a kick to it which made the dish fabulous. My friend had the scallops and they were the dish of the night. You must order the scallops. Piping hot sour dough rolls were outstanding. You can order a flight of 4 different wines for $ 12. Great way to sample wines. It was a wonderful evening.

Great place. I’ve been waiting for it to open, thinking it would be a great casual spot for a glass of wine or a beer, joining some other new places in the area (Neuse River, Crafty, Nickel Point). It’s much nicer than I anticipated, with a more extensive menu. Went with some friends and had a great meal. Very nice atmosphere and service. It was very quiet the night we went (a Saturday), so I hope the word gets out.

Whoa whoa whoa.
This place is exceptional. Tucked away in five points, a really impressive menu is waiting for you. Fiancé had the fettuccini, I had the shrimp bisque and that was easily the best soup I’ve ever had! (Sorry Buku hot pot, I still have love for you)
Staff was almost 1:1 the night we went so service was awesome.
Menu prices were better than fair for the quality. Small menu but from my understanding it changes to fit local availability.
Go get it. You want it. It wants you. Bye.

What a Gem! Great fine. True (hidden) neighborhood treasure! Don’t miss Cave 1912. Atmosphere is very gentle and romantic. We stopped in last night and enjoyed a lovely dinner complete with a wine flight (their first, we were told, offering of the sort) and a beer flight, the meat and cheese platter, some delicious sourdough balls w/​a salted butter spread. Afterward we moved on to a delicious and refreshing beet salad. Our main dish, if you will, they are all small plates, were Scallops. The only problem w/​the scallops was that were not more of them to enjoy! Our dessert topped off the evening-​the Chocolate Roll. It was like a frozen Snicker bar combined with a Twix! Yum. Truly recommend this place to all who are desperate for a new, reliable and dependent creative dining experience.

We visited Cave 1912 for the first time tonight. Overall, it was a great experience. The food, although in small portions, was good. The atmosphere was excellent. The only improvement that I would suggest to management would be improving the bar staff service. The two young ladies that were working the bar tonight never offered us water and checked on us only a few times. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone, however, I hope your bar staff is not sub par as they were in my experience.

Great Cavy feel, fantastic food. Recommend it to anyone.

The wine, ambience, food quality, and service were all exceptional! I’m so happy to have a place like this within walking distance of my home.
We had a bottle of the Rioja which was light, clean, and delicious. We also shared the meat and cheese board which was very tasty with a nice variety on it as well as great attention to detail. For dinner I had the NY Steak. It was perfectly cooked to the medium rare which I ordered. The sides for this were well executed and perfectly balanced with the steak. I would definitely order this again.
The atmosphere has a cozy cave feel as soon as you walk into the place. It is nicely decorated and warmly lighted. I would feel totally comfortable eating by myself at the bar. The staff are very professional and courteous.

If you’re looking to wine and dine tonight, you probably want to put Cave 1912 on your short list! Part wine bar, wine shop and restaurant, Cave 1912 offers a triple treat. Pop in for a bottle of wine for a special evening. Keep it casual and grab a beer, cocktail or glass of vino at the bar. Or do it full-​on with some small plates and all of the above. Cave 1912 can handle all of those options and more!
Inside, the space is clean, modern and organic. Retail wine selection on the left, bar on your right, tables in the front and middle. Oh, and an open kitchen in back where you can watch the action unfold! The menu is a mix of eclectic options ranging from pasta to scallops, dessert and more. You can nosh lightly here or do a full meal. I’ve had the chance to try the seared scallops, fettucine in broth along with the panne de cotta. All quite good and different than what you’ll usually get around these parts.
Service is quite attentive, word about Cave 1912 is still getting out and it’s in a quiet location so it hasn’t been super-​busy for both my visits. But when I think about Cave 1912, I think of the p-​word: potential. If they can solidify their menu and offerings, it could be a very nice dining or drink spot off of Wake Forest Road for Raleighites!

I was in town last night and we stopped by Cave 1912. I had heard it is not a large restaurant but thought we would be safe on a Wednesday night. It was surprisingly busy for a weeknight but we had no trouble finding a table for two — actually a high table and stools.
We ordered wine and our dinner started with two little round bread rolls. They were delicious! I got the scallops with parsnips and banana peppers. The scallops were perfectly done. They were spicy but not to the point where it is painful. Very, very good.
Honestly, I have only two suggestions. First, the stools at the high tables do not have arm rests. It would not take much to stumble off the chair. The other is that the wait staff — no staff actually, other than the kitchen staff, wear uniforms. It can be a bit confusing to know who is working there when everyone is in street clothes.
I gave it five stars because you go to a restaurant to have a culinary experience — and Cave 1912 did not disappoint.

Went for the first week of brunch and I really enjoyed the french toast, served with boiled peanuts (minus the shell) — genius Southern combination. My compadres had the «steak and eggs», which was more upscale than it was traditional diner fare: sliced steak, cooked to temperature preference, served next to eggs. We enjoyed several rounds of mimosas. The only hiccup was when arriving, the restaurant was halfway empty, but were told we couldn’t be seated as a party of 3 (although there was a table for six open that was not reserved), so we sat at the bar. We had great service there, so no complaints, but front door hospitality always leaves a lasting impression.

We received a flyer of the menu on our door so we decided to go. What a wonderful place! The space was charming. The food was DELICIOUS! I had the potato soup with a drizzle of honey. yum! The panna cotta was so yummy! They also are a wine shop. It’s great to know of such a close and delicious walkable spot.

First may I say that this place might be in the Five Points area, but it is not IN Five Points itself. AREA means close to Wake Forest Road… near Snoopys in the shopping center that has Ladyfinger Catering. Much easier to park than Five Points!
Lauryn described things here very well, so I won’t repeat what she said. The two of us had a very pleasant early Saturday night experience. We chose to sit at the bar. Husband enjoyed his Manhattan which he said was sans vermouth and he was very okay with that.
As for wine, they had five reds by the glass, four whites and two sparkling, with prices from eight to eleven. After much discussion and one taste of a wine that was good, but not what I had in mind, I somehow ended up with a Pinot Grigio which I normally never order. I wanted something that would go with the Scallops that I ordered and it did go nicely.
We started with a Mixed Green Salad with Lardons, Grana Padano (awesome cheese!) and a sherry vinaigrette. Light, refreshing. Lardons were so big they tasted more like ham to me than bacon. Dueling-​forks good.
My scallops were everything I wanted them to be. Perfectly seared. Tasty Parsnips. Kicked up with small fried banana peppers with ricotta. YUM. There were three scallops for $ 18. Highly recommend!
Husband’s Hangar Steak with Potato Purée and Carrots was also yummy. He was not impressed however with the portion size and he called his carrot pieces «anemic». It was $ 19. He appreciated the quality but not the quantity.
TIP: Check their website before you go for the current menu. Since it is quite eclectic, you will want to know that something appeals to you. Honestly, I don’t know that I will ever get Husband back if they don’t add a burger or something more substantial, as both our meals were «small plates» indeed. And where we would have ordered something else to fill us up, nothing else jumped out at either of us to try. What we did have was excellent quality and we enjoyed them very much.
Note: they are starting a Sunday brunch up as well.
Also, the only thing cave-​like about the place to us was that it was FREEZING in there.

Great food. Comfortable atmosphere. Excellent wine selection. Professional staff. 5 thumbs up.

Yay a new wine bar is in town! I was so excited to hear about the opening of Cave 1912 and couldn’t wait to check it out. I had the chance to meet Marco, one of the owners who was very friendly and knowledgable about the wine. What makes Cave stand out from the other wine bars is that not only do they serve wine but they have beers on tap, and liquor as well. It’s a great gathering space for wine lovers and for those who prefer the brews or cocktails.
They also serve food, mostly small plates to be shared but I could definitely be full on one dish here. There chef comes from Herons and the menu is super eclectic and adventurous. I really enjoyed all the dishes I tried with the scallops being my favorite. I don’t think the menu will appeal to everyone though and sometimes simpler is better. They will be changing the menu seasonally and I look forward to checking out even more menu items. If you are looking for something to snack on they also offer cheese plates.
Love the space it’s great for large groups or if you just want to stop in by yourself and have a glass of wine. There are plenty of tables to sit at and it’s dimly lit. Part wine shop and part bar you have everything you need here. The bottles of wine are priced very reasonable and I was told they will be different they anything you can buy in the other local wine shops, and grocery stores. The wine selection by the glass was very good and I enjoyed two reds that were very delicious.
I’ve already told all my girlfriends about Cave 1912 and I can’t wait to come out for a girls night. Nice new addition to the Triangle wine scene and Five Points neighborhood.

Cave 1912 offers so much more than you expect. While they do sell wine by day, the real treat is the dinner menu and cocktails.
Charcuterie, don’t need to say much else. Well curated selection of meats or cheeses (I get both) with the right amount for 2 – 3 people.
The Pasta (fettuccine or spaghetti) with figs and pork belly is a combination I hadn’t tried before but it mixes so well with a light sauce that has just a hint of lemon. It’s a very unique combination of sweet and savory. The portion is perfect, unlike many pasta dishes I’m not struggling to finish the bowl nor am I leaving hungry.
My favorite dish is the Hanger Steak. Sliced and laid over a bed of farrow and lettuce with a slightly sweet sauce and heirloom tomatoes. The dehydrated sweet potato chips are a great way to corral the remaining farrow after the steak is gone. Again, the portion makes the dish delightful without being a challenge.
Finally the cocktails, I have exclusively been sampling their Moscow Mule but the wines are unique and they have selected the right varietals to pair perfectly with the menu. I will be trying the Negroni cocktail on my next visit.
After eating such a wonderful meal and having just the right amount of cocktails you would think the bill was going to be «healthy». This is the best part about my experience at Cave, it is so reasonably priced relative to the quality of the product. It works for date night or grab a bite night and won’t force you to revaluate your financial choices.

Great addition to the neighborhood.
Staff: Very friendly, very helpful, very knowledgeable and all staff members seemed pumped about being there.
Atmosphere: It is a lot bigger than we expected, it has a modern, fresh look to it with a large bar and plenty of tables and chairs. There are beautiful wine racks on the left side when you walk in where you can find various wines for sale under $ 20. To me, it seems like the perfect place for an after work cocktail. You are able to see into the kitchen as well through a small window, which is a feature I like.
Wine: I was recommended some great wine by the waitress and the owner, and I thought it was very nice the owner took the time to go over the origin of the wines provided.
Food: We ordered the cheese plate to start off which I am a HUGE cheese fan and I was not disappointed as I enjoyed all of the cheeses we ate. We then ordered the fettuccine (apparently it had just been added to the menu that day) which was tasty, flavorful and the garlic, buttery sauce was the best part. We also ordered the heirloom tomato salad which I found to be refreshing and light. The best part were the yummy peaches added onto the plate!
All in all, it’s a great place, we enjoyed our dinner. I will say the portions are very small (more of a tapas feel), so don’t come here expecting to have a full on dinner, it seems better if you share your plates.
We will definitely be back!

Cave 1912 is just right! It’s a perfect place to gather with friends for great drinks and food and you can grab some wine to take home.