Featured Restaurant News
- A brand new concept called Union Station Deli & Catering from Rocky Top Catering will open on August 15 inside the iconic Raleigh Union Station at 510 W Martin Street in downtown Raleigh. Touted as a true New York-style deli, they will be serving up breakfast bagels, deli sandwiches, and hot pressed sammies – with toppings like house-smoked pastrami, corned beef and chicken cutlets — as well as black-and-white cookies. Look for weekday service (6 a.m. until 3 p.m.) initially, with weekend service to start in January. The concept will be managed by Sean Degnan, known for his outstanding restaurant portfolio including bu•ku, so•ca and kō•än. Follow along on Instagram here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- After extensive renovations to the former Cafe Carolina and Bakery (which moved just up the street) in Raleigh’s Village District, Postino will open next Monday, July 29th. If you are not familiar with Postino, they are self-described as an industrial winecafé offering unique wines and simply scrumptious food. They have locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas and Georgia. This will be their second North Carolina location, with one already open in Charlotte. Visit the Raleigh location here. (Pro tip: As always with an opening, follow their social media for any potential delays.)
- On a recent drive down Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, I noticed signage up for Oak City Pizza & Grill at 2811 Hillsborough Street. The signage is up, but nothing much else. Will have to keep an eye on this one. Visit their (very limited for now) site here.
- And one of downtown Raleigh’s newest additions, Gussie’s Bar, Bottle & Bites, has begun lunch service on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 11 a.m. Located at 927 W. Morgan Street, this weekend would be the perfect time to stop by for lunch – and they’ve also just updated to their summer menu. Visit them here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- On August 17th, Mama Dip’s, a 48-year tradition in Chapel Hill, will shift gears and move to a new chapter in their storied history, ending their traditional service model and shifting to selling family-style take-home meals. But, they will continue serving in the restaurant as normal for the next three weeks. So plan your visit now. Visit Mama Dip’s here.
- And today (July 26th) sees the newest addition to Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street with Starbucks opening across the street (corner of Franklin and Columbia streets) underneath Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery at 100 East Franklin Street. The space triples their previous size (customer seating) and becomes a ‘flagship store’ with features you won’t find in your ‘normal’ locations. The space was previously occupied by Medici, a Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant, which closed two years ago. The former Starbucks location (103 E. Franklin Street) will give way to additional space for their next door neighbor, Raising Cane’s. If you are not familiar with Starbucks…just kidding.
- And more good news for Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street. Chapelboro reported this week that VooDoo Wing Company will open their newest location on July 31 at 147 East Franklin Street in the former Dame’s Chicken & Waffles space. This will be their first location in North Carolina. Get familiar with VooDoo here.
- Further down Franklin Street, on the west end, changes are afoot. Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Beer Study, currently located at 504 W. Franklin St., will give way to an Indian concept owned by Babaji Group Properties which operate NaanStop Indian Cuisine in Durham and Naan House Indian Bistro in Apex. While it will be an Indian concept, the name hasn’t been unveiled yet. Meanwhile, Beer Study is pondering a move back to Graham Street. Beer Study will continue to operate in its current location for a few more months (no changes at the Durham location). Look for the Indian restaurant to open at the end of September. In the meantime, visit NaanStop here, Naan House here and Beer Study here.
Closings
- A reminder that Glenwood South’s Plates Neighborhood Kitchen (301 Glenwood Ave.) will hold their last service this Sunday, July 28th. That location has been approved for two high-rise towers. They did leave the door open for a “new chapter” saying, “we just have to go away for a while and dream it all up again.” So…stay tuned!?!
- Two closings over in downtown Durham, both with last day of service on August 3rd. First up is Cuban restaurant COPA at 107 W Main Street. The other is the 321 Coffee on the ground floor of the Durham ID building at 300 Morris Street. 321 still has two locations in Raleigh (as well as two in-office cafes in Raleigh at Pendo and Relias) and just announced they will soon open a third Raleigh location on N.C. State’s Centennial Campus.
Food Trucks
- On the aforementioned stroll down Hillsborough Street, notice a new food truck called Frito’s Burgers & Tacos parked outside Bussin’ Pizza & Pasta at 3209 Hillsborough Street. They are operating out of a really nice converted school bus – you can’t miss it. And the initial reviews are giving them a grade of A+. Check them out on Facebook 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
- The Taste of Soul NC food truck event returns to Raleigh’s City Plaza (443 Fayetteville Street) this Saturday, July 27th from 12 noon until 7 p.m. The event features a wide variety of food trucks, merchants, music and kids activities. Visit their site here for all the details.
- Yo Tim Coynesmith! The Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival returns this year on August 2 and 3rd to Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. It’s two great days of beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’, and barbeque eatin’. Your admission buys you a sampling glass so you can enjoy an ALL-YOU-CARE-TO-TASTE sampling of beer and bourbon (60 beers and 40 bourbons). Yes please! Get tickets and all the details 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.
