TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler. 

Featured Restaurant News

• Over in Morrisville, reader Kevin Coletta shared with me that Milo’s Cafe, a European-style, all-day cafe, has opened at 10119 Chapel Hill Road in a stand-alone building just down from Neomonde. The cafe is a harmonious blend of Columbian and French-Algerian cultures where there is a shared love for coffee and delectable cuisine. They are open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. (7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday). They had their grand opening on April 4th. Best to follow along on Instagram here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• And it has finally happened. We have learned that Mac’s Speed Shop in Raleigh’s Five Points (in the former Lonerider space next to The Rialto) is in soft-open mode. While they don’t currently have their ABC permit just yet, they do have a great menu and a great space. This will mark their 10th location and the first in the Triangle. Mac’s was founded 18 years ago by Wynn Davis and Hall Johnston as a place that would blend their love for BBQ, beer and bikes. Everything is made from scratch including the barbecue sauces and dressings. But don’t worry, you don’t have to have a Harley, your minivan (and dog) are more than welcome there. Visit them here.

• Saw on RALtoday this week that Raleigh will soon be home to a location of Melty. If you are not familiar with them they feature grilled cheeses, melts, and burgers. Look for them to open in June at 124 E. Martin Street, just down from 42 & Lawrence Coffee. Start getting familiar with them here.

• A quick update on a post from last week. Jennifer Buchholz shared with us that the Yard Milkshake will open TODAY April 12th in downtown Raleigh’s Seaboard Station. Take a peek here.

• And down in Fuqua-Varina, David McCreary shared with me that Casa Amigos Cocina has just opened at 112 East Vance Street in downtown. Start getting familiar with them here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Got word this week that Big Bad Breakfast, the brainchild of James Beard award-winning chef John Currence, will open on Tuesday, April 30th in Durham next to Smash Burger on Erwin Road. The opening of BBB Durham is especially significant to Chef Currence, as he kicked off his career at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, launching him on his path in the restaurant industry. Mostly located throughout the Southeast (with 22 locations), this is their first North Carolina location. Check them out here.

• Also in Durham, there is a Portuguese wine pop up bar happening this weekend. Pinheiro wine bar is popping up on the patio at Kingfisher cocktail bar in downtown Durham (at 321 E. Chapel Hill Street) this Friday and Saturday (4/12 and 4/13), from 5 pm to 10 pm. They’re transforming the patio at Kingfisher into a little slice of Portuguese paradise. Best to get all the details on Instagram here.

• In Chapel Hill, we got word that Franklin Street is set to welcome Playa Bowls, a chain specializing in açaí bowls, beneath the Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery. They will share the ground-level space with Starbucks as their neighbor and serve up their smoothies, juices, and various bowls. They will join other Triangle-area locations in Raleigh (on Hillsborough Street) and Durham (on Ninth Street). Founded by surfers inspired by their travels, you can learn more about them here.

• Over in Carrboro, Chapelboro shared the news that the popular Flying Pierogi food truck, which has been operating in Chapel Hill and Carrboro for more than five years, will officially open its new brick-and-mortar location in the South Green shopping center on April 15th. Flying Pierogi specializes in Polish and German street food in addition to a variety of sandwiches, sides, and their popular Pierogies. It also offers specialty coffees, pastries, and a cocktail bar. They are located at 101 Two Hills Drive in the spot formerly occupied by Coronato Pizza. Probably best to check it out on Facebook here.

Closings

• WRAL shared the news that downtown Raleigh’s Capital Club 16 will close their brick-and-mortar space (16 West Martin Street) at the end of April shifting their focus to onsite catering, pop-up events and their food truck, The Wandering Wolf – bringing the German American cooking you’ve enjoyed for the past 14 years to wherever you are! Might be best to follow them/keep up with them on Instagram here.

Food Trucks

• Durham Central Park’s Spring Food Truck Rodeo is THIS Sunday, April 14th from 12 – 4 p.m. (501 Foster Street). Join them for 50+ food and drink vendors – as well as face painting, Scrap Exchange flower crowns, poems on demand, inflatables and so much more! Get all the details here. 

• 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

• This Saturday, April 13th is the Pimento Cheese Festival being hosted this year at the Downtown Cary Park from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Come enjoy the nation’s only festival dedicated specifically to pimento cheese! Visitors can enjoy food from more than 50 vendors, live music, trivia at The Bark Bar, games, the annual pimento cheese sculpting contest and more. Get all the details here.

• Also on Saturday, the North Carolina Food & Beverage Podcast along with Pimiento Tea Room will host Bubbles & Bagels at Wine 100 in Holly Springs (100 W. Ballentine Street) from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will feature an array of exquisite craft bagels each paired with eight handpicked sparkling wines from around the globe. The event is limited to 75 people and tickets are $45. Get tickets and details here. 

• On Sunday, April 14th, Christian Thompson from NOLA, chef and co-owner of Pork In The Road, has teamed up with Steel String Brewery for a Low Country Boil & Brews from 2-5 p.m. They will be serving up a low country boil of gulf shrimp served with potatoes, corn on the cob, and andouille sausage. They will also be offering some of our Crawfish Lumpia with a side of cajun remoulade. Chef Szymon’s Corn Pudding, and sweets from Cake Your Groove Thing (@cakeyourgroovething) will also be available for purchase at the event! Get tickets and all the details here. 

• A couple of other really fun annual events to look forward to at the end of April. First up, the 14th Annual ‘Cuegrass Festival will be held on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh on April 20th. And another favorite, Brewgaloo, a craft beer festival, will be on the weekend of April 26 and 27, also on Fayetteville Street. Visit Cuegrass here and Brewgaloo here. 

• Preeti Waas has started to add classes and events to her space in North Raleigh, Cheeni Indian Food Emporium. While the Raleigh location no longer operates as a cafe (they do have food to grab and go…or enjoy in the space), it will be a space for events and classes. To see the classes and events they have already scheduled, visit their events page here. While you are there, sign-up to receive their emails so you won’t miss any upcoming events. 

• Guests are invited to experience a delicious multi-course dinner with James Beard Foundation winner chef Ricky Moore, who will take attendees on a culinary journey across North Carolina in support of KIPP NC schools. The “Cookoff for Education” will take place at Saltbox Seafood Joint at 2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. in Durham on April 29. KIPP NC is an eight-school region of the national Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP). Funds raised through sponsorships and ticket sales will be an investment in North Carolina’s current and future students, teachers and educational leaders. You can find more details here. 

• Get ready to indulge in a delectable journey through Jewish cuisine as Jewish for Good proudly presents Jewish Food Week, a week-long celebration of culinary delights from May 3rd to May 12th. This mouthwatering event promises to tantalize taste buds while supporting a meaningful cause, with all proceeds benefiting Jewish for Good’s Food Pantry. Get all the details of the week here. 

• My buddy Neha Shah, director of the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, shared that the annual Farm to Fork Picnic, celebrating local food and local farms, will take place Sunday, June 2 from 4pm – 7pm, again at Fearrington Village. Get details and tickets here. 

• Tickets are on sale now for the 9th Annual Dinner in the Meadow which will take place on September 15, 2024 on a grassy knoll atMeadow Lane Farm, in bucolic Franklin County, offering beautiful pastoral views and clear, starry skies. Some of the region’s most sought-after chefs will be preparing delicious dishes using ingredients from local farms and food artisans. It is an annual fundraiser for the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2014 to support and cultivate small farms in our region of North Carolina. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• No doubt we live in a wonderful corner of the world. But here are some things to remember and not forget. Right now, one in five people in central and eastern North Carolina don’t have enough to eat. The Food Bankprovided over 88 million meals to families and individuals last year. The Food Bank’s partner agency network has reported up to a 60% increase in neighbors visiting for food assistance. The need is real and right here in our backyard. Consider helping in 2024. See how here.

Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler. 

Featured Restaurant News

• We start out this week in downtown Durham. The folks over at Ex-Voto, Angela Salamanca and Marshall Davis, are bringing a “lil’ Americana concept” called Patty Boy to the Durham Food Hall. There will be burgers, chicken tends, tater tots and other Easter NC-inspired eats from their own chef Dallas Howard. They’ll even have big-gulp fountain drinks for all the soda freaks out there! They are shooting for a mid-summer opening. Follow along on Instagram here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Ponysaurus Brewing is now open in Raleigh Iron Works. Their two-story barrel room and restaurant has 18 taps and a full bar offering beer cocktails, liquor, wine, and (of course) Ponysaurus Brewing Co. beers. The kitchen features 14” pizza, apps, burgers, sandwiches, and more. In addition, the Raleigh location includes a sour beer facility with production space for barrel aging, blending, and bottling. Located at 2221 Iron Works Drive, they are open 3 – 11 p.m. (until April 11th) and then 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. seven days a week. They also have locations in Durham (original) and Wilmington. Visit Ponysaurus Raleigh here.

• In Downtown Raleigh’s Smoky Hollow development, the folks over at RALtoday shared that Morelia, serving gourmet ice cream paletas (a Mexican treat similar to popsicles), is now open. Start getting familiar with them here.

• Up in Wake Forest, Michael Bongiorno (owner of Bongriorno & Son) shared with me on a recent visit that the newest location of Alpaca is now open up in Wake Forest. They are located at 1608 Mangum Ave., just behind the Wendy’s. This marks their 14th location. Check them out here. On a related note, renovation continues at the next location of Alpaca, which will be in the A-frame building on Hillsborough Street that formerly housed an IHOP. Stay tuned on that one. They also have locations coming to Durham, Holly Springs and Mebane (as well as Southport!).

• In downtown Raleigh, got word this week that Irregardless, Raleigh’s landmark vegetarian restaurant, will bring back lunch service on Tuesdays through Thursdays starting April 9th. The new lunch menu offers soup, salads, sandwiches, sides and entrees to satisfy all diners from carnivores to vegans. Prices range from $9-$18. Visit Irregardless here.

• A quick update on a post from last week. Jennifer Buchholz shared with us that the Yard Milkshake will open on April 12th in downtown Raleigh’s Seaboard Station. Start getting familiar with them here.

• Down in Fuquay-Varina, David McCreary shared the exciting news that Khao Sen Thai & Tea is set to open sometime this spring at Bengal Towne Center on Northeast Judd Parkway. The website is not active just yet, but you can keep up with them on their Facebook page here.

• And just across the county line in Selma, Thomas Vincent shared with me that the folks at Hatchet Brewing have announced the grand opening of their second taproom is this Saturday, April 6th. Veteran-owned Hatchet Brewing first opened in Southern Pines in 2019, and will open The Vault inside a historic bank building at 100 N. Radford Street. The bank’s vault will serve as a cooler and the second vault will be a passageway to the back room gaming and event space. Might be best to follow along and get all the details on their Instagram page here. Or you can visit their website here. 

• And before we leave, a huge congratulations to chef Scott Crawford and his team at Crawford & Son for being one of five finalists for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality. The awards ceremony will take place Monday, June 10th in Chicago. Visit Crawford & Son here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• The folks over at Durham Downtown shared the news that a new rooftop restaurant is coming to the 11th floor of 555 Mangum. The Ibarra family (think Cortez Seafood and Cocktail, La Rancherita, Chido Tacos and Jose and Sons) will open The Lenny this summer. It will feature a seasonal, eclectic menu of shareable small plates, an agave-centric cocktail list, and a globally curated wine list. Thanks again to Durham Downtown for sharing this great news! Congrats to Joel Ibarra.

Closings

• Got an email last week that the Durham location of the fondue restaurant The Melting Pot closed as of April 1. They had been open in Durham since 2007. The Raleigh location remains open.

• Reader Chris Creighton shared a couple closings with us: the Subway at 5563 Western Blvd. and the Hardees at 5639 Western Blvd.

Food Trucks

• Durham Central Park’s Spring Food Truck Rodeo is scheduled for Sunday, April 14th from 12 – 4 p.m. (501 Foster Street). Join them for 50+ food and drink vendors – as well as face painting, Scrap Exchange flower crowns, poems on demand, inflatables and so much more! Get all the details here.

• 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

• This Friday (April 5th) downtown Raleigh’s newest dining spot, Figulina, throws itself in the middle of the Dreamville festival. The entire street will be closed for the Block Party (1-8 p.m.), so the folks at Figulina will be slinging Aperol Spritzes (sip ‘n stroll style) and Porchetta Sandwiches from their patio (until 4 p.m. or sell out). Also, dining service tonight (only) is walk-ins only and serving a special pasta menu (along with their normal starters/salads). Best to visit their Instagram for the dinner menu and all the details. And while we are here talking about Figulina, they are rolling out some new menu items for the season as well as opening their patio for outdoor dining starting next Tuesday!

• The annual Tacos ‘n Taps is happening this Saturday, April 6th at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The event takes place from 1-5 p.m. (VIPs get in at noon). This is an “all you care to taste” Beer and Tequila Festival and offers up some of the Triangle’s best tacos and Mexican food, the best dancing music from Triangle area bands, margaritas, contests and some other surprises.  This is NACHO average taco festival. Get tickets and all the details here. 

• Alley Twenty Six, the James Beard award-nominated craft cocktail bar, will host a ticketed Scotch whisky tasting event as part of Ardbeg’s National Masters of Smoke Tour from 2-4 p.m. this Saturday, April 6th in downtown Durham. For $45 per person, Alley Twenty Six owner and mixologist Shannon Healy will be mixing up two cocktails featuring Ardbeg Islay Scotch Whisky for the occasion and the fine people at Ardbeg will be providing tastes of their different varieties of scotch whisky. Plus, enjoy light bites prepared by Alley Twenty Six’s executive chef Carrie Schleiffer. Get all the details and tickets here. 

• Carolina Brewery is excited to announce a special Crab & Shrimp Boil event on Saturday, April 6th from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m at their Pittsboro Brewery Restaurant to kickoff their spring music series (live music every Saturday). Guests can indulge in red royal shrimp and snow crab clusters by the pound, as well as delightful low country boils of both varieties. Visit their website for all the details. 

• On April 13th, the North Carolina Food & Beverage Podcast along with Pimiento Tea Room will host Bubbles & Bagels at Wine 100 in Holly Springs (100 W. Ballentine Street) from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will feature an array of exquisite craft bagels each paired with eight handpicked sparkling wines from around the globe. The event is limited to 75 people and tickets are $45. Get tickets and details here. 

• On Sunday, April 14th, Christian Thompson from NOLA, chef and co-owner of Pork In The Road, has teamed up with Steel String Brewery for a Low Country Boil & Brews from 2-5 p.m. They will be serving up a low country boil of gulf shrimp served with potatoes, corn on the cob, and andouille sausage. They will also be offering some of our Crawfish Lumpia with a side of cajun remoulade. Chef Szymon’s Corn Pudding, and sweets from Cake Your Groove Thing (@cakeyourgroovething) will also be available for purchase at the event! Get tickets and all the details here.

• A couple of other really fun annual events to look forward to at the end of April. First up, the 14th Annual ‘Cuegrass Festival will be held on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh on April 20th. And another favorite, Brewgaloo, a craft beer festival, will be on the weekend of April 26 and 27, also on Fayetteville Street. Visit Cuegrass here and Brewgaloo here.

• Preeti Waas has started to add classes and events to her space in North Raleigh, Cheeni Indian Food Emporium. While the Raleigh location no longer operates as a cafe (they do have food to grab and go…or enjoy in the space), it will be a space for events and classes. To see the classes and events they have already scheduled, visit their events page here. While you are there, sign-up to receive their emails so you won’t miss any upcoming events.

• Guests are invited to experience a delicious multi-course dinner with James Beard Foundation winner chef Ricky Moore, who will take attendees on a culinary journey across North Carolina in support of KIPP NC schools. The “Cookoff for Education” will take place at Saltbox Seafood Joint at 2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. in Durham on April 29. KIPP NC is an eight-school region of the national Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP). Funds raised through sponsorships and ticket sales will be an investment in North Carolina’s current and future students, teachers and educational leaders. You can find more details here. 

• Get ready to indulge in a delectable journey through Jewish cuisine as Jewish for Good proudly presents Jewish Food Week, a week-long celebration of culinary delights from May 3rd to May 12th. This mouthwatering event promises to tantalize taste buds while supporting a meaningful cause, with all proceeds benefiting Jewish for Good’s Food Pantry. Get all the details of the week here.

• My buddy Neha Shah, director of the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, shared that the annual Farm to Fork Picnic, celebrating local food and local farms, will take place Sunday, June 2 from 4pm – 7pm, again at Fearrington Village. Get details and tickets here. 

• Tickets are on sale now for the 9th Annual Dinner in the Meadow which will take place on September 15, 2024 on a grassy knoll atMeadow Lane Farm, in bucolic Franklin County, offering beautiful pastoral views and clear, starry skies. Some of the region’s most sought-after chefs will be preparing delicious dishes using ingredients from local farms and food artisans. It is an annual fundraiser for the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2014 to support and cultivate small farms in our region of North Carolina. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• No doubt we live in a wonderful corner of the world. But here are some things to remember and not forget. Right now, one in five people in central and eastern North Carolina don’t have enough to eat. The Food Bankprovided over 88 million meals to families and individuals last year. The Food Bank’s partner agency network has reported up to a 60% increase in neighbors visiting for food assistance. The need is real and right here in our backyard. Consider helping in 2024. See how here.