The Crunkleton is about to be pouring, shaking and stirring in Raleigh.
The wait is finally over, Raleigh. Almost three years after the initial announcement, acclaimed Chapel Hill-based cocktail bar and restaurant The Crunkleton is finally ready to make its Smoky Hollow debut in March. *Cue resounding cheers.*
Known for its craft cocktail prowess and live-fire kitchen, The Crunkleton Raleigh will serve up a DTR dining and drinking destination delivering timeless hospitality with an elevated yet approachable full-service menu.
The Raleigh locale marks the third of the nee-2008 brainchild of Gary Crunkleton—now owned by 1957 Hospitality Group—which also grew its Franklin Street flagship to Charlotte in 2019. With its footprint already in the City of Oaks, 1957 Hospitality CEO Blake Thompson has had a hand in developing fellow Raleigh favorites like Standard Beer + Food, Bad Daddy’s, and Firebirds.
Photo by Curtis GrollPhoto by Curtis Groll
While the new Hollow space promises a cozy, neighborhood vibe with 88 indoor seats and a patio for warmer months, the heart of The Crunkleton will be its carefully curated dishes. An homage to live-fire cooking, the menu will feature raw and charred oysters, hearth-fired wings, a “really good” burger, fire-roasted vegetables and—the pièce de résistance—a giant Tomahawk steak for the table (!), all at the hands of The Crunkleton’s longtime executive chef Gregory Balch.
For an interactive twist, diners can snag a seat at the Chef’s Counter to enjoy the full menu while spying the magic of the hearth unfold firsthand. And on the beverage front, the cocktail haven is staying true to its roots, highlighting timeless classics like the old-fashioned and Sazerac, alongside inventive original recipes crafted with premium spirits, housemade syrups and fresh juices—and with ever-popular handcarved clear ice.
And for those who pref their booze straight up, there’s the bar’s rare and antique spirits collection, a signature offering that began with Crunkleton’s successful lobbying for NC House Bill 909 in 2015. The legislation allows statewide establishments to sell antique spirits (read: bottles at least 20 years old, out of production and in an unopened and sealed bottle) after obtaining a special permit.
“Finding these rare treasures is an exciting process,” says 1957 Hospitality COO Hannah Smith. “Gary often acquires them through estate sales or personal connections. Many people discover old bottles without knowing their history or value, and Gary educates them on both.”
Further ingraining spirits lovers into the world of The Crunkleton is its exclusive Top Shelf Program, which scores first access to dining reservations, a monthly newsletter and concierge services. So, as expected, The Crunkleton Raleigh promises to be as timeless as its tales—and ’tails. thecrunkleton.com
Developers craft a dynamic balance of tenants with intention.
“We’re trying to be intentional—instead of just leasing the space to the first person who shows up and says they’re interested.”
So says Highwoods SVP and Raleigh Market Leader Skip Hill of a new wave of competitive—and deliberate—placemaking to ignite energy and create spaces people want to frequent. So, in essence, ushering in a new era of developers shopping for specific concepts to fit the exact vibe they’re seeking, where the “play” component ensures people will want to live, work and hang there.
Local restaurateurs like Matt Bettinger, owner of Cary’s Hank’s Downtown Dive and SideBar, have seen this shift firsthand. “The larger developer scope seems to be more rigid in terms of expectations,” he says. “There’s a lot less flexibility. You’re seeing a lot more, ‘We want coffee service. Or ‘We want this to include cocktails.’”
That’s precisely how it played out for Highwoods’ Charter Square building, where they began scouting an all-day cafe for the former B.GOOD space to entice people back to the office. Enter popular Sir Walter Coffee’s vibey cafe-meets-cocktail bar with a second intentional interior entrance that flows into the lobby.
“It’s not just a one-off disconnected restaurant, it’s a part of the life of that building,” says Hill of the thoughtful approach. “And that building now becomes part of the life of Downtown—because Sir Walter brings community to the area there.” He adds the same goes for Birdie’s, which recently opened—and is already igniting—the opposite end of Fayetteville Street from its perch on the ground floor of Highwoods’ 150 Fayetteville.
Continuing that shift to evoke a specific ethos, the ground floor of Kane Realty Corp.’s highly anticipated Dix Park-proximal Rockway development blends amenities like BK Pilates and Benchwarmers Bagels’ expanded menu of pizzas, sandwiches and cocktails to yield an attractive destination.
Likewise deliberate in their approach, the development team behind DTR mixed-use 400H, including Raleigh’s own HM Partners, sees its ground floor as essential to its success. They passed on a sushi spot for sheer surrounding sushi density, determining Press Coffee, Crepes & Cocktails fit the vibe and operational model for the building, says HM Partners Managing Partner Gregg Sandreuter.
And uptown, Hill is looking to bring a similar curated cast to Crabtree Corridor’s GlenLake via upcoming Wong’s Tacos, Crooked Hammock Brewery and a coffee shop in the works. But “it has to fit,” he emphasizes.
GlenLake photo by Brian Mullins Photography, courtesy of GlenLake
It’s a tango felt on both sides of the concept curation. Bettinger himself got a taste of this approach when he pitched a concept for the former Ladyfingers location in Highpark Village. “We were kind of thinking on our feet. We saw the space and knew we liked it, so we put together what we thought would be a lot of fun,” he says.
But when the lease ultimately went to DC-based Michelin-lauded Timber, Bettinger wasn’t discouraged. “To be honest, it looks great—I think it’s going to be a nice addition,” he emphasizes. “I totally see how, if you own the property and you’ve got a couple people vying for it, you would pick the group saying, ‘We’ve got this system that’s worked up here, and we think it’ll work there.’”
But one rejection isn’t stopping Bettinger. He’s still keeping his ear to the ground waiting on his perfect match. “You’ve got to be OK with hearing ‘this doesn’t fit here’—even if you think it’s a great idea,” he maintains.
While competition is fiercer than ever, it also makes room for more creativity, says Bettinger. “I think it provides challenges,” he adds. “But hopefully it makes for healthy competition.”
Launched Oct. 11 during the Canes’ opening night and available at all home games this season, the Hurricane cocktail—a special edition release of an existing award-winning EOD mix—is already a fan-favorite sip. To wit, it snagged Double Gold at the 2022 SIP Awards and a Gold recognition at The Fifty Best 2024 RTD Competition (!).
The chic Canes-branded red can, natch, features the distillery’s signature Port of Entry Rum, passionfruit, lemon juice and a bubbly twist. Think of it like a sibling can to R&D Brewing’s Storm Brew for nonbeer-drinkers, if you will.
“We are excited about our partnership with the Carolina Hurricanes, as it represents a harmonious blend of our shared values,” says EOD Distillery founder Shane Faulkner. “Like the Hurricanes, we strive for excellence in our field. This cocktail enhances the game-day experience, embodying the energy and spirit of the fans and players alike.”
But the fun doesn’t stop at the Novo. Those catching the action at home’ll be able to stock their fridge with hockey-fueled cocktails to keep the party going all season long by snagging the special-edition sips at ABC stores within a 75-mile radius of Raleigh—plus in the distillery’s home county of New Hanover.
A first for both the Carolina Hurricanes and End of Days, the ready-to-drink cocktail partnership is set to run through June 30. “It’s been absolutely fantastic,” emphasizes Faulkner. “We’re looking forward to the exposure and support throughout the state.”
So whether you’re a die-hard Canes fan or just in it for the atmosphere—er, the alcohol—this special-edition ’tail is set to be the real MVP this season. Get ready to cause some chaos! eoddistillery.com
Lights, camera, inspiration. A new series of speaker events is debuting at The Rialto this fall. Enter TinyTalks Raleigh, the brainchild of father-daughter duo Grace and Mike Palmer. Founded on their shared love of stories and community building, the first event is being hosted at the historic theater Oct. 9, with the goal to deliver a fresh and intimate way to connect with some of the area’s most interesting individuals.
Think of it like a mini TED Talk meets social mixer. The event will feature multiple speakers, each given 10 minutes to share their stories, supported by a simple PowerPoint to highlight key moments. With speakers like Shibumi Shade co-founder Dane Barnes, Sir Walter Miler co-founder Sandy Roberts and Director of the NC Science Trail Dr. April Smith, TinyTalks invites locals to share personal stories.
“We’re excited to share the Shibumi story with the Raleigh community and connect with others to learn from their ideas,” says Barnes.
The October event will be the first of an ongoing series, with the Palmers planning to host about one per quarter (or four a year). Speaker lineups will range from entrepreneurs to influencers and everyone in between.
And in the name of sparking meaningful conversations, attendees will enjoy connection periods before and after the presentations where mingling is encouraged.
“My dad and I, we’ve always naturally shared curiosity and really enjoy hearing people’s stories and experiences,” shares Grace. “So, ultimately, this idea was kind of a natural extension of that.”
Know someone with a story that needs sharing—or got the speaking bug yourself? Nominate you or a friend to be a future speaker. Oct. 9, 6–8:30pm, tickets $10 in advance online, $15 day of, tinytalksraleigh.com
New Bern Avenue’s star is on the rise as the first corridor for the City of Raleigh’s new Bus Rapid Transit system—and, now, it’s poised to shine even brighter thanks to the redevelopment of 1601 New Bern Avenue.
Already underway with an expected completion slated for this fall, the project—a joint venture among Capitol Commercial, Carroll Development and AB Capital Advisors—will boast 11,650 square feet of retail and restaurant space, plus a resurfaced parking lot and a 14-foot-wide sidewalk for outdoor seating at select spaces.
Poised to become a mini-gateway to Downtown Raleigh among a slew of other upcoming proximal redevelopments, the redesigned strip center also calls for a BRT station. And with it, the New Bern Avenue corridor is experiencing what some might call a dose of gentrification, as projects like these pave the way for new businesses and residents alike.
Case in point: The powerhouse duo behind craft brewery and brasserie Neuse River Brewing, Jennifer and Ryan Kolarov—alongside business partner Carl Boyajian—has inked a lease and will be introducing yet another crowd-pleaser to East Raleigh. Expanding their footprint literally and figuratively, their space bowing June 14 in the 1601 New Bern Avenue development is strictly a bar.
“We’ve had a lot of opportunities to do things in other places. This area specifically appealed to us because of the growth that’s happening.” —Jennifer Kolarov, co-owner, Neuse River Brewing, Blotto
Dubbed Blotto, aka British slang for “tipsy,” the new drinkery is all about keeping things simple, approachable and appealing. “We’ve been talking about opening up a bar as a watering hole, not a restaurant and not another brewery,” maintains Ryan, nodding to Neuse River Brewing’s uberpopular brewed on-site craft brews and fantastic fare. “We just found a perfect spot in East Raleigh.”
But don’t expect any old dive. Designed to be a laid-back retreat—think tropical plants, dark wood accents and a Tiki-themed patio welcoming people and pets alike—Blotto is intended for every inch of its 2,500 square feet to feel like home, whether popping in for a quick drink or settling in for a hang sesh.
Like its decor, the bar’s menu is sure to suit myriad tastes—delivering drinks worth bellying up to the bar for, but without brain-bending cocktail names or breaking the bank. “We want Blotto to be a bar for everyone,” says Ryan of Raleigh’s newest upcoming third place. “We want to have fun [classic] cocktails with fresh-squeezed juices. We don’t want our mixers coming out of a bottle, but we also don’t want the drinks to be $25. Just simple and approachable.”
To wit, fam-friendly by day and 21+ by night—with diverse draws like trivia nights and live music—the bar “where everybody knows your name” answers the call for all Raleighites.
“We’ve had a lot of opportunities to do things in other places,” says Jennifer of the emerging district, where they hope to see other cool concepts—think cafe, vino, restaurant—join them a la Person Street or Gateway Plaza vibes.
“This area specifically appealed to us because of the growth that’s happening.” Looks like Blotto may just be the harbinger answering the call for the booming New Bern Avenue corridor. blottonc.com
