Featured Restaurant News
- This week we learned more about the “next chapter” for downtown Durham’s Fullsteam Brewery. A pioneer in Durham’s craft beer scene, Fullsteam’s new taproom will be at the American Tobacco Campus, occupying approximately 9,000 square feet on the first floor of the historic Boiler Room (located between ATC’s iconic water tower and smokestack). The spot will boast a welcoming entrance, with a restaurant on one side and a casual bar on the other, creating both indoor and outdoor spaces. They will also introduce a new food concept, with more details to be announced soon. Fullsteam will wind down operations at its current Rigsbee Avenue location on October 31. The new taproom is expected to take about a year to build out. They will continue brewing beer and serving customers at its Boxyard RTP location and production will shift to Fortnight Brewing Company in Cary, enabling Fullsteam to scale its operations and meet growing demand. Keep up with all they have going on here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- RalToday shared the news this week that Willow House Coffee, previously a mobile coffee shop, will open a permanent location at the intersection of Lake Wheeler Road and S. Saunders. No word on a timeline. Might be best to keep up with their progress on their Instagram page here.
- Also in downtown Raleigh, Triangle NC Foodies on Facebook shared that El Toro Loco Taqueria has completed the successful transition from food truck to brick-and-mortar with their location across from Moore Square at 314 South Blount Street. They noted that it was started by the Barcenas brothers using generational family recipes. You’ll find flavorful Mexican street food like tacos, tortas, sopes, gorditas, burritos and more! Check them out here.
- Local wings joint Heavenly Buffaloes opened this past Tuesday in Raleigh in the former Hungry Howies spot at Haverty Square (6701 Glenwood Avenue). This is the restaurant’s fourth location in the Triangle (two in Durham and one in Chapel Hill). Get to know them here.
- Up in North Raleigh, reader Paul Prause brought it to our attention that the former Thai House on Hardimont Road off Wake Forest Road has a new sign up – Thai Twist Noodle House. Not many other details a this point. We’ll have to ask Prause to keep an eye on it for us! 🙂
- In downtown Raleigh, Good Day Good Night, located in The Casso Raleigh hotel at 603 W. Morgan Street, announced the appointment of Andres Felipe Cortes as the new Executive Chef. Cortes has 15 years of experience in prestigious hotels and restaurants, including Gonza Tacos y Tequila and Sassool Café. Check them out here.
- Really sad to share this, but you will want to make plans to get by one last time. Seaboard Cafe, which opened in the back of Logan’s Trading Company at Seaboard Station in 1991, will officially close on September 28th. Word has it that owner Rick Perales is working on a commemorative t-shirt that you can purchase as a keepsake. They are open 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Monday thru Saturday (closed on Sunday). Visit them here. (Pro tip: they will be extremely busy for the final month, so get by early)
- Down in Garner, Facebook page Garner Biz posted that White Oak Shopping Center (intersection of Interstate 40 and Highway 70) is getting a Nothing Bundt Cakes. They are shooting for an October opening. Get familiar with them here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- The News & Observer reported this week that meal delivery company, Redstart Foods opened a restaurant called Redstart Takeaway this past Monday next to their delivery operation (2025 N. Roxboro St.). The new restaurant and retail shop is open in the mornings for pastries, egg sandwiches and coffee, serve salads, bowls and sandwiches at lunch and run dinner services Friday and Saturday night, according to the N&O. Visit Redstart here.
- Oscar Diaz is at it again in Durham! Durham Downtown Community on Facebook shared that Tataco will be a taqueria on the ground floor of the GeerHouse apartments at 620 Foster Street. Diaz also owns the popular Little Bull in the Old Five Points neighborhood of Durham. No word on a timeline. Not much up on their Instagram page just yet.
- Over in Chapel Hill, the long awaited Chick-fil-A at University Place (241 South Estes Drive) opened this week in the footprint of the former K&W Cafeteria, complete with drive-thru service. This opening at University Place marks the first time the franchise has had a location on that side of town since the former location inside of University Mall closed in November, 2021. Visit them here.
- Also in Chapel Hill, Michael DePersia of DePersia & Associates let me know that he sold (the closed) Thaiphoon Bistro on the east end of Franklin Street next to Staples to Chari Kambara who owns Bharath Cafe located in Cary (716 Slash Pine Dr.). He will do a light remodel and open this second location of Bharath Cafe as soon as possible. In the meantime, get to know them here.
Closings
- None to report. Keep eating local, folks.
Food Trucks
- The next edition of Raleigh Foodie Fare at Raleigh’s Iron Works (2221 Iron Works Drive) is this Saturday, September 7th from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The event features a food truck rodeo, 40+ local vendors, drinks, and more! Get all the details here.
- And the next Durham Food Truck Rodeo is this Sunday, September 8th from noon until 4 p.m. at Durham Central Park. This Sunday’s rodeo is a celebration of Latine Heritage. Get all the details here. The last one of the season will be on November 3rd.
- Jennifer Martin let us know that the last Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo of 2024 will take place on Saturday, September 21st from noon until 6 p.m. on Fayetteville Street in the heart of Downtown Raleigh. Whether you’re a fan of gourmet burgers, delicious tacos, or decadent desserts, this food truck rodeo promises to have something for everyone! Visit their Facebook event 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
- Lakeside Kitchen will have a Kentucky Bourbon Dinner on Thursday, September 12th at 6:30 p.m. featuring Bardstown Origin Series KSBW, Woodford Reserve Wheat, Willett Family Estate Rye, Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey and Willett Pot Still Reserve. They are located in the Park Alumni Center on NC State’s Centennial Campus. Tickets are $125. Get all the details here.
- The 6th Annual Sola Hot Mini 5k, dedicated to ending ALS, will be held on Saturday, September 14th at 8:30 a.m. featuring a 5k (walk or run), a 1-mile fun run and a virtual runner option (that sounds about my speed!). To date, the Sola community has raised over $600,000 to go directly to this severely underfunded disease. Kudos to the Sola community that has rallied around the fight to end ALS. Sign up and get all the details here.
- The Restaurant at The Durham is launching a series of monthly Sunday Suppers starting Sept. 15 with a Southern family-style feast. The menu includes Crispy Fried Chicken with Candied Jalapeño Hot Sauce, Creamy Mac and Cheese, Gus’s Slow-Cooked Beans, Summer Elote Salad and more. The dinner costs $45 for adults and $15 for children under 12. Other upcoming events include an Italian Sunday Supper in October, Friendsgiving in November and a Holiday Feast in December. The Durham is located at 315 E. Chapel Hill St. Get all the details and tickets here.
- Every September, restaurants and bars around the world celebrate Negroni Week. The Willard Rooftop Lounge is one of 17 Triangle restaurants and bars participating from Sept. 16-22. Negroni Week raises money for Slow Food, a global movement of local communities and activists across more than 160 countries seeking to change the world through food and beverage. The Willard is located at the AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown at 9 Glenwood Ave. Get all the details here.
- Scott Crawford, a renowned chef, five-time semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation, will hold an exclusive seated, family-style dinner on October 20 at Healing Transitions called Freedom Harvest: an Evening with Scott Crawford. Healing Transitions is a nonprofit organization in Raleigh dedicated to providing long-term recovery services and overnight shelter for individuals who are homeless, underserved and uninsured. This event holds special significance as it marks Crawford’s 20th year of recovery. Attendees can look forward to experiencing Crawford’s culinary expertise while supporting a vital cause. Get 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
- Kids are heading back to school. And with that, the effects of hunger reach well beyond the classroom — influencing health, well-being and earning potential well into adulthood. The Food Bank operates programs like Weekend Power Pack, Youth Pantries and Kids Cafés. With the support you provide, the Food Bank is able to connect more kids and teens with the resources they need to succeed and thrive. Help kids get the nutritious support they need to be successful by donating today!
