Featured Restaurant News
- On a recent drive down Hillsborough Street I noticed a Gym Tacos sign on the former Hieubowl Vietnamese Kitchen location at 3701 Hillsborough St. Gym Tacos currently has two trucks here in the Triangle, and this marks their first brick and mortar location. No word yet on a timeline. Keep up with their progress on their Instagram page here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- And if that is not enough taco goodness for you, John Huisman, aka Triangle Explorer, shared with me that Jedidiah Gant indicated that Tacos El Patron 323, Tijuana-style red tacos out of Los Angeles, will open in the former Donatos Pizza location at Seaboard Station. They are shooting to open in March. Follow them here.
- And it looks like North Hills is getting into the taco business as well. Reader John Tipton shared with us that Condado Tacos, which originated in Columbus, Ohio, will be coming to Raleigh, specifically North Hills. They currently have locations in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Look for them to open sometime in the next year. Get familiar with them here.
- And speaking of North Hills, Bul Box Korean restaurant has officially opened in the former Pharaoh’s Grill spot (next to Starbucks). Thanks to Felicia Trujillo for the tip on that opening! Get familiar with Bul Box and all their locations (there are now 4) here.
- Keenan Yokell shared the news that Earth To Us, offering completely vegan comfort food with a Latin twist, has opened a second location, this one in Raleigh in the Swift Creek Shopping Center (2893 Jones Franklin Rd). The original location is in Durham at 1720 Guess Rd. Check them out here.
- Crawford and Son has brought back Crawford Curbside Tuesday through Thursday evenings where you can call in pre-orders from 2pm-4pm for same day pick up from 5pm-8pm. Orders may be picked up from the bar or can be brought out curbside to your car. To go cocktails, beer, and wine are also available. Get all the details, including menu, on their website here. Additionally, their sister restaurant next-door, Jolie, is offering a $35 three course pre-fixe menu from 5pm-6pm Tuesday through Saturday. Check those out here.
- And speaking of pick-up, Cantina 18 at Cameron Village is offering Ready For Reheat, dinners for two, featuring items from some of Jason Smith’s favorite cookbooks. Next up are special dishes from Richard Olney’s cookbook, Lulu’s Provencal Table. Place orders by Wednesday, February 3, for pick up on Friday, February 5th. Get all the details 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.
- Looking for a career change? Always thought about owning an ice cream shop? (Yea, me too!). Well, head to Angier and you can be the next owner of Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream. Get the details on their Facebook page here (and don’t waste their time!) 🙂 Thanks to Neal Zipser for the tip!
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- Looks like Jay Park is keeping busy. Glenn Gillen passed along that Park is close to opening another concept under his Park`s Food Street umbrella, which is a restaurant group of Korean fusion restaurants. The next one will serve up chicken, noodles and tacos in the former Piper’s Deli building on Old Chapel Hill Road in Durham. You may already be familiar with Park’s Itaewon Grill, a Korean BBQ concept, on Erwin Road in Durham. Soon he will add Cupdak (Korean fried chicken in a cup); Ramyun Time (Asian noodle house); and Taco Park (global flavors of tacos). Follow all of Park’s concepts here
- Your Saturday and Sunday mornings just got a whole lot better! Honeysuckle at Lakewood just began brunch service with a brand new food and drink menu. Brunch is available every Saturday and Sunday from 10am-2pm. There are options for dine-in (including their covered…and heated patio!), takeout and curbside. Did I mention they have yoga as well!! Check it out here.
- Triangle Business Journal reported this week that the craft beer scene near Research Triangle Park is about to get a boost with the soon-to-open Tobacco Wood Brewing Co. This spring they will open a taproom (featuring dozes of craft beers) and restaurant in the Meridian Business Park off Highway 55 north of Interstate 40. This will be Tobacco Wood’s second location (the original location is in Oxford). The brewery was founded by Army veteran Mara Shelton in 2018. Start getting familiar with them 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
- Richie Groat shared the news that Ba-Da Wings in Mission Valley (near NC State) has closed for good.
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
- Looking to spice up your Tuesday nights? Well Bites of Bull City has launched their new weekly dining out/take out event called Tuesday Night Bites. These are special deals offered by some of the best local restaurants in Durham. Not only will these offers give you a sweet, delicious deal and help you fulfill the #durhamtakeoutpledge (to dine/take out at least twice a week to support our local restaurants), but it will also help these establishments thrive on a slower night and survive the winter during a pandemic. Get all the details here. What are you doing next Tuesday night?
- The Triangle Wine & Food Experience, a series of wine- and food-related events benefiting the Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center, will look a little different this year due to the pandemic, but will kick off on Tuesday, Feb. 2 and run through Feb. 9. The Triangle Wine & Food Experience festivities will last for a week, and will include an online auction, VIP dinner packages, wine tastings, and a live-streamed celebration. All proceeds from the Triangle Wine & Food Experience go directly to the Frankie Lemmon School, a NAEYC accredited, five-star child developmental center that welcomes children ages two to six of all abilities. Get all the details on how you can participate and support them on their website here.
- Anyone up for a little wine and weed? Come on, North Carolina is not quite that liberal just yet. If you are into that kind of thing though, this website and ones similar can satisfy your needs, without needing to miss out on weeding the garden. Wine & Weeds (the ‘s’ is very important) is a weekly event where volunteers can drink a complimentary glass of wine while weeding the gardens at the Well Fed Community Garden at 1321 Athens Drive in Raleigh. Get all the details on how you can participate here on their Facebook page. What’s next? Beer & Bongs…?
- Simply eating out has become a bit of an event. The creativity, caution and care our restaurants have taken (and added expenses!) is nothing short of impressive. One thing they are not short on is passion! Anyway, blogger Beck Eats World has put together a pretty impressive list of restaurants with outdoor heaters. Check out the list here.
- Not exactly an event per se, but rather some things to celebrate. Visit Raleigh put together a list of the best restaurants that opened in 2020 in the greater Raleigh area. Check that list out here. And WRAL’s Out and About put out a broader list of Triangle-wide openings in 2020. Check that list out here.
Food Bank Corner
- The best way to make a powerful difference in 2021 is to become a monthly donor of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. This January, your first monthly donation can be MATCHED by a generous Food Bank friend – up to $5,000 in matching dollars available! Sign up today here! #noonegoeshungry
