TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Here’s some sweet news! The folks over at Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken listened to what, I’m sure, became a bit of a deafening demand – Donuts!!! They are bringing back the donuts! Well, at least some of them…the classics — Double Glazed, Vanilla Icing with Sprinkles, Chocolate Icing, Apple Fritter and a Special Seasonal that will change throughout the year. So, I guess something is better than nothing. But at least we know they listen. So if you don’t see a donut you really want, speak up! Check their site to see which donuts are being carried at the location closest to you.

Wake County Restaurant News

• A few menu changes have arrived at chef Tom Cuomo’s Papa Shogun at Seaboard Station, the unique restaurant concept featuring classic Italian dishes that incorporate traditional Japanese ingredients and techniques. Chef Cuomo’s newly invented space and menu reopened this week and will only be open dinner hours this week, with regular lunch and dinner hours returning next week. Check them out here. .

• Reader Herman Huang shared with us this week that signage is up at the former H Street Kitchen / La Stella location on Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street. The signage indicates it will become Umami Asian Bistro. Unfortunately we don’t have any other details at this point. Stay tuned!

• Also in Raleigh, the folks over at Eat Raleigh tipped us off to the fact that a new burger restaurant, Hightop Burger, is coming to McNeil Pointe – taking over the Muscle Maker Grille space. Look for them to open in late February.

• Eat Raleigh also shared the news that a place called Lady Luck, serving small plates and cocktails, is expected to open in early March, taking over the former Blue Mango/Indio space on Glenwood South (222 Glenwood Ave.). They noted that it will be headed by Balu Torres who’s been involved in many other local restaurants. While nothing is posted yet, you can keep up with them on Instagram here.

• Triangle Business Journal shared the news this week that Thaiphoon Bistro on Glenwood South is opening a second location at Stonehenge Market in Raleigh. Construction will begin on the space soon, and the restaurant plans to be open by March. Visit them here.

• A quick update on the news we shared last week about Brew closing their Seaboard Station location in downtown Raleigh and moving it to Gateway Plaza out on the edge of downtown. A reminder that their last day at Seaboard will be December 21st. They will be hanging out that morning then closing a little early to start packing. They have set a planned opening date of December 27th for Gateway Plaza!! In the interim, you can visit their locations at either McNeil Pointe or in downtown Cary. Find out more on their website here.

• We’ve been following this one for some time now, but just yesterday Norse Brewing Company up in Wake Forest shared on their Facebook page that they will be opening “in about a week.” So, looks like the folks in Wake Forest have been very good this year and will receive that opening in time for Christmas! Get familiar with them here and follow their opening announcement on Facebook here.

• Also in Wake Forest, John Huisman, aka Triangle Explorer, shared with us that an English tea room called Southern Royal Tea is coming to Wake Forest in early 2020. It is owned by Jennifer Sullivan. Find out more here.

• In Cary, reader Kristina Shuford shared that Szechuan Mansion Hotpot has signage up at the old Patrick Jane’s Gourmet Pizza Bar spot in the Shoppes of Kildaire at 1353 Kildare Farm Road. We couldn’t find an online presence for them nor an open date. Stay tuned!

• Down in Holly Springs the folks over at Sir Walter Coffee shared via their Facebook page that they are very close to opening their Sir Walter Coffee + Kitchen concept at 242 S Main St. in the new Town Hall Commons. In addition to their coffee and tea, they will have a full kitchen serving breakfast, light lunch and all day snacks. While we don’t have an exact opening date, they have “suggested” they will open before the end of the month – so sometime in the next two weeks! Look for any announcements and get to know them here.

• And finally, down in Johnston County last week we told you about the future Old North State Food Hall. Well this week the News & Observer shared the great news that it has been christened with barbecue. The Old North State Food Hall, opening next spring off of Interstate 95 in Selma, named its first tenant Wednesday, adding one of Johnston County’s own – the popular Redneck BBQ Lab has signed on as one of the food hall’s 10 vendors. Learn all about the food hall here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Sam’s Quick Shop is returning to Durham! Well, sort of, according to The Chronicle. The Boy family, who owned Sam’s Quik Shop for decades, plans to open a “spin-off” of the convenience store in downtown Durham and name it The Quikie which will be located at 618 Ramseur Street. They are aiming to open sometime during the second quarter of 2020. The new shop will be owned by John Boy’s partner, Holly Tucker, and daughter, Hollin Boy, making the Boy family’s collective operations a fourth-generation family business. In the meantime you can visit their Bottle Shop here. Thanks to WRAL for the nod on this story.

• The good folks over at Taste Carolina shared with me this week that Milklab over in Cary’s Wellington Park shopping center has a sign up over in Durham’s just a few doors down from Bean Traders in the Homestead Market shopping center. No word yet on a timeline, but get to know them here. You can thank me later.

• Also in Durham, reader J. Norris shared the news that something’s in the air at the old Wimpy’s Grill location in Durham at the corner of Hicks St. and Hillsborough Rd. The ‘For Sale’ signs are gone and, just this week, a new sign went up for Blake’s Grill. It appears there’s some work going on inside the building, but no indication of when Blake’s may open, or what the menu may be. Wimpy’s fans are praying for hearty breakfast biscuits, outstanding burgers, and mama’s own pinto beans. Stay tuned!

• Got word from the folks over at Bites of Bull City that Tandoori Bites Indian Kitchen is now open in the former Dickey’s BBQ spot in the New Hope Commons shopping center at 5311 New Hope Commons Drive. They also have locations in Wilmington and Fayetteville. Get to know them here.

• Today is the day for casual beer drinkers (or serious been connoisseurs) in Chapel Hill! Today (12/13) at 4 p.m. on the ground floor of the Berkshire Apartments, a new watering hole called The Casual Pint swings open their doors. Their mission is to share the craft beer experience in the neighborhood, one pint, one growler and one person at a time. They tout that they are a fun spot with an upscale, yet casual family-friendly atmosphere much like a coffee shop, with a focus on craft beer. Get familiar with them here.

• Also in Chapel Hill, Chris Thorpe, broker at National Restaurant Properties, let us know that Buns Burger & Fries has new owners after a 10-year run in downtown Chapel Hill. Mina Rhee and her brother will be serving up your favorite Buns burger starting today (December 13) and plan to continue with the successful menu. Stop by and pay them a visit here.

• And finally in Chapel Hill, Mike DePersia of National Restaurant Properties informed us that Pazzo in Chapel Hill’s Southern Village had been sold to Annie Johnston (owner of La Vita Dolce a few doors down) and that it would be closed for a few months while they renovate the space. Keep up with future announcements via their Facebook page here.

Closings

•  A reminder that after a 30+ year run, Sunflower’s Cafe located over in front of Seaboard Station on Peace Street, will close their doors for the final time tomorrow, Saturday, December 21.

• After 42 years of making sandwiches, Boondini’s Sandwich Superstore owner Billy Williams closed his doors for good this week. Those are two big blows to the Raleigh deli scene.

• The Triangle Business Journal shared the news this week that Raleighwood Cinema Grill in Raleigh filed for bankruptcy liquidation and has closed their doors.

• Reader Bill Striegel shared with us that Szechuan Heat in Parkside Town Commons in Cary is permanently closed.

• And Chapelboro confirmed what a lot had been discussing in the Chapel Hill Foodies group that Red Bowl at University Place will serve its last meal on Sunday, December 15.

Food Trucks 

• If you are missing the food truck rodeos, my friend the BurgeoningBaker shared with me that we are are not far from the next one. The Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is an all-ages Sunday afternoon gathering of dozens of the Triangle’s most popular food trucks, five times each year. And the first one in 2020 is on January 25! Get more details and updates here.

• As things get cold, here are a  couple of sites to find and stalk your favorite food trucks here and here.

Events

• Tomorrow, December 14th, the folks over at Bull City Ciderworks will host their 2nd Annual Bull City Oyster Roast at 305 S. Roxboro Street. They are handling the entire event in-house this year so all oysters will be shucked for you, and they’re adding smoked ribs. The cost is $2.50 per oyster / rib. Get tickets and all the details here.

• On December 19th enjoy an Afro Vegan Community Dinner at Zwelli’s in Durham from 6-8 p.m. Experience African vegan flavors with an all-you-can-eat buffet created by chef Zwe! Your “journey” will take you from Morocco to Zimbabwe through an intimate evening of dining and music. Tickets are $39.99 per person, $7 for kids 6 and under. Get tickets and all the details here.

• And the good folks over at Chatham County’s Root Cellar will host their New Year’s Eve Wine Dinner – on December 31. The dinner features an all-inclusive 3-course meal, featuring the creative talents of chef Sera Cuni and wine pairings from Vino Wine Shop. Tickets are $75. Get tickets and all the details here.

• The 8th Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience will take place on Sunday, February 23, 2020 at the DPAC. The event pairs delicious local restaurants, with breweries from across the nation. Unlimited food and beer samplings will be spread throughout all three floors at DPAC, plus the On Stage Experience will bring guests up onto the performing arts stage to showcase even more food, beverages and live music. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• ‘Tis the season…to double your impact! This holiday season, you can make twice the difference for children, families and seniors facing hunger. Generous friends of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina have agreed to match every gift you give through December 31- up to $174,000! Donate here!

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

Featured Restaurant News

• He’s back! Got the great news over the Thanksgiving break that BBQ pit master Ed Mitchell, along with his son, Ryan Mitchell, have joined Lou, Joy, and Amber Moshakos of LM Restaurants (think Carolina Ale House, Vidrio and Taverna Agora to name a few) to open a BBQ restaurant called The Preserve at the site of the original Carolina Ale House at 512 Creekside Drive in Midtown Raleigh. The restaurant is slated to open in the Spring of 2020. You can follow their progress on Facebook here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• The News & Observer shared this week that A Place at the Table, the pay-what-you-can cafe concept in downtown Raleigh, will celebrate its second anniversary in January and is currently in the midst of a major expansion. The restaurant is adding 2,000 square feet, 50 more seats and a commercial kitchen, with a stovetop, oven and hood. Currently, the menu is limited to only what can be made with toasters and waffle irons, or served cold. The expansion, taking over the space that was Alli boutique, should be finished by the spring, in March or April. In its first year, they gave away more than 8,000 meals. By October of their second year, they had already provided 11,000 meals. Get familiar with them here.

• A bit of a change-up over in Cary. Got final confirmation this week from Paul Scott with V Pizza out of Jacksonville, Florida that they are bringing their concept to this market after it was announced that they just bought out LaStella Pizza on Kildaire Farm Road in Cary. This will be their first location outside of Florida and they will be looking to open the middle of January. Self-described as authentic Italian pizza, they also feature award-winning wings and this location will feature 40-50 NC craft beers on tap. And this won’t be their only location, as they begin to explore other options in the Raleigh and Charlotte markets. Get to know them here.

• And speaking of good pizza, the News & Observer shared the news this week that Ashley Christensen’s Poole’side Pies is now open a few more hours in the day with the addition of  lunch service from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Check them out here.

• Also in downtown Raleigh, the folks over at Brew Coffee Bar posted that they are indeed closing their location at Seaboard Station and moving it a few miles down the road to the redeveloped Gateway Plaza. Look for that to happen these first few weeks of December. Visit them here.

• And if that is not enough downtown Raleigh news for you, the folks over at ITB Insider shared some updates on happenings going on over on West Street. First up, progress is being made at the Rainbow Building at 911 N. West Street where permits were recently issued for the Rainbow Luncheonette, a small, old-school diner that will offer breakfast and lunch all week, and dinner on the weekends. Jason Howard, of The Cardinal and The Atlantic Lounge, is behind the “25-seater” that will offer standard breakfast and lunch fare. Think of it as a reincarnation of sorts of the old Finch’s Restaurant. There is no exact timeframe, but expect it to be at least 90 to 120 days out.

• Howard also shared with the ITB Insider that a little further down West Street, at 303 North West, he plans on opening Friendship BBQ in the Topps Building right beside the train tracks. Stay tuned on both of these developments.

• And before we “leave” downtown Raleigh, I share in ITB Insider’s excitement that $100k in renovation work was recently approved for the Krispy Kreme location at the corner of Person and Peace streets. Don’t know exactly what the work entails, but solidifies the belief that they will be around to fulfill their 20-year lease. It also looks like it will include a new 4’ LED exterior wall sign as well that no doubt says, “Hot Now!” Visit Krispy Kreme here.

• Carrie Brogren with Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies shared via Facebook that Cinnaholic is opening soon in Cary at 1209 Parkside Main St. where you can create-your-own cinnamon rolls and other sweet treats (like made from scratch brownies, cookies, and cookie dough). Customers can choose from over 20 frosting flavors and a variety of toppings. All of their products are fresh-baked and 100% vegan, dairy and lactose-free, egg-free and cholesterol-free. Get familiar with the yumminess here.

• Over in Wake Forest we got word that chefs Serge Falcoz-Vigne and Horacio Rodriguez, both formally of the award-winning Saint Jacques French Cuisine restaurant in Raleigh, have taken on ownership of Bodega, Tapas, Wine, and Rum. Former owner and chef Nunzio Scordo says that Falcoz-Vigne and Rodriguez are the perfect candidates to take on his vision of Bodega and make it their own. They are located in downtown Wake Forest at 110 South White Street. Check them out here.

• And down in Johnston County, looks like they will be getting into the “food hall” game when they open Old North State Food Hall next spring according to the News & Observer. The project will turn a corner of the old JR’s outlet into a dining destination for interstate drivers (as well as local residents), becoming the first interstate food hall. It will have 10 vendors, plus a craft beer taproom called the North Carolina Craft House specializing in small breweries from around the state. Larry Lane says to expect a nationally known chef among the vendors, as well as some North Carolina barbecue and a breakfast all-day concept (and notably will not have any national chains). Get familiar with them here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• In Chapel Hill, Deli Edison, the Chapel Hill deli concept from partners Dan Obusan, Sam Suchoff and Pete Wagner will open next Monday, December 9th. Deli Edison will feature handmade bagels baked fresh every morning, a deli counter stocked with house-made salads and Lady Edison charcuterie, soft-serve ice cream, select gourmet provisions and more. Deli Edison is the third project from Suchoff in the North Chapel Hill Cedar Falls Courtyard. The others include The Pig, a whole-hog barbecue joint, and Your Neighborhood Bar, soon to be rebranded as PiggyBack. Get to know them here.

• In Carrboro, last we were together we shared that a Thai concept was coming into the spot formerly occupied by Southern Rail/Crossties. Reader Bart Smith was able to share a little bit more information on the new concept which will be called Thai Station Restaurant and is looking to open in January, 2020. Keep up with their progress on their Facebook page here.

• Over in Durham, the News & Observer reported that Debbie Lou’s opened this past week next door to True Flavors’ Lakewood location at 2022 Chapel Hill Road, which chef Sidney Coves opened earlier this year. His original True Flavors Diner opened four years ago in South Durham, becoming something of a brunch sensation. It has also been named the best breakfast spot in the Triangle by dining critic Greg Cox. As his third restaurant, Debbie Lou’s is built around biscuits, serving an extensive menu of sandwiches based on the South’s favorite carb. Visit them here.

• Also in Durham, the folks at Bites of Bull City noted on Twitter that a sign for Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood & Bar is hanging at the old Friday’s location on Erwin Road (2608 Erwin Road to be exact). No word on a timeline / expected open date. They are listed as “coming soon” on their website. Get familiar with them here.

• Down in Hillsborough, Michael DePersia with National Restaurant Properties shared the news that Antonia’s in downtown was sold to Brian and Dana Pearson. But don’t worry, they don’t plan on changing the name or menu, but they are interested in keeping the operation running as is – maybe open for lunch down the road! Visit them here.

• And finally in Chatham County, Neha Shah, director of the county visitors bureau, shared with me that a concept called The Hill Nutrition is coming to 50221 Governors Drive in Governor’s Square in the spot that I believe used to house a yogurt shop. They’ll be serving up healthy shakes, teas and coffees. According to their Instagram page, they’ll open late February / early March. Probably best to keep up with them on their Instagram page here.

Closings

•  John Huisman, aka Triangle Explorer, shared the sad news that after a 30+ year run, Sunflower’s Cafe located over in front of Seaboard Station on Peace Street, will close their doors for the final time on Saturday, December 21. There is still plenty of time to get by for one or two more visits!

Food Trucks 

• If you are missing the food truck rodeos, my friend the BurgeoningBaker shared with me that we are are not far from the next one. The Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is an all-ages Sunday afternoon gathering of dozens of the Triangle’s most popular food trucks, five times each year. And the first one in 2020 is on January 25! Get more details and updates here.

• As things get cold, here are a  couple of sites to find and stalk your favorite food trucks here and here.

Events

• On Thursday, December 12th, Leli’s Diner in Wake Forest will hold their “Retro” Holiday Wine Dinner beginning at 7 p.m. The cost is $75 per person and reservations are required. The menu and all the details can be found on their website here. You can also call 919-263-1377 to make reservations.

• On December 14th, the folks over at Bull City Ciderworks will host their 2nd Annual Bull City Oyster Roast at 305 S. Roxboro Street. They are handling the entire event in-house this year so all oysters will be shucked for you, and they’re adding smoked ribs. The cost is $2.50 per oyster / rib. Get tickets and all the details here.

• On December 19th enjoy an Afro Vegan Community Dinner at Zwelli’s in Durham from 6-8 p.m. Experience African vegan flavors with an all-you-can-eat buffet created by chef Zwe! Your “journey” will take you from Morocco to Zimbabwe through an intimate evening of dining and music. Tickets are $39.99 per person, $7 for kids 6 and under. Get tickets and all the details here.

• And the good folks over at Chatham County’s Root Cellar will host their New Year’s Eve Wine Dinner – on December 31. The dinner features an all-inclusive 3-course meal, featuring the creative talents of chef Sera Cuni and wine pairings from Vino Wine Shop. Tickets are $75. Get tickets and all the details here.

• The 8th Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience will take place on Sunday, February 23, 2020 at the DPAC. The event pairs delicious local restaurants, with breweries from across the nation. Unlimited food and beer samplings will be spread throughout all three floors at DPAC, plus the On Stage Experience will bring guests up onto the performing arts stage to showcase even more food, beverages and live music. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Listen up restaurants and caterers! The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is  looking to connect with restaurants and caterers to help produce reimbursable meals for federal nutrition programs in Moore, Nash, Edgecombe, Wake, Wayne, and Johnston counties.  If you or anyone you know are interested, we’re having an informational vendor meeting on Thursday, December 10 from 2:00-3:00 PM, held at their Raleigh Branch. Here is a link to all the details.