{"id":4642,"date":"2026-05-15T07:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T11:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=4642"},"modified":"2026-05-15T07:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T11:08:15","slug":"friday-fun-food-facts-may-15-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=4642","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun Food Facts &#8211; May 15, 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>The <strong>Got To Be NC Festival<\/strong> is this weekend, <strong>May 15-17<\/strong>, at the <strong>NC State Fairgrounds<\/strong>. Think of it as a miniature version of the <strong>NC State Fair <\/strong>featuring, as you might guess, everything North Carolina. I am biased, but the food and drinks are the biggest reason to go &#8211; there is the <strong>Carolina Pig Jig<\/strong> on Saturday, there will be a <strong>North Carolina Craft Beer Garden<\/strong> and there is the <strong>North Carolina Craft Cocktail Garden<\/strong>. Sign me up!  <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncagr.gov\/divisions\/ncstatefair\/got-be-nc-festival\" 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 of the details, hours and vendors here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. And if being at the fairgrounds gets you thinking about the <strong>NC State Fair<\/strong>, go ahead and mark your calendar for<strong> October 15-25<\/strong> to get ready for your favorite creative deep-fried specialties (oh, and rides and crafts and stuff). <\/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>Up in Wake Forest, the <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> reported that <strong>Outback Steakhouse<\/strong> is set to open its eighth location in the Triangle, likely by this summer. It will open at 680 Richland Grove Avenue in the <strong>Grove 98<\/strong> complex (think Wegmans) off N.C. Highway 98. They have seven locations in the region, including two in Raleigh with others in Cary, Clayton, Durham, Garner and Smithfield. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outback.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 Outback here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/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 September, but reader <strong>Jennifer Buchholz<\/strong> informed us that <strong>Cabo Mexican Cuisine<\/strong>\u00a0up\u00a0<strong>Brier Creek Commons<\/strong>\u00a0(out in front of the Target) is in soft-open mode. It is brought to us by the <strong>Torres<\/strong> family, who own a handful of <strong>El Tapatio<\/strong> restaurants in the area.\u00a0According to the <strong>Triangle Business Journal<\/strong> the interior design reflects the desert and ocean landscape of Cabo San Lucas \u2014 located at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula \u2014 utilizing raw materials like rock and granite. The menu features a wide range of dishes, from shrimp tacos to steak to ceviches. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/cabomexicancuisine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Visit Cabo 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>If you are down in Fuquay-Varina, your mornings just got over-easy with the recent opening of <strong>Early Bird Cafe<\/strong> at 736 N Main Street. Owner <strong>Tracy Gower<\/strong> created this concept for guests looking for a locally owned, grab-and-go breakfast option. And according to <strong>David McCreary<\/strong>, they will share space with existing restaurant <strong>Little Portugal<\/strong>, which only serves lunch and dinner. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Early-Bird-Caf%C3%A9\/61589400072193\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Best to follow along on Facebook 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 we close this section with a tribute to two amazing people that we lost this week. First, we said goodbye to <strong>Jerry Hart<\/strong>, founder of <strong>Ole Time Barbecue<\/strong>, who not only made great BBQ, but was one of the most giving people I&#8217;ve ever met. And I had to say goodbye to my amazing and beautiful mom, <strong>Sara Jane Morris<\/strong>, after a 10-year battle with Alzheimers. Best mom ever! Love you forever mom! May they both rest in peace, lives well lived. <\/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>Over in Chapel Hill&#8217;s <strong>Timberline Shopping Center<\/strong>, reader <strong>Tim Rittenhouse<\/strong> notified us that <strong>Yodith\u2019s Cakery<\/strong>, a dessert shop making custom desserts for any occasion, has opened a retail location. They are located at 1129 Weaver Dairy Road. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/yodithscakery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Follow them on Instagram 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><strong>Chris Creighton<\/strong> notified us that the <strong>Basslake Draft House<\/strong> in Holly Springs has closed after a 23 year run.<\/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 remaining dates from noon to 4 p.m. &#8211; <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 them. <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 Saturday, <strong>May 16<\/strong>, <strong>North Carolina Asian Americans Together<\/strong> and <strong>NCAAT in Action<\/strong> will host the fifth annual <strong>Common Roots Festival<\/strong> in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The free event is expected to draw one of its largest crowds yet &#8211; 1,500 attended last year- and will feature cultural performances, Asian food vendors (10 Asian food trucks and 40+ vendors), wellness workshops, art, music, and interactive activities throughout the day. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ncaat.org\/commonroots2026\/\" 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 <strong>Durham Greek Festival<\/strong> returns <strong>May 16-17 <\/strong>(Saturday, 11-8; Sunday 11-7), offering a weekend dedicated to Greek culture and tradition. Hosted at <strong>St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church<\/strong> in Durham, this rain-or-shine event is open to the public with free admission. Expect authentic Greek food and desserts; Greek wine and beer at the Taverna Marketplace with groceries and ceramics; Traditional music and folk dance; tours of the Byzantine-style church; and more. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/durhamgreekfestival.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 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>Christopher Prieto<\/strong>, founder and pitmaster of&nbsp;<strong>Prime Barbecue<\/strong>, in partnership with the Town of Knightdale, announced the inaugural&nbsp;<strong>Pickin\u2019 in the Park <\/strong>on <strong>Saturday, May 16, <\/strong>from <strong>4 pm-7 pm <\/strong>at <strong>Knightdale Station Park.&nbsp;<\/strong>The event is a new annual BBQ festival celebrating the rich traditions of North Carolina barbecue and live music, all while giving back to the community. Expect good eats from <strong>Prime Barbecue<\/strong>, <strong>Sam Jones BBQ<\/strong>, <strong>Old Colony Smokehouse<\/strong> and <strong>Dampf Good BBQ<\/strong>. Proceeds will benefit the&nbsp;<strong>Raleigh Rescue Mission\u2019s \u201cThe Garden,\u201d&nbsp;<\/strong>which offers an immersive, holistic residential community for mothers, their children, and single women focusing on personal growth and job training to achieve self-sufficient, independent living. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.knightdalenc.gov\/pickin-park\" 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 fourth annual <strong>Gettin\u2019 Piggy With It<\/strong> returns to downtown Raleigh on <strong>May 17<\/strong>, bringing award-winning chefs and pitmasters from across the country together for a day of barbecue, community and philanthropy benefiting the <strong>Frankie Lemmon School<\/strong>. Tickets go on sale at noon <strong>Friday, March 20<\/strong>. The family-friendly event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. at <strong>Maywood Hall and Gardens<\/strong> (622 Maywood Ave., Raleigh) and will feature barbecue and other chef-driven bites, along with local beer and spirits, live music, games and more. The event is hosted by the <strong>Frankie Lemmon Foundation<\/strong> in partnership with <strong>Jake Wood<\/strong> of <strong>Lawrence Barbecue<\/strong> and <strong>Chris Powers<\/strong> of <strong>Trophy Brewing Co.<\/strong> VIP tickets are $200 per adult and includes early entry at noon. General admission tickets are $150 per adult with entry beginning at 1 p.m. Children ages 11 and under are admitted for free. Proceeds benefit Raleigh&#8217;s <strong>Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center<\/strong>, which provides accessible education and therapies to children with and without disabilities, often at little to no cost to families. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/frankielemmonfoundation.org\/gettinpiggywithit\/\" 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><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The third annual <strong>A Taste of Chatham<\/strong> will be held <strong>May 17th<\/strong> at 3 p.m. at the <strong>Historic Chatham Mills<\/strong> in <strong>Forest Hall<\/strong>. This event will offer tastes from numerous local restaurants and beverage vendors, music, and activities. This is a fundraiser to support the county Welcome Center, located across from the courthouse in downtown Pittsboro. It&#8217;s an event like no other, and you&#8217;ll want to be there! Get all the details (including tickets) on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/forest-hall-at-chatham-mills\/taste-of-chatham-2026\/1261096142752489\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">their event Facebook page 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 <strong>Downtown Cary Park<\/strong> along with the <strong>Cary Farmers Market<\/strong> is hosting a high-end dinner at the park on <strong>Sunday, May 24th<\/strong> called <strong>Gather: A Seasonal Supper<\/strong>. Tickets are $150 and guests will enjoy hors d\u2019oeuvres and cocktails from <strong>Flour &amp; Barrel<\/strong> and <strong>Side Door Cocktail Bar<\/strong>, a wood-fired main course by <strong>Jake Wood<\/strong> of <strong>Lawrence Barbecue<\/strong>, and breads and desserts by <strong>Christopher McLaurin<\/strong> of <strong>Lutra Bakery<\/strong>. All of this is set inside the beautiful <strong>Gathering House<\/strong> inside the park. Dietary restrictions and allergies can be accommodated. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/downtowncarypark.com\/things-to-do\/calendar\/r_EVEN0046_001\" 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><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Boatman Spirits Co<\/strong> has partnered with several Raleigh restaurants and bars to launch the <strong>Local Spirit Cocktail Competition<\/strong>, a series of friendly cocktail contests across downtown Raleigh designed to highlight North Carolina spirits. The next one will be at <strong>7 p.m. on Sunday, May 24<\/strong> at <strong>Longleaf Swine<\/strong>. Beyond <strong>Boatman<\/strong>, the participating businesses include <strong>Mala Pata<\/strong>, <strong>William &amp; Company<\/strong>, <strong>Transfer Co. Food Hall<\/strong>, <strong>Foundation<\/strong> and <strong>Longleaf Swine<\/strong>. The rules are simple: whoever is hosting the contest does not compete but gets to choose a local spirit that must be used in the cocktails and a unique house rule for that event. Five bartenders will compete, including <strong>Aaron Lambert<\/strong> of <strong>Boatman Spirits Co.<\/strong>, <strong>Hope Levinson<\/strong> of <strong>Mala Pata<\/strong>, <strong>Doug Wheeler<\/strong> of <strong>Transfer Co Food Hall<\/strong>, <strong>Patrick Dunmire<\/strong> of <strong>Foundation<\/strong> and <strong>Nolan Ruhmke<\/strong> from <strong>William &amp; Company<\/strong>. <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>On <strong>Sunday, May 31<\/strong>, chef <strong>Saif Rahman<\/strong> will welcome <strong>Aaron Salita<\/strong> and <strong>Conor Delaney<\/strong> of <strong>Crawford &amp; Son<\/strong> to <strong>Peregrine<\/strong> for a <strong>Kamayan Dinner<\/strong>. If you are not familiar, it is a Filipino tradition where food is laid directly on banana leaves, shared without utensils, eaten together. This evening honors <strong>Salita&#8217;s<\/strong> Filipino heritage and the bond he shares with <strong>Rahman<\/strong>; two immigrants who have spent their lives in kitchens, who both speak the language of live fire and the joy of feeding people well. In the spirit of Kamayan, they have reimagined a tradition \u2014 the whole-roasted pig becomes a whole lamb on the spit, a bridge between Filipino communal feasting and <strong>Saif&#8217;s<\/strong> Muslim and South Asian roots. The $175 fee includes the feast as well as three beer\/cocktails. <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>Tickets are on sale now for the <strong>2026 Dinner in the Meadow<\/strong> event on <strong>September 13th<\/strong> for 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>For thousands of kids in central and eastern North Carolina, the last day of school won\u2019t be the happy event you and I remember. There\u2019s a quiet struggle going on in their homes. Their parents are trying to navigate low wages, high housing and medical costs, and rising food prices \u2014 amid cutbacks to federal food assistance.&nbsp;<strong>The end of school breakfast and lunch programs for the summer could bring them to a crisis point.<\/strong> More of our neighbors have already been turning to the <strong>Food Bank of Central &amp; Eastern North Carolina <\/strong>and our partner agencies lately. We expect those numbers to grow once school is out. Summer can be a tough time for kids facing food insecurity \u2026 but it doesn\u2019t have to be, when we work together. Thank you for helping kids spend their vacation playing and growing!&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/secure.foodbankcenc.org\/site\/R?i=rr6NP0KIiPUa79GbXE61vtxyeXQWPGpXegzBIYqaNWztNkhzY-szEQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Make This a Hunger-Free Summer<\/mark><\/strong><\/a>.<\/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-4642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4642","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=4642"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4651,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4642\/revisions\/4651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}