Featured Restaurant News
- Today….today is the day! Lawrence Barbecue swings open the doors of their new location in the heart of downtown Cary at 150 E. Cedar Street. The renovated space features a full kitchen and bar, dedicated oyster-preparation area, outdoor patio and indoor dining room — it’s quite the transition from the old shipping container at Boxyard RTP. In addition to the raw bar, the space also features a Texas-built smoker that can cook up to 66 briskets at a time. In addition, cheesy, beefy birria tacos will be available every day, a nod to another of Wood’s Boxyard concepts, Leroy’s Taco Shop. Regular hours will be 11 a.m. until close Wednesday-Sunday. Congrats to Jake and Brandi Wood on their continued growth and success! Visit them here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- The team behind the famed C. Grace, SideBar, and Hank’s is bringing their signature style, hospitality, and cocktail craftsmanship back home to Raleigh with the opening of Mr. Henry, a new cocktail lounge in the Village District, slated to open Thursday, September 25th. Located at 413 Woodburn Rd. in the former WhichWich space, they will initially operate five days a week, expanding to seven, with hours from late afternoon to late evening. Guests can expect a refined yet welcoming cocktail experience. Check them out on Instagram here.
- Raleigh Downtown shared some big news this week involving new concepts replacing existing concepts. First up, they shared that Mama Crow’s in Transfer Co. Food Hall will serve up their last burgers and salads on Sunday, September 28th. They will be quickly replaced by Urban Olive, a new Mediterranean restaurant. They pointed out that Crow’s was one of the original stalls when the food hall first opened in late 2018. Look for Urban Olive to open mid-November.
- Next up, Raleigh Downtown noted that signs are up for Saigon Kitchen, a new Vietnamese restaurant, moving into the former Mofu Shoppe space at City Market in downtown Raleigh, which closed at the end of August. Mofu Shoppe opened in 2017.
- We first told you about this back in August, but saw on Instagram that Gym Tacos is in soft-open mode at their newest location in the Quail Corners Shopping Center (corner of Falls of the Neuse and Millbrook) in the former Burrito Shak space. This marks their third brick-and-mortar location (one in Raleigh and one in Durham) joining a couple of food truck locations. Keep up on Instagram here.
- Noticed on a recent drive down Hillsborough Street, across from Meredith College and next to Lucky Tree coffee house, that Purple Spoon Acai, serving up fresh, fruity organic acai imported from Brazil, had their grand opening. They are located at 3801 Hillsborough Street. Get to know them here.
- This is fun, especially for all those that grew up on New York City bagels. Raleigh Magazine shared that a new bagel pop-up is launching September 26 at V Pizza in Cary. The bagels are kettle-boiled in New York City and then wood-fire baked here. The pop-up breakfast and brunch experience, complete with drip coffee, breakfast sandwiches and New York-style desserts, will take place every Saturday and Sunday at the Raleigh and Cary locations of V Pizza. Additionally, they’ll be available every morning at Veloce Italian Market when it opens this fall in downtown Raleigh. Visit V Pizza here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- Saw a post on Instagram that NYC Halal Eats has opened a location in Durham at 1013 W. Main St. near Duke University. Look for burgers, gyros, salads, milkshakes and more. It’s the first North Carolina location for the restaurant which also has location in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. Get to know them here.
Closings
- As noted above, Transfer Co. Food Hall’s Mama Crow’s will serve up their last meals on September 28th.
- Saw on Instagram that Plum in Durham will be closing after a 5-year run. Their last day of service is also September 28th.
Food Trucks
- The final Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo of 2025 will be on Sunday, November 2. It will run from 12 noon until 4 p.m. featuring over 50+ food trucks with cuisine from all over the world making it the ultimate Sunday Funday in Durham Central Park (501 Foster Street)! Get all the details 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
- For the month of September, Little Rey’s latest taco collaboration is with Dave Ellis from Figulina. Available just in September, stop by to try a braised chuck taco with onion sugo, ramp salsa verde and crispy shallots. All proceeds benefit Now Serving NC. Visit Little Rey’s here.
- On Saturday, September 20th from 1 – 5 p.m., Lafayette Village in North Raleigh will hold their Oktoberfest, a German-inspired festival filled with fall brews, delicious German cuisine, live music, shopping, and plenty of fun throughout the Village. And perhaps best of all, the day will feature their annual Wiener Dog races. Get all the details here.
- Peregrine recently announced that they are launching Sunday Brunch service beginning September 21st. Make plans to join chef Saif Rahman and Patrick Shanahan from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are now available on OpenTable. Visit Peregrine here.
- Speaking of new brunch services, East End Bistrot begins their brunch service on September 28. Expect to see all your French favorites alongside some surprises in William’s signature California-Asian style — like freshly baked croissants and Hazelnut-Brûléed Pain Perdu with his fluffy Hawaiian bread to omelets, quiche, and a Tonkatsu Benedict. Sounds delicious! Take a peek at the menu and make your reservation here.
- If you are headed to downtown Durham on Saturday, September 20th for the annual Centerfest arts festival, Alley Twenty Six is offering a special menu of drinks and food in its namesake alley from noon to 4 p.m. Food menu includes Alley Smash Burger (Black Truffle Cheddar, Chipotle Aioli, Bourbon Bacon Jam, Arugula and Potato Roll); Grilled Hot Dog; Breakfast Sandwich; and Housemade Potato Chips. Drinks include Gin and Tonic; Watermelon Mule; and select wine and beer. Get details here.
- Kitty Kinnin reminded me that we all need to join 4,000 of our best friends to support The Foundation of Hope on October 12 at the annual Walk for Hope at The Angus Barn. This year both lanes of Glenwood will be closed for this special event as attendees stroll down the highway through Umstead. Kitty also reminded us to try some of her tasty @Bad Kitty blend coffee from Larry’s Coffee. A portion of the proceeds go to Foundation of Hope to fight mental illness. Details and register here.
- The inaugural Salt & Smoke & Sound Festival will be held Saturday, October 18th at Blackwood Farm Park between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. The exciting new community event merges together two beloved festivals–Acme’s Salt & Smoke and Sonark Media’s Harvest Festival–into a celebration of food, culture, and music in a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. Food will be provided by Acme’s Kevin Callaghan and a team of local chefs and food trucks offering a wide variety of dishes and dining options. The festival will feature craft beers, curated beverages, and other interesting spirit-free options. All food and drink will be available for purchase and is not included in the price of festival entry. Tickets are on sale now.
- Tickets are now on sale for 2025 Chefs for Change Gala & Live Auction, the annual fundraiser for Families Moving Forward, Durham’s primary emergency shelter for families with children. The event will take place on Nov. 6, 2025 at The Cookery in Durham. This unparallelled culinary event will feature a multi-course culinary experience prepared by some of North Carolina’s most acclaimed chefs, including Matt Kelly of Nanas Rockwood, Vin Rouge, Mateo, Mothers & Sons and Dino’s Pizza; Gray Brooks of Pizzeria Toro; Aaron Benjamin of Gocciolina; and Michael Lee of M Sushi, M Tempura, M Kokko, M Pocha and M Izakaya. Chef Chris McLaurin of Lutra Cafe and Bakery will be providing dessert. Secure your tickets now.
Food Bank Corner
- It’s a critical moment for many families, veterans, and seniors in central and eastern North Carolina. Many people don’t realize that hunger is at a 15-year high in our state, even higher than during the pandemic. Inflation, rising housing costs, and other challenges are making it harder and harder to put meals on the table. Now, federal budget cuts are making it more difficult for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina to purchase the food so many of our neighbors have been turning to. For example, a program helping food banks and school districts purchase food from local growers and producers has been cut. This means a loss of nearly $30 million in revenue for small farms in North Carolina and millions of meals for kids and families. Every $10 is enough for 50 meals, so your gift quickly adds up to a big impact!
