Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.
Featured Restaurant News
- We got the news last week about an hour after we “went to press” that Cary’s La Farm Bakery is expanding their operations with plans to open a new production bakery in downtown Cary in the Sorrell Building at 220 West Chatham Street. The timeline only indicates “this holiday season,” but they also announced that after opening, they will turn their attention to opening a retail bakery and cafe adjacent to the new production bakery. No changes are planned for their current location. Get all the details here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- Two highly anticipated additions to Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street will come “on-line” over the next few days. The first happens tonight, Friday, July 29th, as Dram & Draught will open its doors to the public beginning at 5 p.m. As part of their opening celebration, look for food trucks on both Friday and Saturday nights. Get more information on Dram & Draught here.
- And it looks like August 2nd (next Tuesday) is still the target open date for H Street Kitchen in the former Varsity Theater also on Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street. A huge congratulations to Gary Bryant and Adam Rose as this project, which will be a huge boost to the revitalization of Hillsborough Street, has been a long-time coming….but it will be well worth the wait. Look for the official announcement and learn more about the restaurant’s history, vision, menu and more on their Facebook page here.
- The News & Observer reported this week that Cafe Lucarne, a new restaurant in the former Benelux spot in Raleigh’s City Market, opened this past Tuesday. The casual, counter-service restaurant is the work of Andrew Shepherd and Will Jeffers, two of the partners in Raleigh’s popular Stanbury restaurant. Cafe Lucarne will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and will be open 7:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Check them out here.
- In related news, it was also reported by the News & Observer that Shepherd and Jeffers are taking over the former Battistella’s space off Moore Square and hope to open that restaurant later this year. We will keep an eye on that.
- The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Jeff Mickel and Michael Thor are targeting the 2nd week in August to roll up the garage door at downtown Raleigh’s newest watering hole and restaurant, Whiskey Kitchen. This place looks so cool. Not much on the website, so keep up with their progress on their Facebook page here.
- WRAL reported last week that El Taco Cartel, Raleigh’s first taco delivery bike, hit the streets for the first time last Sunday. The bike will be serving up authentic street tacos. You can follow them on Twitter here.
- Got word this week that Raleigh’s North Hills will be home to the newest location of a fast-casual, health food concept called Grabbagreen. The Arizona-based concept will be located near the Sur La Table store in the Lassiter District and is aiming for a September opening. They also have plans to open a Cary location, but no word yet on an exact location. Get to know Grabbagreen here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- The News & Observer reported that chefs James Clark and Bill Hartley have left The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill to open Postal Fish Company restaurant in Pittsboro (you guessed it, in the old post office building). Look for them to open in late 2017. They are participating in a Kickstarter campaign to fund this endeavor, and they have already exceeded their $7k goal! Check it out here.
- A quick update on the opening of the second location of The Bagel Bar in Durham. Got word this week on Facebook that Jonathan Collins and Karra Pate are very close to opening their second location (they are now hiring) at 104 City Hall Plaza in downtown Durham. The original location is in Chapel Hill on Weaver Dairy Road. Check them out here.
- And we got word from Charlie Farris and Clint Winslow that they have set a date of Wednesday, August 17 for the opening of their third Jersey Mike’s – this one near the intersection of Hwy. 54 and Interstate 40 in the Falconbridge shopping center just down from Mardi Gras bowling. Congrats to Charlie & Clint. Check out Jersey Mike’s here.
- The News & Observer reported this week that Ali Rudel, owner of the popular East Durham Pie Company, launched a Kickstarter campaign last week to raise funds towards opening a brick and mortar store in the Old East Durham neighborhood. Currently the Kickstarter campaign has nearly 200 backers and is ¾ of the way to their goal, and there are still 17 days left to help them reach their goal. Check it out here.
- A quick reminder that next Monday, August 1, chef John May (formerly with Chef & The Farmer and The Boot) takes over the reigns at downtown Durham’s Piedmont. He will introduce “a new ingredient-driven tasting menu” beginning August 10th. Check out Piedmont here.
- And down in Smithfield, WRAL reported that there will be a new restaurant opening called SoDoSoPa. The owner is Mike O’Dowd, who has been the general manager for Outback in Smithfield and Logan’s in Garner. Look for them to open in mid-August. Keep up with their progress on their Facebook page here.
Closings
- Got word from a reader that the Cary location of Red Hot & Blue Barbecue in Waverly Place has closed. The Facebook page is down and the RH&B website no longer lists the Cary location (just the Raleigh location).
Food Trucks
- For a listing of ALL food truck events, head over to Art’s page, The Wandering Shepard on all things food truck related here.
Events
- If you want to quickly check out some of the coolest spots to eat on Durham’s Ninth Street, you’ll want to mark your calendar for Saturday, August 6th. From 1 – 4 p.m. the folks over at Bites of Bull City will start you out at Happy & Hale and take you on a tasting frenzy to include 3 other stops. All within easy walking distance. Tickets are $30. Get tickets and all the details here (you even get a car magnet!).
- On August 8th, both locations of Sassool Mediterranean Cafe will celebrate the birthday of their namesake, Cecilia “Sassool” Saleh. The day will feature lots of activities and special menu items, with a percentage of sales being donated to the Susan G. Komen foundation for cancer. Get all the details on the Raleigh store here and the Cary store here.
- The 10th anniversary edition of Beer, Bourbon and BBQ returns returns to the Triangle August 5th & 6th to Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheater. Tim CoyneSmith are you listening? 60 beers, 40 bourbons and all the barbecue you can eat! All the details and ticket options can be found here.
- The good folks over at the Downtown Raleigh Alliance recently announced the dates for the Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week – it will be held this year August 15-21. Go ahead and mark your calendar. Get all the details here.
- Got word that Panciuto is hosting an outdoor cookout on August 16th to benefit Girls Rock NC! Noodles, pork tacos, beer and rock ‘n’ roll – all for a good cause. What more do you want? The event will be help from 6-9 at the Eno River Farmers’ Market Pavilion and tickets are $50. Reserve tickets by calling Panciuto at 919-732-6261. Get more information on Girls Rock NC here.
- Piedmont’s new executive chef John May will welcome chef Jay Pierce of The Marshall Free House in Greensboro for a 7-course celebration of sustainably raised NC shrimp on Wednesday, August 24th at 6:30pm. The $65/ person, 7-course menu is also available for $85, with beer pairings. Contact 919-683-1213 for reservations.
- Tickets to TerraVita are now on sale. And you better jump fast, as many of these events will sell out soon. Trust me. If you aren’t familiar with TerraVita, it is arguably the premier “foodie event” in the southeast and it will take place September 28th through October 1 right here in Chapel Hill. In a nutshell, it is a multi-day celebration that brings together top chefs, food artisans, sommeliers, baristas, brewers, educators, distillers, cookbook authors and industry luminaries from across the Southeast to celebrate culinary excellence and sustainability in food and drink. Get tickets and all the details on TerraVita here.
Food Bank Corner
- One final push to reach our 3.3 million meals goal before July 31. Nearly 300,000 children in our 34 counties rely on the free and reduced-cost meals at school to get them through the day. For them, summertime doesn’t mean a fun-filled vacation. For them, no school means no meals. Stop Summer Hunger is our annual food and funds drive that provides additional food to feed these children and their families during this season of increased need. Find out more and how to donate here.
