Located in the heart of Advance is a family owned business that makes dining out a memorable encounter.  From food and drinks to atmosphere and service, Davie Tavern is your go-to place for delectable beef dishes and enticing seafood entrees.

Luscious AND Local

Owner Allan Coats and Chef Jarod Lee are passionate about finding ingredients from local farmers and artisans, like Guilford Mill grits, fresh local fish, and locally farmed vegetables. This makes eating at Davie Tavern delicious, as well as a way to patronize area businesses.

Davie Tavern uses Demkota Ranch CAB aged filet that has been aged to perfection for a minimum of 21 days. If you are looking for a melt-in-your-mouth dish that you’ll go back for again and again, look no further than the 6 oz or 8 oz Dry-Aged Filet Mignon (served with stone-ground cheddar grits and roasted asparagus for a meal that leaves you full and satisfied.

And while Davie Tavern is fabulous for dining out any day of the week, it’s also perfect for celebrations, like anniversaries, graduations and birthdays. During these winter months, with a chill in the air, check out Davie Tavern’s newly enclosed, heated, outside dining area, to make your night an experience filled with good food, lots of laughter, and smiles to remember.

Let the feast begin…

We started our afternoon with Davie Tavern’s Salt & Pepper Fried Calamari that was battered to a perfect crisp texture with a mild, slightly sweet flavor. It was served with a traditional Remoulade Sauce that added a rich and tangy flavor.

Next up? Their Spinach and Artichoke Dip was the most balanced savory blend of spinach, artichokes for a mildly nutty flavor, roasted red peppers, and a beautiful cheese montage for an irresistible appetizer. It was warm, cheesy, served with fresh tortilla chips, and gone within minutes!

And finally, we had a sneaky taste of their Sesame Ginger Seared Ahi Tuna Appetizer. The seared Sashimi Grade Ahi Tuna was coated in black and white sesame seeds for that crunch factor, then briefly cooked to perfection for a tender and flavorful fish. It was served with their Asian slaw, wasabi, and a freshly made Ponzu sauce that had a tangy flavor with just a hint of citrus to balance out the meaty flavor of the tuna. I thought I had gone to appetizer heaven!

Salads

But no! Reality set back in with a delectable duo of salads that made us rethink what a salad was!  Davie Tavern’s Fried Oyster Salad was a montage of spinach, red onion, sliced mushrooms, boiled eggs, and crispy bacon served with a house made balsamic vinaigrette, then topped with five large fried oysters for a delicious surprise! Do oysters go well with salads? Hard YES!

And can you go to a tavern without trying The Wedge Salad? Just like everything else, it lived up to and beyond the standards with the crispy iceberg lettuce, crumbled bacon, crisp red onions, and fresh tomatoes.  The savory house-made blue cheese salad dressing added an extra creaminess and a bold flavor with chunks of pungent blue cheese.

And really, we were just getting started: time for entrees!

Moving on to the entrees, we began with a heavenly Low Country Crab Cake that was pan-sautéed to perfection and served on a toasted brioche roll with their house-made remoulade sauce, lettuce for a mild crunch, and crisp tomatoes to balance out the sweetness. And if you’re in between choosing sides, we would recommend giving their crispy, almost caramelized Sweet Potato Fries a try. (Did I mention the caramelized part? Oh, yes, I did – but it’s a taste worth saying twice, so forgive me.)

Of course, any tavern will have steaks, but Davie Tavern serves only the choicest meats that are grilled to tender perfection. The 6 oz Dry-Aged Filet Mignon mentioned above was, in a word, outstanding. Their 8 oz filet was a step up for those who could loosen their belts, and was served with garlic mashed potatoes that would make any garlic lover (Yes, please!)  swoon.

There was only high praise for Davie Tavern’s Low Country Shrimp and Grits. To say this dish was fantastic may be the understatement of the year. The locally produced stone-ground grits are spiked with another local classic:  Texas Pete! It was a unique pairing – a sauce with peppery notes and cheddar cheese for that yummy, creamy soft texture. Beautifully set on top was the butterflied shrimp, portabella mushrooms, and thick bacon, crisp and golden. Every bite was filled with this reimagined shrimp and grits, with a Southern-meets-Coastal flavor!

We were about to cry “uncle” until we had a taste of their Brown Sugar Tarragon Salmon that was perfectly grilled and served with a roasted corn salsa and local cheese grits. It was slow cooked to a creamy, soft texture, and served with impeccably blanched vegetables from our local farmers.

Are you a daring and adventurous foodie? Or do you think you are? Before you start bragging, try Davie Tavern’s Bull Burger.  Go ahead – I dare you – it will be worth it. A 12 oz patty made from their signature blend of short rib, chuck, and brisket, grilled to perfection, and topped with American cheese, three slices of crispy applewood bacon, a slather of mayo, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion.  This burger was stacked larger (remember Dagwood’s sandwich?) than any I’ve seen yet, and if you can eat two of them (at the same visit), you’ll receive a free t-shirt and have your picture hung on their wall!

Now, I know you’ve had chicken sandwiches before, but this is no drive-thru fare.  Davie Tavern’s Spicy Honey-Drizzled Fried Chicken Sandwich is topped with a Peanut Slaw to balance out the natural sweetness.  It also has house-made pickles for that “twang” component (I’m a “pickles on” girl – what about you?).  The combination was a taste sensation, and despite the fact that we were starting to get full, I ended up with a another new favorite on my list!

Let no dessert go to waste!

And because no meal is ever complete without a sweet, we finished out the afternoon with two made-from-scratch pies. The first was their Key Lime Pie with a Raspberry Drizzle that took me back to warmer days on the beach with the sun on my skin, and just as equally delicious was their Peanut Butter Pie that was light, rich, and creamy – perfect for a delicious winter evening treat.

Thank you, Davie Tavern!

Thanks go to Davie tavern for the most amazing meals, wonderful service, and a pleasant afternoon that we couldn’t have imagined spending elsewhere. And if your stomach is grumbling like ours was after reading this, here is your sign to head on over to Davie Tavern and tell them that the Forsyth Mags Foodie said hi!