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Featured Restaurant News

• Early Bird Night Owl, the hospitality company known for boutique hotels The Durham and The Mayton, will open Lloyd’s Full Service, a refined neighborhood dining spot in the heart of downtown Cary. Located at 107 E. Chatham St., it will occupy the historic 1950s filling station that currently houses Gurkan’s Downtown Auto Repair shop at the corner of Chatham and Academy streets. They aim to open by the end of 2025. The space will seat approximately 100 diners inside and up to 95 on its outdoor patio, which will feature a fire pit, a stage for live music and a retrofitted 1940s-style delivery van serving food and drinks. Best to follow on Instagram on their progress.

Wake County Restaurant News

• There is no sitting on the bench at Benchwarmers Bagels. They announced this week that this beloved local eatery known for its artisanal bagels and wood-fired pizzas, will open a third location at the North Hills Innovation District (at the base of Tower 5—North Hills’ newest office tower). Currently operating out of Transfer Co. Food Hall, Benchwarmers’ expansion to North Hills follows the recent announcement of their upcoming location at Rockway, near downtown Raleigh’s Dix Park. Both new locations will offer an expanded menu featuring bagels, sandwiches, and nightly pizzas, along with an enhanced beverage program and extended operating hours. Look for Rockway to open in 2025, followed a few months later by the North Hills location. Best to follow along on Instagram here.

• Our opening date for Scott Crawford’s newest concept – Crawford Brothers Steakhouse – moved slightly. It will now open the week of December 22nd in Fenton and reservations are currently open. It will be the largest Crawford Hospitality restaurant to-date with seating for 120. It will celebrate the nostalgia of an old school steakhouse, but with a lighter and edgier twist. They will specialize in house dry-aged beef, and boast an extensive wine program, a vibrant cocktail bar, two private rooms. A prominent feature of the design will be a floor-to-ceiling “glass curtain” on one side of the restaurant, visible from the street, giving passersby a full view into both the warm, inviting cocktail bar. Keep up with announcements on their Instagram page here.

• Speaking of Fenton, Triangle Business Journal reported this week that The Salty, a Miami-based doughnut shop that’s growing around the country, will open in late 2025. This will be their first Triangle-area location, with a location already open in Charlotte and a second on the way. The concept has 22 locations open or on the way stretching from Florida north to Washington, D.C. and west to Colorado. Get to know them here.

• Jason Mace shared the news with me that downtown Raleigh’s Morgan Street Food Hall will soon be home to Fresco Veloce, a new concept serving up handcrafted pasta and classic Italian dishes. The food hall is located in the warehouse district of downtown Raleigh at 411 W Morgan Street. No word yet on an exact opening date. Follow along on Instagram for their pending announcement.

• Down in Fuquay-Varina, we saw on the Today in the Quay Facebook page that JT’s Creamery has opened their second location (original location is in Holly Springs) at 2128 Gathering Square Court in the new Bengal Towne Center. The new location not only features their beloved handcrafted ice cream, but they’ve introduced coffee (Black & White) and pastries as well as expanded hours (7 a.m. until 9 p.m.). Get to know them here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Got word from my man on the street in Durham, Glenn Gillen, that Afters Dessert Bar has successfully transitioned from the Durham Food Hall (their space there is now occupied by Little Barb’s Bakery) to their new spot in historic Brightleaf Square (905 W. Main Street). Looks like they are in soft-open mode with hours daily except Mondays. Visit them on Instagram here.

• Just south of Chapel Hill in Chatham County, there is a new place to swing into to get a great cup of coffee and even a bite to eat. SaBeans, a dream of owner Sabine Farer (get it….SaBeans…) is a new drive-up coffee “hut” right on 15-501 South in the parking lot of the Dockside Restaurant. Their location makes for an “easy in and out” for your coffee and even pastries and bagels. You can even order ahead to speed up the process even more. Check them out and/or place your order here.

• One of our very own needs our help. Chef Vimala Rajendran, who has a heart bigger than life, and her Curryblossom Cafe, an award-winning gem in Chapel Hill, are struggling to make rent. She is reaching out to the community that she has helped time and time again for an assist. While donations would be phenomenal, going to eat at the restaurant or buying gift cards would also help tremendously. Visit Curryblossom here.

Closings

• The News & Observer shared this week that after 15 years, the owners of Trophy Brewing are closing their original downtown Raleigh spot, Young Hearts Distilling, at the end of the year. This marks the end of a run of varied and popular restaurant and bar projects. that started with Busy Bee Cafe in 2009.

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

• Tickets went on sale last week for An Evening To Ignite, the annual fundraiser by the teams at The Merrimon-Wynne House, Band Together and La Fête Planning & Design. The nonprofit beneficiary of this year’s event will be Ripe for Revival, which operates a fleet of pay-what-you-can mobile markets in central and eastern North Carolina. They will use the proceeds to expand the mobile markets’ presence in Raleigh. This year’s An Evening To Ignite will be March 14, 2025 in downtown Raleigh. Get tickets here and get information on Ripe for Revival here.

• On December 16th Zweli’s in Durham is hosting a Vegan Community Dinner Buffet beginning at 6 p.m. at Zweli’s Brightleaf District (905 W. Main Street). Enjoy a delicious array of plant-based dishes, great company and holiday cheer. Ticket are $44 (adult) and $20 (kids under 10). Get your tickets and all the details here.

• This is kind of cool…a traveling Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy cocktail event that will be in Pittsboro next January 23 and 24. It is a chilling cocktail experience that brings four of his stories off the page and onto the stage as told through the Poe historians while you sip on delicious themed cocktails that are paired with each story. Tickets are $45 and will take place at The Plant (220 Lorax Lane). Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• The holiday season is the perfect opportunity to spend time with family and friends over delicious festive meals. Unfortunately for many of our friends and neighbors, holiday meals may not be an option. The rising cost of living is putting a strain on our community. By donating a holiday gift, you can help bring comfort and relief to local families fighting food insecurity. It’s a perfect time to give! Until December 31, compassionate friends are matching all gifts to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina up to $503,100. Give $10 now and have double the impact, providing 100 meals.

Featured Restaurant News

• We now have an opening date for Scott Crawford’s newest concept – Crawford Brothers Steakhouse. It will open the week of December 16th in Fenton, the 92-acre mixed use development in Cary. It will be the largest Crawford Hospitality restaurant to-date with seating for 120. It will celebrate the nostalgia of an old school steakhouse, but with a lighter and edgier twist. They will specialize in house dry-aged beef, and boast an extensive wine program, a vibrant cocktail bar, two private rooms. A prominent feature of the design will be a floor-to-ceiling “glass curtain” on one side of the restaurant, visible from the street, giving passersby a full view into both the warm, inviting cocktail bar. Keep up with announcements on their Instagram page here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• The eagerly anticipated fast casual Northern Mexican concept from chef Ford Fry, Little Rey, will open at Raleigh’s Iron Works next Monday, December 9 (they are holding a “sneak peek” event this Saturday, December 7th open to the public – see details below under Events). Located at 1101 E. Whitaker Mill Road, Suite 102, the 4,200+ square-foot space will feature ample indoor seating, a spacious patio and a walk-up to-go window. Their Northern Mexican inspired menu created by Fry will boast wood-roasted “chicken al carbon” at its core plus staples like al carbon tacos, traditional street style tacos, salads and fresh salsas, all on hand-made tortillas – and all to balance out those refreshing margaritas. This will be their first location in North Carolina. Get to know them here.

• Raleigh Magazine shared the exciting news this week that Raleigh’s getting a new hippo obsession in the form of revamped Hippo Wine Bar (123 E. Martin Street). They shared that Hippo was recently acquired by North South Hospitality (think Gussie’s). While they are currently closed for renovations, the magazine shared that ‘Hippo 2.0’ will feature updated safari-inspired interiors, great food options and a new lower-ABV spritz menu (plus beer, beer cocktails and shandies). It is always fun to see great people doing great things – this is fantastic for Downtown Raleigh! Follow along on Instagram here.

• Diced, a locally-owned, woman-owned restaurant specializing in fresh, made-to-order salads, wraps and grain bowls, announced this week that they will expand to Holly Springs in the spring of 2025. This will be the fifth location of Diced, which started in Cary in 2015. The new location will open at 321 N. Main St. Holly Springs, near Ting Park. This falls pretty quickly on the heels of their fourth location which just opened in Downtown Raleigh this past October. Visit Diced here.

• The Downtown Raleigh Alliance shared the news this week that Uno Mas has opened at 211 S. Wilmington Street in the heart of Downtown Raleigh (former Tonbo Ramen spot). Expect a healthy dose of burrito and tequila offerings! Get to know them here.

• Over in Cary, Triangle Business Journal shared that Downtown Cary has added another bar to its retail scene. The Beach House by Tiki Brewing opened November 22 at 232 E. Chatham St. serving craft beer and cocktails. While they are not actually brewing onsite, they are collaborating with Vicious Fishes Brewery according to an Instagram post. Get to know them here.

• Also in Cary, Brunches Cary opened this week at 200 Crossroads Boulevard. This is their sixth location and first in the Triangle where they offer up breakfast, mimosas, cocktails, burritos, burgers, bowls and more. Get familiar with them here.

• Up in Wake Forest, we got word that Romeo’s Pizza will celebrate its grand re-opening in early December in Wake Forest. While a specific date hasn’t been set just yet, they will be located at 3612 Rogers Branch Road and will be open seven days a week. Start to get re-acquainted with them here.

• And a huge kudos to two of the coolest guys I know in the restaurant business – Casey and Mick Vorbeck. Their Manhattan Cafe, with two locations, celebrates 10 years next week. If you have worked in Downtown Raleigh or RTP you have probably had the opportunity to have Manhattan for lunch! These guys found the niche in the lunch game and have been going strong for a decade now! They are celebrating by offering their famous paninis for $6 all week long. Check them out at either their DTR or RTP locations.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Next week knuckleheads and meatheads everywhere will head to Mebane on December 11th to welcome Tom Meyer and his team back into the BBQ game. For those that have been around a while, you’ll remember Tom as one of the original founders of The Q Shack. And now his Southern Harvest Hospitality Group (think Sprout Cafe at NC Museum of Life & Science; Legal Grounds Cafe at Duke Law School and Southern Harvest Catering) is opening a new BBQ joint in Mebane called Knucklehead BBQ at 401 East Center Street. And trust me, it’s stupid good and well worth the drive (great time to hit the outlet mall and grab a little Q)! It will feature a number of smoked BBQ meats (brisket, pork shoulder, turkey, chicken and brisket sausage) along with a range of delicious sides like hoppin’ john, succotash, collard greens and intensely delicious mac and cheese. They are committing 5% of their sales towards supporting local and state wide charities, with the first 120 days of charitable proceeds going to fund relief and rebuilding efforts in Western NC. Start getting familiar with them on Instagram here.

• Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Drift Coffee & Kitchen will be opening their third Triangle-area store (ninth total) in 2025 in Horseshoe at Hub in Research Triangle Park (3151 Elion Drive). They will join restaurants Cheeni and Prime STQ. This location will serve coffee beverages and breakfast and lunch dishes. Unlike Drift’s table service at its Raleigh and Chapel Hill locations, customers will order beverages and food at the counter.  Visit Drift here.

• One of our very own needs our help. Chef Vimala Rajendran, who has a heart bigger than life, and her Curryblossom Cafe, an award-winning gem in Chapel Hill, are struggling to make rent. She is reaching out to the community that she has helped time and time again for an assist. While donations would be phenomenal, going to eat at the restaurant or buying gift cards would also help tremendously. Visit Curryblossom here.

• We first told you about this back in August, but Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies group founder Carrie Brogren just updated us that Xolo Tacos + Tlayudas in Chapel Hill’s Southern Village is now in soft open mode (please be patient and expect slower than normal service). The concept is Mexican with a Oaxacan touch, according to their Instagram page. Might be best to visit their Instagram page here.

Closings

• This week Radius Pizzeria & Pub, located at 112 North Churton Street in downtown Hillsborough, announced their closure after over 11 years. Their last day of operation will be December 29th. So there is still time to get by for one last pie! Visit them here.

• Over in Chapel Hill, Carrie Brogren was the first to share with me that after operating for more than a year on West Franklin Street, Ay Por Dios! Mexican Bistro has closed. Chapelboro did report that a new restaurant concept could soon use the building.

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

• Tickets went on sale Wednesday for An Evening To Ignite, the annual fundraiser by the teams at The Merrimon-Wynne House, Band Together and La Fête Planning & Design. The nonprofit beneficiary of this year’s event will be Ripe for Revival, which operates a fleet of pay-what-you-can mobile markets in central and eastern North Carolina. They will use the proceeds to expand the mobile markets’ presence in Raleigh. This year’s An Evening To Ignite will be March 14, 2025 in downtown Raleigh. Get tickets here and get information on Ripe for Revival here.

• The tenth-annual WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards are back! Vote for your top 5 local favorites in over 100 categories (including Food & Drink) now through December 11th. Winners will be announced in January, 2025. Vote now!

• Little Rey, which is opening on December 9th, will hold one more “sneak peek” event for you to start getting familiar with their concept. Fry and his team will host a pre-opening party open to the public on Saturday, December 7, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the new Little Rey location. A selection of the restaurant’s beloved bites will be free for all attendees, plus drinks will be available to purchase. Visit Little Rey here.

• On December 16th Zweli’s in Durham is hosting a Vegan Community Dinner Buffet beginning at 6 p.m. at Zweli’s Brightleaf District (905 W. Main Street). Enjoy a delicious array of plant-based dishes, great company and holiday cheer. Ticket are $44 (adult) and $20 (kids under 10). Get your tickets and all the details here.

• This is kind of cool…a traveling Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy cocktail event that will be in Pittsboro next January 23 and 24. It is a chilling cocktail experience that brings four of his stories off the page and onto the stage as told through the Poe historians while you sip on delicious themed cocktails that are paired with each story. Tickets are $45 and will take place at The Plant (220 Lorax Lane). Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Give 2X the meals this holiday season to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina! Your gift today can be double matched to provide food and hope in our community this holiday season. Every $10 you give now can be doubled to help provide 100 meals to families in central and eastern North Carolina. Give here now.