TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Over in Carrboro, The Cheese Shop’s founders and co-owners Michelle and Stevie Lee Webb announced the forthcoming opening of their first standalone retail store and new cheese bar. Slated to open in the summer of 2024, they will expand their current operation from just 80-square feet in Carrboro’s Glasshalfull restaurant to 1800-square-feet at 100B Brewer Lane in the Carolina Car Wash Building, which is also home to Belltree Cocktail Club. Their Glasshalfull location will remain open until fall 2024. Get to know them and keep up with their progress here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Triangle Business Journal shared an opening date for a much-anticipated opening. Popular fast-casual chain Chicken Salad Chick will hold their grand opening on Tuesday, Nov. 14 for their newest location in Raleigh’s Lake Boone shopping center. The first guest in line will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year*. The next 99 guests in line receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month for a year*. They will be hosting more giveaways throughout the week. That will soon be followed by the opening of the newest location of The Butcher’s Market on December 1st as well as a Duck Donuts to open soon after that. Visit Chicken Salad Chick, The Butcher’s Market and Duck Donuts.

• In that same shopping center, some may be happy to learn that the Chick-fil-A, after undergoing renovations, is slated to re-open on November 16th. The McDonald’s, which was demolished, will open their new store in January. Thanks to the Triangle Business Journal for those updates.

• Next Thursday, November 9th will see the opening of Shake Shack at its new spot in the Village District (2010 Clark Ave.). It is located next to The Flying Biscuit and Cape Fear Seafood Company. The first 100 customers on opening day will receive free Shake Shack merchandise, and $1 from every sandwich sold will benefit PORCH Raleigh, which serves food insecure-families. The store will be open daily 11am-10pm. Thanks to Axios Raleigh for the update. Visit Shake Shack here.

• Some great news for all those lovers of the historic Mecca Restaurant in downtown Raleigh. Beginning today, Friday, November 3rd, The Mecca will be open every Friday and Saturday until 9 p.m. serving dinner and drinks. A great way to start your day, and now a great way to end your day, or hit before a show in downtown Raleigh. Visit them here.

• The News & Observer shared this week that a franchise of fast casual taco chain Capital Tacos will open in Raleigh, slated for spring 2024. The Tampa-based brand already has a foothold in Charlotte. The restaurant offers Tex-Mex style tacos, Mexican street corn, and more. The location hasn’t been announced yet. Visit Capital here.

• Up in Wake Forest, reader Dawn Hollowell shared the news that Nothing Bundt Cakes has opened in Wake Forest (505 Dr Calvin Jones Hwy.) near Torchy’s. Visit them here.

• A reminder that Lon Bounsanga, the longtime executive chef at Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana, will open his own Laotian restaurant, SAAP, in Cary on Nov. 15 on the ground floor of The Walker (370 S. Walker Street). Start getting familiar with SAAP here.

• Another reminder that Incendiary Brewing Company is hosting its grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bloc 83 (612 W Morgan St.) from 12 to 11 p.m. All are invited to come celebrate the Winston-Salem based brewery’s first Raleigh location with music, games on the jumbo tv, bites from food trucks and Vic’s Pizzaria, and yard games. Check them out here.

• And one final reminder thanks for our friends over at RalToday – Fiction Kitchen’s last day at their current location on South Dawson Street is Saturday, Nov. 25. Take your last few bites at this plant-based restaurant’s downtown location before they move to Gateway Plaza. Berkeley Cafe will open in its place soon after. Follow Fiction Kitchen here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• The second location of It’s a Southern Thing, at Ellis Crossing (1051 Yunus Road Ste. 110) in Durham, will hold their Grand Opening this Saturday, November 4th. If you haven’t been before, they are known for their unique take on traditional Southern fair, laid-back atmosphere, Southern hospitality, delicious craft cocktails, and thoughtfully created, scratch-made dishes. The original location is in downtown Durham. Kudos to Pete Susca and his entire team! Follow along on Instagram.

• Also in Durham, Michael DePersia of DePersia & Associates shared with me that they just facilitated the sell of Hwy 54 Public House (former Mattie B’s) located in the Hope Valley Commons shopping center at 1125 W, N-54. The buyers, Manish Kumar and Jasjeet Singh, plan on opening a full serve Indian restaurant called The Urban Turban in a few months after renovating the space. Stay tuned.

• In Carrboro, Dave Salman shared in the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook group that the food truck, The Flying Pierogi, will be opening a brick-and-mortar location at 101 Two Hills Boulevard in the South Green Shopping Center. They specialize in Polish and German street food favorites. No word yet on a timeline. Keep up with their progress on their Facebook page here.

• And a couple of reminders for those in Chapel Hill. First up, Raising Cane’s will open at the corner of Franklin and Columbia Streets next Tuesday, November 7. And the following day, November 8th, Snooze, A.M. Eatery will open their doors in Eastgate Crossing. I know where I’ll be those two days! Get to know Snooze here and Cane’s here.

• The West End Kitchen grand opening has been rescheduled for Wednesday, November 8th. They are moving into the former Angelina’s Kitchen space on Rectory Street in Pittsboro and are describing their eatery as a chef-driven gastropub where they plan to offer breakfast and lunch. Get to know them here.

Closings

• And sadly, the News & Observer reported that after 31 years in the pizza business, Capital Creations Gourmet Pizza on Wake Forest Road will close its doors just before Thanksgiving, Nov. 23. Expect this place to do booming business between now and then. I wish the best to owner Jim Niver in wherever life takes him next!

Food Trucks

• Looking to find your favorite food truck (or stalking them and simply don’t want to have to admit it)? We understand. Find them on Street Food Finder here.

Events

• The ninth-annual WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards is open for voting! Celebrate the Triangle’s local businesses by voting for your favorites across over 140 categories. You can vote once per category through Nov. 19. Cast your votes here!

• This is really cool. Raleigh’s Brookside Bodega is hosting a family-friendly campout tomorrow, Nov. 4 at Haven Farm, a wedding and special event venue in Knightdale. Tickets are on sale for the campout, which includes activities for the whole family. The family-friendly campout is BYO-tent but includes catered dinner and breakfast, s’mores, live music and more. Get tickets and all the details here.

• The second annual Triangle Vegan Week runs now through November 11th at participating restaurants. During this week, participating restaurants will be offering exceptional vegan food for their customers. Visit their site here to see a list of participating restaurants and their offerings.

• The Willard Rooftop Lounge is hosting two upcoming Bourbon & BBQ events this month featuring local whiskeys. On Wednesday, Nov. 8, guests will enjoy a bbq-themed menu from chef Kyle Teears paired with tastings from Mystic Bourbon. The menu includes passed appetizers and hors d’oeuvres stations featuring Pimento Cheese Crostini, Roasted Peach and Goat Cheese Crostini, Bison Meatballs, Charcuterie, Baba Ganoush with crudités and bread; a slider bar with Brisket Sliders and N.C. style Pulled Pork Sliders served with slaw, onion jam and BBQ sauce; and chess pie for dessert. On Wednesday, Nov. 15, guests will enjoy the same bbq-themed meal with pairings from Cook’s Mill Whiskey. The events are from 6-8:30 p.m. Pianist Jonathan Markow and his trio will provide entertainment both evenings. Tickets cost $75 plus tax and gratuity. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Sola Coffee Cafe in North Raleigh will welcome Italian bluegrass group La Terza Classe (all the way from Naples, Italy) for a one-night-only concert at the cafe on Saturday, Nov. 11. This will be La Terza Classe’s fourth stop at Sola, and wine, beer and popcorn will be available to attendees. Details here.

• And related to the announcement above about The Cheese Shop and they’re upcoming new space, they are hosting an epic “We’re Nearly Neighbors Bash” at Belltree Cocktail Club on Sunday, November 12 starting at 3pm. It’s completely free to attend, plus they’ll have a beautiful cheese spread, cheesy giveaways, live music from Heat Preacher, and as always — great company. Visit their Facebook event page here.

• Carolina Brewery is hosting their Sixth Annual Oyster Roast on Saturday, Nov. 18th from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m at their Pittsboro location (120 Lowes Dr, Pittsboro). The event includes free admission with steamed or raw oysters available for purchase by the half-dozen or dozen. Pair those with Carolina Brewery’s special oyster stout. Carolina Brewery will also offer their full menu during the event. Visit Carolina Brewery here.

Food Bank Corner

• Think you can’t make a difference in someone’s life? Think you don’t have enough money to make a difference? Would you believe me if I told you that as little as $1 equates to 5 meals through the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina!?! It is true. Nearly 510,000 people face hunger across our 34-county service area. And thanks to your generosity, the Food Bank provided over 81 million meals to families and individuals last year! Make a donation today!

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Chapelboro shared the news this week that Chapel Hill will be able to keep one of its most beloved dining spots. They first shared the news that Purple Bowl would be moving out of its 306 West Franklin Street home next summer. And a few days later they delivered the news that everyone wanted to hear…that they will move into the building at 505 West Franklin Street, at the corner of Franklin and Graham streets. The spot is the former home of the Chapel Hill Newspaper and, more recently, Top of The Hill’s distillery. This location is larger and will feature a sizable outdoor dining area. Follow along on Instagram with Purple Bowl here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• A reminder that Lon Bounsanga, the longtime executive chef at Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana, will open his own Laotian restaurant, SAAP, in Cary on Nov. 15 on the ground floor of The Walker (370 S. Walker Street). Start getting familiar with SAAP here.

• Kane Realty Corporation announced recently that True Food Kitchen, an award-winning full-service restaurant and bar serving wholesome food made with quality ingredients, will be opening in the spring of 2024 in the Main District of North Hills. This will be the brand’s first restaurant to open in the state of North Carolina and will be located on the street-level of the 5-story 4114 Creative Offices building and feature a large outdoor dining space. Start getting familiar with them here. Thanks to RalToday for bringing this to our attention.

• Triangle Business Journal shared that a new bar has popped up on Glenwood South in the heart of Raleigh’s entertainment district. Devolve is located at 304 Glenwood Avenue next to Tin Roof in the former space of Devolve Moto – a retail store and coffee bar that had a motorcycle theme. The new bar comes from some of Glenwood South’s main ownership groups, a team consisting of Charles Long, Dan Lovenheim and Matt Kenner. Visit them on Instagram here.

• Speaking of alcohol, RalToday shared the news that Incendiary Brewing Company is hosting its grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bloc 83 (612 W Morgan St.) from 12 to 11 p.m. All are invited to come celebrate the Winston-Salem based brewery’s first Raleigh location with music, games on the jumbo tv, bites from food trucks and Vic’s Pizzaria, and yard games. Check them out here.

• Over in Morrisville, Julie Singer shared on The Better Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook group that Peng’s Asian Cuisine in Morrisville (108 Factory Shops Road) has reopened. Visit them here as well as order online.

• My friends over at Boulted Bread are rolling out their Thanksgiving pre-ordering next week! Beginning on Wednesday, November 1st they will have their Thanksgiving Menu available online. Offerings will include pies, quiche, bread, and pastry available for pre-order on their website. Pick up will be on Wednesday, November 22nd from 8-3 at their new shop at 328 DuPont Circle. Bread, pastry, and coffee will also be available first come first serve. Visit their site here.

• And a quick shout out to Scott Crawford as Crawford & Son celebrates 7 years! To celebrate, join them on Saturday, November 4th with a menu of their “Greatest Hits” through the years! Look for some of their most beloved dishes – such as their Apple Soup and Rabbit Pot Pie. Congrats to Scott and his entire team! Visit thm here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Rebecca Simmons shared in the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook group that Saffron Indian Cafe by Chef Rawat is coming soon to the former location of Itaewon Grill on Erwin Rd in Durham (2608 Erwin Rd.). Saffron has a location in Cary. No word on an open date. Visit Saffron here.

• Rise Southern Biscuits and Righteous Chicken, the award-winning breakfast and lunch concept, announced this week an extensive menu update including new signature sandwiches, breakfast boxes, tater tots, and brewed iced coffee. The new menu will roll out on November 2nd with all dishes served from 7am-2pm daily. Rise has 9 locations here in the Triangle. Visit them and their menu here.

• And a couple of reminders for those in Chapel Hill. First up, Raising Cane’s will open at the corner of Franklin and Columbia Streets on Tuesday, November 7. And the following day, November 8th, Snooze, A.M. Eatery will open their doors in Eastgate Crossing. I know where I’ll be those two days! Get to know Snooze here and Cane’s here.

• AN UPDATE: The West End Kitchen grand opening has been rescheduled for Wednesday, November 8th. They are moving into the former Angelina’s Kitchen space on Rectory Street in Pittsboro and are describing their eatery as a chef-driven gastropub where they plan to offer breakfast and lunch. Get to know them here.

Closings

• Got word this week that the Your Pie Pizza restaurants in Raleigh and Durham are closing for good at the end of October.

Food Trucks

• The final Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo of the year is this Sunday, October 29th from 12-4 p.m. This is the Halloween version so wear your costumes for the last rodeo of the year! Here is the link.

• Looking to find your favorite food truck (or stalking them and simply don’t want to have to admit it)? We understand. Find them on Street Food Finder here.

Events

• The ninth-annual WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards is open for voting! Celebrate the Triangle’s local businesses by voting for your favorites across over 140 categories. You can vote once per category through Nov. 19. Cast your votes here!

• This Saturday, October 28th the town of Morrisville will celebrate with their 2023 Diwali Festival from 5-8 p.m. at Cedar Fork District Park (228 Aviation Pkwy). The celebration includes hands-on activities, music, food, and fireworks. Food trucks on site will include Curry in a Hurry; Flavor Junction; Bruster’s Ice Cream; and Annapurna Indian Kitchen. Diwali is India’s biggest and most important festival of the year to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and the human ability to overcome. Get all of the details here.

• Kitty Kinnin reminded me that the NC Wine Festival will take place this year on Saturday, October 28th at the beautiful Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. For over 20 years the North Carolina Wine Festival has been bringing you local North Carolina wineries, artisans, music, food and fun! Buy tickets and get all the details here.

• The folks over at Acme are bringing back Salt & Smoke on Saturday, October 28th. This year’s event will be held at The Barn at Sonark Media (located just off of Old 86 in Hillsborough). If you are not familiar with the event, it is a full afternoon and evening of live music, whole hog barbecue, raw oysters, roasted clams and plenty of the right beverages to wash it all down – local beer, wine and cocktails. And if you get your tickets now, through the end of this month there is a $25 discount for all tickets purchased (just use the code FINALLY when checking out). Get all the details and tickets here.

• This is really cool. Raleigh’s Brookside Bodega is hosting a family-friendly campout on Nov. 4 at Haven Farm, a wedding and special event venue in Knightdale. Tickets are now on sale for the campout, which includes activities for the whole family. The family-friendly campout is BYO-tent but includes catered dinner and breakfast, s’mores, live music and more. Get tickets and all the details here.

• All three Triangle-area locations of Cape Fear Seafood Company are hosting True Bayou, a French Quarter Seafood & Wine Experience on Tuesday, November 7th from 6 ’til 8 p.m. Tickets are $65 and each location is limited to 24 reservations. To reserve your spot, you must call your specific location (Village District – 984-200-5455; Spring Forest – 984-242-4600; Wake Forest – 919-295-2455). See the evening’s full menu and pairings on their Facebook page here. Pro tip: these will sell out quickly, so act quickly. Pro tip 2: they will do more of these.

• Sola Coffee Cafe in North Raleigh will welcome Italian bluegrass group La Terza Classe (all the way from Naples, Italy) for a one-night-only concert at the cafe on Saturday, Nov. 11. This will be La Terza Classe’s fourth stop at Sola, and wine, beer and popcorn will be available to attendees. Details here.

• Carolina Brewery is hosting their Sixth Annual Oyster Roast on Saturday, Nov. 18th from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m at their Pittsboro location (120 Lowes Dr, Pittsboro). The event includes free admission with steamed or raw oysters available for purchase by the half-dozen or dozen. Pair those with Carolina Brewery’s special oyster stout. Carolina Brewery will also offer their full menu during the event. Visit Carolina Brewery here.

Food Bank Corner

• Think you can’t make a difference in someone’s life? Think you don’t have enough money to make a difference? Would you believe me if I told you that as little as $1 equates to 5 meals through the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina!?! It is true. Nearly 510,000 people face hunger across our 34-county service area. And thanks to your generosity, the Food Bank provided over 81 million meals to families and individuals last year! Make a donation today!