Featured Restaurant News
- Two of my favorite words – Fair Food! Line your stomach with Pepto-Bismol and get your taste buds ready to try 87 brand-new foods celebrating the N.C. State Fair’s 157th Anniversary. Running October 16th through the 26th, you’ll be able to indulge in such ‘delicacies’ as BBQ Doughnuts, Chicken Caesar Mac Stack, Double-decker Korean Donkatsu Burger, Fried Frozen Watermelon, Pickle Fries, Flaming Hot Cheetos Pickle Pizza, The Salted Caramel Crunch Dough-Licious Special and Granny’s Sticky B to name a few. See the complete list of new foods here (with pictures and descriptions!)
Wake County Restaurant News
- The News & Observer shared the news this week that one of the biggest restaurateurs in the Triangle, Giorgios Hospitality owned by Giorgios Bakatsias, just opened a new sushi spot in Raleigh called Tomi Sushi in the East End Market development (off East Whitaker Mill Road between Wake Forest Road and Atlantic Avenue). East End Market is also home to two other Giorgios concepts — Giorgios Epicurean Market, an all-day market/bar/cafe, and East End Bistrot, a French restaurant. Best to follow along on Instagram here. Visit all of the Giorgios Hospitality concepts here.
- Raleigh Downtown posted this week that La Cucina Italiana Pizza & Pasta has opened in the Smoky Hollow development in downtown Raleigh (524 N West Street). They noted that this local family-owned Italian eatery serves up an array of authentic specialities from gourmet pizzas and calzones to pastas, sandwiches, and more — featuring homemade sauces passed down for generations and dough made fresh in-house. There’s even an inviting pass-through bar that’ll be pouring cocktails, beer, and wine soon. Take a peek here.
- Also in downtown Raleigh, we got the word this week that the former Fox Liquor Bar space will transform into a Japanese-American cocktail concept. The transition is being brought to us by Patrick Shanahan (Watts & Ward, Peregrine and the soon-to-open Capulet Cocktail Club), Robby Opperman and beverage director Zack Thomas. Read the full article in Raleigh Magazine here.
- The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Mezcalito, which has six restaurants in the state, will open its first location in Raleigh in Midtown at 1000 Social in The Exchange. They have locations in Apex, Beaufort, Clayton, Durham, Goldsboro and Henderson, with additional locations coming to Cary and Rolesville. Get ready to enjoy a wide variety of fajitas, burritos, tacos, seafood dishes as well as a robust list of tequila, mezcal and rum cocktails. Look for them to open early next year. Visit Mezcalito here.
- Learned this week that Garner will be home to the Triangle-area’s first location of Hummus Republic. They are targeting an October 13th opening at 53 Cabela Drive in the White Oak Crossing shopping complex between Alpaca and Wing Stop. If you are not familiar with them, they are a fast-casual restaurant serving Mediterranean-inspired food, offering build-your-own bowls, wraps, and pitas with a variety of bases, proteins, dips, and toppings. Locally, they have a second location on the way which will be located at 100-B Wrenn Drive in Cary in the former Firehouse Subs spot. Start getting familiar with them here.
- Over on Hillsborough Street, Southern Burn Chicken is in soft-open mode at 2906 Hillsborough Street between Meat & Bite and Bliss Cafe. They are serving up authentic, fresh, crispy, and juicy Nashville hot chicken made-to-order with a variety of heat levels. The initial reviews posted online suggest that NC State students (and all of Raleigh) are going to love this place. View their menu here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- Pittsboro Eats! posted this week that Chatham County’s Ta Contento, Mex fresh food, has opened their second location down in Pittsboro’s The Plant development, which is a food and beverage campus located at 220 Lorax Lane. Their original brick and mortar location is at 11620 US Hwy 15 501 North next to the Eagles gas station. Check out Ta Contento here.
Closings
- We recently lost three local locations of Starbucks – the mobile pickup location on Hillsborough Street across from N.C. State; the location at the new Seaboard Station development off Peace Street in Raleigh; and in Durham, the location in New Hope Commons off Highway 15-501.
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
- Here is a ‘holiday’ we all can enjoy – National Cinnamon Roll Day is THIS Saturday October 4th. And to celebrate, Morning Rolls (corner of Millbrook and Falls of the Neuse – Quail Corners shopping center) is selling their cinnamon rolls for just $2.50. But please note, while supplies last (they ain’t gonna last long!). Get there early, they open at 7 a.m. Visit Morning Rolls here.
- For the month of October, Little Rey’s latest taco collaboration is with Colleen Speaks from Hummingbird. Available just in October, stop by to try her blackened flounder taco with slaw, avocado crema, radish and cilantro on grilled corn tortillas. All proceeds benefit Southern Smoke Foundation. Visit Little Rey’s here.
- The Crunkleton Raleigh in Smoky Hollow will begin serving weekend brunch on Saturday, October 11th. Included on the menu are brunch favorites such as Shrimp and Grits and Biscuits and Gravy, along with indulgent dishes like the Raleigh Hot Brown and a BBQ Brisket Breakfast, as well as elevated starters like their signature oysters, served both charred and raw. You’ll also be able to enjoy a curated lineup of craft cocktails, wines, and local beers, selected to complement the menu. Visit them 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!
