{"id":4136,"date":"2025-09-19T07:22:29","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T11:22:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=4136"},"modified":"2025-09-19T09:57:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T13:57:06","slug":"friday-fun-food-facts-september-19-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=4136","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun Food Facts &#8211; September 19, 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>Today&#8230;.today is the day! <strong>Lawrence Barbecue<\/strong> 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 &#8212; it\u2019s quite the transition from the old shipping container at <strong>Boxyard RTP<\/strong>. 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 <strong>Wood\u2019s Boxyard<\/strong> concepts, <strong>Leroy\u2019s Taco Shop<\/strong>. Regular hours will be 11 a.m. until close Wednesday-Sunday. Congrats to <strong>Jake<\/strong> and <strong>Brandi Wood<\/strong> on their continued growth and success! <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lawrencebarbecue\/\" 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><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 team behind the famed <strong>C. Grace<\/strong>, <strong>SideBar<\/strong>, and <strong>Hank\u2019s<\/strong> is bringing their signature style, hospitality, and cocktail craftsmanship back home to Raleigh with the opening of <strong>Mr. Henry<\/strong>, a new cocktail lounge in the <strong>Village District<\/strong>, slated to open <strong>Thursday, September 25th<\/strong>. Located at 413 Woodburn Rd. in the former <strong>WhichWich<\/strong> 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. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mrhenrybar\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Check them out on Instagram 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>Raleigh Downtown<\/strong> shared some big news this week involving new concepts replacing existing concepts. First up, they shared that <strong>Mama Crow\u2019s<\/strong> in <strong>Transfer Co. Food Hall <\/strong>will serve up their last burgers and salads on <strong>Sunday, September 28th<\/strong>. They will be quickly replaced by <strong>Urban Olive<\/strong>, a new Mediterranean restaurant. They pointed out that <strong>Crow\u2019s <\/strong>was one of the original stalls when the food hall first opened in late 2018. Look for <strong>Urban Olive <\/strong>to open mid-November. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Next up, <strong>Raleigh Downtown<\/strong> noted that signs are up for <strong>Saigon Kitchen<\/strong>, a new Vietnamese restaurant, moving into the former <strong>Mofu Shoppe<\/strong> space at <strong>City Market<\/strong> in downtown Raleigh, which closed at the end of August. <strong>Mofu Shoppe <\/strong>opened in 2017. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We first told you about this back in August, but saw on Instagram that <strong>Gym Tacos<\/strong> is in soft-open mode at their newest location in the&nbsp;<strong>Quail Corners Shopping Center<\/strong>&nbsp;(corner of Falls of the Neuse and Millbrook) in the former&nbsp;<strong>Burrito Shak<\/strong>&nbsp;space. This marks their third brick-and-mortar location (one in Raleigh and one in Durham) joining a couple of food truck locations. &nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gymtacos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Keep up on Instagram here<\/mark><\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Noticed on a recent drive down Hillsborough Street, across from Meredith College and next to <strong>Lucky Tree<\/strong> coffee house, that <strong>Purple Spoon Acai<\/strong>, serving up fresh, fruity organic acai imported from Brazil, had their grand opening. They are located at 3801 Hillsborough Street. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/purplespoonacai.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 to know 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>This is fun, especially for all those that grew up on New York City bagels. <strong>Raleigh Magazine<\/strong> shared that a new bagel pop-up is launching <strong>September 26<\/strong> at&nbsp;<strong>V Pizza<\/strong> 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&#8217;ll be available every morning at <strong>Veloce Italian Market <\/strong>when it opens this fall in downtown Raleigh. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vpizza.com\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Visit V Pizza 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>Saw a post on Instagram that <strong>NYC Halal Eats<\/strong> has opened a location in Durham at 1013 W. Main St. near Duke University. Look for burgers, gyros, salads, milkshakes and more. It&#8217;s the first North Carolina location for the restaurant which also has location in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/eatnychalaleats.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 to know them 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\">Closings<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As noted above, <strong>Transfer Co. Food Hall&#8217;s Mama Crow&#8217;s<\/strong> will serve up their last meals on <strong>September 28th<\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Saw on Instagram that <strong>Plum<\/strong> in Durham will be closing after a 5-year run. Their last day of service is also <strong>September 28th<\/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 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&nbsp;<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>For the month of September, <strong>Little Rey\u2019s<\/strong> latest taco collaboration is with <strong>Dave Ellis<\/strong> from <strong>Figulina<\/strong>. Available just in September, stop by to try a braised chuck taco with onion sugo, ramp salsa verde and crispy shallots. All proceeds benefit <strong>Now Serving NC<\/strong>. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.littlerey.com\/raleigh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Visit Little Rey&#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>On <strong>Saturday, September 20th<\/strong> from 1 &#8211; 5 p.m., <strong>Lafayette Village<\/strong> in North Raleigh will hold their <strong>Oktoberfest<\/strong>, a German-inspired festival filled with fall brews, delicious German cuisine, live music, shopping, and plenty of fun throughout the <strong>Village<\/strong>. And perhaps best of all, the day will feature their annual Wiener Dog races. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/lafayettevillageraleigh.com\/oktoberfest-9-28-2025\/\" 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>Peregrine<\/strong> recently announced that they are launching <strong>Sunday Brunch<\/strong> service beginning <strong>September 21st<\/strong>. Make plans to join chef <strong>Saif Rahman<\/strong> and <strong>Patrick Shanahan<\/strong> from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are now available on OpenTable. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peregrineraleigh.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 Peregrine here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Speaking of new brunch services, <strong>East End Bistrot<\/strong> begins their brunch service on <strong>September 28<\/strong>. Expect to see all your French favorites alongside some surprises in William&#8217;s signature California-Asian style &#8212; like freshly baked croissants and Hazelnut-Br\u00fbl\u00e9ed Pain Perdu with his fluffy Hawaiian bread to omelets, quiche, and a Tonkatsu Benedict. Sounds delicious! Take a peek at the&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eastendbistrotraleigh.com\/menu\/#brunch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">menu<\/mark><\/a><\/strong> and make your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/00914.mjt.lu\/lnk\/AVIAAHrHUYUAAc4rF94AAEuy3lgAAAAA8DQAAPTQABnxhgBoyXP--DH61_4iQayOrvUctPgGGQAYYTM\/2\/7IkHNEB68GOs8uY692e-iw\/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub3BlbnRhYmxlLmNvbS9yL2Vhc3QtZW5kLWJpc3Ryb3QtcmFsZWlnaA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">reservation here<\/mark><\/strong><\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you are headed to downtown Durham on <strong>Saturday, September 20th<\/strong> for the annual <strong>Centerfest<\/strong> arts festival, <strong>Alley Twenty Six<\/strong> 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. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alleytwentysix.com\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get 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>Kitty Kinnin<\/strong> reminded me that we all need to join 4,000 of our best friends to support&nbsp;<strong>The Foundation of Hope&nbsp;<\/strong> on <strong>October 12<\/strong> at the annual <strong>Walk for Hope<\/strong> at&nbsp;<strong>The Angus Barn<\/strong>. This year both lanes of Glenwood will be closed for this special event as attendees stroll down the highway through Umstead. <strong>Kitty<\/strong> also reminded us to try some of her tasty <strong>@Bad Kitty<\/strong> blend coffee from&nbsp;<strong>Larry&#8217;s Coffee<\/strong>. A portion of the proceeds go to <strong>Foundation of Hope<\/strong> to fight mental illness. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/walkforhope.com\/events\/walk-for-hope\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Details and register 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><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tickets are now on sale for <strong>2025 Chefs for Change Gala &amp; Live Auction<\/strong>, the annual fundraiser for <strong>Families Moving Forward<\/strong>, Durham\u2019s primary emergency shelter for families with children. The event will take place on <strong>Nov. 6, 2025<\/strong> at <strong>The Cookery <\/strong>in Durham. This unparallelled culinary event will feature a multi-course culinary experience prepared by some of North Carolina\u2019s most acclaimed chefs, including<strong> Matt Kelly<\/strong> of <strong>Nanas Rockwood<\/strong>, <strong>Vin Rouge<\/strong>, <strong>Mateo<\/strong>, <strong>Mothers &amp; Sons<\/strong> and <strong>Dino&#8217;s Pizza<\/strong>; <strong>Gray Brooks<\/strong> of <strong>Pizzeria Toro<\/strong>; <strong>Aaron Benjamin<\/strong> of <strong>Gocciolina<\/strong>; and <strong>Michael Lee<\/strong> of <strong>M Sushi<\/strong>, <strong>M Tempura<\/strong>, <strong>M Kokko<\/strong>, <strong>M Pocha<\/strong> and <strong>M Izakaya<\/strong>. Chef <strong>Chris McLaurin<\/strong> of <strong>Lutra Cafe and Bakery<\/strong> will be providing dessert. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/fmfnc.org\/tickets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Secure your tickets 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>It\u2019s a critical moment for many families, veterans, and seniors in central and eastern North Carolina. Many people don\u2019t realize that hunger is at a <strong>15-year high in our state, even higher than during the pandemic<\/strong>. Inflation, rising housing costs, and other challenges are making it harder and harder to put meals on the table. <strong>Now, federal budget cuts are making it more difficult for the Food Bank of Central &amp; Eastern North Carolina to purchase the food so many of our neighbors have been turning to.<\/strong> 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.&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/secure.foodbankcenc.org\/site\/R?i=JUXlxhfayi6376sqmOcj3fE9bw_paLlNLkwVz5WnpYcNdlIfbzzidQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Every $10 is enough for 50 meals, so your gift quickly adds up to a big impact!<\/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-4136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4136","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=4136"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4145,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4136\/revisions\/4145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}