TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• North Hills and Kane Realty Corporation announced this week that True Food Kitchen, an award-winning full-service restaurant and bar serving wholesome food made with quality ingredients, will be opening in the Main District of North Hills in early 2024. This will be the brand’s first restaurant to open in the state of North Carolina (they have 44 restaurants in 17 states) and will be located on the street-level of the 5-story 4114 Creative Offices building. It will feature a large outdoor dining space. True Food Kitchen was founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 2008 by integrative medicine specialist Dr. Andrew Weil. Look for everything from the juiciest organic grass-fed burgers and brick-oven fired pizzas, to decadent brunch towers and hearty grain bowls topped with wild-caught salmon. Start getting familiar with True Food Kitchen here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• In addition to the above-mentioned True Food Kitchen, Kane Realty Corporation also announced other restaurants for the Main District Expansion project. Those will include Restoration Hardware (RH) Gallery rooftop restaurant and wine bar, Limani Grille, Mia’s Bakery, Village Tavern plus the reopening of Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Once completed, the expansion will include a 12-story high-rise residential building, 346,000 square feet of office space and 100,000 square feet of ground floor retail. Openings are scheduled to begin in late 2023 and continuing into 2024. Visit RH here, Limani Grille here, Mia’s Bakery here, Village Tavern here and Ruth’s Chris here.

• Monday, August 28 is the eagerly awaited grand opening date for Taco Bamba’s Raleigh location. Located in The Ridgewood Shopping Center on Wade Ave, this will be their first spot outside the Washington, D.C. metro area. Widely known for its inventive and generously-stuffed tacos and tortas, deep mezcal-focused bar, and bold design and soundtrack, Taco Bamba began ten years ago as a hole-in-the-wall Northern Virginia strip mall carryout. They have grown to over ten locations in the D.C. suburbs and Raleigh, with future openings planned in Nashville, Richmond and a return to D.C. proper. To celebrate its opening, they will be giving away a free taco a week for a year to the first 100 guests who place an order in person. Start getting familiar with them here.

• The newest location of Burrito Shak, at 1310 E. Millbrook Road in Raleigh (Quail Corners) will hold their Grand Opening on Friday, September 1 from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. The event will feature buy one, get one burritos and bowls. Check them out here.

• 321 Coffee is heading back to their roots. Started by two NCSU students in 2017, they announced this week that they would open their newest location on NC State’s Centennial Campus. 321 Coffee is a local coffee shop and roaster that employs individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Projected to open in early 2024, the newest shop will be 321 Coffee’s fifth location across the Triangle. Visit 321 here.

• Speaking of coffee. Raleigh Coffee Company had a very vague posting on their Facebook page this week about an upcoing new location. They posted a picture – go see if you recognize where this is. Anyway, we will keep an eye on it. Here is their Facebook post.

• And over in Village District, Cafe Carolina made short order of moving into their new space, just around the corner. They are now open at 2130 Clark Avenue in the spot formerly occupied by SoCa. The bakery’s new larger space is open daily from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Visit them here.

• Down in Holly Springs, one of our readers shared the news that signs are up and work is being done for Dave’s Hot Chicken at the recently closed Mason Jar in Holly Springs. This will be their fourth location in North Carolina, but the first in the Triangle. No word on an open date. Get to know Dave’s here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Durham’s Beyu Cafe continues their growth with the announcement this week that they have opened locations in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at RDU International Airport. Be sure to visit them the next time your travel plans take you through the airport. Visit Beyu here.

• Durham’s Alley Twenty Six (located at 320 East Chapel Hill Street in Durham) is offering an Island Relief cocktail to help raise money for those affected by the wildfires in Maui. Three dollars of each Island Relief cocktail sold between now and Sept. 10th will be donated to the Hawaii Community Foundation to assist in disaster response and recovery. Alley Twenty Six’s Island Relief cocktail contains white rum, pineapple, banana, orange, lime and Angostura bitters. Direct donations can be made here. Visit Alley Twenty Six here.

• And a kudos to hand out. Queeny’s was named one of the South’s best new restaurants of 2023 by Southern Living, the only Triangle restaurant – and one of only two restaurants in the state – to make the list! Restaurants all over the region were evaluated by Southern Living editors based on their food, of course, but also on service, hospitality and how the restaurant supports and treats its staff and the wider community. Visit Queeny’s here. Read the article here.

• And over in Carrboro, David Glass shared on the Chapel HIll Carrboro Foodies Group page that a Pelican’s Snoballs is opening soon in Carrboro. It will be located at 505 W. Main Street, between Lanza’s and O2 Fitness. No word on an open date. Visit them here.

Closings

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

• The next Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is Sunday, September 3 from 12-4 p.m. The final rodeo of the season will be 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

• A couple of big street festivals are happening this weekend featuring plenty of food and beverages. First up is Packapalooza on Saturday, August 26th from 2 to 10 p.m. on Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street. The event is free, so gather your pack and head over for a day of music, food, special events, and NC State pride. And in Cary they will host their annual Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Head on over to Academy St. where nearly 300 artists from 16 states, plus a beer garden, interactive art activities, a children’s area, food and more. The event is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Get all the details on Packapalooza here and Lazy Daze here.

• On Wednesday, September 6th, Prohibitive in Cary’s Matthews House (317 W Chatham St.) will host a Wine & Cheese Pairing where guests will be tasting through five delicious and refreshing Italian wines paired with five light cheese dishes. The event begins at 6 p.m. and costs $55/person. Make your reservation now (Pro Tip: Use code Cheese23 to receive 15% off).

• Sam Jones BBQ is hosting a special BBQ & Bourbon Event from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 12 at their Raleigh location. The event includes a three-meat barbecue buffet, swag bags and special guest Justin Hampton of Diageo who will offer a guided tasting of Bulliet, Balcones, Blade and Bow, George Dickel and IW Harper 15 year bourbons. Tickets are $125. Get all the details here.

• Heights House Hotel, in Raleigh’s historic Boylan Heights neighborhood, announced its newest hospitality driven amenity geared towards both the Raleigh resident and the visiting overnight guest. Afternoon Tea will be available at The Parlor at Heights House, beginning September 15th on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Get all the details here and make reservations here.

• The 10th annual Sola Hot Mini 5K race is Saturday, September 16 at Sola Coffee in North Raleigh. Thus far, the race has raised over $450,000 in the fight to end ALS with a goal to raise $200,000 more this year. Get details and register here.

• The USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience is coming to Raleigh on Saturday, September 16th and will be held at Dorothea Dix Park (Flowers Field). Attendees will explore a Raleigh culinary adventure that celebrates the best local food and drink, enjoy endless food and drink samples, attend demonstrations and interact with exhibitors in a beautiful outdoor setting for a single admission price. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Saturday, September 23 is Bull City Burger and Brewery’s OctoBullFest, guaranteed to be the ​best WURST day of the year. It’s an annual street festival including live music, food, beer, games, and a kids’ area ​featuring a bounce house, bubbles, Balloon Man Mike, and more. Did we mention the food? We ​sell ​our​ ​100%​ ​pasture-raised​ ​beef​ ​burgers,​ ​house-made​ ​veggie​ ​burgers​ ​and​ ​ ​feature our​ ​authentic​ ​bratwurst​ ​for​ ​the​ ​event,​ ​all​ ​served​ ​on​ ​house-baked​ ​buns.​ Not to mention soft pretzels, and OctoBullfest Mustard/Mushroom Fries. There is always wine and beer available, including our​ ​Octoberfest​ ​lager​ ​aptly named​ ​“Stierstadt” (German​ ​for​ ​Bull​ ​City) which is brewed once yearly​ ​for​ ​the​ ​event.​ We welcome kids, adults, families, dogs, and smiles to East Parrish Street. Proceeds support Durham Habitat. The website should be updated soon with this year’s details, but last year’s info still gives a general sense.

• 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

• Chef Victor Albisu announced this week that Monday, August 28 is the eagerly awaited grand opening date for Taco Bamba’s Raleigh location. Located in The Ridgewood Shopping Center on Wade Ave, this will be their first spot outside the Washington, D.C. metro area. Widely known for its inventive and generously-stuffed tacos and tortas, deep mezcal-focused bar, and bold design and soundtrack, Taco Bamba began ten years ago as a hole-in-the-wall Northern Virginia strip mall carryout. They have grown to over ten locations in the D.C. suburbs and Raleigh, with future openings planned in Nashville, Richmond and a return to D.C. proper. To celebrate its opening, they will be giving away a free taco a week for a year to the first 100 guests who place an order in person. Start getting familiar with them here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• We start of with some great news to help cool down your summer! WRAL shared that Two Roosters has officially opened their newest location – this one in Wake Forest at The Factory across the sidewalk from Gonza Tacos and Village Deli. They are open Saturday 12-10pm; Sunday 2-9pm; Tuesday-Thursday 2-9pm; and Friday 12-10pm. Check them out here.

• The Downtown Raleigh Alliance shared the news this week that the Triangle’s third location of Chido Taco opened this week at 555 Fayetteville Street (end of Fayetteville Street, closest to Raleigh Memorial Auditorium). They have locations on Bale Street in Raleigh and one in Cary at the intersection of Kildaire Farm Road and Cary Parkway. Check out Chido here.

• The Downtown Raleigh Alliance also announced this week that the Berkeley Cafe will live on as they shared where they will move when their current site has to give way to a new 36-story tower. They will move just around the corner into the spot currently occupied by Fiction Kitchen (428 S Dawson St.) – who will be moving to the Gateway Plaza at the corner of Capital and Crabtree boulevards (2411 Crabtree Blvd. to be exact). We will keep you posted on the timing of these changes, but for now, the Berk and Fiction Kitchen continue to operate in their current locations. Follow Berkeley Cafe on their Facebook page here.

• Reader Caley Braman shared with us that the former Glory Days Grill in Apex in the Publix shopping center has closed, and Mike Montgomery, owner of Abbey Road (with locations in Cary and Apex), is opening a new sports bar called The Dugout Tavern & Grill at 1413 Kelly Road. Look for upscale pub food and an extensive craft beer selection. They are expected to open at the end of this month. Might be best to follow them on Facebook for their progress and announcements.

• In Garner, it was shared this week that there is an ownership change taking place at The Beerded Lady Bottle Shop. After a nearly eight year run, Antares Nicklow and Shannon Cummings are stepping away on August 31 and handing the keys over to a couple of familiar faces, Jesse and Eddie. Cheers to new beginnings and our best to Antares and Shannon and their next chapter. Visit them here. Visit them here.

• Down in Johnston County, the Triangle Business Journal reported that Slim Chickens, a chain based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with more than 200 locations open or planned around the country and in the U.K., is planning to opening a location in Smithfield. This will be the first Slim Chickens in the Triangle area, but has two other North Carolina locations in Charlotte and Monroe. Get to know them here.

• And congrats to Raleigh’s very own Adé Carrena of Dounou Cuisine who took home the title of NCRLA Chef of the Year at the NCRLA 2023 Chef Showdown grand finale that was held at the Pavilion at the Angus Barn and hosted by Kitty Kinnin. Lots of other winners were recognized in a variety of categories. See a full list of winners here. Congrats to all the chefs and mixologists from across North Carolina.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Ei Phyo shared in the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook group that Haymar’s Kitchen, serving up authentic Burmese cuisine, has opened at 1301 E. Main Street in Haw River, NC (for those not familiar, Haw River is just west of Mebane). Best to follow them on Facebook.

• Down in Chatham County/Pittsboro, Kingston 99 Kitchen will hold their Grand Opening celebration on Thursday, August 24th at 5:30 p.m. You can find their authentic Jamaican cuisine at The Plant (192 Lorax Lane, Pittsboro) where they are open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Visit their Facebook event page for all the details.

Closings

• Following a three-year run, Catalan Tapas Bar at 4214 NW Cary Parkway in Cary will permanently close their doors at the end of this week. Thanks to David McCreary and Triangle Business Journal for sharing this information.

Food Trucks

• The next Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is Sunday, September 3 from 12-4 p.m. The final rodeo of the season will be 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

• Sassool’s Annual Hummus Mix Off is tomorrow! On August 19th from 2-5pm at their Raleigh location they are bringing in local food influencers and recipe creators to compete for your vote as the best flavored hummus. The winner will have their recipe featured as our September special! Tickets are on sale NOW. With your ticket, you are able to try every hummus competing (this is over 12 kinds of hummus) and then vote for your favorite. This is a family friendly event! Get tickets and all the details here.

• And then on August 24th, The NC Museum of Art, Vitis House, and Catering Works present “The Art Inside the Bottle”. Together with NCMA curator Maya Brooks, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art, and Vitis House owner and wine educator, Doreen Colondres, we will dive into Identity, Place, and Power as themes that contextualize works of art and wine in specific and inspiring ways. Join us from 7pm-9pm for a very special evening to explore history, tradition, and process behind winemaking and artmaking at The Art Inside the Bottle. You will foster new insights in an immersive, sensory experience! Seven wines with custom-designed food pairings will be served as Maya speaks in person to share her expertise on seven important works of art from the Museum’s Collection. Details and sign up here.

• On Wednesday, September 6th, Prohibitive in Cary’s Matthews House (317 W Chatham St.) will host a Wine & Cheese Pairing where guests will be tasting through five delicious and refreshing Italian wines paired with five light cheese dishes. The event begins at 6 p.m. and costs $55/person. Make your reservation now (Pro Tip: Use code Cheese23 to receive 15% off).

• Heights House Hotel, in Raleigh’s historic Boylan Heights neighborhood, announced its newest hospitality driven amenity geared towards both the Raleigh resident and the visiting overnight guest. Afternoon Tea will be available at The Parlor at Heights House, beginning September 15th on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Get all the details here and make reservations here.

• The 10th annual Sola Hot Mini 5K race is Saturday, September 16 at Sola Coffee in North Raleigh. Thus far, the race has raised over $450,000 in the fight to end ALS with a goal to raise $200,000 more this year. Get details and register here.

• The USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience is coming to Raleigh on Saturday, September 16th and will be held at Dorothea Dix Park (Flowers Field). Attendees will explore a Raleigh culinary adventure that celebrates the best local food and drink, enjoy endless food and drink samples, attend demonstrations and interact with exhibitors in a beautiful outdoor setting for a single admission price. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Saturday, September 23 is Bull City Burger and Brewery’s OctoBullFest, guaranteed to be the ​best WURST day of the year. It’s an annual street festival including live music, food, beer, games, and a kids’ area ​featuring a bounce house, bubbles, Balloon Man Mike, and more. Did we mention the food? We ​sell ​our​ ​100%​ ​pasture-raised​ ​beef​ ​burgers,​ ​house-made​ ​veggie​ ​burgers​ ​and​ ​ ​feature our​ ​authentic​ ​bratwurst​ ​for​ ​the​ ​event,​ ​all​ ​served​ ​on​ ​house-baked​ ​buns.​ Not to mention soft pretzels, and OctoBullfest Mustard/Mushroom Fries. There is always wine and beer available, including our​ ​Octoberfest​ ​lager​ ​aptly named​ ​“Stierstadt” (German​ ​for​ ​Bull​ ​City) which is brewed once yearly​ ​for​ ​the​ ​event.​ We welcome kids, adults, families, dogs, and smiles to East Parrish Street. Proceeds support Durham Habitat. The website should be updated soon with this year’s details, but last year’s info still gives a general sense.

• 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