TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Featured Restaurant News

• Sunflowers Cafe is back open (after closing in 2019) in a new space on the ground floor of The Row at Rockway (925 S Saunders St) near Dix Park. They add to the thriving food scene on that block, joining Benchwarmer’s Bagels and Campos Tacos. Led by Quinn Ferebee, son of the original owners, the revived spot features their classic from-scratch sandwiches, soups, and salads, plus a full bar, craft cocktails, and tables that convert into pool tables. Check them out on Instagram here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Raleigh Magazine shared the news that Big Kitchen Hospitality, the group out of Richmond, Virginia behind concepts Conejo and Tazza Kitchen (locations in Cary and Raleigh), is opening a new location of Granite Grill and Bar this winter in GlenLake, just up the hill from Crabtree Valley Mall. Joining Crooked Hammock Brewery (which just opened) and Wong’s Tacos (another Richmond-based concept), the upscale yet casual eatery will feature a come-as-you-are neighborhood feel, with comfy booths, a spacious patio and private dining spaces and will feature mouthwatering steaks and seafood, fresh salads, signature burgers, and familiar appetizers—plus your standard adult beverages. Start getting familiar with them here.

• RALtoday shared the news that Bright Side Books & Wine will open in Raleigh’s West End on the ground floor of Platform Apartments (600 W Cabarrus Street, Suite 107) this Saturday, April 25. There’s a whole weekend of events to celebrate where you can expect signings from four authors, local vendors, and more from this unique romance-focused book store and wine shop. Best to follow along on Instagram here.

• And Chipotle has recently opened two new locations of their fast-casual Mexican concept here in the Triangle – one at 3905 Capital Blvd. in Raleigh (opened April 20), complete with a drive-thru for picking up online orders. And one in Durham at 4730 Guess Road (opened April 15). Visit Chipotle here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Lutra Cafe & Bakery, the Durham-based bakery known for its popular sweet and savory buns will open its cafe at American Tobacco Campus in June. Founded two years ago by chef-owner Chris McLaurin, Lutra has built a devoted following through farmers markets, pop-ups and collaborations with local businesses across the Triangle. Located on the north side of American Tobacco Campus, the counter-service cafe will feature 36 seats indoors and an additional 20 seats on the patio. Guests can expect a rotating selection of baked goods—including buns, breads and soft pretzels—alongside brunch and breakfast favorites, including the breakfast sandwich made with one of Lutra’s savory buns, Eggs Benedict, biscuits and gravy and the 100-layer hash browns. The lunch offerings will include seasonal sandwiches and salads. Alongside their meals, diners will be able to order coffee and espresso drinks, orange juice, lemonade, wine, beer and more. Visit Lutra here.

, Closings

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

• The Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo continues in 2026 on these remaining dates from noon to 4 p.m. – May 31 and September 27. At each event, you’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 Durham Central Park (500 Foster Street, Durham). Go ahead and mark your calendar for them. 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

• The Latin American Festival will take place this Sunday, April 26th at Knightdale Station Park in Knightdale. The event will run from 1-6 p.m. and will feature a vibrant celebration of Latin American culture, hosted in partnership with La Grande NC. Enjoy a day filled with lively music, delicious food, and endless fun for all! Get all of the details here.

• On April 28th, Boatman Spirits Co. will host a coursed dinner with as many culinary and mixology fireworks as they can muster while explaining the secrets and benefits of joining Raleigh’s most exclusive spirits society. The base ticket ($110 + tax) covers dinner and drinks. An optional somm paired wine menu and secret whiskey menu add-on are also available with limited availability. The whiskeys are all of the sort you can’t buy in this country and aren’t easy to find in others. Should you choose to join, there are different levels with all levels helping them scale their distillery’s production side and come with different levels of access, perks and participation in the journey. Secure tickets here.

• Christopher Prieto, founder and pitmaster of Prime Barbecue, in partnership with the Town of Knightdale, announced the inaugural Pickin’ in the Park on Saturday, May 16, from 4 pm-7 pm at Knightdale Station Park. 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 Prime Barbecue, Sam Jones BBQ, Old Colony Smokehouse and Dampf Good BBQ. Proceeds will benefit the Raleigh Rescue Mission’s “The Garden,” 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. Get all the details here.

• The fourth annual Gettin’ Piggy With It returns to downtown Raleigh on May 17, bringing award-winning chefs and pitmasters from across the country together for a day of barbecue, community and philanthropy benefiting the Frankie Lemmon School. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday, March 20. The family-friendly event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. at Maywood Hall and Gardens (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 Frankie Lemmon Foundation in partnership with Jake Wood of Lawrence Barbecue and Chris Powers of Trophy Brewing Co. 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’s Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center, which provides accessible education and therapies to children with and without disabilities, often at little to no cost to families. Get tickets and all the details here.

• The third annual A Taste of Chatham will be held May 17th at 3 p.m. at the Historic Chatham Mills in Forest Hall. 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’s an event like no other, and you’ll want to be there! Get all the details (including tickets) on their event Facebook page here.

• Tickets are on sale now for the 2026 Dinner in the Meadow event on September 13th in Louisburg. The biennial event will be held at the beautiful and bucolic Meadow Lane Farm and is a fundraiser that supports the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, a non-profit organization that helps small farms in North Carolina. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Did you know that in North Carolina, 1 in 4 households led by single women live below the poverty line? That’s nearly twice as many as the households led by single men with children. Hunger hits different for women. Economic challenges — from pay disparity to the rising cost of childcare — 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. It’s a terrific chance to stretch every dollar of your support while helping parents, seniors, and veterans stretch their budgets. In fact, if you’re able, this is a good time to make an especially generous gift, perhaps to honor a mom, grandma, auntie, or another woman who’s stood in a mother’s place in your life. It’s simple to do when you donate.

Featured Restaurant News

• We learned this week that April 20th is the opening date for Crooked Hammock Brewery located at GlenLake, just up from Crabtree Valley Mall. Touted as “living life in full swing,” expect a vibrant eat, drink, lounge, play destination including, of course, hammocks in the “backyard.” For founder Rich Garrahan, when he envisioned this concept, he wanted a big backyard with tons of yard games, plenty of homemade craft beer, and a never-ending cookout where the burgers are as good as the conversation. With two locations in Delaware and one in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this will be their 4th location. Get to know them here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Got word from Tyler Glover this week that national chain Mission BBQ is now open (opened April 14) in the Stonehenge Market Shopping Center (7400 Creedmoor Rd.) in Raleigh next to Outback Steakhouse. This is their fifth location in North Carolina, and the first in the Triangle. Get to know them here.

• We first learned of this in October, 2025, but Tyler Glover just informed us that the newest location of Zaxby’s has opened in Raleigh at 4112 Lake Boone Trail, right next to City BBQ. Visit Zaxby’s here.

• Over in Morrisville, reader Manu Bumb notified us that there is a sign up for what will be the second location of Meat & Bite at 3608 Davis Drive in the former Jersey Mike’s spot. No word yet on an open date. The original location is on Hillsborough Street near NC State’s campus. Get familiar with them here.

• Also in Morrisville, we first told you about this last November, but Chris Creighton informed us this week that signage is now up for the Triangle’s first location of Super Chix Chicken & Custard. It is being brought to us by Saqiba Iqbal and her business partners and will be located at 1125 Hatches Pond Lane. They are known for their fresh, quality ingredients, including never using frozen chicken. This will be the restaurant’s third North Carolina spot, joining two others in Charlotte. Visit them here.

• In Apex, Triangle Business Journal reported that Sudarshan Krishnamurthi is bringing a health-conscious eatery to Apex. Grain & Berry cafe will open later this summer at 2017 Creekside Landing in Beaver Creek Crossings, located off Highway 64 near Highway 540. This will be the second North Carolina location for the chain, with a location already in Holly Springs. Visit Grain & Berry here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• You’ve seen it on TV, but it truly is a thing. Capital One Cafe will open on April 21 at the Streets at Southpoint in the former California Pizza Kitchen spot. Everyone is invited to join them on 4/21 whether you bank with them or not. In fact, the first 100 visitors will receive an exclusive swag bag. And yes, it “pays” to be a Capital One cardholder as you’ll receive 50% off handcrafted beverages everyday when you use your Capital One card. Still don’t believe me? See for yourself here.

• And speaking of coffee, Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies founder Carrie Brogen shared that Three Waters Cafe, a local, mobile coffee trailer, will soon open a location in Eastgate Shopping Center in Chapel Hill. No opening date yet, but we learned that starting May 12th, they will set up their cart outside the new location while they complete the upfit of the brick and mortar location. Visit them here.

, Closings

• After just over a year, Fresco Veloce in the Morgan Street Food Hall has ended operations, but hinted it is just an end to this chapter. Stay tuned.

• Learned this week that up in Mebane, Crafted, the Art of The Taco, is closing this location. It appears the Greensboro location will remain open.

• While not a permanent closure, we learned this week that Kings in North Hills, which features a fun environment of bowling, billiards, arcades, and game-day viewing alongside a chef-driven menu, has temporarily closed for renovations. Expect the closure to last several months.

Food Trucks

• The Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo continues in 2026 on these remaining dates from noon to 4 p.m. – May 31 and September 27. At each event, you’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 Durham Central Park (500 Foster Street, Durham). Go ahead and mark your calendar for them. 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

• The Pit’s 16th Annual ‘Cuegrass Festival takes place tomorrow, April 18th, from noon until 6 p.m. all along Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. ‘Cuegrass is a celebration of two of North Carolina’s greatest cultural treasures: barbecue and bluegrass. Expect live music, local brews, and plenty of that signature ‘cue from The Pit. 100% of proceeds from food and drink sales, Fast Passes, Pit merch, and Silent Auction go directly to their annual nonprofit partners. Since day one, ‘Cuegrass has raised over $250,000 for causes like the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC, Feed the Farm, W.C. Breeze Family Farm, Animal Welfare Approved, NC 4-H, BackPack Buddies, and SAFEchild. Get all the details here.

• Tomorrow (April 18th) is also the annual Tacos ‘N Taps festival over in Cary at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre from noon until 5 p.m. Be warned, this is “nacho” average taco festival. Both VIP and regular tickets are available. This “all you care to taste” beer and tequila festival offers up some of the Triangle’s best tacos and Mexican food, the best dancing music from noted DJs, margaritas, contests and other surprises. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Carolina Brewery is welcoming the return of spring with its annual Shrimp Boil on Saturday, April 18th from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at its Pittsboro brewpub location. The event will serve as the official kickoff to the brewery’s seasonal live music series. Guests can enjoy a classic lowcountry-style shrimp boil featuring royal red shrimp, alongside cold pours of Sky Peach Kölsch, a refreshing seasonal release that signals the start of warmer days. Live music will take place throughout the day. For additional details or to make reservations, visit their website.

• Boatman Spirits Co., the new craft distillery and cocktail bar in Raleigh’s Seaboard Station, has launched weekend distillery tours. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, enjoy a guided tour by the distillery owners, a tasting flight and more for $30 per person. Tours are available at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sundays. Reservations required via Resy.

• Leadership Raleigh and Ripe for Revival are joining forces for Savor the Flavor, an immersive culinary event at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 23. The event brings together local chefs, live music and community members to celebrate great food and raise money to address food insecurity across the region. The evening will feature a cooking competition by six amazing chefs: Jason Smith of Cantina 18; Jake Wood of Lawrence Barbecue; Sera Cuni of Cafe Root Cellar; Rob Miller of Smash; Katie Featherstone of White Clover Catering; and Malik Williams of Lou Reda’s American Table. Each chef will create tacos using ingredients off the Ripe for Revival mobile markets. Proceeds from the event will support Ripe for Revival, a Rocky Mount, N.C. nonprofit that operates a fleet of pay-what-you-can mobile markets. The nonprofit sells local produce, meat and dairy at more than 30 sites per week in 18 counties in eastern and central North Carolina. Secure tickets and all the details here.

• The Latin American Festival will take place Sunday, April 26th at Knightdale Station Park in Knightdale. The event will run from 1-6 p.m. and will feature a vibrant celebration of Latin American culture, hosted in partnership with La Grande NC. Enjoy a day filled with lively music, delicious food, and endless fun for all! Get all of the details here.

• Christopher Prieto, founder and pitmaster of Prime Barbecue, in partnership with the Town of Knightdale, announced the inaugural Pickin’ in the Park on Saturday, May 16, from 4 pm-7 pm at Knightdale Station Park. 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 Prime Barbecue, Sam Jones BBQ, Old Colony Smokehouse and Dampf Good BBQ. Proceeds will benefit the Raleigh Rescue Mission’s “The Garden,” 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. Get all the details here.

• The fourth annual Gettin’ Piggy With It returns to downtown Raleigh on May 17, bringing award-winning chefs and pitmasters from across the country together for a day of barbecue, community and philanthropy benefiting the Frankie Lemmon School. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday, March 20. The family-friendly event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. at Maywood Hall and Gardens (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 Frankie Lemmon Foundation in partnership with Jake Wood of Lawrence Barbecue and Chris Powers of Trophy Brewing Co. 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’s Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center, which provides accessible education and therapies to children with and without disabilities, often at little to no cost to families. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Tickets are on sale now for the 2026 Dinner in the Meadow event on September 13th in Louisburg. The biennial event will be held at the beautiful and bucolic Meadow Lane Farm and is a fundraiser that supports the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, a non-profit organization that helps small farms in North Carolina. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Did you know that in North Carolina, 1 in 4 households led by single women live below the poverty line? That’s nearly twice as many as the households led by single men with children. Hunger hits different for women. Economic challenges — from pay disparity to the rising cost of childcare — 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 International Women’s Month, let’s show them that they can count on their community. Some good friends have stepped forward with a $50,000 matching challenge gift, so any amount you give to the Food Bank by March 31 has the power to DOUBLE! It’s a terrific chance to stretch every dollar of your support while helping parents, seniors, and veterans stretch their budgets. In fact, if you’re able, this is a good time to make an especially generous gift, perhaps to honor a mom, grandma, auntie, or another woman who’s stood in a mother’s place in your life. It’s simple to do when you donate.