Slay your summer via new sound shops, books, sustainable brands and more.
All about the frills? Find Frills Atelier selling sustainable + upcycled styles and accessories in its new pop-up shop on Martin Street. After all, nothing looks cuter than being green! @shopthefrills
You’re gonna wanna frame this one. Warby Parker’s newly opened storefront in Fenton is a sight for sore eyes indeed. How spec-tacular! @warbyparker
Raleighites and sisters Natalie and Ashley Yakopec—who you might know from their fashion/lifestyle page Polished Pineapple—are the proud new owners of women’s boutique Gena Chandler in North Hills. Slay! @genachandler
Book it over to nab a copy of Sassool co-owner Lisa Saleh’s latest book, Moussa Domit: A True Artist, a biography about a Lebanese man who comes to America and eventually starts a bakery (psst it’s Neomonde!). BRB, adding to our must-read list!@sassoolcafe
Grab the popcorn! Triangle Cinemas is now playing in the previous Six Forks Cinemas spot. … And, scene! @trianglecinemas
Do you hear what I hear? Sound Off Records & Hi-Fi recently spun into a new locale lauding used records and vintage audio equipment in the Warehouse District. As Rihanna would say, “please don’t stop the music.” @soundoff_hifi
New store, who dis? Check out H&M’s new Crabtree digs flaunting an expanded array of fab fashions and an updated ambiance. Let’s shop till we drop! @hm
Popcorn, Adobe Stock; remaining photos courtesy of brands
Where the RM team loves to nosh on veggies around town.
“It’s corn!” While we may not be as passionate about a particular produce as the TikTok-famous “Corn Kid,” the Raleigh Mag team is all about dining on some delish, fresh and nutritional fare via our city’s slew of amaze eateries. Here, our fave dishes around town feat. a vegetable as the star of the show. … And peas, give ‘em a try!
Foodies of North Raleigh, rejoice! The highly anticipated Che Empanadas outpost next to TheMixx (drinks 🤝 empanadas: perfect pair) on Duraleigh Road has been in the works for awhile now—and is finally open!
The eatery will be primarily positioned as a takeout and catering hub—with a few stools in case empanada enthusiasts need to grab a quick seat (you can bet we’ll be popping a squat!).
This will be the Argentinian nosh spot’s second brick-and-mortar (see also Che Empanadas’s Transfer Co. Food Hall outpost) aside from its uberpopular food truck—and owner Mark Rossbach has high hopes for what his sophomore spot will bring to Northwest Raleigh.
“With the reputation that we’ve built up Downtown, we plan to hit the ground running,” he says of the new sup spot’s upcoming opening.
Rossbach also looks forward to neighboring TheMixx. “The landlords wanted a nice place for people to be able to order food—and it’s part of a general effort to make that a better area,” he shares. “And we’re there for any partnership and events with TheMixx—we’re thrilled to be next to them.”
Empanada eaters can anticipate the same fare they know and love from the DTR location—plus, Rossbach looks forward to more people coming to check out his restaurant and see “what they’re about.”
“We’re excited to be there,” he says. “There’s no other empanadas in the area at all. I think it’s an underserved area in terms of food—and this is an opportunity for someone to come to a local baker.” … We’re stuffed with anticipation!
Mother’s Day—Sunday, May 14—is right around the corner, and we’ve got a motherload of gift ideas for showing mom some local love (and, ahem, proving you’re the favorite). Cheers to some sweet mom-ents and memories!
Picnic at Dorothea Dix Park
Mother’s Day will be a walk in the park if you celebrate with a visit to Dorothea Dix Park (or the NCMA Museum Park!). Play some pop-up disc golf, then plop down for a picnic (snag a charcuterie board from a local biz or make one yourself!). As they say, experiences are the best gift!
Gift from DECO Raleigh
Get the day off to a great art with a handmade gift from one of the many local artists and retailers at DECO Raleigh. Sign a sweet card, grab some kitchen decor, or get a puzzle or activity for the next family game night.
Brunch Rez
On Mother’s Day, we brunch! And nothing says “I love you” like a shared mimosa bucket (aw!). Nosh on a brunch buffet and sip draft Italian prosecco over at Il Falò; sate your appetite with charcuterie selects, a slew of salads, shrimp scampi and more at The Merchant; or down some sangrias with mom at Barcelona Wine Bar (pro tip: Don’t sleep on the gambas & grits, short rib hash and olive oil pancakes (!). What better way to show mom you love her a whole brunch?!
Flowers from Urban Pothos
What in carnation?! Tell mom she’s your best bud with a cute potted plant from Urban Pothos. Make the trip together or pick out some flowers and/or plants that you’re head clover heels to give your mama.
Chocolate from Videri and Spring & Mulberry
Your sweet mom deserves some sweet treats! To make her heart melt, we rec the decadent buttercream caramel crunch candy bar from Videri; or make Mother’s Day a date mom won’t forget with a more healthful date-sweetened chocolate bar from Spring & Mulberry. Yum!
My Wonderful Birthday SuitPlay at Raleigh Little Theatre
Snag some seats to see Raleigh Little Theatre‘s rendition of My Wonderful Birthday Suit to unwrap the wholesome story of friendships in question—with the lesson of “it’s what’s on the inside that truly makes us special.” Aw, what better way to feel the love with mom at the theater?!
Wine from Raleigh Wine Shop
Want mom to know she’s grape? Grab her a bottle of wine from the Raleigh Wine Shop to crack open at home or take her out for a tasting. Trust us, she’ll be on cloud wine!
Testing, testing! Stretching the limits of creativity and one-of-a-kind cooking is Michael Lee’s highly anticipated sixth cuisine concept, M Test Kitchen—neighboring M Sushi and joining the lineup at Fenton mid-April—now taking reservations. Cary’s newest culinary creative studio will sate foodies via cleverly concocted dishes—from Thai basil pesto rice noodles to lobster shumai with Chinese chile and anything else the culinary artists dream up.
Executive chef Connor Johnson—who cut his teeth at myriad Michelin restos before making his mark over at Oakwood Pizza Box, among others, and last landing at M Sushi—has clearly found his finest footing yet at M Test Kitchen. The impressive and mouthwatering menu is truly a tour of the senses. And in addition to the excellent Asian ops, the tapas-style menu touts tastes representative of Italy and Greece that’ll keep you on your toes.
We got a sneak peek in front of the opening—pro tip: Be sure to try the watercress salad (yes, the salad… trust us!), sample a plate of carrot cake, and take a sip of one of the ops on the extensive wine and cocktail list. We’re lovin’ the East Meets West tequila take.
“This restaurant will have a constantly evolving menu inspired by many different Asian cuisines,” says Johnson. “I hope this adds a more intimate dining experience where the kitchen and dining room become one space. Every plate will be as focused and intentional as possible. The beef and broccoli for example, is just that, beef and broccoli. However there are multiple preparations of each of those two simple ingredients.” … Clearly, each plate coming out of the kitchen is sure to keep diners intrigued—echoing the essence of the eatery’s vision.
“M Test Kitchen is something we came up with so we can constantly test and try out different recipes without having a boundary of being a specific type of cuisine or restaurant,” says Lee. “We wanted the freedom to do pretty much anything in the name of research, knowledge, learning and possibly for our other restaurants.” And in the name of research, we volunteer as guinea pigs (!). See you in the laboratory? m-restaurants.com
