TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Triangle Business Journal shared the news this week that Trophy Brewing Company is expanding (again) and will be opening their sixth location – potentially named Trophy Brewing Outpost – next to Anisette Sweet Shop and famed chef Cheetie Kumar’s new restaurant, Ajja. Located at 205 Bickett Blvd, it will serve as both a taproom and restaurant. The spot will open first as a taproom, aiming for early fall 2024, with the restaurant portion following about six months later. Keep up with Trophy here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• RalToday reported this week that Eastcut Sandwich Bar opened at Raleigh Iron Works (1101 E. Whitaker Mill Rd., Ste. 126). This is the sandwich shop’s second Triangle-area location — the original location is in Durham at 3211 Old Chapel Hill Rd.. Get familiar with them here.

• On a recent drive down Wake Forest Road I noticed a “Coming Soon” sign at the spot of the former Gusto Farm to Street at 3088 Wake Forest Road (just behind Trader Joe’s). Looks like we are getting a second Triangle-area location of Piada Italian Street Food (their first local location is in Park West in Morrisville). If you are not familiar with them, do so here.

• Down in Garner, saw on the Choose Local & Small Y’all and Garner Biz Facebook pages that later this summer Scoop Dogz will open a 4’x4′ service window at 1411 Aversboro Road, Suite 111. It will be a hot dog walk up grill and ice cream just down from Aversboro Restaurant. Stay tuned.

• A quick correction (on the address) from last week. In downtown Raleigh, we got word that Mustang House, a a new Nepalese and Indian restaurant, has opened at 411 Fayetteville Street (Suite 109). Probably best to follow along on Facebook here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• In Durham, WRAL shared the news that June 10th from noon until 11 p.m. is the grand opening of Lonerider Distillery and Taproom (located at 708 Ramseur Street). Look for them to have tons of drink specials, tastings/samplings and much more. Visit their Facebook events page for all the details.

• Over in Pittsboro, we saw on the Pittsboro Eats page that there is a changing of the guard taking place. It was announced that the owners of Angelina’s Kitchen have sold their kitchen and it will be transformed into a concept called The West End. You can expect the new shop to be open by early fall 2023. Thanks to Darcy Moore for passing along this news.

• And in Carrboro, Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook Group founder Carrie Brogren shared that Pizza Factory and Cheesesteak Co. has opened in the old Carrboro Pizza Oven location in Carr Mill Mall. We haven’t been able to find a presence on the web, so stay tuned.

Closings

• Got word this week that the folks over at Earth To Us (American and Latin vegan comfort food) have had to make the decision to close their Durham location. That’s the bad news. The good news is their Raleigh location (2893 Jones Franklin Rd.) remains open.

• Triangle Business Journal shared the news this week that Lonerider Brewing has temporarily closed its location in Five Points. They are not sure about the next steps, so they are “taking a pause” before making that decision. Stay tuned.

Food Trucks

• The next Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is this Sunday, June 11 from 12-4 p.m. The rest of the 2023 Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeos are September 3 and October 29. All the rodeos are from 12-4 p.m. Giddyup! Here is the link.

• 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

• Like the beer in Durham? North Carolina that is. What about the beer in Durham, UK? Well, here is your chance to find out. Sister Cities of Durham will hold their Two Durhams Beer Festival TODAY, Friday, June 9th from 5-9 p.m. at Durham Central Park (Durham, NC). Essentially 5 breweries in Durham, NC are exchanging beer recipes with 5 breweries in Durham, UK. There will also be live music, food trucks, and souvenirs. I’ll drink to that! Get the details here (scroll down).

• Over in downtown Cary on Saturday (June 10), the Town of Cary will host their Pimento Cheese Festival from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. where food trucks will line Academy Street serving their regular menus, along with new dishes featuring a southern delicacy: pimento cheese! Enjoy live music at the Downtown Park, grab a drink from local breweries, and taste some of the best pimento cheese samples from local restaurants. You can even test your skills in the pimento cheese sculpting contest. Get all the details here.

• The 5th Roots for Reece Chef’s Picnic being held this Sunday, June 11th from 3-7 p.m. at Haven Farm in Knightdale. Thanks to Kitty Kinnin for the reminder! At the event you will be able to sample small plates and beverages from over 25 local food and beverage establishments. Check out this list: Longleaf Swine BBQ; Glass House Kitchen; Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing; The Umstead Hotel and Spa; Craften Neighborhood Food & Drink; Postal Fish Company; Under The Oak Catering; Locals Seafood; Mebane Crafted; Cucciolo Terrazza Raleigh; Viv’s Fridge; Jolie Restaurant; Elevated Catering Company; Layered Croissanterie; Native Fine Diner; ORO Restaurant & Lounge; Lawrence Barbecue; Leroys Taco Shop; William & Company; Revival 1869 – A Drinkery; Trophy Brewing Company; Umbrella Dry Bar; Deep River Brewing Company; and Double Barley Brewing. All proceeds go to the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition, which saves lives through education and prevention of opiate overdose. Visit the site here to get your tickets.

• On June 14th at 6 p.m. our friends over at Prohibitive Cary (located at The Matthews House) will take us on a Mediterranean adventure around the coast of Italy pairing 5 wines with light bites. They are located at 317 W Chatham St. Tickets are $60 each. Get all the details and tickets here.

• Durmnik, a Juneteenth celebration with Saltbox Seafood Joint and friends, will take place on Saturday, June 17 (“Durmnik” is the combination of Durham and picnic). The community celebration will take place at Saltbox Seafood Joint (2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham) from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Attendees will receive a picnic box curated by chef Ricky Moore, Chez Moi Bakery, Mike D’s BBQ, Nzingas Kitchen and Ideal Bartending Co., and a mocktail. Get all the details on what is in each box, and purchase tickets, here.

• June 14 through June 17th is Tasty Takeover Week at The Wine Feed Durham where Kim Hunter of Kimbap will be the featured chef helping you kick off your summer just right! Get all the details here.

• Sunday, June 18th is the date for the Summertime Seafood Festival in downtown Pittsboro hosted by The Sycamore and Postal Fish Company. From 2 to 6 p.m. on the lawn and inside of Forest Hall at Chatham Mills, guests will be able to enjoy delicious food, refreshing drinks and live music. Advance tickets for entry are $10 or purchase at the door for $15 (if available). Food, drinks and desserts are available for purchase. Get all the details here.

• On June 20th, join The Wine Feed in Durham as they host a Veg-Heads Wine Dinner at 7 p.m. Vegetarians will rejoice as head chef Taylor Halley expertly pairs delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes with world-class wines! Get tickets and all the details here.

• The third annual NC Hops Fest is back at the NC State Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 24. This event is a celebration of NC craft beverages with local vendors, food trucks, live music, and of course… beer. General admission tickets, which include a commemorative cup and unlimited 3-oz samples, are $45. Get tickets and all the details here.

• The folks over at Acme are bringing back Salt & Smoke on Saturday, October 28th. This year’s event will be held at The Barn at Sonark Media (located just off of Old 86 in Hillsborough). If you are not familiar with the event, it is a full afternoon and evening of live music, whole hog barbecue, raw oysters, roasted clams and plenty of the right beverages to wash it all down – local beer, wine and cocktails. And if you get your tickets now, through the end of this month there is a $25 discount for all tickets purchased (just use the code FINALLY when checking out). Get all the details and tickets here.

Food Bank Corner

• Right now, one in five people in central and eastern North Carolina don’t have enough to eat. Your tax-deductible gift helps provide food and hope to families, children, and seniors right here in our community. Together, we can help people in our community during their greatest time of need. Give here. Every $10 you donate provides 50 meals! #noonegoeshungry

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Today is one of my favorite holidays of the year…hopefully you have the day off – National Doughnut Day….TODAY! June 2. You know what to do!

Wake County Restaurant News

• This weekend (June 3rd to be exact) will see the official opening of the second location of Salt & Lime Cabo Grill! The new location is at 4800 Grove Barton Road in Raleigh. They will celebrate and welcome you all day Saturday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. and all day Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Weather looks perfect, so be sure to check out their patio! Check out their Facebook page here or their website here.

• In downtown Raleigh, we got word that Mustang House, a a new Nepalese and Indian restaurant, has opened (June 1) at 411 Fayetteville Street (Suite 109). Probably best to follow along on Facebook here.

• Over in the Village District, a neighbor will move into the former So•Ca spot as it was announced this week that Cafe Carolina and Bakery will make that short move just up the hill. They are looking to complete the move and open September 1. There will be a short time they will be closed to make the transition. In the meantime, get by their current location here.

• RalToday shared the news that Blackbird Books and Coffee, a new book shop that will serve specialty coffee and host community events and workshops, is opening soon in City Market. They are currently crowdfunding to get the shop up and running as soon as possible. Get all the details and support their effort here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Got word this week that on June 7 chef Oscar Diaz will open his first Durham restaurant, Little Bull, in Old Five Points at 810 N. Mangum Street. The small neighborhood restaurant will serve dinner, cocktails and a late-night weekend menu. The menu will include comfort staples as ‘pocho cuisine,’ like Diaz’s take on dumplings (stuffed with birria), Nom Tom Steak and Piri Piri Bam Bam, a whole chicken dish. The menu will change seasonally. Diaz joins Mezcalito Group Inc. as co-owner. Best to follow along on Instagram here.

• In Durham, WRAL shared the news that June 10th from noon until 11 p.m. is the grand opening of Lonerider Distillery and Taproom (located at 708 Ramseur Street). Look for them to have tons of drink specials, tastings/samplings and much more. Visit their Facebook events page for all the details.

• And this is a little bit of a stretch for our “triangle” – but reader Carolyn Barnes was so kind to pass along the recent opening of Incorrigible Cafe in Roxboro, North Carolina (just north of Durham and Hillsborough for those that don’t know). Anyway, this little cafe is family owned and just opened. If you are out driving around this weekend, pay them a visit and give them some love (they are located at 44 Gordon Street, Hall’s Way #60)! They also sell their Pimento Cheese, Chicken, Potato and Macaroni Salads by the pound, so you can take some home with you! Visit them on Instagram here.

• And a quick nod of congratulations to our very own Sera Cuni, co-owner of Cafe Root Cellar in Pittsboro and Root Cellar Cafe & Catering in Chapel Hill as she won Food Network’s Supermarket Stakeout this week! Visit Root Cellar and congratulate her in person!

Closings

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

• A Place at the Table will hold their second annual Pay-What-You-Can Food Truck Rodeo this Sunday, June 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This fun-filled community day will consist of delicious meals, refreshments, and desserts from a variety of food trucks including: Q-spresso, Interfaith Food Shuttle: The Spinning Plate, Bulkogi, Magdalena’s Chimney Cakes, Locopops, AMPM Burritos, Season It Up Vegan, Aries Dish Delivered, and Goodness GraceUs. All food trucks will have special menus prepared for the event. The rodeo will take place in the parking lot on the corner of West Hargett and South Harrington street across from A Place at the Table. Purchase tickets ahead of time here.

• The next Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is June 11 from 12-4 p.m. Get out your calendar and make note of the dates for the rest of the 2023 Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeos. September 3 | October 29 – and all the rodeos are from 12-4 p.m. Giddyup! Here is the link.

• 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

• Head over to downtown Raleigh’s City Plaza this Saturday, June 3rd for Raleigh’s International Food Festival featuring food, dessert, beer and wine from over 60 countries – along with art, culture and traditions from around the world. There will be more than 50 food trucks and a large outdoor dance party. Admission is free! Get all the details here.

• Clouds Brewing is hosting its second annual Summertime Beer Fest this Saturday, June 3. Head to the taproom (1233 Front Street, Raleigh) from 3 to 7 p.m. to sample and celebrate 25+ NC beers on tap from breweries across the region. Tickets are $25-$65 and include entry, a commemorative glass and 10 beer tickets. Get tickets here.

• The 3rd Annual Bubbles & Brisket at Smoky Hollow is this Saturday, June 3rd from 2-6 p.m. The event features 10 BBQ pit-master chefs and an array of sparkling beverages. With the purchase of a ticket, guests will enjoy various styles of brisket and side dishes prepared by the best talent in the state, along with sampling multiple styles of sparkling wine from around the world. Get tickets here.

• Got word from Neha Shah, director of the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, that Farm to Fork is making its return in 2023 this Sunday, June 4th from 4-7 p.m. at Fearrington Village. Held in the Triangle for more than 15 years, the Farm to Fork Picnic is a showcase of North Carolina chefs, artisans, and farmers paired together to create sips and nibbles of the region’s best flavors and seasonal ingredients! You can get tickets and all the details here.

• RalToday shared the news that to celebrate the grand opening of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in the Village District on Monday, June 5 they will be giving away free scoops of ice cream from 7 to 11 p.m. Check out Jeni’s here.

• The annual Triangle Restaurant Week event is set to run next week of June 5-11, 2023. During the event, participating restaurants within Raleigh, Cary,Chapel Hill, Durham and surrounding areas will offer a special 2 or 3-course prix fixe menu ($20, $25, $30, $40, $45, $50) each day they are open. Get all the details here.

• Like the beer in Durham? North Carolina that is. What about the beer in Durham, UK? Well, here is your chance to find out. Sister Cities of Durham will hold their Two Durhams Beer Festival on Friday, June 9th from 5-9 p.m. at Durham Central Park (Durham, NC). Essentially 5 breweries in Durham, NC are exchanging beer recipes with 5 breweries in Durham, UK. There will also be live music, food trucks, and souvenirs. I’ll drink to that! Get the details here (scroll down).

• Friend Kitty Kinnin reminded me that tickets are now available for the 5th Roots for Reece Chef’s Picnic being held on June 11th from 3-7 p.m. at Haven Farm in Knightdale. At the event you will be able to sample small plates and beverages from over 25 local food and beverage establishments. Check out this list: Longleaf Swine BBQ; Glass House Kitchen; Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing; The Umstead Hotel and Spa; Craften Neighborhood Food & Drink; Postal Fish Company; Under The Oak Catering; Locals Seafood; Mebane Crafted; Cucciolo Terrazza Raleigh; Viv’s Fridge; Jolie Restaurant; Elevated Catering Company; Layered Croissanterie; Native Fine Diner; ORO Restaurant & Lounge; Lawrence Barbecue; Leroys Taco Shop; William & Company; Revival 1869 – A Drinkery; Trophy Brewing Company; Umbrella Dry Bar; Deep River Brewing Company; and Double Barley Brewing. All proceeds go to the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition, which saves lives through education and prevention of opiate overdose. Visit the site here to get your tickets.

• On June 14th at 6 p.m. our friends over at Prohibitive Cary (located at The Matthews House) will take us on a Mediterranean adventure around the coast of Italy pairing 5 wines with light bites. They are located at 317 W Chatham St. Tickets are $60 each. Get all the details and tickets here.

• Sunday, June 18th is the date for the Summertime Seafood Festival in downtown Pittsboro hosted by The Sycamore and Postal Fish Company. From 2 to 6 p.m. on the lawn and inside of Forest Hall at Chatham Mills, guests wil be able to enjoy delicious food, refreshing drinks and live music. Advance tickets for entry are $10 or purchase at the door for $15 (if available). Food, drinks and desserts are available for purchase. Get all the details here.

• The folks over at Acme are bringing back Salt & Smoke on Saturday, October 28th. This year’s event will be held at The Barn at Sonark Media (located just off of Old 86 in Hillsborough). If you are not familiar with the event, it is a full afternoon and evening of live music, whole hog barbecue, raw oysters, roasted clams and plenty of the right beverages to wash it all down – local beer, wine and cocktails. And if you get your tickets now, through the end of this month there is a $25 discount for all tickets purchased (just use the code FINALLY when checking out). Get all the details and tickets here.

Food Bank Corner

• Right now, one in five people in central and eastern North Carolina don’t have enough to eat. Your tax-deductible gift helps provide food and hope to families, children, and seniors right here in our community. Together, we can help people in our community during their greatest time of need. Give here. Every $10 you donate provides 50 meals! #noonegoeshungry