Featured Restaurant News
- Axios Raleigh reported today that Fare & Fellow, which currently has a location in Research Triangle Park’s Park Point, is planning on two new locations. First up will be 411 W. Chapel Hill Street in Downtown Durham in the N.C. Mutual tower (expected to open in August) and a third location coming to Raleigh Iron Works, with an estimated early 2025 opening. In addition to serving coffee and pastries from Union Special, Fare & Fellow will offer sandwiches and small meals. Start getting familiar with them here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- The News & Observer reported this week that a new Duck Donuts will open this Saturday, June 22 in the Lake Boone Shopping Center. This will mark the second location in Raleigh and the fourth in the Triangle. And with all openings, there will be lots of giveaways (like free donuts for a year) and specials. Visit them online here.
- Thanks to my buddy David McCreary, we now know that Khao Sen Thai & Tea is open at 2100 Gathering Square Court at Bengal Towne Center in Fuquay-Varina. This eatery offers authentic and unique Thai cuisine and beverages. Get to know them here.
- Beginning Sunday, July 7th through August 25th Scott Crawford’s Jolie will host a Summer Brunch Series from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. every Sunday. Reservations are available on TOCK and walk-ins are always welcome. Their Champagne Window will be open during Brunch hours as well. Additionally, you are invited to join them after Brunch at Bar Sous Terre (just downstairs) for Industry Sundays! Visit Jolie here. Please note during Summer Hours, Jolie will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- And kudos to Sam Ratto and his team over at Videri Chocolate Factory for being named one of the top 10 chocolate shops in the country in the 2024 Readers’ Choice Award by USA Today’s 10Best. The Raleigh chocolate shop secured sixth place nationwide, the second consecutive year receiving this recognition. Take a peek here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- The News of Orange County reported this week that B.J. and Smita Patel, owners of Nomad in downtown Hillsborough, announced that they will take over the former Hot Tin Roof bar (which closed on April 30) and will open a yet-to-be-named family-friendly bar in its place. In the article, Patel noted that they, “want to create a place that is vibrant and where parents can enjoy a drink while their kids play in a safe area.” Look for them to open sometime this fall. In the meantime, visit Nomad here.
- The News & Observer reported this week that USA TODAY readers voted Andia’s Ice Cream among the best indie/local ice cream shops in the United States landing in 8th place. Andia’s opened in Cary in 2017 and now has three locations in the Triangle (two in Cary and one in Raleigh), with a fourth location opening this summer in Durham at The Can Opener, a food truck park. Check them out here.
- On a recent post on the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook page we learned that Bangkok 54 has successfully completed their move, staying in the same Falconbridge shopping center (near intersection of Hwy. 54 and I-40), moving into the former Amante Gourmet Pizza space. Visit them here.
- And a quick programming note thanks to reader Tim Decker – The Golden Corral in Durham will be closed temporarily which began June 17th (5006 Apex Highway 55 in Durham). No indication of how long the renovations will take.
Closings
- Raleigh Magazine shared the news that Prospects Craft Kitchen and The Devereux Lounge, a restaurant and bar pair on North West Street, have closed.
- The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that 50Cups in the Ridgewood shopping center on Wade Avenue has closed. They opened in July 2023.
Food Trucks
- The next Durham Foodie Fare is TONIGHT (June 21) from 5:30 until 9:30 at Durham Central Park. Hosted by The MAKRS Society, the event will feature a food truck rodeo, food and arts vendors, and live music. The event is held every the third Friday through November. Get all the details here.
- 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.
- Carrie Brogren (Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook Page founder) shared the news that there is a new food truck in the area serving up brownies and espresso called Munchilove! Someone has obviously been reading my diary! And these aren’t your grandmother’s brownies – they have a fresh new shape (round), with a center pocket to fill with your favorite sweet toppings, and every piece is an edge. They are a woman-owned company and based out of Durham (although they service the entire Triangle being mobile). And it looks like from a recent Instagram post that they will soon have a brick-and-mortar location! Visit them 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
- On June 26th from 6-10 p.m., Durham’s Kingfisher will host a Bar Takeover with author and 2024 James Beard Award winner Danny Childs. Childs is the author of Slow Drinks: A Field Guide to Foraging and Fermenting Seasonal Sodas, Botanical Cocktails, Homemade Wines, and More! He is a trained ethnobotanist whose approach to beverages utilizes ingredients foraged from the wild, picked from the garden, and sourced from local farms. In addition to Childs’ “backyard mixology,” a short Kingfisher cocktail menu will be available as well. Signed copies of Slow Drinks will be available to purchase on site. Get all the details here.
- The News & Observer’s Drew Jackson shared the news that Chapel Hill’s Bombolo restaurant has started a weekend pop-up sandwich concept called The Plump Rabbit. Their first sandwich pop-up was two weekends ago and continues this weekend. Both days this weekend will be at Bombolo (764 MLK Jr. Blvd. in Chapel Hill). Head to their website here and click on The Plump Rabbit to pre-order your sandwiches. Pro tip: Don’t forget to order ice cream to finish it off!
- Join the Carolina Ale House as they celebrate 25 years of being in business at their 25th Anniversary Party. The parties will take place on Saturday, July 20th at all locations, including drink specials, giveaways, live entertainment, and activations. They now boast 24 locations throughout North Carolina (7 here in the Triangle) and spanning into South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. To find a location near you as well as additional details, visit them here.
- Back by popular demand! Join the team at Mandolin in Raleigh as they celebrate everyone’s favorite summer ingredient — tomatoes! Mandolin has created an exquisite, 5-course tomato menu, with each course capturing the beauty and variety of tomato season here in North Carolina. The dinners will be held on July 21, 22 and 23. They’ll be featuring 8-10 different varieties from Mandolin Farm and other local growers. The 5-course menu is $95 per person. Wine, Beer & Tomato Cocktails will be available, too! This event will sell out quickly so snap up yours! Visit them here to book your tickets!
- This is pretty cool. Catering Works and chef Rich Carter will hold a second exclusive Chef’s Table dinner on 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.
