TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• It only seems fitting that the Triangle receives a wonderful culinary gift this holiday season. And so it is. It was shared this week that we will see the re-opening of Nanas as it pays tribute to Nana’s, its beloved predecessor, while reimagining all of the details. Helmed by Chefs Matt Kelly and Nate Garyantes, they will swing open the doors next Tuesday, December 12th when you’ll once again be able to enjoy a seasonal menu that features an abundance of local ingredients; a bar program that is elevated yet familiar, with an emphasis on finely executed classics; a wine program offering upwards of 250+ labels of impeccably curated, farming-first wines; and finally, Nanas’ interior takes inspiration from vintage Ralph Lauren, as well as the serene North Carolina woods. Located at 2514 University Drive in Durham, visit them here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Raleigh Magazine reported this week that Raleigh’s “doughnut guy” – aka Alejandro Contreras – will open a brick and mortar location of Tepuy Donuts in the spring in a small shopping center where Capital Boulevard and 440 meet. According to the magazine, the new spot will lean toward grab-and-go doughnuts and coffee, with some indoor seating and a spacious patio. And before you fret, his popular sourdough doughnuts will continue to be available at existing locations throughout the Triangle. Check them out here.

• Reader Felice Bogus shared with us that the owners of Capital Blvd. food truck Don Beto El Poblano have opened a brick and mortar, Beto El Poblano, at 13100 New Falls of Neuse Rd. Couldn’t find an online presence, but you can follow along on Facebook here.

• Triangle Business Journal shared the news that Raleigh’s location of Ruth’s Chris Steak House is set to reopen in February after being closed for two years. It will be 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 in North Hills. 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. Visit Ruth’s Chris here.

• Also in Raleigh, Whitney Payne shared with us that Mission Valley’s Baja Burrito is under new ownership. Congratulations to Elizabeth Diaz as she takes the reigns of one of Raleigh’s most successful burrito shops that has been around since 1995. Stop by and say hello to Elizabeth! Visit them here.

• And up in North Raleigh, reader Burke Williams saw that signage went up this week in the North Ridge Shopping Center (corner of Falls of the Neuse Road and Spring Forest) for Buffalo Wild Wings. No word on a timeline. Visit them here.

• Saw on Axios this week that The Albatross, a new bar featuring golf simulators, cocktails, and gourmet hot dogs, will open this Friday (December 8th) in downtown Cary at 140 E. Chatham Street. The simulators at the “golf pub” will offer high-tech analytics and data to help golfers improve their game. Like John Daly, I’ve always thought my golf game just needed a couple more drinks and a hot dog! Start getting familiar with them here.

• Also in Cary, reader Brendan Bailey noticed signage in the former CoreLife Eatery spot in Crossroads (200 Crossroads Blvd Suite 100) for a concept called Brunches. Apparently they have three locations in Wilmington. No official confirmation nor a timeline, so we will ask Brendan to keep an eye on it for us. Visit them here.

• In Apex, owner James Park shared that he has opened his second diner, Peak City Diner, at 802 Perry Road in the old Hwy 55 location. Park also owns The Shiny Diner on Buck Jones Road in Raleigh. Get to know them here.

• Over in Wake Forest, Dominick Rodriguez shared on the TriangleFoodies page that Lazeez, an Indian restaurant, has opened in the old Asian Bistro location on S. Main Street. They also offer a Saturday and Sunday brunch! Get to know them here.

• Noticed on Facebook this week that Wake Forest’s Norse Brewing Company is opening a Norse Brewing Longhouse in Zebulon at 120 N Arendell – and apparently they are shooting to open before the end of the year. Look for them to serve up Norse beer, cider and seltzer, wine, full liquor bar with craft cocktails and Scandinavian-Southern style food. Best to keep up with their progress and announcements on Facebook here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Down in Pittsboro some exciting news for wine lovers. Vino!! Wine Shop has reopened as they have been closed the last two months moving into their new space downstairs (89 Hillsboro St, Ste. A). They should be nearly 100% restocked at this point and the bar is open and now selling beer by the glass, too. It also means that Friday Wine Tastings are back as well as their Wine Dinners! Might be best to get all their news on their Facebook feed here.

• It’s official! East Durham’s first brewery is now open. Proximity is located at 491 S. Driver Street and features their brews paired up with some of your favorite food trucks! Visit them here.

Closings

• Reader Brendan Bailey shared the news that CoreLife Eatery that was in Cary’s Crossroads has closed.

• And RalToday reported this week that boba shop Cha House on Hillsborough Street has permanently closed. Cha House’s Cary location is still open.

• And adding to the bad news on Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street, Herman Huang noticed that a “For Lease” sign is now hanging in the window in the Umami Asian Bistro spot.

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

• Tonight there is a Figulina: Pasta + Provisions Popup Dinner from 5-8 p.m. at The Raleigh Wine Shop at 317 S. Bloodworth St. in Raleigh. This is your chance to get a first taste of Figulina Pasta + Provisions, headed by former Poole’s Chef David Ellis, before opening in the former Humble Pie space. No reservation required. Get all the details here.

• Hard to believe, but tickets went on sale this week for the 9th Annual Dinner in the Meadow which will take place on September 15, 2024 on a grassy knoll at Meadow 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

• This holiday season, families all over our community will be sitting down for delicious meals with their loved ones, enjoying good company, good food, and a good time. But for some, these meals may not be a given. Many of our friends and neighbors are having to decide between stocking their refrigerator and pantry or paying their bills. You can help bring comfort, joy, and hope by making a generous gift now to provide more holiday meals this year. Until December 31, compassionate friends are matching all gifts to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina up to $378,500. Give $10 now and have double the impact, providing 100 meals.

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Looking for a unique holiday shopping experience along with fine dining? Well, head on over to North Hills where Bal Harbour Shops has brought a 17,000-square-foot pop-up retail experience in the form of 30 individually designed shipping containers, featuring a selection of iconic luxury brands. And lest we forget we are a food blog, it features a 150-seat restaurant called The Whitman with a full bar and lounge, an indoor-outdoor space and a Latin-inspired menu. It draws inspiration from The Whitman by The Sea – a luxury Miami Beach hotel owned by the Whitman family in the 1940s. This is the first time Bal Harbour, known for its luxury retail tenants, has taken its retail experience on the road. Visit The Whitman here. And Bal Harbour Shops here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• The Triangle Business Journal shared the news that Estampa Gaucha, a traditional Brazilian steakhouse, is opening soon in the bottom floor retail space inside Raleigh’s new Westin hotel in Brier Creek. The new restaurant is slated to open in January, about a year-and-a-half 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.

• Over on Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street, blogger Eat Raleigh shared that signage is up that indicates that Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken will open their newest location in the former IHOP building at 1313 Hillsborough Street. Great to see it looks like they will keep much of the original structure. Visit Alpaca here.

• RalToday reminded us this week that Fiction Kitchen will open its new space at Gateway Plaza in early December. In case you missed it, the last service at the 428 S. Dawson St. downtown location was last Saturday. Probably best to follow along on Instagram as this point for updates and announcements.

• Over off Wade Avenue in the Ridgewood Shopping Center next to the now-closed Bruegger’s is a sign up for a Jersey Mike’s. No word yet on an open date as it looks as if the build-out hasn’t begun yet. Thanks to reader Tom Hailey for passing this along.

• Over in Cary, reader Lori Rice tipped us off to the fact that the new Korean fried chicken concept called bb.q chicken in the Bradford Shopping Center (corner of High House and Davis) has opened. This is their first location in North Carolina. Check them out here.

• Also in Cary, Triangle Business Journal reported that Downtown Cary has attracted yet another new restaurant. Zest, a sushi, small plates and seafood restaurant (with a location in Roswell, Georgia), is planning to open next spring and will be the newest offering of the hospitality group Clean Plate Restaurants. It will be located at 175 E. Chatham St. on the ground floor of the The Rogers Building. Construction is expected to begin this month with an opening planned for April. Visit their Roswell location here.

• And kudos to Cheetie Kumar and Paul Siler as their newest restaurant received national acclaim this week. The fashion magazine Esquire named Ajja as one of the 50 best new restaurants in America. Ajja is the only North Carolina spot included on the list. Visit them here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• The Triangle Business Journal shared the news this week that Honeygirl Meadery, a local mead maker, is moving its operations to the American Tobacco Campus and will operate as Ment Beverage Co. Honeygirl Meadery will be leaving its current Durham space at 105 Hood St. near the Golden Belt. The American Tobacco location off Blackwell Street will house both production and a tasting room. Follow along with their progress on their Instagram page here.

• Over on Ninth Street in Durham, my Twitter buddy Burgeoning Baker shared that signage is up for Kiichi Ramen Izakaya right next to Durham Pack and Ship at 730 Ninth Street. No word yet on an open date. You can visit their online ordering site here.

• In Chapel Hill, Boro Bodega announced their opening this week in their new location – it is now located at 422 W Franklin St. They will be offering a curated nonalcoholic bottle shop selection, fun grab-and-go snacks, baked goods, hot coffee, cold brew, booch (ofc) and lots of other little treats to make your day just a little brighter. They are having a Grand Opening celebration tonight (Dec. 1) from 5-8 p.m. at their new location. Visit them here.

Closings

• It was announced this week that Ashley Christensen will close her Poole’side Pies concept in downtown Raleigh (428 S. McDowell St.) on December 24th. But don’t fret, she is working up another mouth-watering concept to fill that space. Can’t wait!

• Over in Durham, WRAL’s Sarah Krueger was the first to share that Pompieri Pizza will close on December 10th.

• Had several people share with me that the Bruegger’s Bagels in the Ridgewood Shopping Center off of Wade Ave has closed.

• And reader Burke Williams shared that Papa Murphy’s in North Raleigh has closed, but did note that the Wake Forest location will remain open.

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

• WRAL shared that December 2nd is Brunch with Santa, where kids of old and young can meet Santa at the Durham Food Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Take photos with Santa, play reindeer games, enjoy festive face painting, and grab some brunch and lunch from the vendors throughout the hall. Get all the details here.

• Nothing kicks off the holiday spirit like Beer, Bourbon and Bacon. Amiright? Head on down to Fuquay-Varina this Sunday, December 3rd to Oaklyn Springs Brewery (2912 N. Main Street) from 3 – 6 p.m. to partake in the activities. Free bacon while supplies last. Get the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Think you can’t make a difference in someone’s life? Think you don’t have enough money to make a difference? Would you believe me if I told you that as little as $1 equates to 5 meals through the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina!?! It is true. Nearly 510,000 people face hunger across our 34-county service area. And thanks to your generosity, the Food Bank provided over 81 million meals to families and individuals last year! Make a donation today!