TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• We start out this week in downtown Durham. The folks over at Ex-Voto, Angela Salamanca and Marshall Davis, are bringing a “lil’ Americana concept” called Patty Boy to the Durham Food Hall. There will be burgers, chicken tends, tater tots and other Easter NC-inspired eats from their own chef Dallas Howard. They’ll even have big-gulp fountain drinks for all the soda freaks out there! They are shooting for a mid-summer opening. Follow along on Instagram here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Ponysaurus Brewing is now open in Raleigh Iron Works. Their two-story barrel room and restaurant has 18 taps and a full bar offering beer cocktails, liquor, wine, and (of course) Ponysaurus Brewing Co. beers. The kitchen features 14” pizza, apps, burgers, sandwiches, and more. In addition, the Raleigh location includes a sour beer facility with production space for barrel aging, blending, and bottling. Located at 2221 Iron Works Drive, they are open 3 – 11 p.m. (until April 11th) and then 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. seven days a week. They also have locations in Durham (original) and Wilmington. Visit Ponysaurus Raleigh here.

• In Downtown Raleigh’s Smoky Hollow development, the folks over at RALtoday shared that Morelia, serving gourmet ice cream paletas (a Mexican treat similar to popsicles), is now open. Start getting familiar with them here.

• Up in Wake Forest, Michael Bongiorno (owner of Bongriorno & Son) shared with me on a recent visit that the newest location of Alpaca is now open up in Wake Forest. They are located at 1608 Mangum Ave., just behind the Wendy’s. This marks their 14th location. Check them out here. On a related note, renovation continues at the next location of Alpaca, which will be in the A-frame building on Hillsborough Street that formerly housed an IHOP. Stay tuned on that one. They also have locations coming to Durham, Holly Springs and Mebane (as well as Southport!).

• In downtown Raleigh, got word this week that Irregardless, Raleigh’s landmark vegetarian restaurant, will bring back lunch service on Tuesdays through Thursdays starting April 9th. The new lunch menu offers soup, salads, sandwiches, sides and entrees to satisfy all diners from carnivores to vegans. Prices range from $9-$18. Visit Irregardless here.

• A quick update on a post from last week. Jennifer Buchholz shared with us that the Yard Milkshake will open on April 12th in downtown Raleigh’s Seaboard Station. Start getting familiar with them here.

• Down in Fuquay-Varina, David McCreary shared the exciting news that Khao Sen Thai & Tea is set to open sometime this spring at Bengal Towne Center on Northeast Judd Parkway. The website is not active just yet, but you can keep up with them on their Facebook page here.

• And just across the county line in Selma, Thomas Vincent shared with me that the folks at Hatchet Brewing have announced the grand opening of their second taproom is this Saturday, April 6th. Veteran-owned Hatchet Brewing first opened in Southern Pines in 2019, and will open The Vault inside a historic bank building at 100 N. Radford Street. The bank’s vault will serve as a cooler and the second vault will be a passageway to the back room gaming and event space. Might be best to follow along and get all the details on their Instagram page here. Or you can visit their website here. 

• And before we leave, a huge congratulations to chef Scott Crawford and his team at Crawford & Son for being one of five finalists for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality. The awards ceremony will take place Monday, June 10th in Chicago. Visit Crawford & Son here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• The folks over at Durham Downtown shared the news that a new rooftop restaurant is coming to the 11th floor of 555 Mangum. The Ibarra family (think Cortez Seafood and Cocktail, La Rancherita, Chido Tacos and Jose and Sons) will open The Lenny this summer. It will feature a seasonal, eclectic menu of shareable small plates, an agave-centric cocktail list, and a globally curated wine list. Thanks again to Durham Downtown for sharing this great news! Congrats to Joel Ibarra.

Closings

• Got an email last week that the Durham location of the fondue restaurant The Melting Pot closed as of April 1. They had been open in Durham since 2007. The Raleigh location remains open.

• Reader Chris Creighton shared a couple closings with us: the Subway at 5563 Western Blvd. and the Hardees at 5639 Western Blvd.

Food Trucks

• Durham Central Park’s Spring Food Truck Rodeo is scheduled for Sunday, April 14th from 12 – 4 p.m. (501 Foster Street). Join them for 50+ food and drink vendors – as well as face painting, Scrap Exchange flower crowns, poems on demand, inflatables and so much more! 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

• This Friday (April 5th) downtown Raleigh’s newest dining spot, Figulina, throws itself in the middle of the Dreamville festival. The entire street will be closed for the Block Party (1-8 p.m.), so the folks at Figulina will be slinging Aperol Spritzes (sip ‘n stroll style) and Porchetta Sandwiches from their patio (until 4 p.m. or sell out). Also, dining service tonight (only) is walk-ins only and serving a special pasta menu (along with their normal starters/salads). Best to visit their Instagram for the dinner menu and all the details. And while we are here talking about Figulina, they are rolling out some new menu items for the season as well as opening their patio for outdoor dining starting next Tuesday!

• The annual Tacos ‘n Taps is happening this Saturday, April 6th at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The event takes place from 1-5 p.m. (VIPs get in at noon). This is an “all you care to taste” Beer and Tequila Festival and offers up some of the Triangle’s best tacos and Mexican food, the best dancing music from Triangle area bands, margaritas, contests and some other surprises.  This is NACHO average taco festival. Get tickets and all the details here. 

• Alley Twenty Six, the James Beard award-nominated craft cocktail bar, will host a ticketed Scotch whisky tasting event as part of Ardbeg’s National Masters of Smoke Tour from 2-4 p.m. this Saturday, April 6th in downtown Durham. For $45 per person, Alley Twenty Six owner and mixologist Shannon Healy will be mixing up two cocktails featuring Ardbeg Islay Scotch Whisky for the occasion and the fine people at Ardbeg will be providing tastes of their different varieties of scotch whisky. Plus, enjoy light bites prepared by Alley Twenty Six’s executive chef Carrie Schleiffer. Get all the details and tickets here. 

• Carolina Brewery is excited to announce a special Crab & Shrimp Boil event on Saturday, April 6th from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m at their Pittsboro Brewery Restaurant to kickoff their spring music series (live music every Saturday). Guests can indulge in red royal shrimp and snow crab clusters by the pound, as well as delightful low country boils of both varieties. Visit their website for all the details. 

• On April 13th, the North Carolina Food & Beverage Podcast along with Pimiento Tea Room will host Bubbles & Bagels at Wine 100 in Holly Springs (100 W. Ballentine Street) from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will feature an array of exquisite craft bagels each paired with eight handpicked sparkling wines from around the globe. The event is limited to 75 people and tickets are $45. Get tickets and details here. 

• On Sunday, April 14th, Christian Thompson from NOLA, chef and co-owner of Pork In The Road, has teamed up with Steel String Brewery for a Low Country Boil & Brews from 2-5 p.m. They will be serving up a low country boil of gulf shrimp served with potatoes, corn on the cob, and andouille sausage. They will also be offering some of our Crawfish Lumpia with a side of cajun remoulade. Chef Szymon’s Corn Pudding, and sweets from Cake Your Groove Thing (@cakeyourgroovething) will also be available for purchase at the event! Get tickets and all the details here.

• A couple of other really fun annual events to look forward to at the end of April. First up, the 14th Annual ‘Cuegrass Festival will be held on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh on April 20th. And another favorite, Brewgaloo, a craft beer festival, will be on the weekend of April 26 and 27, also on Fayetteville Street. Visit Cuegrass here and Brewgaloo here.

• Preeti Waas has started to add classes and events to her space in North Raleigh, Cheeni Indian Food Emporium. While the Raleigh location no longer operates as a cafe (they do have food to grab and go…or enjoy in the space), it will be a space for events and classes. To see the classes and events they have already scheduled, visit their events page here. While you are there, sign-up to receive their emails so you won’t miss any upcoming events.

• Guests are invited to experience a delicious multi-course dinner with James Beard Foundation winner chef Ricky Moore, who will take attendees on a culinary journey across North Carolina in support of KIPP NC schools. The “Cookoff for Education” will take place at Saltbox Seafood Joint at 2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. in Durham on April 29. KIPP NC is an eight-school region of the national Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP). Funds raised through sponsorships and ticket sales will be an investment in North Carolina’s current and future students, teachers and educational leaders. You can find more details here. 

• Get ready to indulge in a delectable journey through Jewish cuisine as Jewish for Good proudly presents Jewish Food Week, a week-long celebration of culinary delights from May 3rd to May 12th. This mouthwatering event promises to tantalize taste buds while supporting a meaningful cause, with all proceeds benefiting Jewish for Good’s Food Pantry. Get all the details of the week here.

• My buddy Neha Shah, director of the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, shared that the annual Farm to Fork Picnic, celebrating local food and local farms, will take place Sunday, June 2 from 4pm – 7pm, again at Fearrington Village. Get details and tickets here. 

• Tickets are on sale now for the 9th Annual Dinner in the Meadow which will take place on September 15, 2024 on a grassy knoll atMeadow Lane Farm, in bucolic Franklin County, offering beautiful pastoral views and clear, starry skies. Some of the region’s most sought-after chefs will be preparing delicious dishes using ingredients from local farms and food artisans. It is an annual fundraiser for the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2014 to support and cultivate small farms in our region of North Carolina. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• No doubt we live in a wonderful corner of the world. But here are some things to remember and not forget. Right now, one in five people in central and eastern North Carolina don’t have enough to eat. The Food Bankprovided over 88 million meals to families and individuals last year. The Food Bank’s partner agency network has reported up to a 60% increase in neighbors visiting for food assistance. The need is real and right here in our backyard. Consider helping in 2024. See how here.

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Yesterday, chef/owner Scott Crawford announced the opening of Brodeto, his fourth addition to the Crawford Hospitality brand. Located in the Raleigh Iron Works development (at the intersection of Whitaker Mill Road and Atlantic Avenue), Crawford pays homage to the seafood-rich dishes and smoky, wood-grilled flavors of the cuisine found along the Adriatic Coast in the Mediterranean. The restaurant itself is Crawford’s largest and the space is absolutely stunning featuring Italian tile and light oak all blanketed in a warm glow revealing on one side an open kitchen with a live fire grill and on the other side, a large semi-private back-lit quartzite bar (featuring coastal-inspired cocktails and select wines). Brodeto is now open nightly. Reserve your table now.

Wake County Restaurant News

• She has done it again. Preeti Waas, owner of Cheeni Indian Food Emporium in Raleigh (1141 Falls River Avenue) as well as her new restaurant concept Cheeni in Durham (202 N. Corcoran Street), has transformed her Raleigh location back to its roots and a space it was always meant to be — a community space and a marketplace for classes, events, grab-and-go goods and pop-up events. Don’t worry, the pastry case will stay stocked with fresh, in-house baked goods; they have coffee and chai; and lots of freshly made and packaged goods from their kitchen in Durham. Cheers to Spring and fresh changes! Visit the Raleigh location here and the Durham location here.

• Kane Realty Corporation announced this week that Michelle and James Park, with a proven track record of acquiring Shiny Diner in 2018 and launching Peak City Diner in November 2023, will open Tucker Street Diner this fall in the Smoky Hollow development. It will showcase classic American fare with a modern twist, spotlighting locally sourced ingredients for both quality and sustainability. Alongside its culinary offerings, Tucker Street Diner will boast a delightful coffee shop element, inviting patrons to savor artisanal coffees and indulge in an all-day breakfast menu. Plus, for the first time, they’ll be serving beer and wine, enhancing the dining experience.  In the meantime, visit the Shiny Diner here and Peak City Diner here. And as we reported last September, we are also eagerly anticipating the opening of Alaksha’s Indian Bistro as well as Morelia Ice Cream Paletas, both to be located in Smoky Hollow.

• And just down the road in another large downtown development, we learned this week that Seaboard Station will add two additional restaurants to their lineup. First up, Omakase by Kai, led by chef James Chunga, will be a fine-dining omakase-style restaurant. They are expected to open in August. Next up is Palm Berries, an acai chain started in Denver, North Carolina. This will be their first Triangle-area location when they open in December. Start getting familiar with Palm Berries here. They both join the previously announced lineup of Biscuit Belly and The Yard Milkshake Bar. Visit Biscuit Belly here and The Yard Milkshake Bar here.

• On a drive down Lassiter Mill this week, I noticed the signage up for the return of the Ruth’s Chris Steak House at North Hills (4140 Lassiter Mill Road, Suite 100). They are shooting for an April 2nd reopening after being closed for over two years. It is on the ground floor of one of Kane Realty’s new buildings in the North Hills Main District. They closed in January 2022 due to the demolition of its previous space. The new restaurant will have two outdoor patios, a main dining room, a bar and a waterfall feature. It will also have two private dining rooms – one for up to 100 guests and one for up to 50 guests. They have other locations being in Cary and Durham. Visit the Raleigh Ruth’s here.

• Over near Crabtree, Triangle Business Journal shared that Crooked Hammock Brewery out of Delaware is opening a beer garden along with an outdoor space including a stage. It will be located in the GlenLake office park, just up the hill from J. Alexander’s off Edwards Mill Road. Crooked Hammock Brewery brews all of its selections in-house and has a food menu ranging from wings to salads to “on the grill” type dishes, according to TBJ. This will be their fourth location, and the first in North Carolina. No word yet on a timeline, but likely not until 2025. Check them out here.

• Up in North Raleigh, I saw that the latest version of Dunkin’ (what I still call Dunkin’ Donuts) has opened at the corner of Spring Forest and Atlantic (5601 Atlantic Avenue if you want to plug it into your GPS). Enjoy!

• RALtoday shared a quick update about a delay in the opening of Mac’s Speed Shop in Raleigh’s Five Points (in the former Lonerider space next to The Rialto). Originally scheduled for the end of March, they have pushed that back to April – so stay tuned. This will mark their 10th location and the first in the Triangle. Mac’s was founded 18 years ago by Wynn Davis and Hall Johnston as a place that would blend their love for BBQ, beer and bikes. Everything is made from scratch including the barbecue sauces and dressings. But don’t worry, you don’t have to have a Harley, your minivan (and dog) are more than welcome there. Get familiar with them here.

• We first told you about this back in December, but we learned that Estampa Gaucha, a traditional Brazilian steakhouse, is opening the second week in April in the bottom floor retail space inside Raleigh’s new Westin hotel in Brier Creek. The opening will happen nearly two years after the closure of Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse, which was also in Brier Creek. This will be the third location for owner Ezequiel Manfrin. His other two locations are in Melbourne, Florida and Charlotte. Start getting familiar with them here.

• And just across the county line in Selma, Thomas Vincent shared with me that the folks at Hatchet Brewing have announced the grand opening of their second taproom on April 6th. Veteran-owned Hatchet Brewing first opened in Southern Pines in 2019, and will open The Vault inside a historic bank building at 100 N. Radford Street. The bank’s vault will serve as a cooler and the second vault will be a passageway to the back room gaming and event space. Might be best to follow along and get all the details on their Instagram page here. Or you can visit their website here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Well, it is not the return of Ye Olde Waffle Shop like I had hoped for, but it is pretty spectacular news. Ross Martin broke the news this week over in Chapel Hill that acclaimed chef Brandon Sharp and wife Elizabeth, the folks behind Hawthorne & Wood as well as Bluebird (both in Chapel Hill), will open a tapas-style restaurant called Próximo on East Franklin Street (173 E Franklin Street) in the former Ye Olde Waffle Shop spot. In 2016 chef Sharp returned to Chapel Hill to revamp the culinary program at Crossroads, the restaurant at the Carolina Inn. He went from there to opening Hawthorne & Wood in 2019 and Bluebird in 2022. Look for them to open this fall. Couldn’t find an online presence just yet, but visit Hawthorne & Wood here and Bluebird here.

• Over in downtown Durham, Zweli’s in Brightleaf Square (905 W Main Street) will hold their official Grand Opening on April 2, 2024. Visit their site here for all the details.

• Over in Chapel Hill, after a small kitchen fire last Saturday, Jujube Restaurant reopened this past Wednesday for regular service. Stop by this weekend and help them catch up for a little lost time. Visit them here and make reservations.

Closings

• David McCreary shared the sad news that the Ragazzi’s at 1514 US Highway 70 in Garner posted on their Facebook page that their last day of service was this past Sunday. The restaurant enjoyed an impressive 33-year run.

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 annual Tacos ‘n Taps will take place this year on Saturday, April 6th at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The event takes place from 1-5 p.m. (VIPs get in at noon). This an “all you care to taste” Beer and Tequila Festival and offers up some of the Triangle’s best tacos and Mexican food, the best dancing music from Triangle area bands, margaritas, contests and some other surprises.  This is NACHO average taco festival. Get tickets and all the details here. 

• Alley Twenty Six, the James Beard award-nominated craft cocktail bar, will host a ticketed Scotch whisky tasting event as part of Ardbeg’s National Masters of Smoke Tour from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, April 6, 2024 in downtown Durham. For $45 per person, Alley Twenty Six owner and mixologist Shannon Healy will be mixing up two cocktails featuring Ardbeg Islay Scotch Whisky for the occasion and the fine people at Ardbeg will be providing tastes of their different varieties of scotch whisky. Plus, enjoy light bites prepared by Alley Twenty Six’s executive chef Carrie Schleiffer. Get all the details and tickets here.

• Carolina Brewery is excited to announce a special Crab & Shrimp Boil event on Saturday, April 6th from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m at their Pittsboro Brewery Restaurant to kickoff their spring music series (live music every Saturday). Guests can indulge in red royal shrimp and snow crab clusters by the pound, as well as delightful low country boils of both varieties. Visit their website for all the details.

• On April 13th, the North Carolina Food & Beverage Podcast along with Pimiento Tea Room will host Bubbles & Bagels at Wine 100 in Holly Springs (100 W. Ballentine Street) from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will feature an array of exquisite craft bagels each paired with eight handpicked sparkling wines from around the globe. The event is limited to 75 people and tickets are $45. Get tickets and details here. 

• Guests are invited to experience a delicious multi-course dinner with James Beard Foundation winner chef Ricky Moore, who will take attendees on a culinary journey across North Carolina in support of KIPP NC schools. The “Cookoff for Education” will take place at Saltbox Seafood Joint at 2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. in Durham on April 29. KIPP NC is an eight-school region of the national Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP). Funds raised through sponsorships and ticket sales will be an investment in North Carolina’s current and future students, teachers and educational leaders. You can find more details here. 

• My buddy Neha Shah, director of the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, shared that the annual Farm to Fork Picnic, celebrating local food and local farms, will take place Sunday, June 2 from 4pm – 7pm, again at Fearrington Village. Get details and tickets here. 

• Tickets are on sale now for the 9th Annual Dinner in the Meadow which will take place on September 15, 2024 on a grassy knoll atMeadow Lane Farm, in bucolic Franklin County, offering beautiful pastoral views and clear, starry skies. Some of the region’s most sought-after chefs will be preparing delicious dishes using ingredients from local farms and food artisans. It is an annual fundraiser for the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2014 to support and cultivate small farms in our region of North Carolina. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• No doubt we live in a wonderful corner of the world. But here are some things to remember and not forget. Right now, one in five people in central and eastern North Carolina don’t have enough to eat. The Food Bankprovided over 88 million meals to families and individuals last year. The Food Bank’s partner agency network has reported up to a 60% increase in neighbors visiting for food assistance. The need is real and right here in our backyard. Consider helping in 2024. See how here.