Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.
Featured Restaurant News
- Triangle Restaurant Week is upon us (June 8-14) so gear up for trying out some new places next week. During Triangle Restaurant Week participating restaurants offer special three-course menu options and fixed pricing, where meals are $15 for a 3-course lunch, and $20, $25 or $30 for a 3-course dinner. Price is for each person and does not include beverages, tax or gratuity. Get a list of participating restaurants and all the details here.
Wake County Restaurant News
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Taverna Agora Greek Kitchen & Bar has nearly completed its move from Glenwood Avenue to its new digs at 326 Hillsborough Street (between Holiday Inn and Second Empire). They are slated to open their doors next Tuesday, June 9th. It is a really cool space and I’ll have the pleasure of checking it out prior to their opening. But, put it on your calendar to visit next week! Get a sneak peak here.
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Got a tip from my friend John Huisman (aka Triangle Explorer) that he was in Lafayette Village recently and saw a banner at the former taqueria space announcing Top Dawgs Gourmet Hot Dog Company “Coming Soon.” The targeted opening date is the July 4 weekend. We will keep an eye on that.
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We told you about this last month, but the News & Observer shed a few more details on the expansion about to take place at Jason Smith’s Cantina 18 in Cameron Village. Basically they have outgrown their space so they are closing on June 14th (reopening in the fall) for a major expansion that includes the addition of a second story with an upstairs bar, covered balcony, glass elevator and private dining room that can accommodate large groups. Large windows capable of being opened on both floors will give the dining rooms an open-air feeling. In the meantime, visit one of Jason’s other restaurants.
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Got word this week that Burger 21, a fast casual franchise, just announced its first Triangle location (second location in North Carolina) will be opening in Cary on Monday, June 8 at 14220 Bradford Green Square in the Bradford Shopping Center. The other location is in Charlotte. Check them out here.
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New Raleigh was the first to report that downtown Raleigh is getting a taco bike (and hopefully a fleet of bikes) later this month called El Taco Cartel. After inspections in July, they hope to be rolling around the streets sometime this summer. Not much to see yet, but here is their website.
Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News
- It was announced this week that Joe Van Gogh Coffee will open its third Durham coffee house (the 4th is in Chapel Hill) in the Woodcroft Shopping Center at 4711 Hope Valley Road this fall. You can check out Joe Van Gogh here.
- I saw on a Yelp discussion board that a new restaurant called Epa Chamo, featuring Venezuelan areapas and cuisine, has opened on Ninth Street in the space that used to house Mitch’s. Couldn’t locate a web site for them.
- Saw in Triangle Business Journal that the owners of the Siena Hotel and its four-diamond rated Il Palio restaurant in Chapel Hill will be shutting down the dining room for two months this summer for what will be the first major renovation of the Italian-style restaurant in 23 years. They plan to close on June 15 and reopen on August 15th after close to $700,000 in renovations.
- Also in Chapel Hill, The Daily Tar Heel reported that Crepe Culture, a cafe serving a variety of crepes and coffee drinks, is set to open the first weekend in July and will replace Gigi’s Cupcakes, which closed its doors in November 2014 in the 140 West complex. Check them out here.
- Saw on WRAL last week that Greek Gussy’s food truck has officially opened its new restaurant Gussy’s Place at 2945 S. Miami Blvd. in Durham. Check them out here.
- The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that A Beaver Bog’s Ice Cream, a new pop-up ice cream shop, is open in Durham’s Northgate Mall. Their grand opening is tomorrow (June 6) and they be open through August 31. You can visit them on Facebook here.
Closings
- None to report this week! Keep eating local, folks!
Food Trucks
- A couple of upcoming food truck events to highlight. The next Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo is coming up on Sunday, June 14th from 1-6 p.m. Get all the details here.
- The next Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is the extremely popular (aren’t they all popular?) Father’s Day edition on Sunday, June 21 from 12-4 p.m. Get all the details here.
- For a listing of ALL food truck events, head over to Art’s page, The Wandering Sheppard on all things food truck related here.
Events
- Please note that today, June 5, is National Doughnut Day. Look for all the regulars to offer free doughnuts today.
- If you love Greek food, this is your weekend. This Saturday and Sunday take part in the Greek Festival – experience the flavors, sounds, and traditions of Greece. Guests can enjoy delicious Greek food and pastries, a Greek tavern and cafe, traditional music, folk dance performances, shopping, video travelogues of Greece, church tours and children’s ‘ activities. New this year is a tasting tent where adults can sample Greek wines.11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. There is no cost to attend the event. It takes place at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church at 8306 N.C. 751 in Durham. Get all the details here (scroll down).
- The nominations are in for the WRAL Out & About Voters’ Choice Awards, and now it’s time to vote for your favorite food trucks, breweries, restaurants and more! They have narrowed the field to five in each category for the inaugural awards (but you can write in your choice if it is not included). Now, it’s up to you to help pick who wins!
- On June 14th at 5:30 p.m. Chef Brian Fitzgerald will host Academy Street Bistro Wine Dinner featuring four courses of Chef Brian’s culinary creations each paired with an elegant French wine. The cost is $65. You can get the full menu and all the details on this pdf. You can make reservations by calling 919-377-0509.
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June 20th is the date for the 3rd annual Fresh Catch Festival that will be held in downtown Raleigh’s Moore Square from 1-9pm. Enjoy fresh cooked seafood, BBQ and more from local chefs and restaurants from 1-6 in the park and food trucks from 5-9 in the street. Tickets are $8 in advance, and $10 at the door (food and drinks are separate). Get all the details here.
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Also on June 20th, Village Lanes, one of the oldest bowling alleys in Durham, is holding their Spring Fling featuring live music, cold beer, an art fair/craft market, and a diverse lineup of food trucks. The event runs from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Get all the details on Facebook here.
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Clear your schedule for June 25-28, 2015 for the inaugural Raleigh Food and Wine Festival – taking place Thursday through Sunday at multiple restaurants throughout downtown Raleigh. On Sunday, the four-day program wraps up with food and beverage tasting event at the historical Melrose Knitting Mill and Babylon restaurant in Downtown Raleigh from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Get all the details at the event’s website here.
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June 26th and 27th are the dates for the next Snap Pea Underground’s dinners, this time in downtown Durham. At last check, only 4 tickets remained for Friday night. If you want more information, or want to get on their mailing list, go here.
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The dates are set (October 8-10) for one of my favorite food events of the year – the TerraVita Food & Drink Festival held in Chapel Hill every year. It simply can’t be missed. Tickets are set to go on sale soon! Take a look at all the initial details here.
Food Bank Corner
Part of a letter from Peter Werbicki, President & CEO of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina:
In just a few short weeks, school will be ending. Most kids will be headed to camp or going on family vacations. Unfortunately, over 300,000 children will not be focused on activities of fun and relaxation. These kids will be focused on one thing: an empty stomach.
When schools close for summer break, cafeterias close. Children who have relied on free and reduced-cost breakfast and lunch go without these meals during the summer. The loss of this vital resource puts an additional strain on family food budgets that are already tight.
But together, we can help.
The Food Bank’s Stop Summer Hunger Campaign aims to provide meals and groceries to children and their families over the summer months. Through July 31, we are committed to providing 3.2 million meals. Click the link above to see how you can help!
