Friday Fun Food Facts – August 29, 2014

Triangle Restaurant News

Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.

 Featured Restaurant News

  • This past week marked the closing of Benelux Coffee in downtown Raleigh’s City Market, but also the announcement that they will be opening their new location in Cameron Village Shopping Center (402 Oberlin Street to be exact) next month. In the meantime, you can visit them at their Alexander Family YMCA location on Hillsborough Street. We’ll keep an eye on their opening date. Keep up with them here.

Wake County Restaurant News

  •  In other coffee news, Carolina Business Connection reported earlier this week that Wake Forest-based coffee shop Bean Therapy has opened a second location at The Galleria in North Raleigh at 9650 Strickland Road. They will have an open house on September 6 from 10 – 6 p.m. with door prizes and free coffee samples. Check them out here.
  • The News & Observer reported this week that Italian restaurant Posta Tuscan Grille and its bar at the Marriott City Center in downtown Raleigh are transitioning into a Southern eatery and gastropub that will be called Rye Bar and Southern Kitchen. Look for renovations to begin in early October with a planned “reopening” the second week of November.
  • Got word this week from a Yelp message board that a Supreme Hibachi Asian Buffet is set to open in the location that used to be Blinco’s at 6711 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh. No word yet on an open date, but we’ll keep an eye on it.
  • Gary Lane let me know this week that Clouds Brewing, a locally owned craft beer bar and restaurant in downtown Raleigh, is holding their grand opening tonight (August 29) beginning at 5 p.m. Get all the details here.
  • Beginning at 11 a.m. on September 1st, World of Beer is opening their second Triangle area location at the corner of Harrison Avenue and Westin Parkway. Here are the numbers: 55 taps; 500 bottled beers; 19 flat screens. And that does not include the pretty yummy pub faire that will be offered. Also, on September 2nd (their official grand opening) 10% of all sales will go to SAFEChild. Check them out here.
  • Got word from several sources this week that Blackfinn Ameripub is set to open September 3rd (as with any opening, that is subject to change) in Morrisville’s Park West Village at 3201 Village Market Place. With other locations throughout the country, this marks the first Triangle area location. It looks pretty cool. Check it out here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

  • The News and Observer reported that Foster’s Market Chapel Hill, a restaurant and market that opened in 1998, is changing its name to The Root Cellar Café & Catering in September. Everything you have come to love will remain the same. But look for some new things on the horizon. Check them out here.
  • Looks like hot dogs are joining the list of hottest places on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill – joining pizza joints and t-shirt shops. The Daily Tar Heel is reporting this week that Trolly Stop Hot Dogs is well on its way to opening a Chapel Hill location at 306 W. Franklin Street, in the same complex as Vespa Ristorante. This follows the opening of Sup Dogs, which just opened several weeks ago. Check them out here.
  • The Triangle Business Journal is reporting this morning that Nzinga’s, a new breakfast and brunch cafe, is coming to 828 Fayetteville Street in the Phoenix Crossing Shopping Center in Durham. They are having a “tasting party” on September 4th from 6-7:30 p.m. Check out their Facebook page here.

Closings 

  • Bummed to have to report this week that Dorry’s Downtown closed their doors in downtown Cary last weekend. My best to Ray on whatever he takes on next.
  • Saw on a Yelp message board, and confirmed by a posting on Twitter, that just over a year after opening, the OC Bar & Grill on Oberlin Road in Raleigh has closed.
  • Got word from reader Pat Price this week that the View Bar on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh has closed. That is the bad news. But coming out of that, it appears as if Big Mike’s BBQ (which was operating out of View Bar) will be opening a new location over in Cary next month at 1222 NW Maynard Road in Cary. Website says it is opening in October. We will keep an eye on it.

Food Trucks 

  • The next food truck rodeo in Durham’s Central Park is scheduled for noon-4 p.m. on August 31. Bring a blanket and a lawn chair and gather at the farmers’ market pavilion at Durham Central Park. Get all the details here.
  • Got word from Natalie Goodman that the Draft Line in Fuqua-Varina is hosting an event on September 14th from 3-8 p.m. to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Lots of activities going on all afternoon and plenty for the kids as well. And of course, a few food trucks will be on hand. Get all the details here.
  • And if you like to run and you like food trucks (or if you run because you love food trucks) you won’t want to miss the 2nd Annual Bull City Race Fest and Food Truck Rodeo scheduled for Sunday, October 19th. Register for the race and get all the details here.

Events

  • They are selling out! (I told you so!) Get this on your calendar and buy your tickets today! This is one of the Triangle’s annual “can’t miss” foodie events – Terra Vita 2014. It will be held October 9 – 11 and tickets are on sale now! Lots of great folks involved this year. Follow @terravitafoodie twitter and Instagram for more updates. The website is here.
  • Little Hen Restaurant in Holly Springs will host a Western Wake Farmers’ Market dinner on Monday, September 8, 2014, during which a portion of the proceeds will benefit the market. Get all the details here.
  • Picture this. Downtown Apex. 6 food trucks. 7 restaurants. A giant wine and beer garden. And wall to wall Jazz music. Does that “peak” your interest? (I know it is pique, but Apex is known as the Peak of Good Living!) Then mark your calendar for the 4th Annual Apex Jazz and Music Festival on Saturday, September 20th. Get all the details here.
  • Derrick Minor turned me onto an event in September that you’ll want to get on your calendar. Mark your calendars now for September 27 for Beericana. What is Beericana? 50 breweries + 10 food trucks + 4 Americana bands + Awesome People = Beericana! The event will be held at Sugg Farm Park in Holly Springs. More details to follow. Keep up with details here.
  • Raleigh City Farm’s Annual Harvest Dinner will be held this year on Sunday, October 5 and will feature Chef Scott Crawford of Standard Foods. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. Raleigh City Farm is located at Person Street Plaza at 800 North Blount Street. Tickets can be purchased here beginning next month.
  • For the 19th year in a row, The World Beer Festival will be held in Durham on Oct. 11 in the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The festival, produced by All About Beer Magazine, has reduced tickets available by 35 percent and raised the price to relieve crowding. General admission tickets are $55 and include a tasting glass to sample from over 200 international beers. VIP tickets are $70 and offer a private air-conditioned hospitality area with private bathrooms and a bonus selection of beers. Get all the details here.
  • And hold the date for an annual event held by The Ronald McDonald House over in Chapel Hill that features over two dozen of the triangle’s finest restaurants – A Tasteful Affair will be held on Sunday, October 26th in The Blue Zone at UNC’s Kenan Stadium. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner   

  • The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is proud to announce that they will hold their 3rd Annual FoodBank24 New Media Telethon on September 26-27, 2014. The 24-hour event begins at noon on September 26th and continues for 24 straight hours of entertaining and enlightening activities as part of Hunger Action Month. Put it on your calendar and get all the details here. There are lots of ways to participate.

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