Brodeto is anticipated to open in a 4,800-square-foot space within Raleigh Iron Works’ Bowtruss Building in 2023. (Jessica Crawford)

Iron Chef

In December 2022/January 2023, Eat, Feature Stories by Lauren Kruchten5 Comments

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Renowned local chef and restaurateur Scott Crawford is joining the lineup at Raleigh Iron Works

Just when you thought Raleigh Iron Works couldn’t get any cooler—Scott Crawford enters the mix with his newest restaurant, Brodeto. Slated to open in the highly anticipated project’s Bowtruss Building in 2023, the concept will introduce a unique blend of Italian and Croatian cuisine to Raleigh—and will be Crawford’s biggest restaurant yet.

Born from the renowned restaurateur’s first visit to Croatia with wife Jessica a few years ago—and so named for a comforting fish stew that connects Croatia to coastal Italy that’s found in several Adriatic coastal towns—Brodeto (the Croatian spelling) will “have some drama,” says Crawford. Think a live fire hearth, an outdoor “secret garden” with patio seating, a large bar and a crudo counter. Not to mention the flair added by plans to incorporate materials gathered from the original building into the interior, which will be designed by Louis Cherry Architecture—the firm responsible for the interiors at Crawford’s other establishments.  

Crawford emphasizes an open space filled with natural lighting thanks to three walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, where he also hopes to create different “dining environments”—the most prominent of which will be the bar and crudo counter.

Originally something Crawford and his team considered a free-standing concept, the crudo and cocktails could easily be an event all its own, or just the initial part of a full dining experience at Brodeto.

The bar, helmed by beverage manager Jordan Joseph, will spotlight balanced cocktails focused on coastal flavors, coal-grilled fruits and vegetables, infused salts, bitters, and herbal liqueurs, as well as wines from the Adriatic. Meanwhile, the crudo counter will expand on raw dishes with which his team has experimented at Crawford and Son, with a heavy emphasis on seafood, in addition to vegetables and meat. “We just love raw food, and we love the idea of incorporating a crudo bar in an Italian/Croatian concept,” says Crawford.

The main menu at Brodeto will feature traditional dishes from throughout coastal Italy and Croatia, including a plethora of seafood, meats and vegetables cooked in the hearth—“really the only way to cook this food,” he says—plus a handmade pasta program focused on lighter pasta dishes. And naturally, namesake brodeto will be on the menu as well.

“Scott’s culinary talent goes without saying, but to have someone partner with us who is equally excited about our redemptive vision for this place is going to be really special. He not only has a passion for food, but for people and this community. It’s exactly the recipe we were looking for at Raleigh Iron Works.” 

—Sam Crutchfield, Managing Director of Leasing & Acquisitions, Grubb Ventures

“Brodeto is an appropriate name because it connects Italy and Croatia, which is something we’re trying to do here,” says Crawford. “But it also speaks to the type of food that we want to serve people—it’s comforting, very fresh ingredients, sort of humble food.”  

Crawford is no stranger to introducing new restaurant concepts—but he only wants to do one a year. Now that his highly anticipated Crawford Brothers Steakhouse at Fenton is delayed to 2024, that timing change allowed Brodeto to come to fruition, he says. “We really love this concept,” he adds. “We’ve been wanting to do this for a long time—and we feel this is the perfect space to do it.” Sounds like a recipe for success. raleighironworks.com 

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