After months of anticipation and construction, North South Brewing will open its doors this week in downtown Fayetteville.
The new brewery and taproom at 304 Williams St. will open May 31 with 11 beers on tap, a permanent food truck partnership with Bella Nonna and nearly an acre of space designed for laid-back gatherings, outdoor events and beer-fueled fun, according to owner James Orlando. He said opening day will include a farmer’s market and craft fair with seven vendors and live music from Jeff Ellis to celebrate the brewery’s first day in business.
Orlando and his wife and co-owner, Alicia, first announced their plans last summer to transform the former Bright Light Brewing Brewhouse building into a new taproom in downtown Fayetteville. After months of hard work, renovations and navigating permits and paperwork, Orlando said he’s excited for the community to finally experience the space.
“As just a nice, friendly, welcoming environment to everybody, and we want to be able to provide that space to hang out, listen to good music, have some good food and drink some great beers,” Orlando said May. 27.
What’s on tap
Orlando said the brewery offers 11 house-made beers, including their flagship 1.21 Gigahops IPA, Sweet Fraulein Hefeweizen and a hazy IPA named Haze Girl Haaayes. He said a few fun newcomers include the locally inspired Trains of Fayetteville, a red ale named after the trains that rumble past the downtown brewery, and a raspberry sour playfully named Raspy McSourface.
As for food, Orlando said North South Brewing is partnering with the Italian-fusion food truck, Bella Nonna, which will be a permanent fixture outside the brewery’s patio area. He said the truck, owned by Rob Kalish, a Boston transplant and former restaurateur who now infuses North South beers into his recipes — including sauces, wings and pizza dough. Orlando said he and his wife, both originally from New England, have enjoyed collaborating with another entrepreneur who shares their regional roots.
Orlando said that among Bella Nonna’s creations is the North South Pizza, a white pizza topped with chicken, hot honey and sautéed onions. He said the specialty pizza has even earned an invitation to a national pizza competition in Las Vegas later this year.
On busy weekends, he said, the brewery plans to bring in additional food trucks to supplement with more food offerings, but Bella Nonna will be posted at the brewery and share identical hours of operation.
He said the taproom features elevated seating, a private event room that can accommodate up to 30 guests and a terrazzo floor from the building’s original 1950s design — a hidden gem uncovered during renovations and preserved in the final layout.
Orlando said another nod to the building’s brewing past is a shadow box display featuring two vintage pull-tab beer cans — Budweiser and Miller Lite — which were discovered inside the walls during the remodel.
Although the original opening was planned for fall 2024, Orlando said he and his wife remained focused on their vision of bringing a brewery to downtown Fayetteville, staying positive through every delay and challenge along the way. To keep spirits high and build community interest, he said they hosted small outdoor events on-site while renovations were still underway.
“My wife and I, we made sure to always stay positive and kind of look at what the final outcome is going to be of this brewery,” Orlando said. “In opening North South Brewing, we really want to be a space to be able to bring the community together all types of people.”
The details
Address: 304 Williams St., Fayetteville
Phone: 978-994-3510
Hours: Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
On the web: northsouthbrew.com
Reporter Lizmary Evans covers dining, retail, entertainment and culture for The Fayetteville Observer. You can reach her at LEvans@gannett.com.
