Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.
Featured Restaurant News
- I love food truck to brick & mortar stories. The latest in this growing trend is Porchetta, a food truck with a “pork-centric” menu, who is opening a new “counter” at The Fork in the Road in the Streets at Southpoint shopping center in Durham. Congrats to owners Nicholas Crosson and Matthew Hayden on their newest venture. Look for them to open in May. Check out Porchetta here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- We’ve been following this since July, 2014, but just saw on their Facebook page that Kamado Grille (going into the former Lucky 32 location in North Raleigh) is shooting for an April 27th open. Check out their website here.
- The Triangle Business Journal reported that Soprano’s Grill, an independent Italian restaurant named after the classic HBO series “The Sopranos,” is coming to 1030 N. Rogers Lane in the Edgewater Place shopping center off New Bern Ave./Business 64 on Raleigh’s east side. They should be open in about two weeks. Keep up with them on their Facebook page here.
- Triangle Business Journal has confirmed that Hillsborough Street is getting a new coffee, wine and beer shop called Liquid State, located at 1908 Hillsborough St. in the former Locopops shop. Look for them to open in late spring, early summer. Keep up with their progress on their Facebook page here.
- Also in downtown Raleigh, New Raleigh confirmed that Lucettegrace will begin offering brunch this Sunday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Check them out here.
- First Watch Cafe announced on their Facebook page yesterday that they are now open in North Raleigh. They are located in Plantation Square shopping center near the intersection of Capital Boulevard and Old Wake Forest Road, next to Triangle Town Center. This is the 2nd (of an expected 5) location in the Triangle. Check out their Facebook page here.
- The not so old Quail Creamery on Falls of Neuse and Millbrook is about to reopen as Rocket Fizz, a soda pop and candy shop. This will be the Triangle’s second location (the other location is in Cary). Thanks to Jay McGee for the tip on this. Check them out here.
- Over in Cary, the Triangle Business Journal reported that Red Hot & Blue, a Memphis-style barbecue restaurant, is targeting an April 20 opening date for its “return” to Waverly Place in Cary (same location as before). Check them out here.
- The News & Observer reported that Ashley Christensen’s latest restaurant venture, the soon-to-open Death & Taxes, has started a series of pop-up dinners to be held on Thursdays and Fridays through May 2. The Firestarters events will feature five chefs from around the South. Get tickets and a full list of the “guest” chefs here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News
- It is time for baseball and hot dogs…or maybe donuts! Rise Biscuits & Donuts, which features both sweet and savory breakfast and lunch options, will have a place at Durham Bulls games with a new Donut Kiosk located on the DBAP’s main concourse.
- John Huisman, aka Triangle Explorer, reminded me (note, he didn’t invite me!) that The Parlour over in Durham had reopened (he went, he had pictures and everything). They had been closed as they expanded their ice cream shop at 117 Market Street in downtown Durham. Check out the changes here.
- Got word that Primal Food & Spirits over on Highway 54 in Durham is now serving lunch during the week! Get all the details here.
- Reader Jen Kelley pointed out that I had overlooked an opening in Carrboro Plaza. Somehow the opening of Sushi Nikko missed my radar screen. Will have to work it into the rotation. I can’t find a website on it, but you can check them out on Yelp here.
- And a congratulations to Durham’s very own Counter Culture Coffee, which just turned 20! They will hold a 20th anniversary celebration with music, activities for kids, food, and of course, lots of coffee on April 18th from 3 to 7 p.m. in Durham’s Central Park. It is free to the public. Get all the details here.
Closings
- Got a note from Rebecca Calhoun (and confirmed by John Huisman) that Butcher Block American Grill on Durant Road in North Raleigh has closed.
Food Trucks
- New Raleigh was the first to report that LocoPops has a truck – LocoBus – that is traversing the Triangle handing out their gourmet frozen pops. Check out their Facebook page here.
- Food Trucks and Flowers – sounds like a great, and fun, combination. The third annual Fairview Garden Center Flora and Food Trucks series will feature the Triangle’s most popular and delicious food trucks. These events will take place on spring Saturdays, March 28 through May 23, 11:30 am until 2:30 pm at 8224 Holly Springs Rd. in Raleigh, North Carolina. Get all the details here.
- Get the schedule for the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo Series here. But also the Early Bird VIP Wristbands are ready for those that want them. They will only be available March 25th – April 25th. The wristbands (limited number, and they WILL sell out) will get you into the trucks half hour before everyone else. Get them while they are available here.
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And not to be outdone by the bigger cities, Cary is jumping on the food truck rodeo bandwagon with their very own Chatham Street Chowdowns (they win hands down on the name!) scheduled for 2015. The first one is scheduled for April 19th. Feeling left out Chapel Hill? Get all the details and the full schedule here.
Events
- This is kinda cool. I’m sure a lot of you are planning on attending the Southern Ideal Home Show when it hits Raleigh this weekend (April 10-12). In a new tasty twist, each day breweries and wineries from around the area will partner with local restaurants and create unique food pairings for show guests to try in this Sip and Savor feature. Check them out on Facebook here.
- Barbecue, beer and bluegrass return to Raleigh’s warehouse district at The Pit Authentic Barbecue’s 7th annual ‘Cuegrass Festival Saturday, April 18 from noon to 6 p.m. Proceeds to benefit the Junior League of Raleigh’s BackPack Buddies program. This is really a fun event and tickets are only $5. Get all the details here.
- Taste The Event 2015 is coming up, but it is really more a series of events, with the Grand Taste Experience being held on Thursday, April 23rd at the Armory in downtown Durham, where you’ll experience over 20 dishes created by the area’s top chefs. There are other events surrounding this event. Get all the details here.
- Snap Pea Underground, a pop-up dinner concept at various locations (kept secret until 36 hours prior to the event) announced their next dinners as being held on April 24 and 25. This one will be held somewhere west of Carrboro and the Saturday night dinner has already sold out. Get tickets and all the details here.
- And go ahead and mark your calendar for Saturday, April 25th to be in downtown Raleigh (City Plaza to be exact) for Brewgaloo – a festival celebrating craft beer…and they’ll have 50+ food trucks there. Get all the details here.
Food Bank Corner
- Did you know that the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina plans to distribute between 50 and 52 million pounds of food this year? That’s more than 140,000 meals a day! They expect their fleet of 19 trucks to travel over 500,000 miles to serve their 800 partner agencies and maximize their food donor partnerships. To do that, they are aiming to raise over $8 million in revenue and work with over 15,000 volunteers to keep the Food Bank running and expand service where possible. Want to see a list of upcoming “foodie” events that you can attend AND help the Food Bank? Check it out here.
