TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Featured Restaurant News

• Axios Raleigh reported today that Fare & Fellow, which currently has a location in Research Triangle Park’s Park Point, is planning on two new locations. First up will be 411 W. Chapel Hill Street in Downtown Durham in the N.C. Mutual tower (expected to open in August) and a third location coming to Raleigh Iron Works, with an estimated early 2025 opening. In addition to serving coffee and pastries from Union Special, Fare & Fellow will offer sandwiches and small meals. Start getting familiar with them here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• The News & Observer reported this week that a new Duck Donuts will open this Saturday, June 22 in the Lake Boone Shopping Center. This will mark the second location in Raleigh and the fourth in the Triangle. And with all openings, there will be lots of giveaways (like free donuts for a year) and specials. Visit them online here.

• Thanks to my buddy David McCreary, we now know that Khao Sen Thai & Tea is open at 2100 Gathering Square Court at Bengal Towne Center in Fuquay-Varina. This eatery offers authentic and unique Thai cuisine and beverages. Get to know them here.

• Beginning Sunday, July 7th through August 25th Scott Crawford’s Jolie will host a Summer Brunch Series from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. every Sunday. Reservations are available on TOCK and walk-ins are always welcome. Their Champagne Window will be open during Brunch hours as well. Additionally, you are invited to join them after Brunch at Bar Sous Terre (just downstairs) for Industry Sundays! Visit Jolie here. Please note during Summer Hours, Jolie will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

• And kudos to Sam Ratto and his team over at Videri Chocolate Factory for being named one of the top 10 chocolate shops in the country in the 2024 Readers’ Choice Award by USA Today’s 10Best. The Raleigh chocolate shop secured sixth place nationwide, the second consecutive year receiving this recognition. Take a peek here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• The News of Orange County reported this week that B.J. and Smita Patel, owners of Nomad in downtown Hillsborough, announced that they will take over the former Hot Tin Roof bar (which closed on April 30) and will open a yet-to-be-named family-friendly bar in its place. In the article, Patel noted that they, “want to create a place that is vibrant and where parents can enjoy a drink while their kids play in a safe area.”  Look for them to open sometime this fall. In the meantime, visit Nomad here.

• The News & Observer reported this week that USA TODAY readers voted Andia’s Ice Cream among the best indie/local ice cream shops in the United States landing in 8th place. Andia’s opened in Cary in 2017 and now has three locations in the Triangle (two in Cary and one in Raleigh), with a fourth location opening this summer in Durham at The Can Opener, a food truck park. Check them out here.

• On a recent post on the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook page we learned that Bangkok 54 has successfully completed their move, staying in the same Falconbridge shopping center (near intersection of Hwy. 54 and I-40), moving into the former Amante Gourmet Pizza space. Visit them here.

• And a quick programming note thanks to reader Tim Decker – The Golden Corral in Durham will be closed temporarily which began June 17th (5006 Apex Highway 55 in Durham). No indication of how long the renovations will take.

Closings

• Raleigh Magazine shared the news that Prospects Craft Kitchen and The Devereux Lounge, a restaurant and bar pair on North West Street, have closed.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that 50Cups in the Ridgewood shopping center on Wade Avenue has closed. They opened in July 2023.

Food Trucks

• The next Durham Foodie Fare is TONIGHT (June 21) from 5:30 until 9:30 at Durham Central Park. Hosted by The MAKRS Society, the event will feature a food truck rodeo, food and arts vendors, and live music. The event is held every the third Friday through November. Get all the details here.

• Raleigh is bringing back their downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo thanks to the folks at Shop Local Raleigh. The rodeo on Fayetteville Street will return on June 29th from 12 noon until 6 p.m. Visit their Facebook page here.

• Carrie Brogren (Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook Page founder) shared the news that there is a new food truck in the area serving up brownies and espresso called Munchilove! Someone has obviously been reading my diary! And these aren’t your grandmother’s brownies – they have a fresh new shape (round), with a center pocket to fill with your favorite sweet toppings, and every piece is an edge. They are a woman-owned company and based out of Durham (although they service the entire Triangle being mobile). And it looks like from a recent Instagram post that they will soon have a brick-and-mortar location! Visit 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

• On June 26th from 6-10 p.m., Durham’s Kingfisher will host a Bar Takeover with author and 2024 James Beard Award winner Danny Childs. Childs is the author of Slow Drinks: A Field Guide to Foraging and Fermenting Seasonal Sodas, Botanical Cocktails, Homemade Wines, and More! He is a trained ethnobotanist whose approach to beverages utilizes ingredients foraged from the wild, picked from the garden, and sourced from local farms. In addition to Childs’ “backyard mixology,” a short Kingfisher cocktail menu will be available as well. Signed copies of Slow Drinks will be available to purchase on site. Get all the details here.

• The News & Observer’s Drew Jackson shared the news that Chapel Hill’s Bombolo restaurant has started a weekend pop-up sandwich concept called The Plump Rabbit. Their first sandwich pop-up was two weekends ago and continues this weekend. Both days this weekend will be at Bombolo (764 MLK Jr. Blvd. in Chapel Hill). Head to their website here and click on The Plump Rabbit to pre-order your sandwiches. Pro tip: Don’t forget to order ice cream to finish it off!

• Join the Carolina Ale House as they celebrate 25 years of being in business at their 25th Anniversary Party. The parties will take place on Saturday, July 20th at all locations, including drink specials, giveaways, live entertainment, and activations. They now boast 24 locations throughout North Carolina (7 here in the Triangle) and spanning into South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. To find a location near you as well as additional details, visit them here.

• Back by popular demand! Join the team at Mandolin in Raleigh as they celebrate everyone’s favorite summer ingredient — tomatoes! Mandolin has created an exquisite, 5-course tomato menu, with each course capturing the beauty and variety of tomato season here in North Carolina. The dinners will be held on July 21, 22 and 23. They’ll be featuring 8-10 different varieties from Mandolin Farm and other local growers. The 5-course menu is $95 per person. Wine, Beer & Tomato Cocktails will be available, too! This event will sell out quickly so snap up yours! Visit them here to book your tickets!

• This is pretty cool. Catering Works and chef Rich Carter will hold a second exclusive Chef’s Table dinner on July 26th where culinary artistry meets cultural heritage at the North Carolina Museum of Art. In celebration of the exhibition To Take Shape and Meaning: Form and Design in Contemporary American Indian Art, this dining experience features sustainable practices inspired by Indigenous traditions. Start with a cocktail hour and gallery tour with exhibition guest curator Nancy Strickland Fields (Lumbee), director/curator of the Museum of the Southeast American Indian at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Then in East Café, enjoy a thoughtfully crafted menu that includes elk chili, bison short ribs, and a fresh corn salad highlighting the Three Sisters—corn, beans, and squash. This is an opportunity to savor flavors deeply rooted in Native American history, all while supporting sustainable cuisine. 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.

• USA Today Food & Wine Experience is coming back again to Raleigh on Saturday October 26th at the Big Field at Dix Park. Chef Jared Bobkin coordinates this event visiting approximately 12 U.S. cities annually. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Picture this scenario: you have enough money to purchase food for the week, but not enough to cover your utility bills or transportation costs to work. Many of our neighbors in our own communities who face food insecurity struggle silently and have to make the difficult choice to go without meals to make ends meet. Every day at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, they hear stories from grateful children, families, and seniors about the impacts of having access to nutritious food and especially fresh produce. Your generous gift, no matter the size, has the power to nourish countless lives, ignite hope, and pave the way for a brighter future. Give today if you can.

Featured Restaurant News

• In downtown Raleigh, we are getting very, very close to the opening of an Italian small plate concept called Flour & Barrel Kitchen & Bar at 400 North West Street, in the former Little City Brewing & Provisions spot. The opening will officially mark the return of executive chef Katsuji Tanabe to downtown. You’ll remember Tanabe came to Raleigh and opened High Horse in late 2019 in Raleigh’s City Market, and subsequently closed in the middle of covid. F&B recently held a “sneak peak” so the opening is just around the corner. Dial into their Instagram for the pending announcement.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Got a note from Sam Dinner over at Taste Carolina that the owners of City Market Sushi will open a new spot in former Kaiju and The Darby location (170 E Davie St.) next to former Oak City Meatball Shoppe on Davie street in early July. It will be a different concept offering fast casual ramen and sushi. Stay tuned!

• Triangle Business Journal shared this week that Red Hot & Blue will return to Raleigh, possibly as early as this October. Looks like they will open in the Quail Corners shopping center. The last Raleigh location closed about two years ago. They also have a location in Morrisville. Visit Red Hot & Blue here.

• On a recent drive down Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, I noticed that the latest version of Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken has opened in the iconic A-Frame building that used to house an IHOP. So happy to see this building remain! This marks their 15th location, and they’ll soon have additional locations in Holly Springs, Mebane and Southport. Visit them here.

• Reader Jennifer Buchholz shared that Palm Berries (think acai bowls are packed with superfoods) will be opening a location at Seaboard Station in downtown Raleigh near Biscuit Belly and Yard Milkshake Bar. No word on a timeline. Visit Palm Berries here.

• Also in Raleigh, the News & Observer shared that family-owned Sodabox will soon open their sixth location in the Triangle at 106 E. Millbrook Road (at the intersection with Six Forks Road). If you are not familiar with them, they serve dirty sodas along with water-based and energy drink-based beverages. Get familiar with them here.

• Over in Cary, Triangle Business Journal shared that Tom Scheidler, owner of Top This! Catering, will soon open a deli in the downtown area (312 W. Chatham St.) called Pastrami Tom’s Deli & Grill featuring a variety of sandwiches and dishes that showcase “the best of the best of the East Coast” – pastrami sandwiches, Philly cheesesteaks, warm roast beef sandwiches, crab cake sandwiches, lobster rolls and Cuban sandwiches. Look for them to open early autumn.

• Michael DePersia of DePersia & Associates shared with me that Tapline Growler (1110 Kentworth Dr. in Holly Springs) has been sold to to Jim Walley. A few changes will take place. First up, they are changing their name to Walley’s Tavern. Additionally, you can expect to see a handful of domestics on draft in addition to their excellent craft selection very soon. Starting in July they will introduce liquor and food trucks will be serving out front five days a week 3 to 8 p.m. Might be best to follow along on Instagram.

• And in Fuquay Varina, we first reported back in early February that a steak house called The Library will be opening in the old (you guessed it) library at 133 South Fuquay Avenue. Thanks to a tip from the Triangle Business Journal, we saw on their Facebook page that they are looking toward a soft opening next Thursday (June 20) with full hours beginning the following week. As with all openings, this is often a moving target, so keep up with them on Facebook for any changes.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• The News & Observer’s Drew Jackson shared the news that Chapel Hill’s Bombolo restaurant has started a weekend pop-up sandwich concept called The Plump Rabbit. Their first sandwich pop-up was last weekend and continues this weekend with the Saturday pop-up from noon until 2 p.m. at Cheeni in Durham with Preeti Waas. Sundays will continue to be at Bombolo (764 MLK Jr. Blvd. in Chapel Hill). Head to their website here and click on The Plump Rabbit to pre-order your sandwiches. Pro tip: Don’t forget to order ice cream to finish it off!

• Also in Durham, reader Jennifer Buchholz shared with us that Nautical Bowls had their grand opening on Saturday, June 8th at their newest location at 620 Rigsbee Avenue. If you are not familiar with them, they are described as bowls made with nutritious and delicious ingredients to help fuel your active lifestyle. Visit the Durham location here.

• And out at RDU, RALtoday shared that Black & White Coffee Roasters is now open. They are located across from La Farm. On your next travels, get high-quality coffee, Union Special bread, and more treats. Check them out on Instagram here.

Closings

• Sad to share the news of the closure of the flagship Beyu Caffe in downtown Durham. Their last day will be Juneteenth, June 19th. They noted that they will focus on their other locations and ventures, and hope to find new ways to bring the joy of Beyu.

Food Trucks

• Raleigh is bringing back their downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo thanks to the folks at Shop Local Raleigh. The rodeo on Fayetteville Street will return on June 29th from 12 noon until 6 p.m. Visit their Facebook page 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

• Sister Cities of Durham is hosting the 3rd annual Two Durhams Beer Festival on June 14th at Durham Central Park from 5-9 pm. Four breweries – Bull City Burger and Brewery, Fullsteam Brewery, Glass Jug Brewery, and Ponysaurus Brewery – have partnered and exchanged recipes with four breweries in Durham, UK. The four participating breweries will be at the festival selling these British brews for folks to try. There will also be live music provided by String Break band and five food trucks offering a variety of delicious fare. Get all the details on Instagram here.

• Also, starting tonight (June 14), Plates Neighborhood Kitchen on Glenwood South in Raleigh is introducing Pasta Flight Night. Attendees can indulge in three of Chef David’s housemade pasta dishes for just $50. From raviolis to tortellini, pasta lovers will have access to a range of rotating options every Friday. Reservations are required via OpenTable. Optional wine pairings will also be available for an additional fee. Make your reservations here.

• Starting this Sunday (Father’s Day) Raleigh’s 10th & Terrace is launching a Boozy Rooftop Brunch on Sundays. The brunch will include passed hors d’oeuvres and a selection of brunch bites, such as baked French toast, brunch enchiladas, breakfast potatoes with toppings, yogurt parfaits, breakfast meats and more. The brunch will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and will cost $40 per person. The boozy part of this brunch experience includes $5 mimosas, $15 mimosa carafes in a variety of house flavors and a Bloody Mary bar with unlimited toppings. Make a reservation for brunch here.  

• This is pretty cool. Catering Works and chef Rich Carter will hold an exclusive Chef’s Table dinner (two dates: June 21st and July 26th) where culinary artistry meets cultural heritage at the North Carolina Museum of Art. In celebration of the exhibition To Take Shape and Meaning: Form and Design in Contemporary American Indian Art, this dining experience features sustainable practices inspired by Indigenous traditions. Start with a cocktail hour and gallery tour with exhibition guest curator Nancy Strickland Fields (Lumbee), director/curator of the Museum of the Southeast American Indian at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Then in East Café, enjoy a thoughtfully crafted menu that includes elk chili, bison short ribs, and a fresh corn salad highlighting the Three Sisters—corn, beans, and squash. This is an opportunity to savor flavors deeply rooted in Native American history, all while supporting sustainable cuisine. Get details and tickets here.

• On June 26th from 6-10 p.m., Durham’s Kingfisher will host a Bar Takeover with author and 2024 James Beard Award winner Danny Childs. Childs is the author of Slow Drinks: A Field Guide to Foraging and Fermenting Seasonal Sodas, Botanical Cocktails, Homemade Wines, and More! He is a trained ethnobotanist whose approach to beverages utilizes ingredients foraged from the wild, picked from the garden, and sourced from local farms. In addition to Childs’ “backyard mixology,” a short Kingfisher cocktail menu will be available as well. Signed copies of Slow Drinks will be available to purchase on site. Get all the details 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.

• USA Today Food & Wine Experience is coming back again to Raleigh on Saturday October 26th at the Big Field at Dix Park. Chef Jared Bobkin coordinates this event visiting approximately 12 U.S. cities annually. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Picture this scenario: you have enough money to purchase food for the week, but not enough to cover your utility bills or transportation costs to work. Many of our neighbors in our own communities who face food insecurity struggle silently and have to make the difficult choice to go without meals to make ends meet. Every day at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, they hear stories from grateful children, families, and seniors about the impacts of having access to nutritious food and especially fresh produce. Your generous gift, no matter the size, has the power to nourish countless lives, ignite hope, and pave the way for a brighter future. Give today if you can.