{"id":4503,"date":"2026-03-13T07:05:53","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T11:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=4503"},"modified":"2026-03-13T07:29:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T11:29:34","slug":"friday-fun-food-facts-march-13-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=4503","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun Food Facts &#8211; March 13, 2026"},"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>Up in North Raleigh, the <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> noted that <strong>Vic\u2019s Italian Restaurant<\/strong>, with locations in downtown Raleigh\u2019s <strong>City Market<\/strong>, on Lake Boone Trail, and on Glenwood Avenue in downtown Raleigh, will open <strong>Vic\u2019s Italian Restaurant &amp; Pizzeria<\/strong> in a former <strong>KFC<\/strong> and <strong>Taco Bell <\/strong>at the intersection of Six Forks and Millbrook roads, in the <strong>Colony Shopping Center<\/strong>. They will maintain the drive-thru for third-party delivery or takeout order pickups. <strong>Mario Longo Sr.<\/strong> noted they are expected to open in about three months, after some modifications to the space. The <strong>Triangle Business Journal <\/strong>added that <strong>Longo\u2019s <\/strong>son <strong>Michael<\/strong> is opening a second\u00a0<strong>Vic\u2019s Pizzeria and Bar<\/strong> in <strong>Wendell Falls<\/strong>. The family is also eyeing another spot in northeast Raleigh.\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vicsitalianrestaurant.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 Vic&#8217;s 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\"> <\/mark><\/strong>     <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><strong>Raleigh Downtown<\/strong> reported that signs are up for <strong>Kokoro Ramen &amp; Izakaya<\/strong>, an upcoming Japanese restaurant and pub serving unique shareable plates and ramen bowls. Great to see the corner of Blount and Martin in <strong>City Market<\/strong> opening back up. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kokororamen.raleigh\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Follow along on Instagram<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In Cary, <strong>Triangle Business Journal<\/strong> reported that <strong>Eastcut Sandwich Bar<\/strong> will open their third location this fall in <strong>Waverly Place<\/strong>. They will occupy the former <strong>Capriotti\u2019s Sandwich Shop<\/strong> space as well as the former L.A. Bikini space next door. They have two other locations in the Triangle, opening in 2018 in Durham, followed by <strong>Raleigh Iron Works<\/strong> in 2023. And they hinted they have plans to open 2-3 more locations. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/eastcutsandwich.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>Also in Cary, thanks to the keen eyes of reader <strong>John Feller<\/strong>, we now know that <strong>Cooper\u2019s Hawk Winery &amp; Restaurant<\/strong> will land their first Triangle-area location in the <strong>Parkside Town Commons<\/strong> shopping center next to <strong>Five Guys<\/strong>. <strong>Feller<\/strong> noted that the building just broke ground, so likely not opening until late 2026, early 2027. Founded in 2005, now boasting over 60 locations, <strong>Cooper&#8217;s<\/strong> blends a modern American restaurant, a full-service bar, a Napa-style tasting room, and a massive wine club. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/chwinery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Start getting 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>Up in Wake Forest we saw that <strong>Sabatino&#8217;s Ristorante<\/strong> had their grand opening this past <strong>Tuesday, March 10<\/strong>. They are located at 131 Crenshaw Corners Drive and are the sister restaurant of <strong>Sabatino&#8217;s in Apex <\/strong>at 1001 Davis Drive. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sabatinosristorante.com\/home\" 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>Down in Knightdale, coffee drinkers listen up! The <strong>News &amp; Observer <\/strong>reported that <strong>Unhinged Coffee Co.<\/strong> will move into the former <strong>Rewind Retrobar<\/strong> on First Avenue sometime in early April, with a grand opening in May. Coffee drinks such as lattes, drip coffee and cold brew will be served all day, and wine, beer, THC drinks and caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee will be served in the evenings. For food, <strong>Unhinged<\/strong> will serve baked goods and a small menu of warm dishes throughout the day. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unhingedcoffee.co\/\" 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>A couple of exciting announcements coming out of <strong>Boatman Spirits Co.<\/strong> in downtown Raleigh&#8217;s <strong>Seaboard Station<\/strong>. First up, <strong>Ian McKenney<\/strong> has been named executive chef. A native of New Bern, <strong>Ian<\/strong> learned on the job in kitchens, including working for Texas cuisine authority and chef <strong>Jon Bonnell<\/strong> at <strong>Waters Restaurant<\/strong> and most recently at at Raleigh\u2019s <strong>Whiskey Kitchen<\/strong> from 2018 to 2025. The second piece of news is <strong>Boatman Spirits<\/strong> will expand its lunch service to Thursdays and Fridays starting <strong>March 19th<\/strong>. Brunch is available on the weekends. <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><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>And speaking of brunch. Downtown Raleigh&#8217;s <strong>Vidrio<\/strong> (in the <strong>Glenwood South<\/strong> district) launches weekend brunch starting on <strong>March 22<\/strong>. <strong>Vidrio&#8217;s<\/strong> new brunch menu blends Mediterranean flavors with brunch classics and savory lunch fare, alongside creative cocktails designed for both the table and individual sipping. Brunch will be offered Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Reservations are available through Resy. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vidrioraleigh.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 Vidrio 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>One of my favorite coffee hangs in the Triangle is opening a second location today, <strong>March 13th<\/strong>. RTPers will be excited to learn that the newest location of <strong>Bean Traders Coffee<\/strong> is located in the middle of RTP at 4001 NC Hwy 54, just straight down the highway from their main location at 105 W NC Hwy. 54 in the <strong>Homestead Market<\/strong> shopping center. Congrats to <strong>David<\/strong> and <strong>Christy Chapman<\/strong> on their continued success of great coffee and community. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beantraderscoffee.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 their new location<\/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><strong>David McCreary<\/strong> shared that <strong>Jacques Gilbert<\/strong>, mayor of Apex, posted on social media that <strong>Yamato Japanese Restaurant<\/strong> at 700 East Williams Street will close its doors for good on March 31. The restaurant had a 14-year run.<\/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> noted that <strong>Bella Napoli<\/strong>\u00a0appears to have closed in Durham\u00a0after four years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Flying Bull Beer Company <\/strong>closed down their Ninth Street taproom and coffee shop at the<br>end of February to focus on their larger brewing and restaurant space on Morris Street in Downtown Durham\u2019s Innovation District.<\/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 <strong>Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo<\/strong> continues in 2026 on these dates from noon to 4 p.m. &#8211; <strong>April 12<\/strong>, <strong>May 31<\/strong>, and <strong>September 27<\/strong>. At each event, you&#8217;ll find food and drink at over 30 food trucks as well as inflatables and family fun for all ages. The rodeos are hosted at <strong>Durham Central Park<\/strong> (500 Foster Street, Durham). Go ahead and mark your calendar for all three. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/durhamcentralpark.org\/events\/food-truck-rodeo-info\/\" 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>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>This is pretty cool. Heading to an event in downtown Raleigh? If so, stop by and see my friends at <strong>Whiskey Kitchen<\/strong> (201 W. Martin St.) where they have just launched a <strong>\u201cPre-Game with Whiskey.\u201d<\/strong> What is that? It&#8217;s pretty simple. If you show them a same-day Raleigh event ticket or pass (for any event like concerts, game or any downtown event) you get 10% off your meal. Told you it was cool. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whiskey.kitchen\/\" 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 Whiskey 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 <strong>Sunday, March 15th<\/strong> downtown Raleigh&#8217;s <strong>Figulina<\/strong> is heading to <strong>Emilia-Romagna<\/strong> for their next regional menu takeover, and (low key) celebrating <strong>Figul\u012bna<\/strong> turning TWO.\u00a0This pasta-loving region of Northern Italy gave the world some of Italy\u2019s most iconic dishes. For this special evening, <strong>Chef David<\/strong> and the team are presenting a selection of <strong>Emilia-Romagna\u2019s<\/strong> classic dishes through a <strong>Figul\u012bna<\/strong> lens. And wine director, <strong>Jeff Bramwell<\/strong>, has selected some special regional wines to go along with, of course! Comforting, a little nostalgic, and a lot delicious! <strong>Sunday, March 15th<\/strong> \/ 4pm-9pm. No set price. Order \u00e0 la carte and build your table however you like! <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.opentable.com\/r\/figulina-raleigh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Reserve your spot 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>Saif Rahman<\/strong>, chef and co-owner of JBF\u2019s 2026 \u201cBest New Restaurant\u201d semifinalist, <strong>Peregrine<\/strong>, will celebrate his sacred food tradition with guests by offering a special <strong>$75 three-course Iftar menu<\/strong> throughout Ramadan, <strong>February 17th through March 19th<\/strong>. This Muslim tradition represents the meal served at sundown to break the daily fast. <strong>Rahman&#8217;s<\/strong> Iftar menu will offer his personal perspective on &#8220;first generation American food,&#8221; weaving in his Bangladeshi heritage. Reservations are required for the Iftar experience and can <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.opentable.com\/r\/peregrine-raleigh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">be reserved 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>Barsa New Indian<\/strong> is bringing together local craft producers for a special evening of bold flavors and curated pairings during <strong>Bourbon + Bites<\/strong>, a one-night-only tasting event on <strong>Wednesday, March 19th<\/strong> from 5\u20137 p.m. The event will feature<strong> Cook\u2019s Mill Whiskey<\/strong> and <strong>Crank Arm Brewing<\/strong> alongside chef-driven small bites from the <strong>Barsa<\/strong> kitchen. Guests will enjoy a guided tasting experience with each beverage being paired with curated small bites designed to complement the bold flavors of the bourbon and barrel-aged stout. Seating for the event is limited. Tickets are $45 per person and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/order.toasttab.com\/online\/barsa-durham\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">can be purchased here<\/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 on sale now for the <strong>2026 Dinner in the Meadow<\/strong> event on <strong>September 13th<\/strong> in Louisburg. The biennial event will be held at the beautiful and bucolic <strong>Meadow Lane Farm<\/strong> and is a fundraiser that supports the&nbsp;<strong>Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund<\/strong>, a non-profit organization that helps small farms in North Carolina. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dinnerinthemeadow.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get tickets and all the details 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\">Food Bank Corner<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Did you know that in North Carolina, 1 in 4 households led by single women live below the poverty line? That\u2019s nearly twice as many as the households led by single men with children. Hunger hits different for women. Economic challenges \u2014 from pay disparity to the rising cost of childcare \u2014 make it harder to keep growing kids fed. Our heart goes out to the moms of North Carolina who are wondering what to do as SNAP cuts loom. This <strong>International Women\u2019s Month<\/strong>, let\u2019s\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/secure.foodbankcenc.org\/site\/R?i=nM9U9xM6-idH1FK2xfI9lu-Y2BXmV_MYonYzisP028s25kXffB5Egg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">show them that they can count on their community.<\/mark><\/a><\/strong> Some good friends have stepped forward with a $50,000 matching challenge gift, so any amount you give to the <strong>Food Bank<\/strong> by <strong>March 31<\/strong> has the power to DOUBLE! It\u2019s a terrific chance to stretch every dollar of your support while helping parents, seniors, and veterans stretch their budgets. In fact, if you\u2019re able,<strong>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/secure.foodbankcenc.org\/site\/R?i=e3haqIxo5I-t_ZGe6_3IhZMxBzkd9ZNeENAh7OZGB8eWsh6SEGaNlg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">this is a good time to make an especially generous gift<\/mark><\/strong><\/a><\/strong>, perhaps to honor a mom, grandma, auntie, or another woman who\u2019s stood in a mother\u2019s place in your life. It\u2019s simple to do when you donate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>And more good news, the <strong>Food Bank&#8217;s<\/strong> new <strong>Durham Branch<\/strong> is officially open! The new 64,000-square-foot facility is\u00a0nearly double the size of their previous location on Angier Ave.\u00a0The new space features a dedicated space for community meetings, trainings, and volunteer sorting and repack efforts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/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-4503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4503","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=4503"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4518,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4503\/revisions\/4518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}