TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Featured Restaurant News

• Littler owners Gray Brooks, Cara Stacy and Jay Owens announced this week that their famed restaurant, which closed temporarily in March 2020, will soon reopen. The restaurant will operate under the leadership of chefs Elizabeth Murray and Tanya Matta – who have returned to North Carolina after working in some of the best restaurants in the country. Murray will lead Littler’s kitchen, and collaborate with Brooks on the bistro menu, while Matta will be spearheading the pastry programs at Littler, Pizzeria Toro and Jack Tar & The Colonel’s Daughter. Both natives of North Carolina, Murray is from the Blowing Rock-Boone area, while Matta is a Durham native. Littler is located at 110 E. Parrish Street. No word yet on an exact opening date. Re-familiarize yourself here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Here he grows again! Giorgios Bakatsias, owner of Giorgios Hospitality Group and James Beard nominee, is bringing two new concepts to the growing North Hills area of Raleigh where he already operates Rosewater Kitchen & Bar. Las Ramblas, a Spanish tapas bar, will take over the former pizza restaurant Piola space and Giorgio Pizza Bar will take over the former Zoe’s Kitchen spot. These two additions will be Bakatsias’ 13th and 14th restaurants after he earlier announced the opening of East End Bistro in Raleigh’s new East End Market and Krill’s opening in Durham. Both Las Ramblas and Giorgio Pizza Bar are on schedule to open in 2022. Check out the Giorgios Hospitality Group here.

• And down in Fuquay-Varina, Chris Creighton shared the news that the owners of the Medi Bites food truck will take over operations of Nil’s Bakery Cafe at 513 Broad Street. The transition will take place around the middle of January. Congratulation to Mustafa and Sibel Karaca on their retirement after 16 successful years! Visit Nil’s here and Medi Bites here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• And if Littler reopening isn’t big enough for Durhamites, the other great news is that Matt Kelly will reopen St. James Seafood in January. Here is hoping the third time is the charm! You will remember it first opened in 2017, replacing Fishmonger’s, only to close in 2018 after the gas explosion just outside Kaffeinate coffee shop on North Duke Street. Then it reopened in early 2020, only to have to close again due to the pandemic. Kelly also owns Vin Rouge, Mothers & Sons Trattoria and Mateo Bar de Tapas. Thanks to Andrea Weigl as well as Indy Week for sharing the details of the reopening. Keep up with updates on their Facebook page here.

• WRAL’s Sarah Krueger shared the news that a new vegan restaurant is coming to Erwin Terrace in Durham (2816 Erwin Rd.) near Nosh. The Pure Vegan Cafe will take 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. An opening date has not been announced yet. Keep up with their progress here.

Closings / Cancellations

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

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

• Looking for restaurants open on Christmas Day? Well, WRAL is compiling such a list. Check it out here. If your restaurant is open and not on that list, please follow that link and reach out to WRAL as they are constantly updating that list.

• Also of note, please brace yourself. All Chick-fil-A locations will be closed Saturday (Christmas Day) and the following Sunday (duh) – so an entire weekend without Chick-fil-A! You have been warned. If you have children, plan accordingly.

• And speaking of warnings, please note that the Super Bowl AND Valentine’s fall on the same weekend in 2022. The Super Bowl is on Sunday, February 13th, the day before Valentine’s. And we know everyone typically books their Valentine’s date nights on that weekend. You have been warned. Guys, don’t screw this one up.

• The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has officially launched their Sip and Savor the Season guides, which gives you all the intel you need to pick a drink or dinner spot while shopping in downtown Raleigh. You’ll find festive and seasonal cocktails, coffees, ciders, beers, and more. Check it out here.

• Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies is doing a holiday charity collaboration again this year with Christmas House. Donations will go towards the purchase of grocery gift cards that will be distributed to local families in need (as identified by Orange/Chapel Hill/ Carrboro School system social workers). Additionally, during the month of December, they have partnered with Tandem restaurant in Carrboro to sell Carrie Brogren’s “Partridge in a Pear Tree” holiday cocktail with a portion of the sales from each cocktail added to the Christmas House donations. Make your donations here. Visit Tandem here.

Food Bank Corner

• Double your impact with your holiday donation to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina! Because of the ongoing economic effects of the pandemic, and the rising cost of food, many of our neighbors are struggling this year. They are having trouble making ends meet and the holidays will only add to the pinch as heating bills soar and kids miss school meals during holiday break. Fortunately, there’s a chance now to make twice the difference for families facing hunger this year. Compassionate friends are matching all donations up to $600,000 to help our neighbors have a happy and bountiful holiday season. Donations must be made before December 31 to secure the match. Your gift today can provide two times as much food to families in our community.

Featured Restaurant News

• Christmas is coming early! We just found out this week that Empire Eats is opening up The Mecca for one day next Wednesday, December 15th. Repeat, ONE DAY ONLY. Take off work. Call in sick. Do whatever you have to do. They will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and they will be serving breakfast and lunch favorites. They will not be taking reservations and all tips will be donated to the Salvation Army. Check out Empire Eats here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• After extensive renovations that caused them to close, Sushi Thai on Lake Boone Trail in Raleigh has re-opened, but just doing take-out and delivery at the moment. A slightly modified menu features the largest variety of Japanese and Thai cuisine in the Triangle. Reacquaint yourself and check out the new menu here.

• In the Quail Corners Shopping Center, Darryl Fuller, owner of Morning Rolls, reached out to let me know they have been in soft-open mode for the past few weeks after taking over the former Justin’s Grill spot. I can confirm that the cinnamon rolls are out of this world, and that they are expanding the menu adding breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Stop by and pay Darryl a visit. Check them out on Facebook here.

• Got word from Matt Christ that a Bibibop Asian Grill is going in the old Zoes Kitchen spot at 2007 Walnut Street in Cary. Bibibop is a Korean-inspired fast casual that encourages well-being through healthy eating and an active, balanced lifestyle. With locations throughout the mid-section of the United States, this will mark the first North Carolina location for the chain. Get to know them here.

• Also in Cary, Carrie Brogren shared the news that Pineapple Sol will be opening a full scale restaurant at Waverly Place in Cary early next year. They plan to offer breakfast, lunch, brunch on weekends, and fresh pastries seven days a week. Congratulations to Dahiana Vitabar and Aleena Azhar on their continued success. Get to know them here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that another new restaurant is coming to the American Tobacco Campus, and this concept is a first for Durham. The Louisiana-inspired seafood restaurant and bar is from the brothers behind NanaSteak, also located at American Tobacco Campus. Named after their great-great-great-grandmother, Seraphine is aiming to open in the second or third quarter of 2022. Seraphine will have classics like gumbo, grilled oysters and seafood boils done the way the Weddingtons learned from home. Plus, a cocktail menu dominated by whiskey. It will be located in part of the former Tyler’s Taproom space, near Parker & Otis. We couldn’t find an online presence, so you’ll have to just visit NanaSteak until then.

• The Downtown Chapel Hill Partnership shared the news that a new coffee shop called Blue House Cafe, founded by students, has opened at 462 W. Franklin Street. Expect to find espressos, lattes and more. Love their current mottto of, “Exams suck. Coffee helps.” Get to know them on Facebook here.

• If that is not enough Chapel Hill coffee news for you, Chapelboro shared the news that a new coffee café on Franklin Street is set to open in the next few weeks, right beside Carolina Coffee Shop. 1922 by Carolina Coffee Shop will be a coffee café with grab-and-go options and the name refers to the first year Carolina Coffee Shop opened. In addition to coffee, 1922 will have grab-and-go food options like pastries, salads and sandwiches. Carolina Coffee Shop will continue to operate as a sit-down restaurant. They are aiming to have a soft opening in the next few weeks with a full opening at the beginning of 2022, coinciding with Carolina Coffee Shop’s centennial year. Check out the article on Chapelboro here.

• Also in Chapel Hill, Sarah Boak shared with the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies group that Bouquet Garni, the only Senegalese restaurant in the immediate area, just opened in Blue Dogwood Public Market just off West Franklin Street (306 W. Franklin Street). Chef Eric was born in Senegal, grew up in Lyon, France and had culinary training in Paris. Check it out.

• Over in Hillsborough, follower Howard Siegal shared the news that town-favorite Saratoga Grill has re-opened for lunch (11-2) every day except Wednesday and Sunday. They reopened last Friday. Re-familiarize yourself here.

• Need another reason to head over to Hillsborough? Here’s a great one thanks to a tip from my favorite Catholic priest (sorry Fr. Dan!) Scott McCue, pastor at St. Thomas More. Fr. McCue let me know that La Muñeca Ice Cream opened this past Monday at 131 Mayo Street. Probably best to follow them on Instagram or visit their website here.

• Out in RTP, got word from Giuseppe Cataldo and Kelly Potts that they have closed their current location of Societa Sicilian Influenced Cucina and are “moving” it across the street to 5400 South Miami Blvd. They are taking their current Sicilian influenced menu with them, but will be adding Sicilian bakery pan pizzas by the square and sheet for lunch. In the evening, they will be firing up their coal fired oven for personal pizzas that will take influences from cuisines all over the world. Look for them to open late summer/early fall in 2022. Follow their progress on Instagram here.

Closings / Cancellations

• Jeanette Hauser shared the news, and confirmed by Yelp, that Neo-Asia on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh has closed.

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 Downtown Raleigh Alliance has officially launched their Sip and Savor the Season guides, which gives you all the intel you need to pick a drink or dinner spot while shopping in downtown Raleigh. You’ll find festive and seasonal cocktails, coffees, ciders, beers, and more. Check it out here.

• Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies is doing a holiday charity collaboration again this year with Christmas House. Donations will go towards the purchase of grocery gift cards that will be distributed to local families in need (as identified by Orange/Chapel Hill/ Carrboro School system social workers). Additionally, during the month of December, they have partnered with Tandem restaurant in Carrboro to sell Carrie Brogren’s “Partridge in a Pear Tree” holiday cocktail with a portion of the sales from each cocktail added to the Christmas House donations. Make your donations here. Visit Tandem here.

• This weekend you can enjoy great pizza and pasta, have your photo taken with Santa and support a great cause all at the same time at the Mellow Mushroom location at Brier Creek. As part of the event, they are collecting toys (new, unwrapped toys) to help children who have faced a disaster (North Carolina Friends of Santa). Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus will take place on Saturday and Sunday (December 11 & 12) from 12-4 on the patio. Visit them here.

Food Bank Corner

• Double your impact with your holiday donation to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina! Because of the ongoing economic effects of the pandemic, and the rising cost of food, many of our neighbors are struggling this year. They are having trouble making ends meet and the holidays will only add to the pinch as heating bills soar and kids miss school meals during holiday break. Fortunately, there’s a chance now to make twice the difference for families facing hunger this year. Compassionate friends are matching all donations up to $600,000 to help our neighbors have a happy and bountiful holiday season. Your gift today can provide two times as much food to families in our community.