TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Featured Restaurant News

• What is better than pizza? Answer: pizza and beer! To that end, Ponysaurus Brewing Co. and Raleigh’s Oakwood Pizza Box have partnered to bring Pizza Box pizza to the brewery’s Durham taproom (219 Hood St.) starting in the spring. Pizza Box will cook and serve pizzas on site in the taproom where guests will have the option for take-out or dining in the brewery’s beer garden. To accommodate this partnership, they are roofing their second story patio. Everything else, including the Beer Drive-Thru, will remain the same.  Check out all the details here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• According to the Indy, Ashley Christensen’s fried chicken sandwich concept, BB’s Crispy Chicken, is back on schedule for three openings this year. The Midtown East location in Raleigh (out in front of Wegmans) is slated for a mid-May opening, while Durham’s University Hill and Cary’s Parkside Town Commons locations will shoot to open sometime this summer. Visit them here.

• We got a few more details this week on the partnership between Catering Works and the North Carolina Museum of Art. Catering Works will reopen Sip Coffee Bar in the Museum’s West Building in February (already open), along with the Exhibition Café in the East Building in conjunction with Museum’s special exhibition Golden Mummies of Egypt, opening March 6th. Follow Catering Works here for future announcements.

• Got word from Michael DePersia, of DePeria & Associates, that a new location of Los Tres Mexican Restaurant is coming to Cary at 1400 Boulderstone Way in the Stone Creek Village shopping center at the corner of Davis and High House. Look for them to open next month. They already have locations in Apex and Durham. Visit them here.

• Out in Brier Creek Commons, thanks to the watchful eyes of reader Jeanette Hauser, we discovered that a new restaurant called Inchin’s Asian Bistro is heading that way. We can’t find a web presence for them, just the directory listing here. Stay tuned.

• Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. Check out that list here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Over in Durham, the Triangle Business Journal reported that The Melting Pot in the Southpoint Crossing shopping center at N.C. Highway 54 and Fayetteville Road was reopened by new owners Matt, Mike and Pat Daley, who also own the Raleigh location. The Melting Pot has 95 locations across 31 states including the two in the Triangle as well as locations in Charlotte and Wilmington. Stop by soon to check out some of the updates and changes the new ownership team has made. Visit them here.

• The Triangle Business Journal also reported this week that Farmside Kitchen, a new place to grab hearty grains and greens bowls, is set to open in Durham this spring in Churchill Commons at 5431 Page Road (former space of Gusto Farm to Street). A specific opening date has not yet been announced. Follow their progress and announcements on Instagram here.

• Thanks to a tip from Carrie Brogren, we learned that The Trophy Room has opened inside the Graduate hotel (formerly The Franklin) at 311 W. Franklin Street giving Chapel Hillians and visitors a new watering hole to enjoy a beverage and a bite to eat. It offers a fun and whimsical menu giving you a chance to reminisce back to your college days. Check them out here.

• And here are a couple of wonderful resources for those looking to dine in downtown Durham or downtown Chapel Hill – Downtown Durham Inc. has an up-to-date listing of the status of each restaurant in downtown Durham. Check out the list here. And the Downtown Chapel Hill Partnership has put together a similar list for Chapel Hill here.

Closings / Cancellations

• After 32 years in business the El Rodeo in Brightleaf Square in downtown Durham announced via Facebook that they will be closing that location at the end of March (March 28 is listed as the last day). So you still have time to get by! They also did indicate that they would be looking for a new location. So keep your fingers crossed!

• Learned from my friend Michayla Moore that Otro Vez, which was a concept from Eschelon Experiences that opened a few months back in the former Edwards Mill Bar & Grill space, has closed permanently.

• Also, learned via Facebook that BREW Coffee Bar location at Gateway Plaza closed last Sunday. That is the bad news. The good new is their Cary and McNeill Pointe locations are still open. Visit them here.

Food Trucks 

• The folks over at RalToday provided us an update on a truck we told you about a few weeks ago. So•Yuh, a gluten-free kitchen, will roll starting Saturday, Feb. 20 at 4310 S. Miami Blvd. in Durham. Get familiar with them here.

• 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

• Forbes Travel Guide unveiled this week its annual Star Rating list, naming Herons restaurant (along with The Umstead Hotel and The Umstead Spa) as Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award winners, the highest ranking achievable by the rating. The Fearrington House Restaurant (along with The Fearrington House Inn and the Spa at Fearrington) received a 4-star rating. And The Fairview Dining Room (along with the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club) received a recommended rating from the travel guide. Kudos to all of them! See all the winners here.

• Over in Chapel Hill, Giorgios Bakatsias has launched a Market Monday at his newly reopened Kipos Greek Taverna in Eastgate Crossing. Every Monday, beginning next Monday, you can pick up pre-ordered items from a weekly market featuring signature specialty Greek foods. Authentic Greek items like tzatziki and taramosalata, classic Kipos’ entrees like Moussaka and Olga’s famous spanakopita, along with side dishes and house-made Greek desserts. All items must be pre-ordered online by Sunday at 8pm for pick up every Monday, beginning February 22^nd, from 12-4pm. View the menu and order online here.

• Looking to spice up your Tuesday nights? Well Bites of Bull City has launched their new weekly dining out/take out event called Tuesday Night Bites. These are special deals offered by some of the best local restaurants in Durham. Not only will these offers give you a sweet, delicious deal and help you fulfill the #durhamtakeoutpledge (to dine/take out at least twice a week to support our local restaurants), but it will also help these establishments thrive on a slower night and survive the winter during a pandemic. Get all the details here. What are you doing next Tuesday night?

Food Bank Corner

• Own a restaurant, food truck or catering company and want to help feed kids this summer? Well, the Food Bank’s Programs Team is gearing up to resume free kids meals across the Food Bank’s service area, and is recruiting Meal Vendors (paid). They’re also recruiting community Meal Sites locations to serve and distribute the meals. Interested folks can learn more by signing up for the February 25^th information session here. #noonegoeshungry

Featured Restaurant News

• Greg Lewis has only gotten busier during the Covid pandemic. After closing Pittsboro Roadhouse, he quickly turned his attention to opening his much-anticipated steakhouse, The Sycamore, in Pittsboro’s historic Chatham Mills. We got word this week that he is shooting for an April opening! Greg has also moved his catering operation, 39 West Catering, to Chatham Mills in a brand new kitchen space and is now operating an event space called Events at Forest Hall adjacent to The Sycamore. Keep up with Greg (if you can) on the The Sycamore website here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Iron Oaks Taproom will join Sushi Mon (which we reported back in January – they have opened in a temporary location adjacent to the new location) at Glenwood Place just inside the beltline on Glenwood Avenue later this year. Craft beer, wine, cocktails and tapas are on the menu along with golf simulators. Congrats to Stuart Pannill and Andreas Handrinos on their venture. We could not find an online presence for them yet. Stay tuned.

• Saw on Raleigh Convergence that Raleigh Cheesy, known for their custom charcuterie boards, is opening a store front today, February 12 at 1460 Chapel Ridge Road in Apex. Opening weekend schedule is as follows: Friday 12-7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday – 10 a.m. -12 noon with brunch and regular boxes from 3 – 8 p.m. Get by and enjoy your grab-and-go boxes! All the details here.

• On a recent visit to Tranfer Co. Food Hall, I noticed that Burial Beer is expanding into new space on the corner with a bottle shop they are calling The Exhibit Bottle Shop. They will open on March 13th. They noted that they will be getting a full facelift with new murals, more seating, new two tops, twice the number of existing taps and a bevy of updates. Keep up with their progress on Instagram here.

• Also in downtown Raleigh, Ashton Mae Smith noted in her weekly newsletter that the Flying Mayan, where the Southwest meets the Southeast, has reopened at 319 Fayetteville Street. Visit them here.

• Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. Check out that list here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Got word this week that Chapel Hill Restaurant Group’s latest venture, LuLuBangBang, is opening for indoor dining on February 23rd (you can order take-out now). LuLuBangBang’s offers pan-Asian street food and tiki drinks from chef/partner William D’Auvray, who previously opened the fried chicken spot Lula’s. It is located adjacent to CHRG’s Mez and Page Road Grill at 5418 Page Road. Visit their site here.

• Old East Tavern in Chapel Hill’s East 54 development opened for business yesterday. As you will recall, this is Bottle Rev Chapel Hill, the Chapel Hill location of the Raleigh-based bottle shop, is in the space left by Tobacco Road Sports Cafe. You will also recall that Josh Coburn will be the executive chef. Coburn recently worked as the executive chef of City Kitchen, Check out their new website here.

• Over in Durham, got word that the newest location of The Loop has opened at 1116 Broad Street (which was most recently home to DeeLuxe Chicken and before that, Watts Grocery). This location joins the other Durham location on Duke’s campus and a location in Chapel Hill. Visit them here.

• And here are a couple of wonderful resources for those looking to dine in downtown Durham or downtown Chapel Hill – Downtown Durham Inc. has an up-to-date listing of the status of each restaurant in downtown Durham. Check out the list here. And the Downtown Chapel Hill Partnership has put together a similar list for Chapel Hill here.

Closings / Cancellations

• Leigh Watson shared the sad news that Remedy Diner, which relocated from Hargett St. to Morgan St. in 2017, has closed their doors.

• Got word from Melissa and Alvin Cotto that they are closing their catering operation, We Cook For You, at the end of this month. However, they will continue to operate their chocolate fountain rental company, Raleigh Chocolate Fountains which you can find here.

• Savor Eatery in Bakery in downtown Chapel Hill announced via Facebook that this Sunday would be their last day in operation. Get by between now and Sunday to enjoy one last gluten-free treat!

• And got word that Chatham County recently lost not one, but two coffee shops. Peppercorn in Siler City and Blue Dot Coffee on the circle in Pittsboro.

Food Trucks 

• Got word from Jennifer Buchholz that Raleigh will soon be home to a gluten-free truck called Soyuh Gluten Free Kitchen brought to us by Susan Yuh. Follow and get to know them here.

• 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

• Looking to spice up your Tuesday nights? Well Bites of Bull City has launched their new weekly dining out/take out event called Tuesday Night Bites. These are special deals offered by some of the best local restaurants in Durham. Not only will these offers give you a sweet, delicious deal and help you fulfill the #durhamtakeoutpledge (to dine/take out at least twice a week to support our local restaurants), but it will also help these establishments thrive on a slower night and survive the winter during a pandemic. Get all the details here. What are you doing next Tuesday night?

• Simply eating out has become a bit of an event. The creativity, caution and care our restaurants have taken (and added expenses!) is nothing short of impressive. One thing they are not short on is passion! Anyway, blogger Beck Eats World has put together a pretty impressive list of restaurants with outdoor heaters. Check out the list here.

• Not exactly an event per se, but rather some things to celebrate. Visit Raleigh put together a list of the best restaurants that opened in 2020 in the greater Raleigh area. Check that list out here. And WRAL’s Out and About put out a broader list of Triangle-wide openings in 2020. Check that list out here.

Food Bank Corner

• Own a restaurant, food truck or catering company and want to help feed kids this summer? Well, the Food Bank’s Programs Team is gearing up to resume free kids meals across the Food Bank’s service area, and is recruiting Meal Vendors (paid). They’re also recruiting community Meal Sites locations to serve and distribute the meals. Interested folks can learn more by signing up for the February 25^th information session here. #noonegoeshungry