Featured Restaurant News
- Got word this week that Theatre Raleigh is expanding its arts campus with The Green Room, a new coffee shop designed to serve patrons, students and the greater Raleigh community. The café, located within the Theatre Raleigh Arts Center on Old Wake Forest Road, will open to the public today (Dec. 5th). The shop at 3031 Barrow Dr. will feature coffee sourced and roasted by Grey Squirrel Coffee Co. of Carrboro as well as baked goods and grab-and-go drinks and lunch items from The Veggie Wagon of Carolina Beach, as well as soft-serve ice cream. Best to follow along on Instagram here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- Transfer Co. Food Hall’s newest tenant, Urban Olive, opened this week in the former Mama Crow’s space in the center of the hall. Urban Olive brings the warmth of family recipes into the rhythm of city life with their authentic Mediterranean fast-casual concept. Get to know them here.
- And speaking of food halls, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance shared that a concept called Leaf & Loaf has opened at Morgan Street Food Hall (411 West Morgan Street). They are serving up signature salads and warm, crusty baguette sandwiches where you can build your own creation exactly how you like it. Get a peek here.
- Staying in downtown Raleigh, we confirmed this week that Wilmington’s K38 Baja Grill will open on December 13th at downtown Raleigh’s Seaboard Station. This will mark K38’s sixth location and the first outside of Wilmington and Carolina Beach. This will soon be followed by their seventh location next summer in downtown Cary at 139 E. Chatham Street. Check out K38 here.
- Over on Western Boulevard, Axios Raleigh reported that Haraz Coffee House, a Yemeni-style chain cafe, is now open. They are open until 11 p.m., so get by and try their Arabic-inspired drinks. Looks to be their second location (first is in Apex) in the Triangle, with additional locations planned for Cary and downtown Durham. Get to know them here.
- Up in North Raleigh, we learned that BurgerFi will open their newest restaurant this winter at 10831 Wakefield Commons Drive, making it their second location in Raleigh and fourth in North Carolina. Visit them here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- We pulled the trigger a little early a few weeks back, but we can now confirm that Sweetgreen will open their new Chapel Hill location on Tuesday, December 9 at 122 East Franklin Street. They will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, serving up salads, warm bowls, protein plates, and sides. Ahead of their opening, folks can RSVP here for a sneak peek and a complimentary meal on Friday and Saturday (December 5 and 6). Plus, for every meal purchased on opening day, Sweetgreen will donate a meal to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. This will be their second Triangle location, with the other being in Raleigh’s North Hills. Visit Sweetgreen here.
- Down the hill at University Place, we are days away from the opening of H&H Bagels’ first North Carolina location. Earlier reports suggested that opening will happen next week, but definitely by the end of 2025. The new shop will offer authentic New York-style bagels that are kettle-boiled and baked to order. You’d be wise to start getting familiar with them now.
Closings
- An 88-year tradition suddenly came to an end at the beginning of this month with the announcement that all locations of K&W Cafeteria, including the last one in Raleigh, are now closed.
- Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Vicious Fishes Brewery closed their Apex taproom just weeks after the closure of their Fuquay-Varina location. They still have locations in Cary and Angier.
- Also got word this week that both locations of Fainting Goat Brewing Company will soon close. The Benson location will close on Saturday, December 27th, while the Fuquay-Varina taproom will remain open as long as they have beer to serve.
- Reader Tyler Glover informed us that Epic Wings in Raleigh’s Brennan Station on Creedmoor Road has closed.
Food Trucks
- 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 tenth-annual WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards are back! Vote on the top 5 finalists in each category through Dec. 15. Winners will be announced in January, 2026. Get your nominations in here.
- On December 14th, The Mecca Restaurant in downtown Raleigh, is commemorating their 95th Holiday season by joining the community together for a special three-course Holiday Supper. They will have two seatings at 6 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person and include food, a winter beverage, tax and gratuity. In the spirit of giving and giving back to the community, 10% of the proceeds will benefit Urban Ministries of Wake County Food Pantry. Get all the details and tickets here.
- Looking for something fun to do on New Year’s Eve? Ring in 2026 with a memorable and delicious evening at Figulina where chef David Ellis has created a special 4-course menu showcasing seasonal and luxurious ingredients, a complimentary toast, plus some other surprises – while their wine director, Jeff Bramwell, has curated optional luxe wine pairings to complement each dish! $145 per person (pre tax and service fee). Reserve your spot now.
- Tickets have gone on sale for the 2026 version of the Triangle Food & Wine Experience which will take place February 5-7, 2026. From its humble inception over 30 years ago, the Triangle Wine & Food Experience has grown to become one of the leading charity wine auctions in the nation with all proceeds benefiting the Frankie Lemmon School & Development Center. And let me tell you, the lineup of culinary talent (from all corners of the United States) is absolutely incredible – see the list here. If you call yourself a foodie, these are the not-to-miss events of the year. A weekend of the most incredible food and wine. Get details on the weekend of events here.
Food Bank Corner
- On #GivingTuesday, our community proved that we have the will and the compassion to tackle the problem of hunger in central and eastern North Carolina. Our caring community came together to fill the cart so more families can gather around a special meal this holiday season. It’s essential to continue meeting the immediate needs of our friends and neighbors this holiday season. With grocery prices, unemployment, and utility costs all high, too many people are facing daily worry about what they’ll eat. If you missed #GivingTuesday, you can still make a difference in our community with a gift today. You’ll help stock our partner agencies with healthy, culturally familiar foods so kids, families, and seniors can get what they need.
