TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Featured Restaurant News 

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News

• Got word from Sean O’Neill that he is bringing Chronic Tacos, a franchise from California, to the Triangle. Three of them actually. The first to open will be in Meadowmont Village in Chapel Hill. They are working toward a late April opening. The second location will be at the Shoppes at Heritage Village in Wake Forest, and the third will be at the new Olive Park shopping center at the corner of Falls of Neuse and Litchford Rd. In Raleigh. Get familiar with Chronic Tacos here.

• Got word this week that City Beverage in southwest Durham will close their doors this Saturday, February 27th to make way for a new concept and new owners. According to Diggin’ Durham, the new concept will be a brew-pub’ish spot expected to re-open in mid-March. Stay tuned.

• And this is kind of fun, Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Restaurant continues to grow, evolve and change. In addition to a new logo and website, the retail bakery is moving to the front of the building along with other site improvements to enhance your experience while there. Check it all out on their new website here.

• In Carrboro, Rise Biscuits and Donuts announced that its newest location at East Main Square will open tomorrow, February 27. And the new downtown Durham location at 401 Foster St. will open on March 12. Check out Rise here.

•  It is actually going to happen! The News & Observer reported this week that Chef Teddy Klopf will open Provenance next Monday, February 22 in downtown Raleigh on the first floor of the new Skyhouse luxury apartment building on East Martin Street. Klopf describes the menu as “refined new Southern cuisine in a contemporary, casual setting.” I’ve seen pictures of the inside, and this space is very cool. Check them out here.

• Also in Raleigh, the News & Observer reported that Shuckers Oyster Bar & Grill on Raleigh’s Glenwood Avenue will close today as they transition into a private event and catering space. They still have the location in Wake Forest. Check them out here.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that the first franchise owner of a Rise Biscuits Donuts shop in Morrisville, Ty Gwennap, has signed a lease to open his second Rise location in the Brier Creek Commons shopping center, where Elevation Burger is (but will be closing soon). Check out Rise here.

• Got word from my friend David McCreary (aka  Lunchboy Says) that Jonathan and Maggie Pierce, owners of The Mason Jar Tavern in Holly Springs, have announced plans to open a second location, this one in Fuquay-Varina, this spring. The couple has signed a lease at 305 South Main Street in the space formerly occupied by Beef ‘O’ Brady’s. Keep up with details on the restaurant’s Facebook page here.

• Saw in the Indy that Jubala Coffee opened their second location this past Friday – this one in the Aloft Hotel on Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street directly across from Gonza Tacos Y Tequila at 2100 Hillsborough Street. This space is really cool. Check them out here.

• I learned from reader Scott Eaton that Rock Harbor Grill in Apex has closed their doors. That is the bad news, at least for Apex. The great news is that they are planning to open a location in Fuquay-Varina at 132 S. Fuquay Ave. and are looking to open possibly in late May. Keep up with the development and pending opening here on their Facebook page here.

• Over in Morrisville, got word from reader Abhijeet Chaudhari that a new Indian, specifically southern Indian, restaurant has opened at 1000 Lower Shiloh Way called Dharani. They are open for lunch and dinner. Check them out here.

• And over in Cary, the Mimi’s Cafe at Cary Towne Center on Walnut Street has closed their doors, but apparently to make way for a La Madeleine, which describes itself as a country French cafe (I’m more thinking Panera Bread-type). Check them out here and decide for yourself. The remodel should have it open in a matter of days. Thanks for WRAL for additional information on this transition.

• Got word from Felicia Perry-Trujillo that Snap Pea Underground is holding their next pop-up dinners March 18-20th at a secret location in downtown Raleigh. Tickets go on sale TODAY (February 19th) at 12 noon. They WILL sell-out in less than an hour. Go here to get all the details and your tickets.

• The 30th Anniversary of A Toast to the Triangle will be held on Sunday, March 6  at NC State University’s McKimmon Center from 5:30pm-8:30pm. Toast provides impressive offerings from the Triangle’s finest restaurants, caterers and purveyors of fine wines and specialty beers, as well as a raffle and silent auction that boasts an array of exciting items. A Toast to the Triangle benefits Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation. Get all the details here.

• SEEDS announced this week that their Fork Less Traveled, a chef dinner series that pairs Durham chefs with local farms and beverage purveyors, will kick off this season on March 13th and will feature Ricky Moore of Saltbox Seafood Joint. The series is one way they support Durham garden-based programming. Get tickets and all the details here.

• The 4th Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience will be held on April 10th, but tickets are already on sale. Looks like tickets will be available through DPAC again this year and you can visit the DPAC ticket center to avoid service charges. Check them out on Facebook here.