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Birds of a feather flock together to imbibe and vibe at Fayetteville Street’s newest bar and restaurant.
If Ella Fitzgerald was a restaurant, it would be Birdie’s Barroom & Kitchen. While LM Restaurants’ and Highwoods Properties’ summer-debuting dining + drinking destination on the ground floor of the 150 Fayetteville Street building won’t be 1920s-themed, it will lean into the trailblazing jazz singer’s big personality and “hostess-with-the-mostess” vibe, with the name a nod to her bird-themed songs “A Hot Canary” and “Lullaby of Birdland.”
“We’re sitting on Fayetteville Street; Downtown Raleigh has all this history; our building has this art deco lean—so we really gravitated toward Ella Fitzgerald,” says LM President and owner Amber Moshakos. “And when we’re talking about revitalization, we’ve got to talk about the energy it takes to make it big, and that’s who she is. … So in the heart of North Carolina, along the main street of Raleigh, we are reawakening our sense of place.”
Taking a cue from Fitzgerald’s MO of being a larger-than-life joymonger and life of the party who connects people—turning strangers into friends—the resto will be a hub for social interaction: a true watering hole and meeting house for reconnecting and reigniting community over great food and drinks.
The all-day dining and imbibing experience will boast a morning barista-led cafe nicknamed Breakfast at Birdie’s; a grab-and-go section, online ordering and full-service dining for lunch; and sit-down dinner service. To boot, the American grill will feature a central bar-in-the-round with ample outdoor seating and a private event space.
“We are committed to providing the most exceptional workplace experience we can for our customers,” says Highwoods SVP and Raleigh Market Leader Skip Hill. “And we believe if we can stimulate them at the start with coffee, nourish them at noon with lunch and then hydrate them at happy hour, they’ll be able to achieve together what they cannot apart. Our decision to partner with Amber and LM Restaurants was a deliberate one, as we could think of no better homegrown purveyor of exceptional experiences to realize the collective goals for North Carolina’s Main Street.”
And what better character to revive Fayetteville Street than Fitzgerald, who was known for her legendary parties, joie de vivre, personable grace and charm, and overall warm hospitality—which will certainly be echoed at Birdie’s.
“If you’re at Birdie’s, Birdie knows you,” maintains Moshakos. “And that’s the beauty of Birdie’s being this place of moxie and spunk and grit—because that’s what Raleigh is. Through grace and moxie, from sunrise to moonrise, all will be welcome at Raleigh’s next living room.” @birdiesraleigh
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