TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• This is the best news since early March. The boys are back! That’s right, the entire crew behind Raleigh’s Stanbury is back and open after a much needed summer vacation. They are open Tuesday and Wednesdays from 2 – 8 p.m. for Snacks and Drinks on the porch and patio, and open Thursday, Friday and Saturday for dinner and takeout from 5-10 p.m. Walk-in only, no reservations. Visit them on Instagram for their dine-in and take-out menus. Welcome back! We’ve missed you!

Wake County Restaurant News

• Raleigh Convergence shared that Garland is now open with a new sidewalk patio and takeout options (including delivery!). You can make a reservation on their website up to 30 days in advance. Garland is helmed by Cheetie Kumar, a four-time James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Southeast for her take on Indian and Asian meets Southern cuisine. Check it out here and make your reservations!

• Also in Raleigh, Jessica Rutti shared the news that the former Edwards Mill Bar and Grill has been completely renovated, redesigned and rebranded, reopening yesterday as Otra Vez, featuring crafted tacos, tortas and tequilla. Looks like their Facebook page might be the best way to keep up with them.

• Saw on Ashton Mae Smith’s weekly email that Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing has resumed their Sunday morning brunch, served from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. They have a very spacious dining room, as well as their huge patio with the best view of the downtown Raleigh skyline. Check them out on Instagram.

• NC State students will have another Hillsborough Street dining option when they return to campus next semester as Michael DePersia of DePersia & Associates shared with me that they have leased the former Jimmy John’s space (on the same block of Hillsborough St. as Chipotle) to David Huang of Hibachi & Co. They already have stores at Campbell, UNC as well as in Fuquay Varina and Garner. Visit them here.

• Over in downtown Cary, Raleigh Convergence also shared that Daybreak is now open, a new breakfast, brunch and tacos restaurant. On the menu are taco flights with eight options to mix and match; a three-meats Big Swanson Burrito; as well as pancakes, biscuits, other breakfast fare and a dedicated kids menu. People familiar with their sister restaurant, Crosstown Pub & Grill, will recognize some of the names behind Daybreak (Sheila, Sean and Brendan Ryan). The head chef is Juan Duartes. Daybreak is open 7 a.m.-2 p.m. daily at 154 E. Chatham St. in Cary. Visit them here.

• And just like that, there were nine. Well, not just like that, but on October 9th, Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken will open their 9th location here in in the Triangle, this one in Nichols Plaza in Apex (1107 Pine Plaza Drive). Visit Alpaca here.

• Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. Check out that list here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Carrie Brogren shared with the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Group that Bottle Rev Chapel Hill will move move across the way and into the space vacated by Tobacco Road Sports Cafe at East 54. Chapelboro shed a little more light on the matter with the news that the shop and taproom will rebrand to become Old East Tavern and will be bringing on Josh Coburn to be its executive chef to curate its menu. Coburn recently worked as the executive chef of the recently closed City Kitchen. Look for a 2021 opening. In the meantime, keep up with their progress on Facebook here.

• In Durham, WRAL’s Sarah Krueger uncovered and confirmed by the folks at Building Bull City that the former Papa John’s on Morgan Street is being renovated and will become a franchise location of a concept called Happy Pie. Not much on their website, so we will keep an eye on this one. Thanks Sarah!

• In Carrboro, Carrie Brogren shared the news that Iza Whiskey & Eats is coming soon to 370 E. Main Street where Tom & Che and One Fish, Two Fish used to be. Not much info on their Facebook page, but Japanese cuisine and whiskey….yes, please! Keep up with them on their Facebook page here.

Closings / Cancellations

• And it was confirmed last Friday, just after we published, that Chapel Hill’s City Kitchen has closed. Will miss that place.

• And it was also confirmed last Friday, that Carrboro’s Elmo’s (in Carr Mill Mall) has also made the difficult decision to close.

• And the Triangle Business Journal reported that Brio Tuscan Grille in Raleigh’s Crabtree Valley Mall which has been closed since March will not reopen.

Food Trucks 

• Triangle on the Cheap shared the news that Food Truck Flix is a recurring event that combines drive-in movies with food trucks, for a safer entertainment experience just announced their schedule for the upcoming weekends (Friday and Saturday nights). The events will be taking place at Frontier RTP, 800 Park Offices, Durham, and at Focus Church, 7000 Destiny Drive, Raleigh. You can purchase tickets in advance for any of the drive-in movies. The price is $25 per car. Of course, you’ll also want to bring money for the food trucks. Get the movie schedule, purchase your pass and get all the details here.

• Here are a  couple of sites to find and stalk your favorite food trucks here and here.

Events

• There is another Brewgaloo Drive Through on this Saturday, September 26 from 1 – 3 p.m. at the Lincoln Theater. You can help keep North Carolina breweries going by purchasing a 6 pack of your favorite style of beer or grab a Taste of NC mix pack to try 24 different brews from around the state. For this special Oktoberfest Edition of Drive Through Brewgaloo they have a mix pack of Fall seasonals and Oktoberfest releases available by the six-pack or case. You can also add on some delicious locally made pretzels to your order! Get all the details and order here!

• Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week is coming up – October 2 through October 11. And that means there will be TWO Saturdays during DTR Restaurant Week where the Downtown Raleigh Alliance will host Dine Out Downtown – two blocks of Fayetteville Street will be closed with socially distanced tables for you to safely enjoy your takeout while still dining out in downtown. Get all the details here!

• Ashley Christensen Restaurants are now doing Picnic Pop-up at the Park at the North Carolina Museum of Art. You order your picnic (take-out breakfast, picnic boxes, snacks, and beverages) ahead of time and pick it up on Thursday and Friday 8 am til 2 pm and/or Saturday and Sunday from 9 am til 6 pm. Order ahead here and get contactless pick-up located along the walking path on the south side of the brick East Building at NCMA, behind the amphitheater, facing the sculpture park.

• Alley Twenty Six, one of Downtown Durham’s staple businesses, announced a weekly outdoor pop-up event titled “Alley Freezes Over” happening every Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) from 12 pm to 8 pm. It continues throughout the summer and early fall. The pop-up includes new frozen cocktails and the choice of “boozy” or alcohol-free snow cones using their local, all-natural Alley Twenty Six syrups, plus a revamped food menu from chef Carrie Schleiffer. Seating will be available outside, in the namesake alley (26 Alley) located directly adjacent to the cocktail bar and will be following safety guidelines, including mask wearing, practicing social distancing, and sanitizing surfaces between guests. Visit them here.

• Harvest Dinner, Raleigh City Farm’s annual fundraising event to celebrate a successful growing season, has a new format this year! Harvest Dinner “At-Home Edition” is a four-week series of take-home Sunday dinners featuring amazing local chefs: Cheetie Kumar of Garland on October 11; Coleen Speaks of Hummingbird on October 18; Caroline Morrison of Fiction Kitchen on October 25; and Andrew Gravens of A Place at the Table on November 1. The event series helps support the farm and local agriculture as well as the local restaurant community. For more information, visit here.

• On Saturday, October 3rd, chef/owner Scott Crawford will welcome the community to the cobblestone streets of City Market for an outdoor popup dinner featuring Crawford & Son’s “greatest hits” since opening. The charming backdrop of City Market’s old cobblestone streets provide space to serve guests in an open-air setting, in the safest way possible. There are a limited number of seats, and the dinner will take place under City Market’s covered eaves, rain or shine. Get tickets and all the details here.

• If there is any good to be found in the pandemic (there really isn’t!) it might be the resurgence of drive-in and outdoor movies! Some are your traditional drive-in/car venues, while others are outdoor spaces in the grass with market off “spaces” maintaining safe physical distancing and some even involve watching a movie with babygoats! (I’m serious) Our friends over at Triangle On The Cheap have a great list of drive-in and outdoor movie options for you and your family. Of course, bringing food or ordering food on site makes it that much better! Check out their complete listing of options here.

Food Bank Corner

• Covid 19 and the impact will be with us for a long time and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina stands ready for the challenge – but they need your help! Here’s how you can help:

• DONATE FUNDS. As we shift our inventory and operations to meet the ever-changing need as well as prepare ourselves for Hurricane Season, funds are the resource we need most. Financial donations allow us to stay nimble, to change our operation as needed, and to reach new people with our efforts. 

• INVOLVE FRIENDS. Want to mobilize your neighborhood, church group, or other circle of friends? Holding a Virtual Food Drive is a great way to help – while practicing social distancing. We even re-launched our Virtual Food Drive platform. Visit foodbankcenc.org/vfd to set yours up today.

• USE YOUR VOICE. Research the policies that impact hunger and speak out! Contact your state, local, and federal representatives to let them know policies like SNAP, TEFAP, and WIC need to be strengthened in order to break the cycle of hunger and help relieve families of the burden of hunger. Visit foodbankcenc.org/advocacy to learn more.

• DONATE TIME. The Food Bank greatly relies on our volunteers, especially in times of crisis.If you are a healthy adult and want to volunteer, you can self-schedule a shift here. #noonegoeshungry

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Breadman’s (with an “a” and not an “e”) is back in Chapel Hill! As of 7 a.m. this morning (Friday, September 18) the forty-one-year-old restaurant swung open their doors after a move to Elliott Road (in the former Haw River Grill spot) from their old abode on Rosemary Street. While it is under new ownership (now owned by long-time employees Luz Castro and his son Omar and their family), expect a lot of the same you have come to love — just in a newer, more convenient spot (at least for town folks) with ample parking. You can keep up with them on Facebook here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Blogger EatRaleigh shared a tweet this week that showed a sign for City Market Grill coming soon to the High Horse space in downtown Raleigh’s City Market. Looks like they have lots of outdoor dining space. Stay tuned as we keep our eye on this one.

• Also in downtown Raleigh, the Triangle Business Journal reported this week that breakfast restaurant chain Biscuitville is planning to add its 10th Triangle location. It will be a 2,800-square-foot location with a drive-thru in southeast Raleigh at 3900 Jones Sausage Road near the on ramp to Interstate 40. Visit Biscuitville here.

• On a recent drive down Hillsborough Street I noticed that the Crafty Crab has opened their doors at the corner of Gorman Street. Will have to check out their signature New Orleans Style low country boil. Get familiar with them here.

• Got word from Dan and Sara Bernard that they opened Baked Cookies & Dough in MacGregor Village this past Thursday. They specialize in gourmet edible cookie dough made with heat treated flour and no eggs. They’ll also have baked cookies, soft serve ice cream, milkshakes, ice cream blends, coffee, doughwiches and many more creations as they get rolling. Check them out here.

• Staying in Cary, Carrie Brogren (founder of the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Group on Facebook) brought it to our attention that Chicken Salad Chick will hold their grand opening on September 22nd at 302 Colonades Way (Waverly Place next to Taziki’s) and will be celebrating with a week of giveaways. Look for 12 flavors of chicken salad that are made fresh every day. Visit their Facebook page here.

• A reader at RalToday shared that Jim’s Ole Time Hot Dogs has reopened their stand at a new location — 1299 Buck Jones Road, Cary — after being closed for six months. Their hours are 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. You can follow them here.

• Downtown Raleigh is blooming/booming – with restaurants opening again! Ashton Mae Smith brought it to our attention that Crema, Fire Wok, Shish Kebob, Happy and Hale and Jimmy V’s are all back open. And I noticed that Capital 16 Club and Garland have a cool new pod out front, giving them both a lot of outdoor dining space, as well as their curbside service. Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. Check out that list here.

• And out in Brier Creek, the Triangle Business Journal shared the news that Olive Garden will open its 29th restaurant in North Carolina, and second in Raleigh, this fall, an exact date hasn’t been set. It will be located at 8115 Brier Creek Parkway (next to Longhorn Steakhouse). They have Triangle locations in Cary and Wake Forest. Visit them here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Tomorrow is the day (September 19th) as Durham welcomes its newest neighborhood bar and kitchen to the Lakewood area – The Honeysuckle at Lakewood. The iconic red barn on Chapel Hill Road, formerly known as County Fare Food Trucks & Bar, has been transformed over the last few months into a warm and inviting neighborhood bar and kitchen featuring 4,000 square feet of spacious interior space that leads out through garage doors into a half-acre of beautifully landscaped open space featuring a huge covered patio and lots of picnic tables. The menu features classic American fare, elevating your typical bar food, and a drink menu that features handcrafted and barrel aged cocktails, many of which center around mead (honey wine) that is made on The Honeysuckle Farm in Chapel Hill. Congrats to Tom Meyer and chef Mark Mishalanie and their team! Check it all out here.

• Reader Jim Martin shared with us that he saw a new sign where the Tamale Factory used to be on Erwin Road that said “Heavenly Buffaloes Coming Soon.” Heavenly Buffaloes has their original location also in Durham, as well as locations in Greensboro and Chapel Hill. No word yet on an open date. Follow Heavenly here.

• Thanks to the watchful eyes of Glenn Gillen, he shared with us that there is a new sign for a restaurant called Indian Monsoon coming to the corner of Morgan and Mangum streets in downtown Durham (on the Durham Loop). You can follow their progress and any opening announcements here.

• The folks over at Bites of Bull City shared that Zen Fish Poke Bar opened their third location (second in Durham) in south Durham next to The Mad Popper and just down from Bean Traders. Check them out here.

• Also in Durham, Alpaca Peruvian Chicken continues to roll out new locations – the newest location returns them to Durham to open at 3726 Mayfair St in the University Hill development. They are looking to open on Monday, September 21st. Check out their website here for details.

• In Chapel Hill, the folks over at RalToday shared that Summit Coffee will be opening their first Triangle location in early October. The cafe will take over the former Frutta Bowl location at 140 W. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill and offer a full coffee and espresso program, a small food menu, and eventually a beer and wine program. Get to know Summit here.

• Also in Chapel Hill, Just Salad opened their doors this past week offering salads, wraps, bowls, avocado toasts and more, prepared from scratch and made to order in a New York minute. They also have a location in Raleigh. As part of their opening celebration, on Saturday, September 19 they are offering 50% off all orders placed in restaurant and the first 100 people to visit will receive a Just Salad reusable tote and swag. and next week (September 20 – September 26) guests who order pick-up for the first time through the website will receive 50% off their order when using code CHAPELHILL50 (maximum discount $20). Visit them here.

• And we are keeping our eye on a developing story in Chapel Hill. Here is what we know – Chapelboro.com (with offices directly next door to City Kitchen in University Place) reported this week that several moving trucks had loaded up “all kitchen equipment, dinner ware and furniture” leaving the store virtually empty. In addition, we noticed that City Kitchen’s website is down. But there has been no statement from Giorgios Hospitality Group. We will have to wait and see if this is a relocation or a closure – let’s hope for a relocation!! Check out all their restaurants here.

• If you live in or are headed down to Southern Pines, there is a new restaurant on the way in the Tyler’s Ridge Shopping Center called Roast. It is a farm to table sandwich market where most of the meats cooked to create their sandwiches are raised in North Carolina, and local produce is used when available. Get familiar with them here.

• And in Kinston, great news to report! Chef Vivian Howard will begin weekend pop-events at Chef & The Farmer, starting Friday, Sept. 18 with Blueberry BBQ Chicken plates to kick things off. Meals, cocktails and snacks will be available to enjoy on the restaurant’s patio, in the yard, or as takeout. For $15, customers will get Howard’s signature Blueberry BBQ chicken (leg quarter or breast), chilled shrimp succotash, Eastern North Carolina slaw with a Vivian twist, and smoked corn hush puppies. Iced tea, beer, wine and batch cocktails will be available for purchase at a counter-style bar, as well as apple jacks and rum cake for dessert. The restaurant will serve plates from 5-9 p.m. or when sold out on Fridays and Saturdays. The menu will change monthly and feature distinctly Eastern North Carolina fare. Get all the details on their site here.

Closings / Cancellations

• WRAL shared the news that Jordan Lake Brewing Company will permanently close on September 20 at 8pm. They are located on Durham Road in Cary.

• Over in Chapel Hill, Blue Spoon Microcreamery located at 140 E. Franklin Street announced via Facebook that due to Covid-19 they are closing permanently. Get by from 1-4 pm this Saturday (September 19th) to say goodbye and get a free scoop of ice cream while supplies last!

• And it was announced on their Facebook page that Bottle Rev in RDU would close their doors on September 25. That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are 4 other locations – Lake Boone and Lead Mine both in Raleigh, as well as in Chapel Hill and Apex. Visit them here.

Food Trucks 

• Debi Isenstein posted to Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Group that the Triangle is about a month away from getting a new, “reimagined” ice cream truck called Alsies Ice Cream Truck. They noted that they will be stocked with old fashioned treats for those nostalgic for goodies from years past and local handcrafted favorites made with fresh ingredients. You can keep up with their progress and announcements here.

• Triangle on the Cheap shared the news that Food Truck Flix is a recurring event that combines drive-in movies with food trucks, for a safer entertainment experience just announced their schedule for the upcoming weekends (Friday and Saturday nights). The events will be taking place at Frontier RTP, 800 Park Offices, Durham, and at Focus Church, 7000 Destiny Drive, Raleigh. You can purchase tickets in advance for any of the drive-in movies. The price is $25 per car. Of course, you’ll also want to bring money for the food trucks. Get the movie schedule, purchase your pass and get all the details here.

• Here are a  couple of sites to find and stalk your favorite food trucks here and here.

Events

• Ashley Christensen Restaurants are now doing Picnic Pop-up at the Park at the North Carolina Museum of Art. You order your picnic (take-out breakfast, picnic boxes, snacks, and beverages) ahead of time and pick it up on Thursday and Friday 8 am til 2 pm and/or Saturday and Sunday from 9 am til 6 pm. Order ahead here and get contactless pick-up located along the walking path on the south side of the brick East Building at NCMA, behind the amphitheater, facing the sculpture park.

• Alley Twenty Six, one of Downtown Durham’s staple businesses, announced a weekly outdoor pop-up event titled “Alley Freezes Over” happening every Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) from 12 pm to 8 pm. It continues throughout the summer and early fall. The pop-up includes new frozen cocktails and the choice of “boozy” or alcohol-free snow cones using their local, all-natural Alley Twenty Six syrups, plus a revamped food menu from chef Carrie Schleiffer. Seating will be available outside, in the namesake alley (26 Alley) located directly adjacent to the cocktail bar and will be following safety guidelines, including mask wearing, practicing social distancing, and sanitizing surfaces between guests. Visit them here.

• Here is a great cause to get behind. The Sola Hot Mini 5k, now in its seventh year, is a “virtual race” that will take place in 8 days on September 19th and there is still time to register, donate and/or volunteer! All proceeds raised will be donated to help in the fight to end ALS. Get all the details here!

• On September 23rd, the folks at Union Special are hosting an Ice Cream Social for Social Justice at Union with Videri Chocolate from 4p-8p. Proceeds will be donated to the NC Black Alliance to help in the voter drive, and they’ve invited the League of Women Voters to swing in and encourage registration and getting out to VOTE. We are all in this together. Check out their event page on Facebook here.

• There is another Brewgaloo Drive Through on September 26 from 1 – 3 p.m. at the Lincoln Theater. You can help keep North Carolina breweries going by purchasing a 6 pack of your favorite style of beer or grab a Taste of NC mix pack to try 24 different brews from around the state. For this special Oktoberfest Edition of Drive Through Brewgaloo they have a mix pack of Fall seasonals and Oktoberfest releases available by the six-pack or case. You can also add on some delicious locally made pretzels to your order! Get all the details and order here!

• Harvest Dinner, Raleigh City Farm’s annual fundraising event to celebrate a successful growing season, has a new format this year! Harvest Dinner “At-Home Edition” is a four-week series of take-home Sunday dinners featuring amazing local chefs: Cheetie Kumar of Garland on October 11; Coleen Speaks of Hummingbird on October 18; Caroline Morrison of Fiction Kitchen on October 25; and Andrew Gravens of A Place at the Table on November 1. The event series helps support the farm and local agriculture as well as the local restaurant community. For more information, visit here.

• On Saturday, October 3rd, chef/owner Scott Crawford will welcome the community to the cobblestone streets of City Market for an outdoor popup dinner featuring Crawford & Son’s “greatest hits” since opening. The charming backdrop of City Market’s old cobblestone streets provide space to serve guests in an open-air setting, in the safest way possible. There are a limited number of seats, and the dinner will take place under City Market’s covered eaves, rain or shine. Get tickets and all the details here.

• If there is any good to be found in the pandemic (there really isn’t!) it might be the resurgence of drive-in and outdoor movies! Some are your traditional drive-in/car venues, while others are outdoor spaces in the grass with market off “spaces” maintaining safe physical distancing and some even involve watching a movie with babygoats! (I’m serious) Our friends over at Triangle On The Cheap have a great list of drive-in and outdoor movie options for you and your family. Of course, bringing food or ordering food on site makes it that much better! Check out their complete listing of options here.

Food Bank Corner

• Covid 19 and the impact will be with us for a long time and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina stands ready for the challenge – but they need your help! Here’s how you can help:

• DONATE FUNDS. As we shift our inventory and operations to meet the ever-changing need as well as prepare ourselves for Hurricane Season, funds are the resource we need most. Financial donations allow us to stay nimble, to change our operation as needed, and to reach new people with our efforts. 

• INVOLVE FRIENDS. Want to mobilize your neighborhood, church group, or other circle of friends? Holding a Virtual Food Drive is a great way to help – while practicing social distancing. We even re-launched our Virtual Food Drive platform. Visit foodbankcenc.org/vfd to set yours up today.

• USE YOUR VOICE. Research the policies that impact hunger and speak out! Contact your state, local, and federal representatives to let them know policies like SNAP, TEFAP, and WIC need to be strengthened in order to break the cycle of hunger and help relieve families of the burden of hunger. Visit foodbankcenc.org/advocacy to learn more.

• DONATE TIME. The Food Bank greatly relies on our volunteers, especially in times of crisis.If you are a healthy adult and want to volunteer, you can self-schedule a shift here. #noonegoeshungry