Featured Restaurant News
- The time has come to set sail. And today it is so. One of downtown Raleigh’s most anticipated openings, Boatman Spirits Co., a craft distillery, a cocktail bar and a full kitchen celebrating Mediterranean cuisine, opens today in Seaboard Station. Founded by four Triangle hospitality veterans (Aaron Lambert, Zack Thomas, Geremy Prichard, and George Ghneim) Boatman Spirits Co. blends handcrafted spirits, inventive cocktails and immersive hospitality into a single, transportive experience. The name “Boatman” nods to mythological guides—like Charon, ferryman of the River Styx—symbolizing the team’s goal of guiding guests on a journey through flavor, storytelling and design. They are located at 713 Seaboard Station Drive and will be open 4 p.m.-12 a.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-12 a.m. Sunday. Expanded hours and lunch service will be added later. Book your spot aboard Boatman here.
Wake County Restaurant News
- Raleigh Magazine shared the news this week that Stellar ITB is officially open in High Park Village (off Whittaker Mill in Raleigh). They feature a carefully curated wine list, innovative bar program and a modern American cuisine with inspiration from across the globe. Look for dishes like ahi crudo, romesco chicken, and spring risotto. Additionally, they have a Sunday brunch featuring the likes of steak and eggs, eggs Benny, and French toast along with brunch cocktails. Get a peek here.
- We first told you about this back in April (thanks to Julie Barnes), but learned this week that Potbelly Sandwich Works has opened in the former Quiznos location at Falls Village shopping center at 6675 Falls of the Neuse Road. This will mark the fourth Triangle-area location joining locations in Cary, Morrisville and Durham. Visit Potbelly here.
- We learned this week that the fifth location of Ruckus Pizza, Pasta & Spirits has opened at
13200 Strickland Road in Raleigh in the Leesville Towne Centre. Visit them on Instagram here.
- Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Mike Kathrani and Tina Vora, owners of Tamasha Modern Indian in North Hills, are growing and have plans to open additional restaurants. At their North Hills location they are adding patio dining for an additional 20 guests (should be open by the end of this month). And they are also looking around the Triangle for spots for additional locations, albeit under different names. Look for their next concept(s) to open as early as next year. Stay tuned on that. In the meantime, good luck getting reservations at Tamasha!
- Blogger eatraleigh pointed out that Raleigh will soon be home to Triangle Hawaii BBQ, your local spot for traditional wings, gourmet sandwiches, refreshing milk teas, hearty combos, fried rice, noodles, and more island-inspired flavors. Located at 4544 Capital Blvd. in Raleigh, their menu will feature a delicious blend of Hawaiian-style barbecue, Asian-inspired comfort food, and refreshing drinks — from crispy wings and musubi to hearty fried rice, noodles, milk tea, and more. Start getting familiar with them here.
- Also up in North Raleigh, Triangle Business Journal reported that a Virginia eatery serving Asian street food is ready for customers. Oh Mochi is opening this week at 1141 Falls River Ave. in the Falls River Town Center (former Cheeni Indian Food Emporium spot) serving up Korean corn dogs, mochi doughnuts, ice cream and boba tea. Get familiar with them here.
- And over in Apex, Triangle Business Journal had a quick update out at the Sweetwater development. Opal Coffee and Cocktails is no longer planning to open at Sweetwater. That’s the bad news. The good news is they have already found a replacement. Foxtail Coffee Co., which already has a location in Apex (76 Hunter St.) as well as locations all over Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Virginia, will open in that spot instead. Check out Foxtail here.
- Out in Holly Springs, reader Jonathan Forst shared with us that a new franchise of Tous Les Jours, a franchise featuring baked goods and handcrafted beverages, opened last week next to Harris Teeter at 300 Village Walk Drive. They already have a location in Cary and it looks like a third Triangle-area location is on the way to Ninth Street in Durham. Get to know them here.
- We got the news this week that Chicken Salad Chick is opening its newest location in Smithfield next Wednesday, June 18. The first 100 guests in line will win free chicken salad for a year. The new Smithfield restaurant offers in-restaurant and outdoor patio dining, drive-thru, take-out, third-party delivery, and catering options. Spearheaded by first-time franchise owners and husband-and-wife duo, Heather and Clay Harmon, it is located at 924 North Brightleaf Boulevard. Visit them here.
Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News
- Glenn Gillen pointed out that although Primrose Bar & Lounge in Durham has been open for a few weeks, they are having their official grand opening on June 14. Pro tip: they are also having Friday Skip Day today (June 6th) so be sure to “call in sick” and head on over at noon. Get details on both here.
- With the news that their signage is finally up, we learned that Reno’s Cheesesteaks is now open in the Woodcroft Shopping Center beside Chubby’s Tacos at 47111 Hope Valley Road. Self-described as offering perfectly grilled meat to mouth-watering toppings and fresh-baked rolls, every detail has been crafted to bring you the best cheesesteak outside of Philly. Get to know them here.
Closings
- Reader Shelley Colbert shared the very sad news that Elements over in Chapel Hill is closing. Their last day of service is June 21. The good news is they still have their sister restaurant, MC, in downtown Cary (324 S. Academy Street). Visit them here.
Food Trucks
- Great news as the Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo returns to downtown Raleigh on Saturday, June 28th from noon until 6 p.m. along Fayetteville Street. From savory flavors to sweet treats, there’s something to satisfy every craving and cuisine curiosity. Whether you’re a fan of gourmet burgers, delicious tacos, or decadent desserts, our food truck rodeo promises to have something for everyone! Visit their Facebook event page here.
- The final Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo of 2025 will be on Sunday, November 2. It will run from 12 noon until 4 p.m. featuring over 50+ food trucks with cuisine from all over the world making it the ultimate Sunday Funday in Durham Central Park (501 Foster Street)! 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
- Starting June 1st, and running the entire month of June, Little Rey’s charity guest chef series features a creation by Cheetie Kumar of Ajja. Her taco creation, a Honey Harissa Fried Chicken Taco with sumac onion, lime crema, her just launched Spicewalla rose harissa, pomegranate molasses, radish and cilantro, hits Little Rey’s menu this past weekend and will be available throughout the month of June. All proceeds benefit Southern Smoke Foundation. Visit Little Rey’s on Instagram here. And visit Southern Smoke here.
- The NC Hops Festival is THIS Saturday, June 14th at Midtown Park in North Hills. Enjoy North Carolina breweries, food trucks, local vendors, live music and more. Get tickets and all the details here.
- On Wednesday, June 18, Colletta Cary at Fenton will welcome special guest Sebastian Wolfrum, founder of Epiphany Malt House and Brewing Lab Manager at NC State, for a special evening where the art of craft beer meets the warmth of Italian favorites. Starting at 6 p.m., the multi-course dinner will feature seasonally inspired dishes alongside thoughtfully paired brews, including “Piano Piano,” a custom Italian Pilsner created in collaboration with Sebastian and the Colletta team. Reservations for the dinner are limited and priced at $85 per person. Get details and tickets here.
- And thanks to a note from my buddy Kitty Kinnin, she reminded me of the upcoming Angus Barn 65th Anniversary Celebration out at the Pavilion at the Angus Barn – it’s going to be huge! Join them Friday, June 27th as The Angus Barn celebrates 65 incredible years of unforgettable meals, memories, and milestones. Enjoy fabulous food stations featuring AB classics—past and present—plus live entertainment featuring music over the decades from “Mid-Life Crisis” and DJ Joe Bunn. The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m and is $175. It’s a night you won’t want to miss! Get all the details and tickets here.
- Left Hook Coffee, which operates a little coffee shop out of the front of Gussie’s at 927 W Morgan Street, is working towards making their East Raleigh roasting space into a new shop, and they need your help. To that end, they will host a fundraising party on June 28 at Wolfe & Porter. You can attend that or donate directly to their Kickstarter campaign here.
- The inaugural Salt & Smoke & Sound Festival will be held Saturday, October 18th at Blackwood Farm Park between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. The exciting new community event merges together two beloved festivals–Acme’s Salt & Smoke and Sonark Media’s Harvest Festival–into a celebration of food, culture, and music in a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. Food will be provided by Acme’s Kevin Callaghan 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. Tickets are on sale now.
Food Bank Corner
- Let kids be kids this summer. The carefree days of summer should be filled with play and growth, not hunger. Yet, for vulnerable children across central and eastern North Carolina, the end of the school year triggers a stark reality: the loss of consistent, reliable meals. Consider this: 173,710 children in our region are currently facing food insecurity. Parents must come up with at least 10 additional meals per child for every week that school is out. Without immediate intervention, their well-being and development are at serious risk. We cannot allow these young lives to be defined by hunger! Until July 31, generous corporate and individual donors are matching every gift made to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina up to $100,000. Every $1 you donate provides 10 meals – nourishing one child for a full week.
