February 12, 2016 · 8:11 am
Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.
Featured Restaurant News
- Got word from Amber Watson over at the Bites of Bull City Blog that Scott Howell and Aubrey Zinaich Howell, owners of Nana’s, NanaTaco and Bar Virgile, will open their steakhouse, hopefully next week. Aptly called NanaSteak, it is located on the ground floor of the Aloft Hotel in downtown Durham next to the DPAC. You can read Amber’s full write-up on NanaSteak here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Charlotte’s Luna’s Living Kitchen will take up space in downtown Raleigh’s Charter Square. For those not familiar with Luna’s, it is an organic, mostly raw restaurant serving plant-based cuisine and cold-pressed juices. No word on an exact date, other than sometime this year. We’ll keep an eye on it. Check them out here.
- And speaking of downtown Raleigh’s Charter Square, I spoke with b.good’s Steve Woodward yesterday and he indicated that things continue to progress with their second location and all indications are that they will be open next month. Grand opening plans will be released soon. In the meantime, you can check out their location in North Hills. Check out b.good here.
- The News & Observer reported that the Boylan Bridge Brewpub has closed indefinitely after a wall in the basement collapsed, causing cracks in the outdoor deck’s support beams. Initial inspections suggest it is just the deck that is impacted, with the main building unaffected. Owner Andrew Leager hopes to get the main building reopened as soon as possible. Keep up with the latest on their Facebook page here.
- Also in downtown Raleigh, saw on the blog The Raleigh Connoisseur that Raleigh Raw is that much closer to opening up a cafe at 7 West Hargett Street after the successful completion of their Kickstarter campaign. If they are on schedule, they should open later this month when they will offer “healthy grab and go food, local organic coffee, kombucha and smoothies.” Keep up with them here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News
- The short-lived Cafe Symmetry space in Carrboro’s Carr Mill Mall will not re-open as previously thought. Instead, Younes Sabouh and Emma Dunbar, who have both most recently been at Chapel HIll’s City Kitchen, have teamed up to create Tandem, a new locally sourced restaurant specializing in modern American cuisine. Look for an April opening. Check them out on Facebook here.
- The News & Observer reported this week that Chapel Hill’s The Bagel Bar will open a second location in downtown Durham at 104 City Hall Plaza, directly across from City Hall. Look for it to be very similar to the Chapel Hill location and they are aiming for an opening sometime in May. Keep up with their progress on their Facebook page here.
- Kudos to craft brewery and Chapel Hill institution, Carolina Brewery, which is celebrating 21 years in the microbrewery business this month! And today, February 12, as part of that celebration, the brewpub will be giving away limited edition anniversary glasses to the first 500 beer customers at the flagship location in Chapel Hill. Check them out here.
- Saw on a Yelp message board that in Durham’s Sutton Square, the former Sunset Grille, which became 58Fifty Bistro, has now changed, at least on their Facebook page, to Pale & Porter. The 58Fifty website remains, so we’re not sure what all this means. In the meantime, check out their Facebook page here.
- On a recent visit to Chapel Hill’s Tandoor Indian Restaurant with my buddy Omar Zinn, I learned that the Chapel Hill institution had recently changed hands and is now under the guidance of Bhadresh Patel, owner of Biryani House on Chatham Street in Cary. Patel said an infusion of flavor would be the biggest change to the restaurant. Check them out here.
Closings
- Got word from multiple sources that The Square Rabbit, a 25-year institution in downtown Raleigh, had closed as of this past Saturday.
- Thanks to a heads-up from reader Joseph Deem, we learned that Los Potrillos on Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill will close their doors this Saturday, apparently to make way for a hotel.
Food Trucks
-
The
Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo has announced its dates for this year:
May 1, June 12, Aug. 7 and Oct. 9. VIP early admission wristbands, which let you get in to buy food before the general public, are on sale now.
Get all the details here.
-
For a listing of ALL food truck events, head over to
Art’s page,
The Wandering Sheppard on all things food truck related here.
Events
-
Today is the first Friday of Lent, which means many churches in the area have kicked their
“Fish Fries” into high gear. Get a comprehensive list
in the News & Observer here.
- Valentine’s Day (guys…that is this Sunday, February 14th) is here and the News & Observer has a great list going of all the Valentine’s specials that restaurants are offering. Check it out here.
- February 20th is the date for the 6th Annual Care to Share Gala to benefit the Guiding Lights Caregiver Support Center. It will be held at the Kerr Scott building in Raleigh. The event features a chef challenge in addition to the auction. Get all the details and tickets here.
- The 30th Anniversary of A Toast to the Triangle will be held on Sunday, March 6 at NC State University’s McKimmon Center from 5:30 pm-8:30 pm. 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. And now, through February 19th, all tickets are $14 off. A pair of tickets can be purchased for just $107, receiving the group ticket discount in addition to the Valentine’s Day promotion. Use using the coupon code VAL16. 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 next year on April 10th, but tickets have already gone 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.
- Durham Magazine and Chapel Hill Magazine will sponsor the third annual TASTE: A Celebration of Food & Drink, happening from April 21 to 23, 2016. The event will feature more than 30 top local chefs and establishments in Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Raleigh. A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to the Durham Branch of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Get all the details and updates as well as purchase tickets (they have an early bird price of $85 now!) here.
Food Bank Corner
- Show your heart for hunger relief by making a gift in honor of a loved one through the Hearts for Hunger Valentine’s Day Honor Drive. There is no better time to show your heart for hunger relief than this special time when we recognize and honor those we love. Send your honoree an exclusive Hearts for Hunger eCard by email or print a Hearts for Hunger Honor Slip to insert into your own greeting card! Help ensure struggling individuals, families and children have meals this month by giving a gift and honoring the ones you love here.
February 5, 2016 · 8:19 am
Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.
Featured Restaurant News
- This is pretty cool. Julie Terry out at RTP, was the first to inform me about a new dining option right in the middle of the Triangle. The Farmery is now operating a restaurant out of a 1968 Airstream kitchen at The Frontier in Research Triangle Park. The coolest part is that many of The Farmery’s ingredients are sourced directly from shipping containers located across the Triangle that have been converted into crop boxes. They are currently open 11am – 3pm, Monday – Friday, but expect to begin offering breakfast options soon. You can find them at 800 Park Offices Drive in Research Triangle Park. Check them out here.
Wake County Restaurant News
-
We told you about this back in January (everything but the new name), but the Triangle Business Journal reported this week that the entity taking over the former Tyler’s Taproom location in Raleigh’s Seaboard Station will be called Oak & Dagger Public House. As reported, it will feature a full-on brewery surrounding diners on all sides. The TBJ reports they will also open a bottle shop. Look for a Spring opening.
-
The
News & Observer reported that downtown Raleigh’s
Person Street Pharmacy will begin offering a breakfast menu (and opening an hour earlier) next Tuesday,
February 9th. Check out all the improvements taking place on
their Facebook page here.
-
Changes coming to downtown Raleigh’s
Napper Tandy’s was one of the worst kept secrets toward the end of 2015. But it is now confirmed that
Napper Tandy’s is no longer. It is now
Tremor Bar and Grill, still located at 410 Glenwood Avenue.
Check out the new website here.
-
Last week we told you that the doors were temporarily closed to downtown Raleigh’s
Cafe de los Muertos (at 300 W. Hargett Street) after the NC Department of Revenue encouraged them to do “a little remodeling.” Well, apparently they have kissed and made up and things are back to normal.
Stop by and pay them a visit!
-
Thanks to the keen eyes of the
EatRaleigh blog, it looks like there is a bakery making plans to move into the former
Zydeco space at 208 Wolfe Street, near
Big Ed’s in
City Market. Thanks also to
Ashton Mae Smith for bringing this to my attention. Stay tuned.
-
Last week we told you that the north Raleigh location of Duck Donuts had opened. As if that is not enough sugary goodness for one corner of the Triangle, this week folks on Yelp were reporting that Baker’s Dozen Donuts has opened at 123 Plantation Square behind Triangle Town Center near First Watch.
-
Not sure how we missed this, but a new authentic Jamaican restaurant has opened at 3901 Capital Blvd. in Raleigh called
Mum’s Jamaican Restaurant. Thanks to
Janika Reid for reaching out to me. Also loved that her email was signed, “One Love!” Check them
out on Facebook here.
-
Friend Darcy Huante, and co-owner of Chef Mario’s, tipped me off to the fact that Michelangelo’s Pizza on Harrison Avenue in Cary has closed. And according to banners that are hanging up, it will be replaced by Randy’s Pizza. Although we don’t have any word on an open date. We will keep you posted. Thanks Darcy!
Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News
- Literally just got the press release that tonight, ‘Barbecue Man’ Wyatt Dickson and chef/partner Ben Adams, teamed up with Green Button Farm’s Ryan Butler, will open Picnic. It is just dinner today, lunch and dinner tomorrow. Picnic is a modern roadside barbecue joint where authentic whole hog barbecue – smoked slowly over oak – will share the plate with Adams’ seasonal Southern sides and desserts. They are located at 1647 Cole Mill Road in Durham. Get all the details here.
- The Chapel Hill Magazine broke the news that the much-anticipated Pizzeria Mercato opened this week at 408 W. Weaver Street. Mercato is operated by Gabe Barker, son of James Beard-award-winning chefs Ben and Karen Barker, former owners of Magnolia Grill in Durham. You can get all the details and check out their menu here.
- And then there were two. It is official, Cocoa Cinnamon opened their second location this past week at 2627 Hillsborough Road in Durham. Check them out here.
- Got word this week that the good folks at Big Bundts & More Bakery (currently located at 5504 Durham / Chapel Hill Blvd) are moving into new digs in March. They will be moving to 721 Broad Street, occupying the street-level space in the ADF building. Look for the move to take place in March. To keep up with the latest, check them out on Facebook here.
- The News & Observer reported this week that Only Burger, the Durham-based food truck and restaurants, will start serving breakfast on weekdays at its American Tobacco location (529 Blackwell Street) starting next week on February 10th. The breakfast menu will be available 7:30-10:30 a.m. Monday-Friday. Check out Only Burger here.
- The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Lucky Chicken, the Peruvian-style restaurant with locations already in Cary and Clayton, has expanded with a third location now open in Durham’s the Shops at Northgate near Northgate Mall, close to the Sky Zone entertainment center. Check out the Lucky Chicken here.
Closings
- Got word this week that the Johnny Carino’s in Raleigh’s Brier Creek has closed.
- Also, as previously reported, Michelangelo’s Pizza on Harrison Avenue in Cary has closed.
Food Trucks
-
Chapel Hill’s
Al’s Burger Shack announced via Facebook this week that they will debut their food truck,
Al’s Burger Truck, this Saturday night (
February 6th) at
The Kracken, a cool little bar out Highway 54 just west of Carrboro at Dodson’s Crossroads. Get more information on
Al’s Burger Shack & Truck on their Facebook page here.
-
Not exactly new, but not sure he got any mention here when he opened at the end of last year, so we wanted to throw some love to
Arlton Cangelosi, who you may already know (I haven’t had the pleasure of trying out his truck). He operates
Mr. A’s Beignets providing authentic beignets and coffee with chicory of New Orleans. You can usually find him at 400 N. Salem St. in Apex, Wednesday through Saturday 8am – 1pm.
Check him out here.
-
The
Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo has announced its dates for this year:
May 1, June 12, Aug. 7 and Oct. 9. VIP early admission wristbands, which let you get in to buy food before the general public, are on sale now.
Get all the details here.
-
Holly Springs is hosting a small
Food Truck Rodeo on
Saturday, February 6th from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the
Holly Springs Cultural Center (300 W. Ballentine Street) as part of the
4th Annual Community Arts Festival. The rodeo will feature
Stuft, Big C Waffle, and
Olio & Aceto.
Get more information on the entire festival here.
-
For a listing of ALL food truck events, head over to
Art’s page,
The Wandering Sheppard on all things food truck related here.
Events
- Thanks to a tip from Felicia Perry-Trujillo, I was reminded that the Triangle Wine Experience, which benefits the Frankie Lemmon Foundation, is Feb 4-6, 2016. Get more information here.
- Felicia Perry-Trujillo also shared with me that over in Cary at The Umstead, you can learn a little with the one you love at this season’s Artisan Confections pastry event on February 7th featuring the Durham Distillery. Join executive pastry chef Evan Sheridan as he bakes his way through gin and chocolate, and hear how this organic distillery combined art and science to create world-class gins and liqueurs. It begins at 3 pm and tickets are $65 inclusive of tax and gratuity and can be purchased by calling 919-447-4050. Get all the details here.
- Valentine’s Day (guys…that is February 14th) is coming up and the News & Observer has a great list going of all the Valentine’s specials that restaurants are offering. Check it out here.
- February 20th is the date for the 6th Annual Care to Share Gala to benefit the Guiding Lights Caregiver Support Center. It will be held at the Kerr Scott building in Raleigh. The event features a chef challenge in addition to the auction. Get all the details and tickets 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 next year on
April 10th, but tickets have already gone 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.
-
Durham Magazine and
Chapel Hill Magazine will sponsor the third annual
TASTE: A Celebration of Food & Drink, happening from
April 21 to 23, 2016. The event will feature more than 30 top local chefs and establishments in Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Raleigh. A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to the
Durham Branch of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Get all the details and updates as well as purchase tickets (they have an early bird price of $85 now!)
here.
Food Bank Corner
