TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• It is happening this weekend. After two years, Hillsborough Street’s legendary watering hole, Mitch’s Tavern, will welcome patrons again. Van Alston and Chris Post, the team behind MoJoe’s Burger Joint, Slim’s and Zenith Raleigh, have teamed up with Mitch Hazouri and will handle the day-to-day operations. Located directly across from NC State University at 2426 Hillsborough Street, the 47-year-old tavern is a favorite of NC State fans and was featured in the 1988 film Bull Durham. The spot will be pretty much like everyone remembers, with about 80% of the menu making the return according to the Triangle Business Journal. The paper also noted that the space below Mitch’s, known as as The College Grill or Red’s (which has been closed for nearly 50 years) is in pristine condition and will be rented out for parties and events. Best to follow them on Facebook for when they officially just “open the doors” and you can again ascend the 25 stairs leading up to a big part of Raleigh’s history.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Thanks to a tip from friends Julie and Kenan Barnes, we learned that Chubby’s Tacos in soft-open mode in their newest Raleigh location in the Sutton Square shopping center at 6325 Falls of Neuse Rd. They opened on Thursday. This is their third Triangle-area location, with one in Durham’s Woodcroft shopping center and one in Raleigh’s Lake Boone shopping center. They also have a locaiton in Myrtle Beach. Visit Chubby’s here. Congrats to Rudy Theale on this latest chapter of Chubby’s!

• On Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh, the team behind The Cortez announced that they will be debuting a second floor cocktail bar and music garden curated by the Cortez team and in collaboration with their favorite local musicians, entertainers and DJs. No word on a timeline for the opening of the upstairs space, so best to follow them on social media here for pending announcements.

• Blogger NC Triangle Dining shared the news that Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls will be opening up their newest location in Waverly Place in Cary on May 26th. The Triangle’s original location is in North Hills. Get to know Mason’s here.

• Also in Raleigh, RalToday shared an update. Warm cookie delivery company Tiff’s Treats is set to open June 4 in the Village District. To celebrate its grand opening, the shop is giving away one dozen cookies to all new subscribers. Sign up for free cookies here.

• The RalToday folks also shared that the Charlotte-based chain Clean Juice is now open across from Pure Barre in North Hills (4421 Six Forks Road, Suite 103). The organic juice bar softly opened this week. Check them out here.

• In North Raleigh, reader Don Hazelwood shared that Pollo Campero is coming to the old Burger King spot at the corner of Litchford and Harps Mill in Litchford Village. No word on an open date. Campero has two locations already in North Carolina, both in the Charlotte area. Get to know them here.

• Down in Garner, the newest location of Dunkin’ opened this week at 101 Commerce Parkway featuring the brand’s next generation design. Visit Dunkin’ here.

• And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention an all-new “foodie” podcast hitting the airwaves today at 5 p.m. The legendary Kitty Kinnin‘s Sound Palate will air with none other than Van Eure of the Angus Barn. Van sharing the history of The Barn, behind-the-scenes stories and some personal antics with Kitty. As many of you know, Kitty has been a staple of the local music scene for many years, so she will have Van pair The Barn with a special song. Tune in to wherever you get your podcasts. You can catch Kitty on 96.1 BBB Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Big news out of Durham this week as the folks over at Lula & Sadie’s in the Durham Food Hall announced that May 22 will be their last day of their two-year run in that space. But their success and popularity presented them with the opportunity to grow into a much larger space as they will be moving into the historic Davis Baking Company building in the Lakewood neighborhood (2022 Chapel Hill Road). Their plans are to open in the new space by mid to late June. But, be sure to get by the Durham Food Hall right up until May 22 before you have to take a short break from their southern yumminess (the wife and I did so two nights ago) while they prepare the new space. Follow along with their progress here.

• Over in Chapel Hill, the News & Observer reported that the founders of Cook Out purchased the property at 450 S. Elliott Rd., where a Burger King now operates, and could soon become Orange County’s second Cook Out location. Additionally, because the current building has a drive-thru, the conversion would allow for Cook Out’s popular drive-thru option. Burger King confirmed that location will be closing. Check out Cook Out here.

Closings / Cancellations

• Learned this week that Saturday, May 21st will be Carrburritos last day at the Boxyard in RTP. With this pandemic world of staffing and supply shortages, they are choosing to focus their resources on their original location in Carrboro…which is great news! Visit Carrburritos here.

Food Trucks 

• OK, pay attention. Some changes to the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo 2022 schedule. The are just two dates for 2022 rodeos and they are as follows – June 12th and Sept 25th. The rodeo is set up on downtown Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street featuring a half mile of food trucks and restaurants spread out over 10 city blocks. Details here.

• The remaining Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo 2022 schedule is as follows: June 5, September 4 and October 30. Mark your calendars. 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

• The newly relocated and expanded Raleigh Wine Shop will officially celebrate its grand opening and 11th-anniversary sale and celebration this weekend, Friday, May 13th through Sunday, May 15th. This exciting weekend will feature wall-to-wall free tastings with samples of wine, by-the-glass specials, a sneak peek into its upcoming in-house food program featuring hand-cut charcuterie and artisanal cheeses, and its deepest deals of the year on its hand-selected honestly made wines, plus other deals throughout the store. Get all the details here.

• Celebrate American Craft Beer Day in downtown Pittsboro this Saturday, May 14th as they host the next edition of their Pittsboro Pub Crawl from 4 – 10 p.m. Nine participating bars are offering craft beer and other drink specials and you are invited to roam the streets and try a few. Make plans to be there. Get all the details on the specials being offered and their shuttle service here.

• RalToday reminded us that Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard is hosting a Spring Music Fest this Saturday, May 14 from 2-10 pm. Join the Brewyard for a night of shopping from local vendors, sipping on cocktails and cold brews, and music performed by NC bands. Get all the details and tickets here.

• Experience the flavors, sounds, and traditions of Greece at the annual at the Taste Of Greece Festival taking place this weekend, May 14 and 15 (11 a.m. – 7 p.m. both days), at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Durham. Enjoy delicious Greek food and pastries, a Greek taverna and cafe, traditional music, folk dance performances, shopping, video travelogues of Greece, church tours, and kids’ activities. Admission and parking are free and the event is rain or shine. Get all the details here.

• The Heirloom Fish Fry is happening again this Sunday, May 15th from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Heirloom will be serving Carolina catfish fried Taiwanese style with Laotian papaya salad-inspired slaw and fries seasoned in Taiwanese salt and pepper. All draft beers are $5. To take advantage of this opportunity you must pre-order the fish fry here.

• The folks at Bites of Bull City shared the great news that The Glass Jug’s third annual Hops & Blues Fest returns this year on Saturday, May 21st from 4-8pm at Glass Jug Beer Lab’s RTP location (5410 NC-55). Note: the event is capped at 250 people, so get your tickets early. The $45 ticket price gets attendees unlimited samples from the best IPA and hop-forward beer makers in the area along with live music from some of the best local blues musicians: Brett Chambers & The Usual Suspects and The Pheobees. Along with The Glass Jug, other brewery reps on site include Aslin, Resident Culture, New Anthem, Wilmington, Commonwealth, Triple Crossing, Funguys, Durty Bull, Wooden Robot, Grimm, Equilibrium, and Southern Grist. Get tickets here.

• The second annual Bubbles and Brisket is scheduled for Saturday, June 4th from 2-6 p.m. at Smoky Hollow in downtown Raleigh. The event is a collaboration of chefs, pit-masters, wine producers, sommeliers and brewers, pairing sparkling bubbles with a variety of cooking techniques and side dishes that feature everyone’s favorite: brisket. Early Bird Tickets on sale for the month of April are $65/person. On May 1st, tickets are $75/person. Get all the details and tickets here.

• After a 2-year hiatus, Dinner in the Meadow will return as attendees will be gathering in the meadow again on Sunday, September 11th from 5:30-8:30 in the evening. The dinner sells out each year, so you are encouraged to get your tickets early. Get all the details here.

• Like beer? Excellent. Visit Raleigh has established a Raleigh Beer Trail that gives you a passport to get stamped at the 30+ breweries in the Raleigh area, from Wake Forest to Raleigh to Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina. Once you’ve filled up your passport with stamps, you send it in to receive prizes. Nothing like being rewarded for drinking! But as always, please drink responsibly. Get the details here.

• And yesterday Crave Hot Dogs & Barbecue on Oberlin Road a very successful “sip and paint” event with another planned for July. But coming up on May 24 they begin hosting Trivia Tuesdays (which will occur every other week). Best to tune into their social media for dates and times of all their events. Facebook here and Instagram here.

Food Bank Corner

• Stamp Out Hunger is this Saturday, May 14th, where residents across the U.S. are encouraged to leave a bag of food next to their mailbox for the United States Postal Service to pick up throughout the day. During the day, mail carriers unload thousands of pounds of food to their local post office. This is where we need your help! In hopes to help take some of the extra work off the various post offices in the Raleigh/Durham areas, the Food Bank is recruiting volunteers to assist postal workers. Tasks will include helping with unloading food off trucks and placing donated items into bins to be brought back to our branches. Volunteers are asked to help at the local post office as opposed to the Food Bank branches. If you can volunteer, visit their sign-up site here. #NoOneGoesHungry

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

Featured Restaurant News

• The News & Observer reported that next year the Triangle will get another location of New York’s Shake Shack. This one will be in the city’s Village District, right next to Flying Biscuit, and two doors down from Cape Fear Seafood Company. The Triangle’s first Shake Shack opened in Cary’s Waverly Place in 2019. That was followed by a concession counter in the PNC Arena last December; and another traditional location is currently in the works in Chapel Hill’s Eastgate Crossing shopping center, opening in the former Zoes Kitchen space. The burger brand launched as a kiosk in New York City’s Madison Square Park and has grown into a worldwide champion of classic American burgers. The Raleigh location will be their ninth in North Carolina. Visit Shake Shack here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• In Apex this week, reader Al Lamy shared that the Tap Station had a soft opening this week at 320 South Salem Street in the downtown district. Tap Station is a two story, family friendly brewery and restaurant from the same folks that own Scratch Kitchen & Taproom, The Mason Jar Tavern and The Mason Jar Lager Company. The space offers tons of outdoor space including a firepit, playground and a rooftop patio bar. The menu features many sharable appetizers plus creative and elevated burgers, hot dogs, beer brats, and chicken sandwiches. It also showcases fresh salads and handcrafted cocktails along with a curated whiskey menu and an extensive list of beers made onsite. Check them out here.

• Also in Apex, reader Heather Wilkin Black shared with us that there is signage on the old McDonald’s at the corner of US 1 and Hwy 55 that says the location will become The Grind, indicating they will offer “coffee, shakes, breakfast and lunch.” We are not sure if it is affiliated with The Grind in Benson, so we will have to keep an eye on it. But as Heather shared, it sounds like the perfect addition to the Apex dining scene.

• In Holly Springs, reader Tom Warfield gave us an update on something we shared with you back in November. Tom shared that Bep Vietnamese Kitchen has opened. They are a locally owned concept that will offer authentic Vietnamese street delights from iconic Phở selections, a variety of snacks including crusty Bánh Mì, and an enormous selection of Boba Tea. Get to know them here.

• After closing for a while during the pandemic, Drive Bru, a locally owned drive-thru coffee shop, has reopened at 1013 E. Broad St. in Fuquay-Varina in the Walmart shopping center. Thanks to David McCreary for this update. Follow them on Facebook here.

• Over in Cary, David McCreary shared that Sugar Koi, a locally owned ice cream and espresso shop, is coming soon to 116 Kilmayne Drive, just a few doors down from Sushi-Thai Cary. Start getting familiar with them here.

• In Raleigh, Cheeni, a new Indian food emporium is now open at 1141 Falls River Ave. Cheeni serves classic Indian cuisine like filter coffee, authentic masala chai, Indian-style toast, puffs and lentils and rice. Their Spice Route Passport gives you membership and priority access to events in the dining room with its own demonstration kitchen. Get to know them here.

• Up in North Raleigh, a reader shared with us that a new coffee shop is opening in the 5401 North development called Smooth Joe Coffee. A Google search indicates they are aiming for a mid-July opening. Not much up on their website so far. Stay tuned.

• Also in Raleigh, RalToday shared an update. Warm cookie delivery company Tiff’s Treats is set to open June 4 in the Village District. To celebrate its grand opening, the shop is giving away one dozen cookies to all new subscribers. Sign up for free cookies here.

• And one last interesting development in Raleigh. WRAL shared that Duke’s Mayo is opening its first virtual restaurant in Raleigh next week. Duke’s Sauce Shack will be available via Doordash and Uber Eats starting May 10. The food will be prepared in four ghost kitchens in Raleigh (i.e. to-go or delivery-only). The restaurants will operate through July. The menu, which was developed by Duke’s Mayo chef Mark Cates, will include crispy chicken sandwiches, tenders and nuggets. The star will be the 14 sauces which include everything from Duke’s classic and flavored mayonnaise to mustards, southern sauces and more. Get ready here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Over in Carrboro, Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies founder Carrie Brogren shared that Yung Nay of Iza Whiskey & Eats will be opening a new spot called LA Tequila and Eats next door in the former Ceremony Salon space. The restaurant name is a tribute to his late father and also symbolizes the restaurant’s theme of Latin Asian (LA) cuisine. On the menu, you’ll find creative dishes that pay tribute to his passion for Latin Asian cuisine, as well as Nay’s roots in Vietnam. LA hopes to open in the fall. In the meantime, visit Iza here.

• In Durham, the folks at 321 Coffee just announced that they will be opening a location in Durham’s ID development at 300 Morris Street. The coffee shop and roaster champions a business model of inclusion employing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). They have their original location at the State Farmer’s market, a private cafe at Pendo headquarters and recently announced a location on Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street in the Bloc 83 development. Look for the Durham location to open in late 2022. Get to know them here.

• My Twitter buddy BurgeoningBaker shared with me that Vit Goal Tofu Korean restaurant has closed, but is reopening as 92 Chicken, Korean-style chicken, at 2107 Allendown Drive in Durham. Best to follow them on Facebook for announcements about when the new concept will open. Do so here.

• In Durham’s Brightleaf area, we got word that the Torero’s location is in the process of moving to a new spot in West Village (where Gonza was). Their last day at their former location was April 30th. We don’t have a date yet of when they expect to be open in their new location. Stay tuned. Follow them here.

Closings / Cancellations

• Reader Tom Thornburg brought it to our attention that Chapel Hill’s Lime & Basil has closed after nearly 20 years. Sad to see them go.

• Reader Ben Hodgson shared that Wake Forest’s East Coast Wings has closed.

• And reader Joe Mustian shared that the Subway in Glen Lennox in Chapel Hill has closed.

Food Trucks 

• OK, pay attention. Some changes to the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo 2022 schedule. The are just two dates for 2022 rodeos and they are as follows – June 12th and Sept 25th. The rodeo is set up on downtown Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street featuring a half mile of food trucks and restaurants spread out over 10 city blocks. Details here.

• The remaining Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo 2022 schedule is as follows: June 5, September 4 and October 30. Mark your calendars. 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

• The town of Cary has announced that Fest in the West, western Cary’s signature event, is back at Thomas Brooks Park on Saturday, May 7th from 11am-5pm. There are two stages with entertainment featuring some of the best talent in the Triangle. Food trucks will be in three areas, a centrally located beer garden and a fun Kids Corral with activities for families along with a petting zoo. Mark your calendar and get all the details here.

• And over in Apex, this Saturday, May 7th is Peakfest, celebrating the peak of good living, where Salem Street in downtown will host thousands of people enjoying arts, crafts, vendors of all types, entertainment, and of course, lots and lots of great food. Get all the details here.

• And if Cary and Apex aren’t in the cards for you, Wake Forest gives you the option to attend their Meet in the Street festival, also on Saturday, May 7th. It is a community street festival in downtown Wake Forest, featuring more than 100 arts and crafts vendors, live music throughout the day, dozens of food trucks, and many activities for children. Get all the details here.

• And if you need one more option this Saturday, May 7th, why not head down to Johnston County for their annual Ham & Yam Festival!?! The festival takes place at the Neuse River Amphitheatre at 200 S. Front Street in Smithfield. The festival area will be filled with hundreds of booths occupied by local artists, craftspeople, and makers, face painters, local non-profit organizations, and more. The family event keeps crowds entertained with performances on multiple stages, children’s games, and inflatables. And of course, ham and yam foods galore! Get the details here.

• Thanks to the folks at RalToday, we were reminded that Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard is hosting a Spring Music Fest on Saturday, May 14 from 2-10 pm. Join the Brewyard for a night of shopping from local vendors, sipping on cocktails and cold brews, and music performed by NC bands. Get all the details and tickets here.

• The folks at Bites of Bull City shared the great news that The Glass Jug’s third annual Hops & Blues Fest returns this year on Saturday, May 21st from 4-8pm at Glass Jug Beer Lab’s RTP location (5410 NC-55). Note: the event is capped at 250 people, so get your tickets early. The $45 ticket price gets attendees unlimited samples from the best IPA and hop-forward beer makers in the area along with live music from some of the best local blues musicians: Brett Chambers & The Usual Suspects and The Pheobees. Along with The Glass Jug, other brewery reps on site include Aslin, Resident Culture, New Anthem, Wilmington, Commonwealth, Triple Crossing, Funguys, Durty Bull, Wooden Robot, Grimm, Equilibrium, and Southern Grist. Get tickets here.

• The second annual Bubbles and Brisket is scheduled for Saturday, June 4th from 2-6 p.m. at Smoky Hollow in downtown Raleigh. The event is a collaboration of chefs, pit-masters, wine producers, sommeliers and brewers, pairing sparkling bubbles with a variety of cooking techniques and side dishes that feature everyone’s favorite: brisket. Early Bird Tickets on sale for the month of April are $65/person. On May 1st, tickets are $75/person. Get all the details and tickets here.

• After a 2-year hiatus, Dinner in the Meadow will return as attendees will be gathering in the meadow again on Sunday, September 11th from 5:30-8:30 in the evening. The dinner sells out each year, so you are encouraged to get your tickets early. Get all the details here.

• Like beer? Excellent. Visit Raleigh has established a Raleigh Beer Trail that gives you a passport to get stamped at the 30+ breweries in the Raleigh area, from Wake Forest to Raleigh to Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina. Once you’ve filled up your passport with stamps, you send it in to receive prizes. Nothing like being rewarded for drinking! But as always, please drink responsibly. Get the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Stamp Out Hunger is coming up on May 14th, where residents across the U.S. are encouraged to leave a bag of food next to their mailbox for the United States Postal Service to pick up throughout the day. During the day, mail carriers unload thousands of pounds of food to their local post office. This is where we need your help! In hopes to help take some of the extra work off the various post offices in the Raleigh/Durham areas, the Food Bank is recruiting volunteers to assist postal workers. Tasks will include helping with unloading food off trucks and placing donated items into bins to be brought back to our branches. Volunteers are asked to help at the local post office as opposed to the Food Bank branches. If you can volunteer, visit their sign-up site here. #NoOneGoesHungry