Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.
Featured Restaurant News
- Congrats to Chef Dean Thompson of Flights at the Renaissance Hotel on Main at North Hills in Raleigh who became the first two-time regional champion last week overcoming the battle of spiced honey liqueur and grits. Thompson beat out Chef Steve Zanini of Jimmy V’s Steak House & Tavern in Cary in the final Triangle dinner competition after rising to the top of the 16-chef regional tournament that started back in June. The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series heads back to Raleigh for the Final Fire in November. Additional information and ticket reservations are available here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- John Huisman, aka Triangle Explorer, tipped me off to the fact that Wake Forest is getting a new eatery in September called Leli’s Diner at 3325 Rogers Road. Not much on their website yet, but they are throwing some delicious looking pictures up on their Twitter feed.
- Also in Wake Forest, WRAL reported that Rosati’s Pizza has opened off of South Main Street. This marks the second Triangle-area location (Morrisville is the other) for the Chicago-based franchise that serves up pizza, pasta and sandwiches. Check them out here.
- A big congratulations to the folks over at Sassool (formerly Neomonde) in North Raleigh as they hold their official grand re-opening tomorrow (August 9) beginning with a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. Get a list of all the events going on tomorrow here.
- Got word this week from a tweet from Joseph Wells that Jet’s Pizza, a deep-dish pizza chain out of Michigan, has opened another store at 3004 Wake Forest Road in North Raleigh. This marks the 4th Triangle location. Check them out here.
- We have an update to a new restaurant we told you about earlier this year in downtown Raleigh. When we first reported it, they were looking at a summer-time opening, but got an update this week (via their Facebook page) that Chef Gregory Hamm, who owns Café 121 in Sanford and Cary, will be opening P.G.Werth’s at 927 West Morgan Street in downtown Raleigh in late October. Check their Facebook page here.
- And one last update via a Facebook feed. We learned that the Cary location of World of Beer is shooting for an August opening – as in, this month! Keep up with them here.
- And David McCreary (author of Lunch Boy Says) reminded me last week that the Firehouse Subs on Main Street in Fuquay Varina has opened. Thanks David!
Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News
- The News & Observer reported this week that Durham chef Scott Howell (owner of Nana’s and Nanataco) will be expanding his restaurant group with the opening of Nanasteak at American Tobacco Campus, tentatively scheduled to open next spring.
- And if that is not enough to keep Scott busy, he also has another new restaurant and cocktail bar called Bar Virgile, which will be at the corner of Main and Mangum streets in downtown Durham. There is also talk of Scott adding a custom shipping container (like those from BMarko) to extend the bar, so watch this space. The focus is cocktails but there will be a small kitchen that will serve housemade frankfurters, sausages, pates, terrines, some imported meats and local and imported cheeses. Howell hopes to open Bar Virgile later this year. Not much is there, but here is their Facebook page if you want to “like” them.
- The Chapel Hill Magazine reported this week that a new restaurant is opening soon in the Chatham Downs Shopping Center (Harris Teeter) on 15-501 just across the county line in Chatham County. Called Figs & Honey, it is owned by the husband and wife team of Heba Salama and Ed Brantley. I’m looking forward to this one. Check them out here.
- I got a tweet this week that the Colorado Burrito Company has opened in the Shops at Daniel Boone Village in Hillsborough. I was unable to find a website or Facebook page for the new eatery.
- Caught wind this week that Bella’s over in Durham has moved to Carrboro in the old Ba Da Wings location at 360 W. Main Street. Started three years ago in Durham, they now call Carrboro home and are called Bella’s International Cuisine. You can check them out here.
Closings
- None to report. Keep eating local, folks!
Food Trucks
- The next Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo is this Sunday, August 10 from 4pm-9pm. Think 50 food trucks spread out over a 1/2 mile of downtown with all your local favorites as well as trucks from as far away as Wilmington and Charlotte. Get all the details here.
- The next food truck rodeo in Durham’s Central Park is scheduled for noon-4 p.m. on August 31. Bring a blanket and a lawn chair and gather at the farmers’ market pavilion at Durham Central Park. Get all the details here.
- And if you like to run and you like food trucks (or if you run because you love food trucks) you won’t want to miss the 2nd Annual Bull City Race Fest and Food Truck Rodeo scheduled for Sunday, October 19th. Register for the race and get all the details here.
Events
- The word is out! Mark your calendars for one of the Triangle’s annual “can’t miss” foodie events – Terra Vita 2014. It will be held October 9 – 11 and tickets go on sale this Sunday, July 20! Lots of great folks involved this year. Follow @terravitafoodie twitter and Instagram for more updates. The website is here.
- This Saturday is the second Saturday of the month (August 9), so that means another edition of Second Saturday Raleigh, an open celebration of food and community along the Raleigh Food Corridor in downtown Raleigh. Get all the details here.
- Downtown Raleigh is getting cheesy – at least on Wednesday, August 13 when thousands will gather for a day celebrating locally made, artisan cheeses during the third annual Cheese Please! event at City Plaza from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event is hosted by the Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market and will give cheese lovers a chance to sample cheese from cheese-makers located within 80 miles from downtown Raleigh. In addition to a cheese tasting, you’ll have the chance to see downtown Raleigh chefs battle in a grilled cheese cook-off. Get all the details here.
- Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week starts Aug. 18 with more than 35 downtown restaurants participating during the event that ends Aug. 24. The venues will offer different packages, including a three-course prix fixe dinner and, at some places, beer or wine pairings. Reservations are recommended. For more information about the participating restaurants and available food packages, click here.
- The Angus Barn is again holding their very popular Seafood Celebration Dinner at Bay 7 at the American Tobacco Campus on Saturday, August 23rd. The cost is $125 plus tax and includes a wine pairing and tip. More details and ticket ordering can be found here.
- Derrick Minor turned me onto an event in September that you’ll want to get on your calendar. Mark your calendars now for September 27 for Beericana. What is Beericana? 50 breweries + 10 food trucks + 4 Americana bands + Awesome People = Beericana! The event will be held at Sugg Farm Park in Holly Springs. More details to follow. Keep up with details here.
- And hold the date for an annual event held by The Ronald McDonald House over in Chapel Hill that features over two dozen of the triangle’s finest restaurants – A Tastefull Affair will be held on Sunday, October 26th in The Blue Zone at UNC’s Kenan Stadium. Get all the details here.
Food Bank Corner
-
The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is proud to announce that they will hold their 3rd Annual FoodBank24 New Media Telethon on September 26-27, 2014. The 24-hour event begins at noon on September 26th and continues for 24 straight hours of entertaining and enlightening activities as part of Hunger Action Month. Put it on your calendar and get all the details here. There are lots of ways to participate.
