TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Over in Carrboro, Bru Public House is set to open their second Triangle-area location. Following several soft-open nights this week, they will officially open this Saturday, April 20th in the former Hickory Tavern spot on the ground floor of the Hampton Inn & Suites at 370-110 E. Main Street. The space has been completely renovated. Expect the same menu as Bru’s Raleigh location—think shareable plates, sandwiches, pizza, and salads, alongside a full bar featuring cocktails, wine, and the concept’s impressive craft beer and bourbon selections. The Raleigh location opened near the PNC Arena in 2021. Get to know them here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Down in Garner, some exciting news for fans of Chubby’s Tacos. They are now open inside the Garner/Clayton WalMart on Hwy. 42 (the exact address is 5141 NC-42, Garner, N.C. if you want to plug it into your GPS). And don’t expect this to be their only WalMart location…so stay tuned! Looks like their next locations will be in Morrisville and Wilmington, as well as a couple in Texas! Chubby’s also has locations in Raleigh and Durham. Congrats to Rudy Theale and his team! Get by today. Visit Chubby’s here.

• In Raleigh, RALtoday shared that Biscuit Belly, a chef-driven, fast-casual breakfast spot concept revolving around large biscuit sandwiches, will open at Seaboard Station on Tuesday, April 30. Based out of Kentucky, this is their first North Carolina location, with a second planned this summer in Charlotte. They are hosting a Grand Opening Party with giveaways on Friday, May 3. Visit them here.

• Up in Rolesville, WRAL shared that Sweetheart Treats, Raleigh’s Best Cupcake Gold Winner for 2022 and 2023, is having its grand opening this Saturday, April 20th from noon until 3 p.m. (or until sold out, so get there early!). They will be celebrating their new location with a community block party in Rolesville Plaza with $2 cupcakes, face painting, Kona Icee, a DJ, and shopping at Local Charm Boutique. Get familiar with their yumminess here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Out at Maple View Farm in Orange County changes are happening that we learned about thanks to an update from Chapelboro. They shared great detail on what majority owner Greg Bohlen envisions for the farm that is now Union Grove Farm. There is extensive detail in the article, but we’ll hit the “food” highlights here. First, the ice cream is not going anywhere! Second, they will open a coffee trailer (Blue Heeler Coffee) just across from the ice cream store. And the farm has become the first certified regenerative table grape farm in the United States. It features an 1800s style cabin constructed with modern amenities available to rent, there is a wedding venue a mile from the main farm house, and up next, the business is looking to establish a distillery on site. Read the full article here.

Closings

• Sad to share the news that the Raleigh location of Armadillo Grill has closed. That’s the bad news. The good news is that their original location in Carrboro remains open and thriving. Also of note, they will honor all their current catering obligations (running those out of the Carrboro store). Visit them here.

• Up in Hillsborough, Chapelboro shared that the Hot Tin Roof indicated on Facebook that they are planning to permanently close on Tuesday, April 30.

• And Chapelboro also shared that the Great Harvest Bread Company location at 229 South Elliott Road in Chapel Hill will formally close its normal operations today, Friday, April 19th.

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

• A couple of really fun annual events coming up in downtown Raleigh. First up, the 14th Annual ‘Cuegrass Festival (which raises money for SAFEchild) will be held on Fayetteville Street THIS Saturday, April 20th from 12-6 p.m. And if you are not ready to be done at 6 p.m., join them for the “after party” at The Raleigh Times on Hargett Street from 6 until 10 p.m. And another favorite the following weekend – Brewgaloo, a craft beer festival, will be on the weekend of April 26 and 27, also on Fayetteville Street. Visit Cuegrass here and Brewgaloo here. 

• Also this Saturday and Sunday (April 20 & 21) the Triangle Lebanese-American Center will host the 24th Annual Lebanese Festival, featuring food, music, dance, beer and wine. It runs 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 12 until 6 p.m. on Sunday at 241 Horizon Drive. Best to visit them on Instagram here.

• And if that is not enough fun for one weekend, WRAL reminded us that the Holly Springs Chamber is hosting SpringsFest this Saturday, April 20th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. in downtown Holly Springs. It is a free outdoor festival featuring over 100 vendors, downtown businesses, food trucks, live music, local breweries, kid’s activities and entertainment, and a car show. Get all the details here. Get all the details here.

• Preeti Waas has started to add classes and events to her space in North Raleigh, Cheeni Indian Food Emporium. While the Raleigh location no longer operates as a cafe (they do have food to grab and go…or enjoy in the space), it will be a space for events and classes. To see the classes and events they have already scheduled, visit their events page here. While you are there, sign-up to receive their emails so you won’t miss any upcoming events. 

• Guests are invited to experience a delicious multi-course dinner with James Beard Foundation winner chef Ricky Moore, who will take attendees on a culinary journey across North Carolina in support of KIPP NC schools. The “Cookoff for Education” will take place at Saltbox Seafood Joint at 2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. in Durham on April 29. KIPP NC is an eight-school region of the national Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP). Funds raised through sponsorships and ticket sales will be an investment in North Carolina’s current and future students, teachers and educational leaders. You can find more details here. 

• Get ready to indulge in a delectable journey through Jewish cuisine as Jewish for Good proudly presents Jewish Food Week, a week-long celebration of culinary delights from May 3rd to May 12th. This mouthwatering event promises to tantalize taste buds while supporting a meaningful cause, with all proceeds benefiting Jewish for Good’s Food Pantry. Get all the details of the week here. 

• The News & Observer reminded us that the Frankie Lemon School and Developmental Center will hold their 2nd Annual Gettin’ Piggy With It event on Saturday, May 18th and Sunday, May 19th once again at Maywood Hall & Garden. The event is hosted by Lawrence Barbecue and Trophy Brewing. This festival celebrates 15 pitmasters from across the country. Tickets start at $100 and go on sale TODAY, Friday, April 19. Get all the details here.

• And if that is not enough pig for you, Saturday May 18th is also the date for the 17th Annual Carolina Pig Jig as part of the Got To Be NC Festival at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds (11 a.m. until 2 p.m.). All-You-Can-Eat BBQ tastings, hush puppies, slaw, and more! This annual BBQ competition features 25 teams from across NC all vying for your vote for the coveted People’s Choice Award. The event benefits the Masonic Home for Children and the Central Children’s Home. Visit their Facebook events page for tickets and all the details.

• My buddy Neha Shah, director of the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, shared that the annual Farm to Fork Picnic, celebrating local food and local farms, will take place Sunday, June 2 from 4pm – 7pm, again at Fearrington Village. Get details and tickets here. 

• Tickets are on sale now for the 9th Annual Dinner in the Meadow which will take place on September 15, 2024 on a grassy knoll atMeadow Lane Farm, in bucolic Franklin County, offering beautiful pastoral views and clear, starry skies. Some of the region’s most sought-after chefs will be preparing delicious dishes using ingredients from local farms and food artisans. It is an annual fundraiser for the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2014 to support and cultivate small farms in our region of North Carolina. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• No doubt we live in a wonderful corner of the world. But here are some things to remember and not forget. Right now, one in five people in central and eastern North Carolina don’t have enough to eat. The Food Bankprovided over 88 million meals to families and individuals last year. The Food Bank’s partner agency network has reported up to a 60% increase in neighbors visiting for food assistance. The need is real and right here in our backyard. Consider helping in 2024. See how here.

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Over in Morrisville, reader Kevin Coletta shared with me that Milo’s Cafe, a European-style, all-day cafe, has opened at 10119 Chapel Hill Road in a stand-alone building just down from Neomonde. The cafe is a harmonious blend of Columbian and French-Algerian cultures where there is a shared love for coffee and delectable cuisine. They are open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. (7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday). They had their grand opening on April 4th. Best to follow along on Instagram here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• And it has finally happened. We have learned that Mac’s Speed Shop in Raleigh’s Five Points (in the former Lonerider space next to The Rialto) is in soft-open mode. While they don’t currently have their ABC permit just yet, they do have a great menu and a great space. This will mark their 10th location and the first in the Triangle. Mac’s was founded 18 years ago by Wynn Davis and Hall Johnston as a place that would blend their love for BBQ, beer and bikes. Everything is made from scratch including the barbecue sauces and dressings. But don’t worry, you don’t have to have a Harley, your minivan (and dog) are more than welcome there. Visit them here.

• Saw on RALtoday this week that Raleigh will soon be home to a location of Melty. If you are not familiar with them they feature grilled cheeses, melts, and burgers. Look for them to open in June at 124 E. Martin Street, just down from 42 & Lawrence Coffee. Start getting familiar with them here.

• A quick update on a post from last week. Jennifer Buchholz shared with us that the Yard Milkshake will open TODAY April 12th in downtown Raleigh’s Seaboard Station. Take a peek here.

• And down in Fuqua-Varina, David McCreary shared with me that Casa Amigos Cocina has just opened at 112 East Vance Street in downtown. Start getting familiar with them here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Got word this week that Big Bad Breakfast, the brainchild of James Beard award-winning chef John Currence, will open on Tuesday, April 30th in Durham next to Smash Burger on Erwin Road. The opening of BBB Durham is especially significant to Chef Currence, as he kicked off his career at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, launching him on his path in the restaurant industry. Mostly located throughout the Southeast (with 22 locations), this is their first North Carolina location. Check them out here.

• Also in Durham, there is a Portuguese wine pop up bar happening this weekend. Pinheiro wine bar is popping up on the patio at Kingfisher cocktail bar in downtown Durham (at 321 E. Chapel Hill Street) this Friday and Saturday (4/12 and 4/13), from 5 pm to 10 pm. They’re transforming the patio at Kingfisher into a little slice of Portuguese paradise. Best to get all the details on Instagram here.

• In Chapel Hill, we got word that Franklin Street is set to welcome Playa Bowls, a chain specializing in açaí bowls, beneath the Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery. They will share the ground-level space with Starbucks as their neighbor and serve up their smoothies, juices, and various bowls. They will join other Triangle-area locations in Raleigh (on Hillsborough Street) and Durham (on Ninth Street). Founded by surfers inspired by their travels, you can learn more about them here.

• Over in Carrboro, Chapelboro shared the news that the popular Flying Pierogi food truck, which has been operating in Chapel Hill and Carrboro for more than five years, will officially open its new brick-and-mortar location in the South Green shopping center on April 15th. Flying Pierogi specializes in Polish and German street food in addition to a variety of sandwiches, sides, and their popular Pierogies. It also offers specialty coffees, pastries, and a cocktail bar. They are located at 101 Two Hills Drive in the spot formerly occupied by Coronato Pizza. Probably best to check it out on Facebook here.

Closings

• WRAL shared the news that downtown Raleigh’s Capital Club 16 will close their brick-and-mortar space (16 West Martin Street) at the end of April shifting their focus to onsite catering, pop-up events and their food truck, The Wandering Wolf – bringing the German American cooking you’ve enjoyed for the past 14 years to wherever you are! Might be best to follow them/keep up with them on Instagram here.

Food Trucks

• Durham Central Park’s Spring Food Truck Rodeo is THIS Sunday, April 14th from 12 – 4 p.m. (501 Foster Street). Join them for 50+ food and drink vendors – as well as face painting, Scrap Exchange flower crowns, poems on demand, inflatables and so much more! Get all the details 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

• This Saturday, April 13th is the Pimento Cheese Festival being hosted this year at the Downtown Cary Park from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Come enjoy the nation’s only festival dedicated specifically to pimento cheese! Visitors can enjoy food from more than 50 vendors, live music, trivia at The Bark Bar, games, the annual pimento cheese sculpting contest and more. Get all the details here.

• Also on Saturday, the North Carolina Food & Beverage Podcast along with Pimiento Tea Room will host Bubbles & Bagels at Wine 100 in Holly Springs (100 W. Ballentine Street) from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will feature an array of exquisite craft bagels each paired with eight handpicked sparkling wines from around the globe. The event is limited to 75 people and tickets are $45. Get tickets and details here. 

• On Sunday, April 14th, Christian Thompson from NOLA, chef and co-owner of Pork In The Road, has teamed up with Steel String Brewery for a Low Country Boil & Brews from 2-5 p.m. They will be serving up a low country boil of gulf shrimp served with potatoes, corn on the cob, and andouille sausage. They will also be offering some of our Crawfish Lumpia with a side of cajun remoulade. Chef Szymon’s Corn Pudding, and sweets from Cake Your Groove Thing (@cakeyourgroovething) will also be available for purchase at the event! Get tickets and all the details here. 

• A couple of other really fun annual events to look forward to at the end of April. First up, the 14th Annual ‘Cuegrass Festival will be held on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh on April 20th. And another favorite, Brewgaloo, a craft beer festival, will be on the weekend of April 26 and 27, also on Fayetteville Street. Visit Cuegrass here and Brewgaloo here. 

• Preeti Waas has started to add classes and events to her space in North Raleigh, Cheeni Indian Food Emporium. While the Raleigh location no longer operates as a cafe (they do have food to grab and go…or enjoy in the space), it will be a space for events and classes. To see the classes and events they have already scheduled, visit their events page here. While you are there, sign-up to receive their emails so you won’t miss any upcoming events. 

• Guests are invited to experience a delicious multi-course dinner with James Beard Foundation winner chef Ricky Moore, who will take attendees on a culinary journey across North Carolina in support of KIPP NC schools. The “Cookoff for Education” will take place at Saltbox Seafood Joint at 2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. in Durham on April 29. KIPP NC is an eight-school region of the national Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP). Funds raised through sponsorships and ticket sales will be an investment in North Carolina’s current and future students, teachers and educational leaders. You can find more details here. 

• Get ready to indulge in a delectable journey through Jewish cuisine as Jewish for Good proudly presents Jewish Food Week, a week-long celebration of culinary delights from May 3rd to May 12th. This mouthwatering event promises to tantalize taste buds while supporting a meaningful cause, with all proceeds benefiting Jewish for Good’s Food Pantry. Get all the details of the week here. 

• My buddy Neha Shah, director of the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, shared that the annual Farm to Fork Picnic, celebrating local food and local farms, will take place Sunday, June 2 from 4pm – 7pm, again at Fearrington Village. Get details and tickets here. 

• Tickets are on sale now for the 9th Annual Dinner in the Meadow which will take place on September 15, 2024 on a grassy knoll atMeadow Lane Farm, in bucolic Franklin County, offering beautiful pastoral views and clear, starry skies. Some of the region’s most sought-after chefs will be preparing delicious dishes using ingredients from local farms and food artisans. It is an annual fundraiser for the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2014 to support and cultivate small farms in our region of North Carolina. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• No doubt we live in a wonderful corner of the world. But here are some things to remember and not forget. Right now, one in five people in central and eastern North Carolina don’t have enough to eat. The Food Bankprovided over 88 million meals to families and individuals last year. The Food Bank’s partner agency network has reported up to a 60% increase in neighbors visiting for food assistance. The need is real and right here in our backyard. Consider helping in 2024. See how here.