TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

•  Looking for a place to dine after Easter services this Sunday? Well, the News & Observer has you taken care of with a pretty good listing of who is offering Easter morning brunch. Take a peek here.

Wake County Restaurant News

•  With last week’s announcement that Tupelo Honey Café was coming to Raleigh, we decided to hold a contest for two people to win a copy of the latest Tupelo Honey Café cookbook. Nearly 50 individuals shared with us their favorite Tupelo Honey Café menu item. Tupelo’s very own Elizabeth Sims helped us select the winners and they are: Jamie Stanley and Kate Eberle. Jamie’s favorite dish is the Shoo Grill Cheese, Have Mercy. And Kate chose the Appalachian Egg Rolls. Thanks to everyone that entered. Look for Tupelo to open sometime this fall.

• The legendary Clyde Cooper’s BBQ is in the process of moving to their new home at 327 S. Wilmington Street and the current status is “any day now.” Their latest Facebook posting suggested possibly today, but that was a few days ago, and they haven’t provided any updates since. Stay tuned here or check them out yourself on Facebook here.

• And speaking of moving fast and furious, the guys that brought us DeMarco’s up in North Raleigh are doing just that as they completely revamp the former Bada Bing site at 222 Glenwood Avenue to bring us DeMo’s Pizzeria & Deli. Keep up with their progress on Facebook here and look for an opening the week of April 28th.

• We told you back in October about Taco Mac Sports Grill bringing their popular concept to Cary’s Waverly Place. We were able to confirm this week that they are shooting for a September 15th opening. We’ll continue to monitor this and give you any updates we get. Check them out here.

• Got word this week from our friends over at New Raleigh that The Morning Times in downtown Raleigh on Hargett Street is now serving their breakfast menu all day. Yum! Check them out here.

• Saw on WRAL last week that Crabtree Valley Mall’s food court will become the newest location of Luciano’s pizzeria. They are expected to open next month. Check them out here.

• Garner is getting ready to get a whole lot sweeter. Thanks to readers Hugh Autry and Russ O’Melia we learned that a Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and a Daylight Donuts are planning openings. Menchie’s will be at 875 Highway West shopping center and Daylight Donuts will be in the Lowe’s shopping center at the corner of Aversboro and Timber Drive. We’ll keep an eye on these for opening dates.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• We got an update this week from the Herald Sun on the 300 East Main Building project over in Carrboro (think Hampton Inn & Suites). Calavera Empanada & Tequila Bar is targeted to open in May, followed by the East Main Meatball Shoppe in early June. Upon opening, they will join Hickory Tavern, the sports café that is already open in that complex.

• Also from the Herald Sun, we got word that a gelato, sorbet and crepe shop called Yum is targeted to open May 1 at 118 N. Churton St. in downtown Hillsborough. Mick and Kate Carroll, the operators of Radius Pizzeria & Pub, are opening the new sweets shop.

• And finally, over in Durham, the Herald Sun is reporting that the planned new gluten-free restaurant Primal Food & Spirits could open as early as June. Primal is the newest venture by Tim Lyons, the owner of Blu Seafood and Bar. It will be in the Kroger-anchored Southpoint Crossing shopping center off N.C. 54. Keep up with their progress on Facebook here.

Closings 

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks 

• Get tickets now for Taste 2014 – a five-day festival of food, wine & beer events, that celebrates the vibrant Durham-Chapel Hill culinary scene, taking place between April 23 and 27. Get all the details of the event(s) here.

• The 3rd annual Brewgaloo local beer festival is on Saturday April 26th (2-10pm) in downtown Raleigh’s City Plaza. Brought to you by Shop Local Raleigh, Brewgaloo 2014 will feature more than 40 craft breweries from North Carolina, 30 local food trucks and live music. Get all the details here.

• One of my favorite annual events is coming up soon – April 26 & 27th to be exact. The 19th annual Piedmont Farm Tour presented by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. Purchase tickets in advance and get more details here.

• Celebrate the opening of the 2014 Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market at the Pig Pickin’ Kickoff, Wednesday, April 30, from 10 am-2 pm at City Plaza. Enjoy delicious eastern North Carolina barbecue from The Pit BBQ, a local craft beer tasting from Crank Arm Brewing Co. (a new event feature) and connect with North Carolina’s highest quality growers and food artisans. Get all the details here.

• The good folks over at Triangle Raw Foods will hold their first Café Love Pop-Up Dinner on Friday, May 2nd with a 7 p.m. seating. The cost is $30 per person and will feature a Mexican themed menu. Reservations for this dinner go live today (April 4th) at high noon. Book quickly, as this will sell out. Check it out here.

• The 2nd Annual East Meets West food and performance festival celebrating Morrisville’s diverse community will be on Saturday, May 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission to the festival is free, tickets will be available for purchase to buy food, beer and wine.Get all the details here.

• The dates are set and tickets are already on sale for this year’s edition of Fire in the Triangle. The fun runs from June 23rd through the finale on August 4. Get all the details and tickets here.

• And finally, tickets are on sale now for the 2014 Farm to Fork Picnic, which will be held on Sunday, June 8th from 4-7 p.m. The event celebrates local food and local farms and promises food, beverages, live music and fun. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner   

• The Pit’s 6th Annual ‘Cuegrass Festival returns to Raleigh Saturday, April 26, with a jam-packed day full of great food and music, with all proceeds benefiting the Food Bank! Get all the details here.

•  With the delivery of Tupelo Honey Café Cookbooks to various individuals throughout the Triangle yesterday, it was revealed that Asheville’s wildly successful and popular Tupelo Honey Café will be bringing their 8th location to Raleigh’s Cameron Village. No word yet on an open date (they’ll announce that on Monday). In the meantime, if you’d like a cookbook for your own, just email me your favorite Tupelo Honey Café menu item and we’ll select two lucky winners on Monday. Check out Tupelo Honey Cafe here.

Wake County Restaurant News

•  The legendary Clyde Cooper’s BBQ is in the process of moving to their new home at 327 S. Wilmington St. They were originally looking to open this past Wednesday, but are now looking at early next week. Keep up with their progress and see pictures on their Facebook page here.

• And speaking of barbecue, the Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Red Hot & Blue will open a second Triangle area location in the Waverly Place shopping center in Cary, near Barberito’s. No opening date has been set yet. Check them out here.

• Got word via Twitter from Joseph Wells that Mami Nora’s in Morrisville is shooting for a June 1st opening. This location will be in the old Bear Rock Cafe spot at the corner of Cary Parkway and Chapel Hill Road. Check them out here.

• Thanks to the observant eyes of John Huisman (aka Triangle Explorer) he saw a “Coming Soon” sign for a Quail Corners Creamery in the Quail Corners Shopping Center in Raleigh next to The Meat House. No other details are available at this point, but we’ll ask John to keep an eye on it for us. Thanks John!

• Tomorrow (April 12th) City Barbecue in Cary will hold their grand opening at1305 Kildaire Farm Road. This is the first North Carolina location for the Ohio-based chain. Get more details here.

• Got word from a Yelp message board that the former 618 Bistro on Lake Boone Trail in Raleigh (which was sold to new owners on March 15th) will reopen as The Oak on April 18th. No other details are available at this point.

• Also got word from the same Yelp message board that Maui Wowi Hawaiian, a coffee and smoothie chain, will be opening where Java Jive used to be on Harrison Avenue in Cary. It’s apparently a surf themed franchise specializing in gourmet Hawaiian coffees and healthy fruit smoothies. Not sure of an opening date, but Diane reports that they have their sign up. Get a sneak peek at them here.

• And one last Yelp message board note this week, Calavera Empanada and Tequila Bar on Blount Street in downtown Raleigh, has simplified their name to CalaVela. With the name change, also comes a few tweaks to the menu. Check them out here.

• Got word from our friends over at New Raleigh that the Quiznos on West Lane Street in downtown Raleigh (beside the Days Inn) is now NC Deli. No other information is available at this point.

• Thanks to a tweet from “The Beeghly”, we learned that a Tropical Smoothie Café is going in next to the new Bass Pro Shop on Cary’s Harrison Avenue. Check them out here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

•  Tonight (April 11th) the folks over at Straw Valley Food & Drink will hold a grand opening event for their Wine & Raw Bar from 6 to 11 p.m. The celebration is to launch their full menu and evening hours. Next up will be the launching of their patio beer garden. Stay tuned. Keep up with them here.

• The News & Observer is reporting that Cinnamon roll store Cinnamonster is moving into the former Dairy Queen shop in Northgate Mall in May. Check them out here.

Closings 

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks 

• Get tickets now for Taste 2014 – a five-day festival of food, wine & beer events, that celebrates the vibrant Durham-Chapel Hill culinary scene, taking place between April 23 and 27. Get all the details of the event(s) here.

•  The Great Grapes! Wine & Food Festival will be held Saturday (April 12th) from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Get all the details here.

•  The 3rd annual Brewgaloo local beer festival is on Saturday April 26th (2-10pm) in downtown Raleigh’s City Plaza. Brought to you by Shop Local Raleigh, Brewgaloo 2014 will feature more than 40 craft breweries from North Carolina, 30 local food trucks and live music. Get all the details here.

•  One of my favorite annual events is coming up soon – April 26 & 27th to be exact. The 19th annual Piedmont Farm Tour presented by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. Purchase tickets in advance and get more details here.

• Celebrate the opening of the 2014 Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market at the Pig Pickin’ Kickoff, Wednesday, April 30, from 10 am-2 pm at City Plaza. Enjoy delicious eastern North Carolina barbecue from The Pit BBQ, a local craft beer tasting from Crank Arm Brewing Co. (a new event feature) and connect with North Carolina’s highest quality growers and food artisans. Get all the details here.

• The good folks over at Triangle Raw Foods will hold their first Café Love Pop-Up Dinner on Friday, May 2nd with a 7 p.m. seating. The cost is $30 per person and will feature a Mexican themed menu. Reservations for this dinner go live today (April 4th) at high noon. Book quickly, as this will sell out. Check it out here.

• The 2nd Annual East Meets West food and performance festival celebrating Morrisville’s diverse community will be on Saturday, May 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission to the festival is free, tickets will be available for purchase to buy food, beer and wine.Get all the details here.

• The dates are set and tickets are already on sale for this year’s edition of Fire in the Triangle. The fun runs from June 23rd through the finale on August 4. Get all the details and tickets here.

• And finally, tickets are on sale now for the 2014 Farm to Fork Picnic, which will be held on Sunday, June 8th from 4-7 p.m. The event celebrates local food and local farms and promises food, beverages, live music and fun. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner   

• The Pit’s 6th Annual ‘Cuegrass Festival returns to Raleigh Saturday, April 26, with a jam-packed day full of great food and music, with all proceeds benefiting the Food Bank! Get all the details here.