{"id":4032,"date":"2025-08-01T07:34:31","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T11:34:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=4032"},"modified":"2025-08-01T07:34:31","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T11:34:31","slug":"friday-fun-food-facts-august-1-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=4032","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun Food Facts &#8211; August 1, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Featured Restaurant News<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Triangle Business Journal<\/strong> reported this week that acclaimed Asheville chef <strong>Meherwan Irani<\/strong> will soon open <strong>Botiwalla<\/strong> under his <strong>Chai Pani Restaurant Group<\/strong> at <strong>Raleigh Iron Works<\/strong>. Expect a wide-ranging menu that celebrates late-night Indian street food. The menu includes chicken tikka, lamb, paneer and steak kebabs served with naan or in a salad or rice bowl with herbs and chutneys. Other items include chaat (or street snacks), lamb burgers and an array of beverages, including chai, alcoholic slushies and lassis. <strong>Botiwalla<\/strong> has two locations in Asheville, one in Charlotte and one in Atlanta. <strong>Irani<\/strong> operates <strong>Chai Pani<\/strong> in Asheville and near Atlanta, the four Botiwalla locations and the spice brand <strong>Spicewalla<\/strong>. <strong>Chai Pani<\/strong> won a <strong>James Beard<\/strong> award for <strong>Outstanding Restaurant in 2022<\/strong>, the location in Decatur received <strong>Michelin Guide<\/strong> recommendations in 2023 and 2024, and<strong> Irani <\/strong>has been a <strong>James Beard Awards<\/strong> semifinalist for <strong>Best Chef Southeast<\/strong> five times. Look for them to open next spring.  <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/botiwalla.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Visit Botiwalla here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Wake County Restaurant News<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The London Bridge is not exactly falling down. The <strong>Triangle Business Journal<\/strong> reported this week that <strong>The London Bridge Pub <\/strong>in downtown Raleigh (110 E. Hargett St.) is under new ownership. <strong>Jon Seelbinder<\/strong> with <strong>Local Icon Hospitality<\/strong> is the pub\u2019s new owner. He temporarily closed the bar last week but will reopen next week at the latest. With that will come a new name, a glow up and an \u201cEnglish pub-inspired\u201d menu.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> reported this week that Raleigh will soon get its first location of <strong>Dave\u2019s Hot Chicken<\/strong>. They will open in the former home of <strong>BB\u2019s Chicken<\/strong> in the <strong>Midtown East <\/strong>shopping center near Wegmans and Trader Joe\u2019s. They also have locations in Wake Forest and Holly Springs. Expect them to open by <strong>Friday, Aug. 22<\/strong>. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/daveshotchicken.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get familiar with them here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Thanks to reader <strong>Wesley Mays<\/strong> we learned that <strong>Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant<\/strong> at 6611 Falls of Neuse Road is temporarily closed as they are in the process of moving to <strong>Wheatfield Plaza<\/strong> in Wake Forest at 3612 Rogers Branch Road. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.raleighindianrestaurant.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Visit their site here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Also in North Raleigh, reader <strong>Bryan Kay<\/strong> notified us that a new <strong>Cookout<\/strong> has opened at 9500 Strickland Road in the former <strong>Boston Market<\/strong> spot. Looks like it has only been open a few weeks. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cookout.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Visit Cookout here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Up in Wake Forest, <strong>Triangle Business Journal<\/strong> reported that <strong>Grove 98<\/strong>, a\u00a0Wegmans-anchored mixed-use development\u00a0at Highway 98 and Ligon Mill Road, will soon be home to <strong>Whataburger<\/strong>, <strong>Chopt Creative Salad Co.<\/strong> (fourth Triangle location) and <strong>Summer Moon Coffee<\/strong> (the franchise&#8217;s second Wake Forest location). The <strong>Whataburger<\/strong> location will also have a drive-thru. <span style=\"white-space: normal; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\"><strong>Whataburger<\/strong> is opening its first North Carolina locations in Charlotte and the Triad this year, with Triangle locations opening most likely in 2026 &#8211; in the\u00a0<\/span>former <strong>Applebee\u2019s<\/strong><span style=\"white-space: normal; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\">\u00a0at 501 E. Six Forks Road and in the \u00a0<\/span>former <strong>PDQ<\/strong><span style=\"white-space: normal; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\">\u00a0at 6305 Falls of Neuse Road<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Starting <strong>Tuesday, Aug. 5<\/strong>, <strong>La Terrazza<\/strong>\u2014known for its elevated Southern Italian and Mediterranean cuisine with sweeping skyline views\u2014invites you to savor a new midday experience with the launch of its <strong>To-Go Lunch Menu<\/strong>, available exclusively for carryout. Their to-go lunch service will run Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering an enticing lineup of freshly made salads, Roman-style sandwiches, handmade pasta dishes, and artisan pizzas. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/laterrazzaraleigh.com\/order-online\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">View the to-go lunch menu here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Birdie\u2019s Barroom &amp; Kitchen<\/strong> on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh is expanding its brunch experience beyond the weekend. Beginning <strong>Monday, August 4<\/strong>, <strong>Birdie\u2019s <\/strong>will open its dining room for weekday breakfast service from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., Monday through Friday, offering a full menu of its most popular brunch dishes. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.birdiesraleigh.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Check out Birdie&#8217;s here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>And one more note of extended menu offerings\/times, <strong>Boatman Spirits Co. <\/strong>located in <strong>Seaboard Station<\/strong> has expanded their hours to include weekend lunch. So they are now open from 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday. They will be offering a lunch version of their regular menu and adding new menu items in the coming weeks. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boatmanspirits.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Visit Boatman here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Durham, Orange &amp; Chatham Restaurant News<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In Durham, thanks to a tip from <strong>Burgeoning Baker<\/strong>, we learned that <strong>Baker&#8217;s Dozen Donuts<\/strong> is moving into a space at 3825 S. Roxboro Street (same shopping center as DMV) near <strong>Tacos Number Juan<\/strong>. No word on an open date. Stay tuned. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Over in Hillsborough, the <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> reported that <strong>Serratore\u2019s<\/strong>, the second full-service restaurant from\u00a0<strong>Mothers &amp; Sons<\/strong>\u00a0chef and owner\u00a0<strong>Josh DeCarolis<\/strong>, will soon open in the former <strong>Radius Pizza<\/strong> space. While <strong>Serratore\u2019s<\/strong> will specialize in pasta, they will also serve up 12-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas. Look for them to open next month. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/serratorespastaandpizza\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Might be best to follow along on Instagram<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Closings<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>None to report. Keep eating local, folks! <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Food Trucks<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The final <strong>Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo<\/strong> of 2025 will be on <strong>Sunday, November 2<\/strong>. It will run from 12 noon until 4 p.m. featuring over\u00a0<strong>50+ food trucks<\/strong> with cuisine from all over the world making it the ultimate Sunday Funday in <strong>Durham Central Park<\/strong> (501 Foster Street)! <a href=\"https:\/\/eventvesta.com\/events\/97144-food-truck-rodeo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\"><strong>Get all the details here<\/strong><\/mark><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Looking to find your favorite food truck (or stalking them and simply don\u2019t want to have to admit it)? We understand. Find them on&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/streetfoodfinder.com\/\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Street Food Finder here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Events<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Head downtown this weekend! The <strong>Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week<\/strong> has returned&#8230;<strong>now through Sunday, August 3rd<\/strong>. This beloved tradition is your invitation to discover the unique, locally-owned restaurants and bars that make downtown Raleigh a true dining destination. Savor exclusive deals, prix fixe menus, and chef-driven specials at your favorite spots across our community. Now in its 17th year, the celebration has a fresh new look. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/downtownraleigh.org\/restaurant-week\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get all the details here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Boatman Spirits Co.\u2019s<\/strong> first <strong>Departure Party<\/strong> will be this <strong>Saturday, Aug. 2<\/strong>. Deejay Nick Neptune and friends Chico Scott, Mike Forno and Torin Rea will be your guides starting at 8 p.m. Plus, <strong>Boatman<\/strong> is hosting a night market in the distillery featuring Thirsty Pigeon Records. They are located at 713 Seaboard Station Dr. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boatmanspirits.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Visit them here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Carolina Brewery<\/strong> is closing out the summer with two <strong>Shrimp Boil<\/strong> events at both of its locations. Guests are invited to enjoy a classic lowcountry-style boil, live music, and the release of a limited-edition beer brewed specially for the occasion. The Pittsboro location will host their boil on <strong>Saturday, August 9<\/strong> from 4 to 7 p.m. celebrating 18 years in the community. Two weeks later, the Chapel Hill location will host their boil on <strong>Saturday, August 23<\/strong> from 4 to 7 p.m. For additional details or to make reservations, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carolinabrewery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">visit them here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Whiskey Kitchen<\/strong> in downtown Raleigh will celebrate its <strong>9th Anniversary <\/strong>on <strong>August 10th<\/strong>. The anniversary celebration is a thank-you to the loyal patrons who\u2019ve made the past nine years unforgettable &#8211; including live music, all whiskeys on the back bar offered at half price, and a complimentary slice of celebratory cake. The event will take place during regular business hours on <strong>Sunday, August 10th<\/strong>. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whiskey.kitchen\/event\/9th-anniversary-party\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get all the details here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The inaugural <strong>Salt &amp; Smoke &amp; Sound Festival <\/strong>will be held <strong>Saturday, October 18th<\/strong> at <strong>Blackwood Farm Park<\/strong> between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. The exciting new community event merges together two beloved festivals\u2013<strong>Acme\u2019s Salt &amp; Smoke<\/strong> and Sonark Media\u2019s <strong>Harvest Festival<\/strong>\u2013into a celebration of food, culture, and music in a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. Food will be provided by <strong>Acme\u2019s Kevin Callaghan<\/strong> 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. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/saltsmokesound.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Tickets are on sale now<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Food Bank Corner<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, Congress voted for devastating cuts to SNAP and Medicaid. <strong>Amy Beros<\/strong>, President &amp; CEO of the <strong>Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina<\/strong>, shared what this will mean for North Carolina. &#8220;No one should go hungry\u2014no matter where we live, where we\u2019re from, who we love, or the color of our skin. Yet with this vote by Congress and a stroke of the President\u2019s pen, millions more people will soon face hunger here in North Carolina and across the country.&#8221; The <strong>Food Bank<\/strong> is moving mountains to make food available to all who need it. They\u2019re still here, no matter what. They need your help now more than ever. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/foodbankcenc.org\/federal-budget-reconciliation-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Read their full statement here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/secure.foodbankcenc.org\/site\/Donation2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">get involved in the fight to end hunger<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Featured Restaurant News Wake County Restaurant News Durham, Orange &amp; Chatham Restaurant News Closings Food Trucks Events Food Bank Corner<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4032"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4032\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4044,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4032\/revisions\/4044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}