Friday Fun Food Facts – June 7, 2024

Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.

Featured Restaurant News

• Raleigh Magazine shared the news that Drift Coffee & Kitchen officially opened to the public this past Wednesday in Ridgewood Shopping Center (former Bruegger’s spot) in Raleigh. This is their first location here in the Triangle. They have four locations in Wilmington, a location in Wrightsville Beach, a location in Ocean Isle, and will soon open a location in Chapel Hill (just down from Whole Foods on Elliott Road). The magazine noted that the new full-service coffee shop and cafe delivers coastal vibes and breakfast, lunch and brunch menus of all your faves—from the beloved breakfast burrito and Biscoff stack to sweet and savory bowls. And keep an eye out for cocktails coming soon! Visit Drift here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• European inspired coffee house Press Coffee, Cocktails & Crepes opened this past Tuesday in the 400H mixed-use tower in downtown Raleigh (400 Hillsborough Street at the corner with West Street). With a focus on local ingredients, Press serves coffees, crepes, salads, sandwiches and craft cocktails. Press is open Monday – Friday from 7 am – 6 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am – 3 pm. They also have locations in Graham and Durham. Already hearing rumblings of a second Raleigh location. Stay tuned. Get to know them here.

• Located at 1000 Brookside Drive in the Shoppes at Brookside, Brookside Bodega has closed (May 26th) and in very short order Otomi Comida y Cocteles has already opened in that space serving up  tacos, cocktails and other Mexican fare. Get all the details and a peek at their menu here.

• Also in downtown Raleigh, we are getting very, very close to the opening of an Italian small plate concept called Flour & Barrel Kitchen & Bar at 400 North West Street, in the former Little City Brewing & Provisions spot. The opening will officially mark the return of executive chef Katsuji Tanabe to downtown. You’ll remember Tanabe came to Raleigh and opened High Horse in late 2019 in Raleigh’s City Market, and subsequently closed in the middle of covid. F&B recently held a “sneak peak” so the opening is just around the corner. Dial into their Instagram for the pending announcement.

• And just down Hillsborough Street (across from the Bell tower) in the former Gonza Tacos & Tequila spot, we spotted signage for a concept called Lobera Tacos & Tequila. I rolled down the window and inquired of one of the gentlemen working to revamp the space as to when they would open and he replied, “Two weeks!” So soon. Unfortunately, that is all we know at this point and we were not able to locate an online presence for them yet. So…stay tuned.

• This week we learned that Captain Cookie & the Milk Man, the beloved local bakery and dairy bar, known for its freshly baked cookies and creamy ice cream, will be opening in North Hills. The new shop will be located in the Lassiter District of North Hills, nestled between Sur La Table and Total Wine, and is projected to open this Fall. The North Hills shop will be their second location in Raleigh, following their opening in Transfer Co. Food Hall in 2019. The menu features edible cookie dough, milkshakes and cookie cakes in addition to its award-winning cookies, ice cream and ice cream sandwiches. Check them out here.

• And over just off Oberlin Road in the Five Points area we got word this week that Mandolin will begin offering weekday lunches starting on Tuesday, June 11th. They’ll be offering an eclectic menu based on Southern comfort food and staff favorites. The menu will feature salads, sandwiches, and a build-your-own plate “meat and three” option. They will serve lunch Tuesday through Friday. Get a peek at the lunch menu here.

• Up in North Raleigh, reader Katie Page shared with us that there is new signage up at Lafayette Village for Le Macaron, a French bakery. This will be their second Triangle-area location with the first being located on Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street. Get to know them here.

• Down in Garner, Facebook page Choose Local & Small Ya’ll brought it to our attention that the folks at Moonrunners Saloon have put up a brand new sign at 40/42 taking over the location of the old Simple Twist (21 Technology Dr, Garner). Moonrunners original location is at 1506 US Highway 70 West, also in Garner.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Big news this week over in Durham. The News & Observer’s Drew Jackson reported that Raleigh’s wildly successful Gym Tacos is expanding into Durham for the first time. They are opening their newest location in downtown Durham in the former Pompieri Pizza space on Mangum Street. They are expected to open before the end of the year. Visit Gym Tacos here.

Closings

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

• A Place At The Table (downtown Raleigh’s pay-what-you-can cafe) will hold their third annual Pay-What-You-Can Food Truck Rodeo THIS Sunday June 9th from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the parking lot across from A Place At The Table – 300 W. Hargett Street. Follow along on Instagram.

• Starting this Sunday (June 9th; 12-4 p.m.) come to downtown Durham three Sundays a year to enjoy their Food Truck Rodeo, one of the longest standing events at Durham Central Park! The rodeos feature trucks and drink vendors of all types for you to enjoy in the park or as you’re passing through. Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeos also support Durham Central Park. The other dates this year are September 8th and November 3rd. Get all the details here.

• And not to be outdone by Durham, Raleigh is bringing back their downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo thanks to the folks at Shop Local Raleigh. The rodeo on Fayetteville Street will return on June 29th from 12 noon until 6 p.m. Visit their Facebook 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

• This Saturday, June 8th, Bedford Food & Drink (in the heart of the Bedford community) will hold their one year anniversary party where they will have live music, local beer (Carolina Brewery) and lots of games for the families…oh, and great coffee and food! The fun begins at 12 noon, with music from 2 – 8 p.m. Get all the details here. Thanks to Susan Cera for bringing this to our attention!

• NC F&B Podcast hosts the 4th annual Bubbles & Brisket is Saturday, June 8 from 1 to 5 p.m at Smoky Hollow in downtown Raleigh. The event welcomes 10 “pitmaster” chefs, who span from North Carolina to New York who will showcase their spin on brisket along with unique side dishes.  There will be an array of bubbles to imbibe on, from Champagne, cava, cremant, prosecco, beer, and sodas to non-alcoholic and boozy cocktails; there is something for everyone. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Summertime Beer Fest at Clouds Brewing Tap Room is Saturday, June 8th from 3 – 7 p.m. Clouds Brewing kicks off the season with a beer fest featuring the best in NC lagers, session IPAs, fruited beers, sours, and seltzers. Over 35 hand-picked selections from breweries across the region. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Join us this Sunday, June 9th for this year’s Roots for Reece Chef’s Picnic hosted at Haven Farm in Knightdale. The event will feature sample small plates and beverages from over 25 local food and beverage establishments. 100% of proceeds are donated to the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition to aid in the fight against the growing opiate epidemic here in NC. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Tandem and Lavender Oaks Farm have teamed up for a Lavender & Winer Dinner on June 9th from 6-9 p.m. An elegant 4-course dinner with 4 wine pairings. Guests will dine inside the century old barn with pre-dinner appetizers & cocktails on the outdoor terrace overlooking lavender fields! With music from local artist Penny’s Bend. Learn more and book your $185 seat here.

• Saltbox Seafood Joint’s Ricky Moore will be celebrating Juneteenth again this year with his annual “Durmnik!” What is Durmnik? Well, first of all, it is a clever combination of Durham and Picnic. Get it? More importantly it is a “picnic in a box” which is a collaboration of Ricky and some of his friends in the food industry in the area! The Durmnik Box includes: Adrian’s “A Mockery” – Hibiscus, Cherry & Sage Mocktail, Missy Lane’s Assembly Room; Toriano’s Smoked Turkey Collards, Boricua Soul; Ricky’s “Berbere” Spiced Charcoal Chicken, SALTBOX Seafood Joint; Ada’s Jollof Rice, Eke Foods; Ricky’s Trini Style “Soused” NC Shrimp, Cucumber, Corn & Pimentos, SALTBOX Seafood Joint; Mini Dosirak, Korean Lunch Box with Gimbap and Two Kimchi Varieties, Namu; Juan’s Summer Succotash Salad, Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen; Sera’s Sweet and sour watermelon salad, The Root Cellar Café & Catering; and Rhonda’s Brown Sugar Vanilla Rum Cake with lightly sweetened strawberries, Chez Moi Bakery. Reserve your boxes by June 12th for pick up on June 19th. Order and get all the details here.

• Sister Cities of Durham is hosting the 3rd annual Two Durhams Beer Festival on June 14th at Durham Central Park from 5-9 pm. Four breweries – Bull City Burger and Brewery, Fullsteam Brewery, Glass Jug Brewery, and Ponysaurus Brewery – have partnered and exchanged recipes with four breweries in Durham, UK. The four participating breweries will be at the festival selling these British brews for folks to try. There will also be live music provided by String Break band and five food trucks offering a variety of delicious fare. Get all the details on Instagram here.

• This is pretty cool. Catering Works and chef Rich Carter will hold an exclusive Chef’s Table dinner (two dates: June 21st and July 26th) where culinary artistry meets cultural heritage at the North Carolina Museum of Art. In celebration of the exhibition To Take Shape and Meaning: Form and Design in Contemporary American Indian Art, this dining experience features sustainable practices inspired by Indigenous traditions. Start with a cocktail hour and gallery tour with exhibition guest curator Nancy Strickland Fields (Lumbee), director/curator of the Museum of the Southeast American Indian at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Then in East Café, enjoy a thoughtfully crafted menu that includes elk chili, bison short ribs, and a fresh corn salad highlighting the Three Sisters—corn, beans, and squash. This is an opportunity to savor flavors deeply rooted in Native American history, all while supporting sustainable cuisine. Get details and tickets here.

• Tickets are on sale now for the 9th Annual Dinner in the Meadow which will take place on September 15, 2024 on a grassy knoll atMeadow Lane Farm, in bucolic Franklin County, offering beautiful pastoral views and clear, starry skies. Some of the region’s most sought-after chefs will be preparing delicious dishes using ingredients from local farms and food artisans. It is an annual fundraiser for the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2014 to support and cultivate small farms in our region of North Carolina. Get tickets and all the details here.

• USA Today Food & Wine Experience is coming back again to Raleigh on Saturday October 26th at the Big Field at Dix Park. Chef Jared Bobkin coordinates this event visiting approximately 12 U.S. cities annually. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Picture this scenario: you have enough money to purchase food for the week, but not enough to cover your utility bills or transportation costs to work. Many of our neighbors in our own communities who face food insecurity struggle silently and have to make the difficult choice to go without meals to make ends meet. Every day at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, they hear stories from grateful children, families, and seniors about the impacts of having access to nutritious food and especially fresh produce. Your generous gift, no matter the size, has the power to nourish countless lives, ignite hope, and pave the way for a brighter future. Give today if you can.