Featured Restaurant News
- We couldn’t post on Pi Day (3/14) without a lead story on a pie shop, now could we? Well, the Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Kristen Mullins, owner of Slice Pie Company in Raleigh, is moving to 606 N. Person Street to share space with cake bakery Sugar Euphoria, owned by Randi Smith. The move ends a three-year run on South Saunders Street and as fate would have it, Slice will host its grand opening today. In addition to incredible pies (like apple, pecan, key lime and lemon) they will also serve coffee – and will host events and classes. And as we noted at the end of February, Crofton’s Pretzels of Wilmington has opened in the former Slice location at 1400 S. Saunders Street. Visit Slice here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- Raleigh Magazine reported this week that the folks at Sushi Mon will open up Monya Ramen and Izakaya (two new concepts in one) next door to their location in Glenwood Place just inside the beltline on Glenwood Avenue. They will open in the former Sost spot sometime this winter. The new concept will feature a ramen and noodle bar on one side, and an Izakaya (aka a casual-atmosphere gastropub) on the other. The menu will feature both a traditional and contemporary Japanese made-to-order ramen, along with a curated selection of sake, beer and soju according to the magazine. Until then, visit Sushi Mon here.
- RALtoday reported that The Crunkleton, a legendary Chapel Hill bar, is set to open in Smoky Hollow in downtown Raleigh later this month, and the bar is offering membership to its exclusive club for free for the first 1,000 patrons. Top Shelf membership promises early access to special events, like the bar’s pre-opening party. Follow along and get details on their Instagram page here.
- Also in downtown Raleigh, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance shared the good news that there is a new coffee option for you as Cortado Specialty Coffee has opened at 602 Glenwood Avenue in the former Wine Feed spot. Follow along on Instagram here.
- The News & Observer reported this week that Pizzeria Faulisi in Cary has transitioned into Faulisi Caffe & Enoteca, a cafe offering breakfast and lunch with pastries, sandwiches, and salads. they will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. According to the owners, they want to explore new culinary creativity. But don’t worry pizza lovers, the restaurant will serve limited pizzas on weekends. Check out the new place here.
- A quick update over in Brier Creek thanks to reader Jennifer Buchholz. She noted that signage is up on the former Applebee’s Grill and Bar location (8701 Brier Creek Pkwy.) in Brier Creek Commons as it will soon be home to Cabo Mexican Cuisine. Stay tuned as we couldn’t locate an online presence just yet.
- Up in North Raleigh, reader Rebekka Mastin notified us that a new restaurant is finally taking over the space formerly occupied by Your Pie Pizza on Old Wake Forest Rd at Capital Boulevard (6320 Capital Blvd.). The signs are up for May Bakery and Cafe on both the building and the shopping center’s sign. The site suggests it will be a cozy space where French elegance meets Vietnamese tradition. Keep up with their progress on Instagram here.
- Also in North Raleigh, Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Beow’s Books & Brews, located at 8111 Creedmoor Road in Raleigh, plans to open a second venue this summer in the Falls River Town Center near WakeMed North Hospital. TBJ noted that the expansion comes just 15 months after Beow’s first debuted. Like its first location, founder Jim Ranieri is envisioning the new Beow’s as a community hub with coffee, a robust food menu, beer and plenty of classics, of course. Visit Beow’s here.
- Who wouldn’t want to see the Stanley Cup back in Raleigh?!? Well, until then we will have to enjoy the “Stanley Cup Fill Up” next Tuesday, March 18th at all Two Roosters Ice Cream locations. Here’s how it works. Bring a clean 30 or 40 oz tumbler of ANY brand (doesn’t have to be Stanley) and they’ll scoop ice cream into it — that’s four hefty scoops of any combination of flavors for just $13. Limit one per person. Find your closest location here.
- And we close out this section with a huge kudos to Niall Hanley and his team over at Raleigh Beer Garden for making USA Today’s list of the Top 10 Beer Gardens in the United States. The site notes the 350 beers on tap at Raleigh Beer Garden in the downtown Glenwood South District. The first floor is dedicated to North Carolina beer, while an “international floor” features hundreds of brews from the rest of the country and around the world. The bar includes plenty of outdoor seating options, including a patio and a rooftop bar. Visit them here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- Chapelboro reported this week that the latest venture by a member of Chapel Hill’s acclaimed Council family is set to once again grace tables with Southern dishes and bites. Tonya Council, one of the granddaughters of Mildred “Mama Dip” Council, is preparing to open Tonya’s Café next week at 400 South Elliott Road. The business aims to be a casual southern cooking spot, starting with lunches and brunches five days a week. Tonya’s Café will be next to Tonya’s Cookies Company, which opened in the Galleria shopping center in December, 2023. Tonya’s Café will have its grand opening with its regular hours on Wednesday, Mar. 19. In the meantime, you can visit Tonya’s Cookies here.
- Bru’s Public House in Carrboro is launching weekend brunch service beginning this Saturday, March 15. The brunch menu will be available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. They are located at 370 E Main Street in Carrboro. Visit them here.
Closings
- Put this in the category of “I didn’t think I’d ever see it.” But announced this past week is the closing of the iconic 42nd Street Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill…a staple of the downtown Raleigh dining scene for nearly 100 years. Good luck getting in between now and their closing at the end of this month on March 30th.
- After a 7-year run, Fridas Patio Mexican Cuisine in Cary announced via Facebook that they have closed. They were located on Kildaire Farm Road. They will turn their energy to their food truck, Cartel Tacos.
- Glenn Gillen shared with me that Brunello Wine Bar (on Market Street in Durham) owner Esteban Brunello posted on Instagram that they will be closing in two weeks. But Gillen also noted that the post says, “And while this chapter is closing …. stay tuned.”
Food Trucks
- The remaining schedule for the Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeos is as follows: April 13; June 1; and November 2.. All rodeos are from 12 noon until 4 p.m. and will feature over 50+ food trucks with cuisine from all over the world, and family fun – making it the ultimate Sunday Funday in Durham Central Park (501 Foster Street)! Get all the details here.
- Great news as the Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo returns to downtown Raleigh on Saturday, June 28th from noon until 6 p.m. all along Fayetteville Street. From savory flavors to sweet treats, there’s something to satisfy every craving and cuisine curiosity. Whether you’re a fan of gourmet burgers, delicious tacos, or decadent desserts, our food truck rodeo promises to have something for everyone! Visit their Facebook event page 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
- Over in Raleigh’s Iron Works, Little Rey’s will feature a monthly taco from a rotating local chef with 100% of proceeds from all purchases going to a charity of the guest chef’s choice. The March collab will feature chef Scott Crawford from neighboring Brodeto and will benefit Ben’s Friends, a nonprofit that helps food and beverage workers struggling with addiction. Crawford has created an octopus taco with salsa macha that marries the Northern Mexican flavors of Little Rey with Brodeto’s Southern Italian/Croatian concept. The taco will be available on Little Rey’s menu from March 1-31 only. Visit Little Rey here.
- The Beer Study in Carrboro, will have their Grand Re Re Opening Chili Cookoff on Saturday, March 15th from noon until 10 p.m. at their new location in the South Green development in Carrboro at 101 Two Hills Drive. Get all the details, including prizes for the top 3 vote getters, on their Facebook events page here.
- Join Catering Works and the Museum of Art for the Art of Tea in Bloom at the East Café from March 19th through 23rd. This Afternoon Tea experience features a prix-fixe menu including savory canapes, finger sandwiches and floral inspired patisserie. Premium teas or coffee included. Floral inspired cocktails are available for purchase separately. Select from standard, gluten free, vegetarian or vegan ticket. Get ticket and all the details here.
- From noon until 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 23, The Bend Bar and State of Beer at The Bend will celebrate its grand opening with live music from Kai Wilson, barbecue from Lawrence BBQ and more. The Bend Bar is located at 853 W. Morgan Street in downtown Raleigh. Follow along on Instagram here.
- To commemorate its 50th anniversary, Irregardless in downtown Raleigh is hosting a series of special prix fixe dinners, each celebrating a different decade in the restaurant’s history. The first event will honor the 1970s with a nostalgic three-course meal at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 26, priced at $80 per person. Get tickets and all the details here. Additional dinners are as follows: 1985 Dinner: 6:30 p.m. May 21 (tickets and details here); 1995 Dinner: 6:30 p.m. July 9; 2005 Dinner: 6:30 p.m. Sept. 10; and 2015 Dinner: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 12.
- Downtown Raleigh’s Figulina continues its wine dinner series with a special Roman menu on March 31st. The one-night event will celebrate Rome’s iconic dishes. Unlike the other wine dinners in the ongoing series, the Roman event will not be a prix fixe meal. Ellis will offer a special menu highlighting classic Roman dishes, including the four iconic Roman pasta dishes. David Ellis’ downtown Raleigh restaurant was recently named a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant from the James Beard Foundation. Book your spot here.
- Fest in the West returns to Cary after a one-year hiatus on Saturday, April 5th from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Mills Park (441 Mills Park Drive). The event is geared towards children and families with tons of entertainment and activities – and of course a plethora of food trucks for everyone’s enjoyment! Get all the details here.
- The second annual A Taste of Chatham will be held April 6th from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the Chatham County Agricultural Center. This event will offer tastes from numerous local restaurants and beverage vendors, music, and activities. Vendors include Starlight Meadery, BMC Brewery, Thirsty Skull, Lilly Den Farms, JDubs, Postal Fish, The Sycamore, Root Cellar Cafe, and 39 West Catering. This is a fundraiser to support the county Welcome Center, located across from the courthouse in downtown Pittsboro. Get all the details and tickets here.
- Here is another fun event from Catering Works and the Museum of Art on April 11th. Seeing Red, a presentation in the new Conservation Gallery, features the history, symbolism, and materiality of red dyes and pigments in art. It features an interactive display and works of art from the NCMA collection to illustrate the artistic use of red. At this event enjoy a short tour of Seeing Red with Director of Conservation Perry Hurt, creator of the installation. Then in the NCMA Café, embark on a deep dive into red wine, presented by wine educator and owner of Vitis House Doreen Colondres. A fascinating, unique, and cross-cultural combination of art and wine, with creative food pairings by Chef Rick Sloan of Catering Works and the NCMA Café. Get details and tickets here.
- Tickets are now on sale for 7th annual Roots for Reece Chef’s Picnic which will be held on Sunday, April 27th in Clayton. This highly anticipated annual event will feature an exciting day of food and drink samples from more than a dozen local chefs, breweries and bars, alongside live music, crafts, a silent auction, raffles and much more. Proceeds from the event will benefit the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to combating the opioid epidemic in North Carolina and providing support to individuals affected by substance use. General admission tickets are available for $100, and VIP tickets, which offer exclusive benefits, are available for $200. Early Bird Tickets cost $100 and include an event t-shirt but must be purchased by March 30th. Tickets and more information can be found at Roots for Reece Chef’s Picnic.
- NC Sugar Rush will be held in downtown Raleigh’s City Plaza on Sunday, May 25th from noon until 6 p.m. If you are not familiar with this yumminess, it is a dessert food only event with something to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. Sign me up! Get all the details on their Facebook event page here.
- The 10th Annual Raleigh International Food Festival will take place this year on Saturday, June 7th from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on downtown Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street. The event will feature over 120 food trucks/dessert trucks from around the globe with over 60 cultures represented. Free tickets and all the details here. (Tickets not required as this is a free event)
Food Bank Corner
- The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina celebrates the strength, resilience, and incredible contributions of women and girls everywhere. We also recognize the disproportionate challenges they face, particularly when it comes to food insecurity. Women face social, systemic, and economic barriers that make it harder for them to support themselves. They are paid less, have more health-related costs, and are even charged more for products marketed directly to them.
Every woman in our community deserves a fair opportunity to put food on the table for their family while also taking care of their own health and nutrition. This International Women’s Month, we’re coming together to break down barriers and narrow the gender hunger gap in central and eastern North Carolina. Every gift made until March 31 can be matched to make twice the impact for women facing food insecurity in our community.
