TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• RalToday shared the news this week that an opening dates has been set for the newest location of 321 Coffee (and first official storefront). Located at 615 Hillsborough Street in the Bloc[83] development, they will officially open on Saturday, Aug. 20. The ribbon cutting ceremony will be at 9:30 a.m. and then you will be able to experience the best customer service and hand-crafted beverages. Get to know them and their story here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• WRAL shared the news this week that Big Boss Brewing, the oldest craft brewery in Raleigh, will be closing its taproom at the end of the month, with eyes toward a 2023 relaunch at a new location. Their last day at the current location is August 28th. But don’t worry, you will still be able to get Big Boss (they released 5 new beers in the last month) in the marketplace. And they hope to make an announcement soon about their new location. Stay tuned. Keep up with them here. A special thanks to reader Steve Abbott for the assist on this news.

• It appears Cary is all grown-up and has definitely turned twenty-one with the news this week in the Triangle Business Journal that they are getting a champagne bar to join their growing list of breweries and their first cidery. RBF Champagne Bar is set to open at 210 E. Chatham Street this fall (October/November). Located just across from Bond Brothers Beer Company, the bar will be on the bottom floor of the restored Williams House, underneath Bull City Ciderworks. The bar will offer 12 to 15 options of champagne and sparkling wines, with about 10 to 12 white wine varieties and 10 to 12 red wines. RBF will also have a food menu, with bruschetta, charcuterie and dessert items. Get familiar with them now.

• Also in Cary, buddy Sachin Patel tipped me off to the news that Acme Pizza Co. officially opened this week in Morrisville at the Grace Park mixed-use development at the corner of Morrisville-Carpenter and Davis Drive. Acme moved into the former location of Thai’s Noodles, who moved earlier this year into the former Buffalo Wings and Rings spot, a larger space. This is Acme’s second location, with another one in Holly Springs. Start getting familiar with Acme Pizza Co. here.

• And a quick update on Papi’s Cuban Cafe, a mobile unit located at 3300 Ten Ten Rd. that closed temporarily due to an accident. Apparently they had already been building a second unit and it arrived this week. They expect to have the “new” unit up and running (pending inspections) next weekend. Keep up with their updates here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Twitter buddy Burgeoning Baker brought it to our attention that Durham will soon be home to the 19th location of Sabor Latin Street Grill. They are known for their authentic street food from El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico and Colombia. They are moving into the Homestead Market shopping center off Highway 54 near the intersection with Fayetteville Road (just down from Shiki Sushi). A recent Facebook posted indicated they would be open in August. So soon. Go ahead and get yourself familiar with them here.

• About 30 minutes north of Durham in Oxford, entrepreneur Paul Shelton shared his plans this week to open Oxford Oaks Distillery at 127 College Street in late October or early November along with a restaurant occupying a smaller portion of the space. He shared the news via Triangle Business Journal. The distillery will make several different spirits including vodka, gin, rum and whiskey. While the high-end restaurant will feature scollops, filets and lobster. Verdigris, the word for the patina that forms on copper, could possibly become the name of the restaurant. Keep up with their progress here.

Closing / Cancellations

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

• Blogger Eat Raleigh shared that there is a new food truck over on Six Forks at the Valero gas station. Apparently Mr. Burro has been operational for a few weeks now and has garnered quite a following. Customers noted that they serve up breakfast tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and sandwiches as well as crispy potatoes (home fries), coffee, lattes, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Get additional information here.

• Saw on some of my social media feeds this week that Morrisville will soon be home to a new food truck serving up Indian street food. At this point, all I know is a name – Chaat Mandi. I was not able to determine their timeline nor menu. You will have to stay tuned here.

• The final Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo of 2022 will be on Sunday, September 25th. The rodeo is set up on downtown Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street featuring a half mile of food trucks and restaurants spread out over 10 city blocks. Details here.

• The remaining Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo 2022 schedule is as follows: September 4 and October 30. Mark your calendars. 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

• The Taste of Soul NC “Seafood Edition” will take place this Saturday, August 13th from 3 to 8 p.m. at Durham Central Park (501 Foster Street). The event features dining options from some of the best food trucks in the area, local merchants, kid games and a DJ along with live performances. Get a list of vendors and all the details here.

• This Sunday, (August 14th) and every Sunday through the end of September, Al Strong, the Grammy-nominated jazz trumpeter, composer and recording artist, will bring a rotating lineup of musicians to perform during Sunday brunch at Durham’s Alley Twenty Six. Brunch is served from 10:30 a.m.- 2 p.m. Sundays; the music will be from noon-2 p.m. Make your reservation here.

• The Willard Wine Dinner: Italy’s Piemonte will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25. Chef James Cundiff will prepare a four-course menu that will be paired with six Italian wines, including Bianco, Barbera D’Alba, Barbaresco, Barolo and finishing with a Brachetto. Tickets are limited to 40 people. Wine will be available for purchase at a discounted rate. Cost is $90 per person (not including gratuity or tax). Get all the details here.

• The Pinehurst Barbecue Festival is taking place September 2-4 in beautiful Pinehurst, North Carolina where they will celebrate “All Things Barbecue” in North Carolina – from Eastern North Carolina vinegar to Western North Carolina tomato. The three-day event features a variety of activities culminating with a impressive list of pitmasters showing off their talents on day three. Get tickets and all the details on their site here.

• The Bull City BBQ Bash will take place on Saturday, September 3rd from 12-5 p.m. bringing a high energy BBQ event to Durham to cap the summer holiday season. Attendees will interact with BBQ competitors, taste and vote on delicious food while supporting Helps Education Fund, enjoy live music, shop at a small business marketplace, enjoy local food and beverages and most of all – experience an amazing atmosphere! Get all the details on their website here.

• After a 2-year hiatus, Dinner in the Meadow will return as attendees will be gathering in the meadow again on Sunday, September 11th from 5:30-8:30 in the evening. The dinner sells out each year, so you are encouraged to get your tickets early. Get all the details here.

• This year’s Sola Hot Mini 5K will be a special one. Let’s work together to make it the biggest one ever. As many of you know, John and Jeanne Luther are the founders/owners of Sola Coffee Café in North Raleigh. Jeanne was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease, on August 30, 2019. On April 12th of this year, at age 57, Jeanne went home to be with Jesus. Race goers will gather on September 17 at 8:30 a.m. at the shop for the 9th annual Sola Hot Mini 5K to raise money to find a cure. Please consider joining the Sola community for an incredible morning in the effort to end ALS. Register and get all the details here.

• The 15th Annual Pepperfest returns this year on Sunday, September 18th at The Plant in Pittsboro. The event is hosted outdoors with live music and pepper-themed food and drink made with locally-grown sweet, hot, and smoky NC peppers. Chefs and craft beverage makers will compete for awards. Guests can taste different dishes made from peppers grown in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Early bird prices are good through July 1st, when prices increase Get your tickets and all the details here. Thanks to Neha Shah with the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau for alerting me about this great event.

• Also on September 18th in Chatham County, 580 Craft Beer Marketplace will host the 2nd Annual Chatham County Beer Festival from 2 to 6 p.m. at 354 East Street in Pittsboro. Your $30 pass (until 9/1) gains you access to 15 breweries and over 50 different beers. Food trucks and music will be ongoing throughout the event. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• You only have until midnight, July 31 to double the value of your gift to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina — dollar for dollar — up to $55,000. So, if you haven’t yet given, or want to make an even bigger impact on hunger this summer, please rush your gift today. Every $10 you give today can double to provide 100 meals! Our goal is to raise 10 million meals this summer and come to the aid of our friends and neighbors stretched thin by the rapidly rising cost of living. And if we can max out this matching gift offer, that’ll provide enough food for 550,000 meals across central and eastern North Carolina. #NoOneGoesHungry

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

Featured Restaurant News

• The Triangle Business Journal shared the great news that downtown Raleigh’s Parkside Restaurant is opening a second location in eastern Wake County at the Wendell Falls development. The new restaurant will have the same name as the original with a similar menu featuring classic American dishes. Look for them to open this winter. Congrats to owners Jenessa Mitchell and Todd Henderson, as well as executive chef Matthew Scofield. Visit Parkside here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Last week we shared the first tenant announcement for Raleigh’s Iron Works development (located at 2200 Atlantic Ave.) – Jaguar Bolera, a new “eatertainment” concept opening the second half of 2023. This week, two additional food tenants were announced. They are Durham favorites Eastcut Sandwich Bar and Ponysaurus Brewing Co. Both are expected to open in spring 2023. Follow along with their progress here.

• It is Friday, which means lunch at Irregardless Cafe, right? Well, starting today at least. The popular cafe is now (beginning today) serving lunch on Fridays from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The lunch menu will focus on salads and sandwiches like a vegan cheese and apricot melt and BBQ maitake sandwich. Thanks to RalToday for bringing this to our attention. Visit Irregardless here.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Uncle Jessie’s Honkytonk and Saloon, a new country-themed bar, is set to open in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood this fall. The bar, which will be located between the Rialto Theatre and the Lonerider Hideout, will be the second in the Five Points area for Larry Carter, who also owns Lola’s Beach Bar on Glenwood Avenue. Visit them here.

• This week Guasaca South American Grill opened their sixth Triangle-area location, located at 913 Spring Forest Road (near the intersection with Falls of the Neuse Road). They have had lines out the door this week. Get by this week.

• And a quick update on Papi’s Cuban Cafe, a mobile unit located at 3300 Ten Ten Rd. that closed temporarily due to an accident. Apparently they had already been building a second unit and it arrived this week. They expect to have the “new” unit up and running (pending inspections) next weekend. Keep up with their updates here.

• In Garner, the Johnston County Report shared the news that Eggs Up Grill, a rapidly growing breakfast, brunch and lunch concept, will open a new restaurant in the early fall at 2686 Timber Drive in Garner Town Square. The restaurant will be the third for franchise partners and brothers Scott and Rob Johnson, who own locations in Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs. Visit Eggs Up Grill here.

• And down in Johnston County, the Triangle Business Journal provided a huge update to the much-anticipated Old North State Food Hall, located just off Interstate 95 in Selma and is scheduled to open this fall (possibly as early as September). Currently, list of tenants is as follows: Fuku – a fried chicken joint out of New York City expanding to North Carolina for the first time. The concept started as a secret sandwich at David Chang’s Momofuku Noodle Bar; Barley and Burger – the gourmet hamburger restaurant is owned by Brandon Clarke, Travis Ellis, and Etaf Rum. The concept has a popular location in Rocky Mount; Luna Pizza – pizzeria serving Neapolitan pizza, appetizers, salads and desserts. The restaurant’s flagship store is in Greenville; Curry in a Hurry – Indian restaurant by owner and chef Alaksha Surti serving curry dishes, Kati rolls, samosas and more; Aroma de Cuba – South Florida Cuban restaurant by owners Danny and Sheri Gonzalez. Serving Cuban sandwiches, empanadas, plantain chips and Cuban coffee; The Mac House – a restaurant that serves many different styles of macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese. Co-owners David and Tara Myklebust also have a location in Raleigh; My Cielo Taqueria – Mexican restaurant founded in New Hampshire and voted the No. 2 best tacos in that state. Carmen and Luis Garcia are the owners, and this will be the concept’s second location; Cock A Doodle Moo – BBQ restaurant owned by locals Allison Hensgen and Justus Wollbrinck, which also operate a popular food truck in the Triangle; Bean and Bubble – a concept offering coffee and Asian menu items such as Poke bowls and bubble tea. Owned by Sophia Woo and Nathan Lambdin, who also run Mofu Shoppe and Pho Nomenal Dumplings in the Triangle; Butter Cream – offering sweet treats like ice cream and cookies. Best to follow along on their Instagram page for updates.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• WRAL’s Sarah Krueger shared the news that a new vegan restaurant has opened at Erwin Terrace in Durham (2816 Erwin Rd.) near Nosh. The Pure Vegan Cafe took over the space formerly occupied by The Northern Spy. With locations in Raleigh and Cary, their menu features all vegan food, cold pressed juices as well as bowls and smoothies. Check them out here.

• This past week saw the opening of the second location of Chatham County’s Breakaway Cafe. Breakaway Carrboro is located at 410 N. Greensboro Street in Carrboro near Dingo Dog Brewing Company. Visit them here.

• And a shout out of congratulations to The Fearrington House Inn, which was just named by Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Awards” as one of the “15 Best Resorts in the South.” Additionally, the Fearrington House Restaurant will celebrate its 40th anniversary this fall with a series of events. Visit their events page here for all upcoming events.

• Downtown Chapel Hill is getting a new watering hole this fall with the opening of Still Life Nightclub and Entertainment Complex. It will be located at 159 E. Franklin Street and will include a rooftop bar. The entire venue celebrates their grand opening on August 19th…just in time for the return of the students. Visit them here.

Closing / Cancellations

• A quick update to last week’s news (what was initially thought to be a temporary closing). Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse in Brier Creek has permanently closed.

Food Trucks

• Ashton Mae Smith brought it to our attention that Vic’s Pizza is bringing a truck into the mix towards the end of this month. Keep up with their progress and announcements here.

• Listen up parents. WRAL shared that a Hello Kitty themed food truck will be stopping in Durham this weekend. The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will be at the Streets at Southpoint mall near the food court on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The truck offers Hello Kitty exclusive baked goods and merchandise. Find out more here.

• The final Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo of 2022 will be on Sunday, September 25th. The rodeo is set up on downtown Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street featuring a half mile of food trucks and restaurants spread out over 10 city blocks. Details here.

• The remaining Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo 2022 schedule is as follows: September 4 and October 30. Mark your calendars. 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

• Cary’s beautiful Koka Booth Amphitheater will once again play host to the 15th Annual Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival on August 5th (6-10 p.m.) and 6th (12 – 6 p.m.). It’s two great days of beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’ and barbeque eatin’. Your admission buys you a sampling glass so you can enjoy an ALL-YOU-CARE-TO-TASTEsampling of beer and bourbon. Get ticket information (including VIP access) and all the details on the event site here.

• On August 8th, the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association will host the NCRLA Chef Showdown Grand Finale from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at The Pavilion at the Angus Barn. At the event, they will crown the NCRLA Chef of the Year, NCRLA Pastry Chef of the Year, and NCRLA Bartender of the Year and the NCRLA Distillery of the Year. Attendees will be able to help determine the “people’s choice” award winner from the creations of 20 top North Carolina chefs and pastry chefs and six bartenders from one end of the state to the other. Radio-personality Kitty Kinnin will be your emcee. Tickets and all the details here.

• The Willard Wine Dinner: Italy’s Piemonte will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25. Chef James Cundiff will prepare a four-course menu that will be paired with six Italian wines, including Bianco, Barbera D’Alba, Barbaresco, Barolo and finishing with a Brachetto. Tickets are limited to 40 people. Wine will be available for purchase at a discounted rate. Cost is $90 per person (not including gratuity or tax). Get all the details here.

• The Pinehurst Barbecue Festival is taking place September 2-4 in beautiful Pinehurst, North Carolina where they will celebrate “All Things Barbecue” in North Carolina – from Eastern North Carolina vinegar to Western North Carolina tomato. The three-day event features a variety of activities culminating with a impressive list of pitmasters showing off their talents on day three. Get tickets and all the details on their site here.

• The Bull City BBQ Bash will take place on Saturday, September 3rd from 12-5 p.m. bringing a high energy BBQ event to Durham to cap the summer holiday season. Attendees will interact with BBQ competitors, taste and vote on delicious food while supporting Helps Education Fund, enjoy live music, shop at a small business marketplace, enjoy local food and beverages and most of all – experience an amazing atmosphere! Get all the details on their website here.

• After a 2-year hiatus, Dinner in the Meadow will return as attendees will be gathering in the meadow again on Sunday, September 11th from 5:30-8:30 in the evening. The dinner sells out each year, so you are encouraged to get your tickets early. Get all the details here.

• This year’s Sola Hot Mini 5K will be a special one. Let’s work together to make it the biggest one ever. As many of you know, John and Jeanne Luther are the founders/owners of Sola Coffee Café in North Raleigh. Jeanne was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease, on August 30, 2019. On April 12th of this year, at age 57, Jeanne went home to be with Jesus. Race goers will gather on September 17 at 8:30 a.m. at the shop for the 9th annual Sola Hot Mini 5K to raise money to find a cure. Please consider joining the Sola community for an incredible morning in the effort to end ALS. Register and get all the details here.

• The 15th Annual Pepperfest returns this year on Sunday, September 18th at The Plant in Pittsboro. The event is hosted outdoors with live music and pepper-themed food and drink made with locally-grown sweet, hot, and smoky NC peppers. Chefs and craft beverage makers will compete for awards. Guests can taste different dishes made from peppers grown in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Early bird prices are good through July 1st, when prices increase Get your tickets and all the details here. Thanks to Neha Shah with the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau for alerting me about this great event.

• Also on September 18th in Chatham County, 580 Craft Beer Marketplace will host the 2nd Annual Chatham County Beer Festival from 2 to 6 p.m. at 354 East Street in Pittsboro. Your $30 pass (until 9/1) gains you access to 15 breweries and over 50 different beers. Food trucks and music will be ongoing throughout the event. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• You only have until midnight, July 31 to double the value of your gift to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina — dollar for dollar — up to $55,000. So, if you haven’t yet given, or want to make an even bigger impact on hunger this summer, please rush your gift today. Every $10 you give today can double to provide 100 meals! Our goal is to raise 10 million meals this summer and come to the aid of our friends and neighbors stretched thin by the rapidly rising cost of living. And if we can max out this matching gift offer, that’ll provide enough food for 550,000 meals across central and eastern North Carolina. #NoOneGoesHungry