TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Featured Restaurant News

• More big names have announced re-opening plans, or have resumed operations – be sure to check with your social media channels for exact details. But some of those include: NanaSteak in Durham is now open (thanks for the tip Kitty Kinnin!); ACME in downtown Carrboro opens tonight (Friday, April 23); Mateo Tapas on Chapel Hill Street in downtown Durham re-opened for indoor dining this week; and Ken Yowell’s Oak City Meatball (which is currently doing take-out and delivery Wednesday-Saturday evenings) has hinted they will re-open around the first of May. All very exciting!

Wake County Restaurant News

• Bates Battaglia and his brother Anthony are close to opening Raleigh’s newest night life destination in the heart of the Glenwood South district in the former NOIR space (425 Glenwood Ave.). The new venue will be called Teets, a nod to their grandfather who was a prominent member of the Chicago Outfit with Johnny Torrio and Al Capone. The venue will feature massive front and back patios outside while the inside will feature an over 40-ft long main bar, multiple TVs, a giant projection screen (perfect for watching your favorite hockey games!), a pool table, corn hole and darts. A great addition to Glenwood South. Learn more about the bar, its namesake and when they will open on their website here.

• According to a Facebook post by NC Triangle Dining is looks like we are about two weeks (possibly May 5) from the opening of Torchy’s Tacos Raleigh – Midtown East (located in front of the Wegman’s location on Wake Forest Road). Keep up with any announcements on their website here.

• Eastern Wake County could be getting a few more burger options according to my friend David McCreary who shared the news that Cary-based Corbett’s Burgers & Soda Bar is now franchising and looking to open new locations in Apex, Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs. For more info, check out the “franchise” tab on their website here.

• Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. Check out that list here.

• And finally, not exactly Wake County, but from something that began in Wake County — Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Monarch Property Co., the creators of Raleigh’s Transfer Co. Food Hall, will open Seaboard Social Hall, a new multi-venue gathering space in Wilmington in the old National Linen Service building. The facility will include a food hall, music hall, maker’s market, commissary kitchen and ghost kitchens and is set to open in late 2022 or early 2023. Get all the details on their site here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Tipsy Bull, a sports bar and grill, is set to open by the end of the summer on the ground level at the Durham County Administration II Building at 201 E. Main St. According to TBJ, it will have an open concept and a contemporary design with TVs, a central dining area, bar and patio that will seat over 150 people. Congrats to owners John Orlando and Nick Pettiford.

• Our friends at Bites of Bull City shared the news this week that YaYa Tea on the Golden Belt campus at 807 E. Main Street is now in soft open mode. You can view their menu and get directions on their website here. They also have a location in Chapel Hill on Franklin Street.

• And here are a couple of wonderful resources for those looking to dine in downtown Durham or downtown Chapel Hill – Downtown Durham Inc. has an up-to-date listing of the status of each restaurant in downtown Durham. Check out the list here. And the Downtown Chapel Hill Partnership has put together a similar list for Chapel Hill here.

Closings / Cancellations

• None to report. Keep dining out (inside or out), ordering take-out and/or purchasing gift certificates at local restaurants!

Food Trucks 

• 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 folks at RalToday reminded us that Black Restaurant Week Carolinas kicks off today (April 23) at participating restaurants in the Triangle. Black Restaurant Week celebrates the flavors of African American, African, and Caribbean cuisine by showcasing black-owned culinary businesses where restaurants will offer fixed-price brunch, lunch and dinner menus. See a full list of participating restaurants and all the details here.

• The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has brought back their extremely successful Dine Out Downtown program that they began last year. It continues every Saturday through June and highlights a different district in downtown. This Saturday (April 24th) from 5-9 p.m. This weekend’s focus will be on Fayetteville Street. Complimentary parking is available throughout downtown. Get all the details and see which restaurants will be participating this Saturday here.

• Downtown Durham Inc. announced that The Streetery is back and on Saturday, April 24 they’re taking it to Brightleaf with added outdoor seating and buskers. Join them from 12 – 9 p.m. to shop, carry out, dine in or dine out. The Streetery will happen on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month and they will announce the location for each Saturday. Get all the details here.

• The Durham Bulls are taking “eating at the ballpark” to a whole new level with their Dining at the DBAP where guests will have three nights (April 27-29) to literally dine on the field! The Bulls and Bull City Hospitality will be hosting the special dinners — each night will feature two seatings, giving attendees the chance to dine in front of the iconic Snorting Bull for an hour and a half. Get all the details and make your reservation here.

• On May 21, you can enjoy a special Mediterranean dinner featuring an exclusive cocktail hour with four different cooking stations, wine, beer and a belly dancer! That’s right, this special evening is a collaboration between Sassool and Cheeni and will take place at Spice Route Kitchens. The evening begins at 5 p.m. with dinner served at 6:30. Tickets are limited and available for purchase online for $100. The event will also be held virtually, streaming from 6:30pm-8:30pm. Get tickets and all the details here.

• As if you need another reason to get your Covid 19 vaccine, here’s a very sweet reason. At Krispy Kreme, anyone who shows their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card receives a free Original Glazed® doughnut. And you can do this every day for the duration of the promotion. One donut a day sounds pretty good to me! Available in the shop or drive-thru. Here are all the details.

• You might want to go ahead and plan on spending your Labor Day weekend in Pinehurst for the inaugural Pinehurst Barbecue Festival – a three-day event, staged in and around the historic Village of Pinehurst from September 3-5, 2021. The event will offer a unique culinary sampling experience of various barbecue meats and traditional sides. Choose to experience the entire three-day festival, or attend just one signature event. A multi-ticket VIP package, as well as individual tickets for each event are available. The pitmaster lineup includes: Ed Mitchell, The Preserve (Raleigh); Christopher Prieto, Prime Barbecue (Knightdale); Adam Hughes, Old Colony Smokehouse (Edenton); Joe Lumbrazo, Backyard Bistro (Raleigh); and Ashley Sheppard, Pik N Pig (Carthage). Get tickets, schedule and all the details here.

• Our friends over at RalToday pointed out a few events you might want to go ahead and get on your calendar. So exciting to think of some of our favorite events actually happening in 2021! First up, Raleigh Veg Fest 2021 originally scheduled for April 4 has moved to October 31 in downtown Raleigh’s Moore Square. Details here. And Brewgaloo is scheduled for June 11 & 12 in downtown Raleigh. Details here.

Food Bank Corner

• May is Bytes for Bites Month at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Over the past year, the ways we have used technology to connect with one another has exponentially grown, and while so much of our lives seem to have moved to a virtual platform, our basic household needs remain ever present. With the loss of jobs, income, and in-person schooling, there are 38% more individuals and families struggling to keep food on the table. For the month of May, technology companies and organizations across the Food Bank’s 34- county service area are invited to raise meals in a friendly competition to fight hunger for bragging rights, an exclusive volunteer opportunity and a trophy! Think your company has what it takes to win? Here is what you need to know.

Featured Restaurant News

• And then there were two! Two Cape Fear Seafood Company locations in Raleigh that is. After a weekend of VIP / invitation-only charity fundraisers/meals, Cape Fear will open their second Raleigh location in the Village District adjacent to The Flying Biscuit Cafe in the former Cameron Bar location on Monday, April 19. Founded in Wilmington (which now boasts three locations), Cape Fear specializes in regional American seafood, signature dishes, hand cut fish, steaks and chicken along with freshly made desserts. Plan your week next week around getting out to their newest location – it is gorgeous, with plenty of outdoor dining space. Of course, you can always hit their North Raleigh location near the intersection of Spring Forest and Falls of the Neuse Road. Visit them here for all the details or to make a reservation.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Some big names have announced re-opening plans, or have resumed operations – be sure to check with your social media channels for exact details. But some of those include: Poole’s Diner – starting this weekend, they’ll resume dine-in service, reservations-only; so•ca in Village District re-opened this week; and Ken Yowell’s Oak City Meatball (which is currently doing take-out and delivery Wednesday-Saturday evenings) has hinted they will re-open around the first of May. And Brio at Crabtree has new owners, and has reopened. All very exciting!

• The Triangle Business Journal shared the news this week that Giorgios Bakatsias will open a French chophouse, East End Bistrot, in the East End Market on Whitaker Mill Road between Wake Forest Road and Atlantic Avenue. The new restaurant will have a romantic bistro-style atmosphere with gardens and a menu featuring dishes like steak Diane, chateaubriand and duck and locally sourced ingredients from North Carolina as well as an extensive wine and champagne list. East End Bistrot will be the 12th restaurant that Giorgios Hospitality & Lifestyle Group has opened in the Triangle. You can visit all of Bakatsias’ restaurants here.

• WRAL reported this week that Raleigh-based bar Dram & Draught is planning to expand with two new locations. The first will be likely this summer in the Chesterfield building in downtown Durham. The goal is to open that location when restrictions lift on indoor dining capacity. The second location will be in the Fenton devleopment in Cary. That location, which will feature a rooftop bar, will be in the same development as chef Scott Crawford’s Crawford Brothers Steakhouse and chef Michael Lee’s M Sushi. The original D&D location is on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh. Visit Dram & Draught here.

• And according to a Facebook post by NC Triangle Dining is looks like we are about three weeks (possibly May 5) from the opening of Torchy’s Tacos Raleigh – Midtown East (located in front of the Wegman’s location on Wake Forest Road). Keep up with any announcements on their website here.

• Today in the Quay reported this week on Facebook that Fuquay Brus is set to open a new location on Main Street in Fuquay-Varina. This will be in addition to their original location at 400 Broad Street, also in Fuquay. It is where Chocolate Fix used to be. If you are not familiar, Fuquay Brus is a coffee shop serving up a wide variety of coffee drinks and keto-friendly baked goods, as well as beer and wine. No word yet on an open date. Check them out here.

• In Knightdale, the Triangle Business Journal reported that a farm-to-table restaurant is set to open and will pay tribute to the town’s railroad. The Depot on First will transform a house at 608 N. First Ave. into a dining establishment with a menu that offers items from North Carolina producers. The focus will be on seafood including homemade crab cakes, scallops and crab legs. Also, steak, chicken, pasta and vegan as well as vegetarian and gluten-free options will be offered. They plan to open this fall. You can start to learn about the concept here.

• Over in Cary, David McCreary tipped me off to the fact that La Grassa Pastificio, a locally owned Italian eatery, is scheduled to open next month at 908 Northeast Maynard Road in Cary. Get to know them here.

• Also in Cary, Raleigh Convergence reported this morning that Hank’s Downtown Dive at 111 E. Chatham Street has opened. They reported that the “neighborhood bohemian dive” will serve up elevated bar food, such as tacos, salads, small plates, entrees (fried chicken, carne asada) and desserts (including a unique float of tamarind Jarritos soda and angostura ice cream). Check them out here.

• Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. Check out that list here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Over in Carrboro, Chapel Hilll Carrboro Foodies founder Carrie Brogren shared the news this week that Provence will reopen as Mosaic Bistro and Pastry, hopefully in June. By day, Mosaic will be a welcoming café and pastry shop specializing in baked treats—think croissants, macarons, and much more. By night, they will transform into a modern, casual tapas-style bistro, with a wide variety of offerings for every taste and budget. Get familiar with the new concept here.

• Over in Durham, Bites of Bull City shared the news that Pure Soul, a vegan restaurant already operating in “soft open” mode at 4125 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., has announced their grand opening with extended hours on April 24th. Get to know them here.

• Also in Durham, Jersey Mike’s fans have a new option at 3219 Watkins Road (near intersection of Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. and Interstate 40). Check them out on Facebook here.

• And here are a couple of wonderful resources for those looking to dine in downtown Durham or downtown Chapel Hill – Downtown Durham Inc. has an up-to-date listing of the status of each restaurant in downtown Durham. Check out the list here. And the Downtown Chapel Hill Partnership has put together a similar list for Chapel Hill here.

Closings / Cancellations

• Anthony Sbarra reported to us that The Daily Fare on Oberlin (old Brixx space) has closed permanently.

• And I think this happened a few months back, but Tyler Glover shared with us that Sushi Tsune on Hillsborough Street has closed.

Food Trucks 

• 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

• RalToday brought it to our attention that the Downtown Raleigh Alliance is bringing back their extremely successful Dine Out Downtown program that they began last year. This Saturday (April 17th) from 5-9 p.m., and every Saturday through June, they will pick a different district in downtown to encourage guests to frequent (dine-in, dine outside or order take-out). This weekend’s focus being on Warehouse District. Complimentary parking is available throughout downtown. Get all the details and see which restaurants will be participating this Saturday here.

• Downtown Durham Inc. announced that The Streetery is back and on Saturday, April 24 they’re taking it to Brightleaf with added outdoor seating and buskers. Join them from 12 – 9 p.m. to shop, carry out, dine in or dine out. The Streetery will happen on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month and they will announce the location for each Saturday. Get all the details here.

• On May 21, you can enjoy a special Mediterranean dinner featuring an exclusive cocktail hour with four different cooking stations, wine, beer and a belly dancer! That’s right, this special evening is a collaboration between Sassool and Cheeni and will take place at Spice Route Kitchens. The evening begins at 5 p.m. with dinner served at 6:30. Tickets are limited and available for purchase online for $100. The event will also be held virtually, streaming from 6:30pm-8:30pm. Get tickets and all the details here.

• As if you need another reason to get your Covid 19 vaccine, here’s a very sweet reason. At Krispy Kreme, anyone who shows their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card receives a free Original Glazed® doughnut. And you can do this every day for the duration of the promotion. One donut a day sounds pretty good to me! Available in the shop or drive-thru. Here are all the details.

• You might want to go ahead and plan on spending your Labor Day weekend in Pinehurst for the inaugural Pinehurst Barbecue Festival – a three-day event, staged in and around the historic Village of Pinehurst from September 3-5, 2021. The event will offer a unique culinary sampling experience of various barbecue meats and traditional sides. Choose to experience the entire three-day festival, or attend just one signature event. A multi-ticket VIP package, as well as individual tickets for each event are available. The pitmaster lineup includes: Ed Mitchell, The Preserve (Raleigh); Christopher Prieto, Prime Barbecue (Knightdale); Adam Hughes, Old Colony Smokehouse (Edenton); Joe Lumbrazo, Backyard Bistro (Raleigh); and Ashley Sheppard, Pik N Pig (Carthage). Get tickets, schedule and all the details here.

• Our friends over at RalToday pointed out a few events you might want to go ahead and get on your calendar. So exciting to think of some of our favorite events actually happening in 2021! First up, Raleigh Veg Fest 2021 originally scheduled for April 4 has moved to October 31 in downtown Raleigh’s Moore Square. Details here. And Brewgaloo is scheduled for June 11 & 12 in downtown Raleigh. Details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Thanks to generous friends of the Food Bank, your gift to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina can be matched – dollar for dollar – up to $340,000. That’s right, through March 31 your donation can provide twice as many balanced meals to neighbors experiencing hunger right now. This 2X Matching Gift Challenge couldn’t have come at a more meaningful time. This month marks one year since the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted our daily lives and caused food insecurity in our service area to soar higher than the Great Recession. After a year of missing paychecks due to layoffs, furloughs, or reduced hours, we know families are wondering how they will continue to afford rent and utilities — and food. Double your gift today here! But because of you, there’s hope. #noonegoeshungry