TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

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

Featured Restaurant News

• James Beard-nominated chef Victor Albisu announced this week the expansion of Taco Bamba, his popular D.C.-based chain of taquerias, to Raleigh. This will be their first location outside the D.C. metro area where he has seven locations. They are slated to open in the Ridgewood Shopping Center at 3540 Wade Avenue next spring. Start getting familiar with them here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• The Fenton development in Cary is not done yet adding new restaurant concepts to their lineup. This week Triangle Business Journal shared that Doc B’s Restaurant will open their first location in North Carolina in the spring of 2023. The Chicago-based restaurant chain will fill a 6,000-square-foot space and serve its made-from-scratch fare. Menu items include Danish barbecue ribs, tuna salad and various salads and sandwiches. The spot will also serve craft beer, wine and signature cocktails. Get to know them here.

• And if that is not enough Fenton news, neighborhood watering hole Dram & Draught opened there this week. This marks their third Triangle-area location, fifth overall since they first opened in 2016. They now have locations in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Greensboro and Wilmington. Their current hours of operation in Cary are 3-10 p.m. The highlight of this location is their rooftop patio! Stop by this weekend and enjoy one of their crafted cocktails. Visit them here.

• Over in Wake Forest, reader Mark McEachin notified us that Fortnight Brewing opened their new taproom in the heart of Heritage on Franklin Street (1894 S Franklin St.) at Rogers Road. The new spot features a large outdoor covered patio (heated). Stop by and check out their newest location here.

• Want to support a local success story. Between now and October 24th, you can vote for Brewgaloo, NC’s largest craft beer festival, for USA Today’s Best Beer Festival Readers’ Choice award. Vote for them here. You can vote once a day. (Editor’s Note: As of this morning, they were in 5th place….let’s go!)

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• A quick update. Due to the weather this weekend, Chef Chick’s Bakery has moved their Grand Opening celebration to October 8th. They will be hosting a raffle for a chance to win a delicious sample box! Follow along on Facebook here.

• This is not officially a closing yet, but the date has been set for the last day of service at St. James Seafood in Durham, It is October 8th. There are still chances to get reservations (I just booked mine!). Visit them here.

Closing / Cancellations

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

• The final Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is Sunday, October 30. Mark your calendars. 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 eighth-annual WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards presented by M&F Bank is here! Nominate your favorite local businesses today and help them make it to the voting round in October. Nominations close on October 9. The top five finalists in each category will go on to the voting round October 17 through November 20. Winners will be announced in January 2023 at an event in Downtown Raleigh. Vote here.

• This Saturday, October 1 Iris Coffee Lab + Cafe is holding their first ever Open Art Studio where they are moving the coffee and cafe outside and basically turning over the inside to a bunch of their favorite artist friends. Both Saturdays should be a ton of fun. They are located at 725 Tucker Street in downtown Raleigh. Visit them here.

• Just a heads up. The Taste of China Festival that was scheduled this Saturday in Cary has been postponed due to the weather. A new date has not been set yet. Keep up with any announcements on their Facebook page here.

• Vidrio’s chef Saif Rahman will cook a Bangladeshi pop-up dinner at North Raleigh’s Cheeni Indian Food Emporium from 5-7 p.m. October 2. Rahman, who won Chef of the Year from the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association in 2021, will cook the food of his homeland, Bangladesh. Tickets cost $100 per person. Only 50 tickets are available. Buy tickets here.

• Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week is back October 3rd through October 9th. Participating eateries will offer three-course prix-fix meals or limited-time lunch, dinner, and drink specials. Participating restaurants will be announced later today. Check it out here.

• Did you know that October 4th is National Cinnamon Roll Day? The folks over at Morning Rolls in Raleigh Quail Corner Shopping Center know. And they will be offering $2.50 cinnamon rolls all day (limit 4) as well as prizes and giveaways. Plan to stop by and celebrate a holiday that makes this country truly great! Visit them on Instagram here.

• After a two year hiatus, the 30th annual A Tasteful Affair, the tasting event of the season and fundraising event for the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill, returns. This year’s event will feature samples from some of the area’s very best from the food and beverage industry, exciting silent auction, incredible live entertainment, and more! The event will take place at at The Carolina Club from 5:30-8 pm on Sunday, October 23. Pro tip: Use code: SOCIAL for a discount on your tickets! Get all the details here.

• The Bull City will be celebrating Oktoberfest in Durham Central Park on Friday, October 28 this year, thanks to The Glass Jug Beer Lab. The event is scheduled for 4 until 10 p.m. and includes a live interactive performance by The Little German Band & Dancers, as well as a “kids zone” hosted by Bull City Inflatables. And, of course, there will be beer. The Glass Jug will be serving several German-style lagers both from their taproom and from a rolling mobile beer trailer inside the park. Food will be available from several food trucks on site as well as in the Durham Food Hall. Get all the details here on their Facebook event page.

• On Saturday, October 29 beginning at 5 p.m., Durham’s Vin Rouge will throw a 20th Anniversary Fête celebrating two decades! Trays of hors d’oeuvres, tabletops filled with oysters, house pâté, beautiful cheeses, and so much more. Bars inside and out for Champagne, a glass of Muscadet, or a cold martini! And… live Gypsy Jazz throughout the night from the ONYX CLUB BOYS!!! Ticket covers admission and food – cash bars upon entry. Cost is $60 per person. Get all the details on their Facebook events page here.

• On Thursday, November 3rd at 7 p.m., the NC Museum of Art, Vitis House, and Catering Works present “The Art Inside the Bottle” – a very special evening to explore the history, tradition, and process of winemaking. As you foster new insights that await you in the galleries, be immersed in a sensory experience of fabulous wines, specially curated food pairings and eye-opening works of art! Tickets are $150. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina will hold their first ever Volunteer Festival September 24th from 10am-2pm at the Raleigh branch location. This festival is free entry, open to the public and come and go as you please. If you are one of the first 120 people to make a $10 donation to the Food Bank, you will receive a FREE beer from Mordecai Beverage Company. They will have an inflatable slide and obstacle course for ALL ages, a balloon twister and face painter will be on site and a variety of food trucks on site for your convenience including a nonprofit the Food Bank often teams up with, Inter Faith Food Shuttle Food Truck! For all you potato sorting lovers, they will have their signature potato sorting outside to meet your volunteering needs! Bring your family, friends and your neighbors to the Food Bank for their day of fun on September 24th 10am-2pm!! Get all the details here.

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Glenn Gillen shared with us that Chef Chick’s Bakery, an authentic European bakery, is now open at Meridian Business Park (2500 Meridian Parkway) in Durham. Owned and operated by Durham resident Małgorzata (Gosia) Szewczyk, the bakery specializes in bringing a “taste of Europe to your home,” allowing guests to experience the flavors and delicacies enjoyed by Europeans without the travel. Check them out on Facebook here. (Editors Note: they are closed 9/23 and 9/24 for a private event. They reopen on 9/25.)

Wake County Restaurant News

• Just a reminder that Tex-Mex restaurant Superica is opening in Cary’s Fenton THIS Monday, September 26th. Led by award-winning chef and owner Ford Fry, the eatery will feature wood-fired dishes, margaritas and tacos. Grab a free breakfast taco at the restaurant’s pop-up (25 Fenton Main St.) on Saturday, September 17th from 9-11 a.m. This is their third North Carolina location (other two are in Charlotte). Start getting familiar with them here.

• Driving down Glenwood Avenue yesterday saw signage for Anthony’s La Piazza on the ground floor of the AC Hotel. No word yet on an open date. They have locations in Raleigh, Clayton and Benson (one with one more opening soon). Get familiar with them here.

• In downtown Raleigh on Wilmington Street there is soon to be a new location for Amitie Macaron, a start-up bakery specializing in French Macaron cookies. They are located just across from Young Hearts Distilling and just behind Carroll’s Kitchen. No word yet on an open date. They also have a location inside Morgan Street Food Hall. Follow along on Facebook here.

• RalToday shared the news that Krave Raleigh, an alcohol-alternative bar, is now open. This kava bar serves indigenous roots and teas with kava, kratom, CBD, and delta products. Visit this new spot at 709 N. Person Street. They will hold their grand opening celebration on Saturday, October 8th. Get to know them here.

• Down in Apex, reader Chris Creighton shared that he saw signage for a taco shop called Taco Factory at 803 East Williams Street (NC 55) in the same shopping center as Soda Box. No word on an open date and we were unable to locate an online presence. Stay tuned. Thanks Chris!

• This is a fun read. Multiple Triangle restaurants were featured in Eater Carolina’s Most Anticipated Restaurants list. The Triangle’s representation on the list included: Superica, Crawford Brothers Steakhouse and M Sushi in Cary; Rocks + Acid and NoDa Brewing in Chapel Hill; Ekhaya, Queen Burger, Emmy Squared and Seraphine in Durham; and JewFro, East End Bistrot, Leroy’s Tacos n Beers, Longleaf Swine, The Preserve and Village Tavern in Raleigh. Read the entire article here. Thanks to the folks over at RalToday for pointing this out!

• The folks that brought us The Sunday Supper (an organization that helped feed those devastated by Hurricane Matthew) unveiled their newest effort called Now Serving. Here is how it works. Local kitchens and restaurants collaborate to prepare two weekend meals that are then distributed through organizations like Meals on Wheels of Wake County, The Women’s Center, New Bethel Food Pantry and Brentwood Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County to 320+ recipients in the Raleigh area. To raise money for the cause, Now Serving is hosting its first charity dinner on Sunday, September 25th. Join St. Roch’s Sunny Gerhart and Saltbox Seafood Joint’s Ricky Moore for a collaborative family-style dinner. Book your reservation ($75 a person) or donate here. Get more information on Now Serving here. Kudos to St. Roch, Mandolin, Hummingbird, PoshNosh Catering, HUBB Kitchens and Ladyfingers.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Over in Durham, Twitter buddy @BurgeoningBaker notified me that the First Watch over in Renaissance Village across from Streets at Southpoint is now open. You’ll remember they moved into the former Melting Pot spot (Melting Pot moved to Southpoint Crossing, just down the road). Visit First Watch here.

• This is not officially a closing yet, but the date has been set for the last day of service at St. James Seafood in Durham, It is October 8th. There are still chances to get reservations (I just booked mine!). Visit them here.

Closing / Cancellations

• WRAL brought us the sad news that we are losing another institution. The Berkeley Cafe announced this week that they will be closing on November 11th. Still plenty of time to stop by.

Food Trucks

• The final Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo of 2022 is THIS Sunday, September 25th. The rodeo is set up on downtown Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street featuring a half mile of food trucks and restaurants spread out over 10 city blocks. Details here.

• The final Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is Sunday, October 30. Mark your calendars. 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 eighth-annual WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards presented by M&F Bank is here! Nominate your favorite local businesses today and help them make it to the voting round in October. Nominations close on October 9. The top five finalists in each category will go on to the voting round October 17 through November 20. Winners will be announced in January 2023 at an event in Downtown Raleigh. Vote here.

• The Raleigh Greek Festival, drive-thru edition, returns again this weekend running Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church located at 5000 Lead Mine Road in Raleigh. Enjoy authentic Greek food prepared by the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church family using recipes handed down for generations. Review hours, menu and all the details here.

• This Saturday, September 24th Iris Coffee Lab + Cafe is holding their 2-Year Birthday Bash with lots of activities planned and goodies from Benchwarmers Bagels from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Can’t get by this Saturday, that’s OK, stop by next Saturday, October 1, as they hold their first ever Open Art Studio where they are moving the coffee and cafe outside and basically turning over the inside to a bunch of their favorite artist friends. Both Saturdays should be a ton of fun. They are located at 725 Tucker Street in downtown Raleigh. Visit them here.

• Can’t get away to Rome? That’s OK as this Saturday, September 24th is the Fiesta Italiana, an annual event celebrating Italian culture, music, food, wine and more, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the corner of Tucker and N. Boylan streets in Raleigh. There will be Italian entertainment, cooking demonstrations, food trucks, kids’ area, Italian wines, beer truck, merchandise, vendors and a raffle. Admission is free. Get all the details here.

• On Sunday, September 25th, The Beagle, a cocktail bar in downtown Pittsboro (53 Hillsboro Street), will hold an End of the Summer Luau that will combine food, cocktails, and live music with a fundraiser for The Boys & Girls Club of Pittsboro. The band El Mirage will provide surf rock and The Beagle will provide a tropical pig roast with island fare, craft beer, tiki cocktails and desserts. Tickets will include the meal, dessert and two drinks. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Ruckus and Bond Brothers Beer have teamed up for a series of Beer Dinners, the final of which will be September 27th at the Cary Ruckus location. The dinner will feature four courses of flavor matched up with acclaimed Bond Brothers beers. Seating each night is at 6:30 with the first plates served at 7. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Vidrio’s chef Saif Rahman will cook a Bangladeshi pop-up dinner at North Raleigh’s Cheeni Indian Food Emporium from 5-7 p.m. October 2. Rahman, who won Chef of the Year from the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association in 2021, will cook the food of his homeland, Bangladesh. Tickets cost $100 per person. Only 50 tickets are available. Buy tickets here.

• Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week is back October 3rd through October 9th. Participating eateries will offer three-course prix-fix meals or limited-time lunch, dinner, and drink specials. Participating restaurants will be announced later today. Check it out here.

• Did you know that October 4th is National Cinnamon Roll Day? The folks over at Morning Rolls in Raleigh Quail Corner Shopping Center know. And they will be offering $2.50 cinnamon rolls all day (limit 4) as well as prizes and giveaways. Plan to stop by and celebrate a holiday that makes this country truly great! Visit them on Instagram here.

• After a two year hiatus, the 30th annual A Tasteful Affair, the tasting event of the season and fundraising event for the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill, returns. This year’s event will feature samples from some of the area’s very best from the food and beverage industry, exciting silent auction, incredible live entertainment, and more! The event will take place at at The Carolina Club from 5:30-8 pm on Sunday, October 23. Pro tip: Use code: SOCIAL for a discount on your tickets! Get all the details here.

• The Bull City will be celebrating Oktoberfest in Durham Central Park on Friday, October 28 this year, thanks to The Glass Jug Beer Lab. The event is scheduled for 4 until 10 p.m. and includes a live interactive performance by The Little German Band & Dancers, as well as a “kids zone” hosted by Bull City Inflatables. And, of course, there will be beer. The Glass Jug will be serving several German-style lagers both from their taproom and from a rolling mobile beer trailer inside the park. Food will be available from several food trucks on site as well as in the Durham Food Hall. Get all the details here on their Facebook event page.

Food Bank Corner

• The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina will hold their first ever Volunteer Festival September 24th from 10am-2pm at the Raleigh branch location. This festival is free entry, open to the public and come and go as you please. If you are one of the first 120 people to make a $10 donation to the Food Bank, you will receive a FREE beer from Mordecai Beverage Company. They will have an inflatable slide and obstacle course for ALL ages, a balloon twister and face painter will be on site and a variety of food trucks on site for your convenience including a nonprofit the Food Bank often teams up with, Inter Faith Food Shuttle Food Truck! For all you potato sorting lovers, they will have their signature potato sorting outside to meet your volunteering needs! Bring your family, friends and your neighbors to the Food Bank for their day of fun on September 24th 10am-2pm!! Get all the details here.