5 spots to check out outside city limits for bites, vinyl, coffee and more
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The Fuzzy Needle | DURHAM
The vinyl revival is real—and spinning up nostalgia in this Bull City living room-esque record and book shop pushing both used and new selects with a focus on “independent labels/publishers and outsider voices.” Dig through vinyl, CDs, tapes and vintage apparel, then stick around for film screenings, readings, markets and live sets from local bands and DJs. Because at its core, The Fuzzy Needle is a gathering space built for curiosity, conversation and connection—rewarding every visit with fresh sounds and new favorites. thefuzzyneedle.com
Unhinged Coffee Co
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Unhinged Coffee Co | KNIGHTDALE
“A little chaotic. Highly caffeinated. Fully self-aware.” If that speaks to your soul, get unhinged (in the best way) at the little coffee cart that could, now posted up at First & Main with pop-ups around the Triangle. Urging coffee lovers to sip through life’s ups and downs, Unhinged slings a slew of seasonal espresso bevs like apple pie lattes, peppermint white mochas and rosemary flat whites, plus chai, hot chocolate and pastries (muffins, cookies, loaves, etc.). Because if you’re gonna be unhinged, you may as well be wired. unhingedcoffee.co
Vert & Vogue | Photo by Shannon Kelly
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Vert & Vogue | DURHAM
Alexa, play “Vogue” by Madonna—and get ready to stunt for the grid. If you’ve ever dreamed of being styled by a pro fashionista, look no further than this chic boutique. Founded by Nadira Hurley—who grew up working in Parisian retail and showrooms—alongside husband Ryan, the shop features a curated mix of mindfully made clothing, accessories and shoes you won’t spot anywhere else, beckoning women of all styles to come play dress-up. Odds are you’ll leave with a newfound confidence—and at least one piece that adds that elusive je ne sais quoi to your wardrobe. How parfait! vertandvogue.com
Bellow Butcher Co. | Photo by D0pe Cinema
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Bellow Butcher Co. | WENDELL
Handcut, housemade. So goes the MO for the family-owned butcher shop and delicatessen from Lauren and Chris Gass, slicing up locally sourced meats and modern gourmet sandos that put your desk lunch to shame—with cheeky names to match. Think the Ric Flair with roast beef, mozz, “Woo-cestershire” mayo, pepper relish and shaved cabbage; or the Y’all Capone with soppressata, capicola, country ham, smoked provolone, fresh herbs and Calabrian aioli. The shop and deli mark a dream realized for the duo following Chris’ previous fine-dining run working alongside Sean Brock at Husk in Nashville and Raleigh’s own Scott Crawford. Now, it’s all about the meats—and they’ve got plenty to go around. bellowbutcher.com
The Blind Pelican | Photo by Joshua Shelf
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The Blind Pelican | HOLLY SPRINGS
From sea to glass, seafood lovers and drink connoisseurs alike travel across the country for the Pelican’s record-breaking bloody mary experience. Currently holding three Guinness World Records—including for the largest and most expensive garnished bloody—the eye-popping $7,605.25 concoction comes stacked with a smattering of crab legs, beluga caviar, Tomahawk steaks, elk cheeseburgers, chicken wings and more… enough to feed a crowd—and then some. Not in a record-breaking mood? The casual ocean-inspired haunt also serves up an array of seafood-focused bites (think beer-battered lobster pops, crabcakes, po’boys, plus baked, fried and raw oysters)—along with tropical-esque “boat drinks” worthy of a coastal getaway right in Raleigh’s backyard. It’s the “Pelican Way,” after all. blindpelicanseafood.com
Black history has never been black-and-white. Now, Raleigh’s annual Living in Color exhibit shines a light on more than 100 Black artists, on display at the Dix Park Chapel all month long. Curated by the Raleigh Film and Art Festival and presented in partnership with Dix Park, the Black History Month showcase is a visual snapshot of the Southern Black experience—spanning every medium, style and stage of the artistic journey. Don’t miss the Feb. 8 opening reception, a colorful celebration feat. live music, spoken word and a theatrical dance performance. Feb. 1–28, dixpark.org
Living in Color Opening Reception 2025 | Photo by Robbie Bailey
Where to find the ultimate cold-weather cure around town
Nothing soothesa cold-weather chill quite like a hot toddy. Dubbed “Southern cough syrup,” the warming winter classic blends dark liquor, hot water, honey, lemon, and a medley of herbs and spices—and, yes, it’s long been touted as a legit antidote for coughs and sore throats (a win-win!). So when you get the shivers this season, trade the cold meds—or your cold bev—for one of these heat-bringing beauts. Doctor’s orders!
Gussie’s
The classic gets the Gussie’s treatment with high-rye whiskey, honey, Angostura and a clove-studded lemon moon—best paired with cozy comfort bites like meatballs, braised short rib ravioli and soup. gussiesraleigh.com
Jalwa
Jalwa’s tropical-leaning riff brings the summer energy with spiced rum, pineapple, ginger and cinnamon, delivering warmth with a sunny twist—heating you up in more ways than one.jalwaindianbistro.com
STIR
Apple cider meets hot toddy in this soul-soothing sipper combining the best bevs of winter in one: housemade apple cider infused with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and citrus peel, blended with whiskey and finished with fresh lemon. Sweet, tart and aromatic, it’s the ultimate winter warmer.stirraleigh.com
Whiskey Kitchen
Patio season lives on at WK thanks to its sweet, citrusy toddy, made with bourbon, signature housemade allspice honey and lemon—plus a little extra coziness courtesy of the always-packed patio’s heaters. whiskey.kitchen
William & Company
It’s only right that Willco’s toddy be made with mezcal. Fresh lemon and ginger juice plus ginger-infused local honey round out this smoky, warming take on the OG. @willcobar
Wolfe & Porter
Break out from the ordinary and cozy up with the aptly named Cuffing Season toddy—a mix of honey, lemon, cinnamon, Caribbean dark rum and Licor 43 (a Spanish liquor with botanicals, citrus and a woodsy vanilla note). It’s a match made in hot-toddy heaven. wolfeandporter.com
Glenwood South gets its groove back with new club opening.
If you thought Downtown Raleigh’s nightlife scene was cooling off, think again. Dropping a fresh jolt of after-dark energy on Glenwood South is Hibernian Hospitality Group’s Sage Room at Botanical Lounge, officially hitting the scene Jan. 28.
Originally launched as a private event space in 2021—when Hibernian famously resurrected its OG Solas into the three-story Botanical Lounge and Highgarden—the newly activated club level taps straight into the group’s nightlife DNA.
Longtime locals will remember Solas as a prepandemic post-up spot, from buzzy brunch bashes to high-octane DJ sets, live shows and packed dance floors—even weddings and private events—that kept the calendar humming.
Now, that same party-forward spirit returns with a mod edge. Channeling those vibey roots, Sage Room will feat. DJ-driven Top 40 playlists, luxe lounge seating, exclusive VIP bottle service and a small plates menu designed for late-night sharing—positioning it as a go-to for birthday blowouts, bach weekends and spontaneous dance-floor detours. Think elevated club energy without losing the approachable, anything-can-happen MO that made Solas such a magnet.
“We’re incredibly excited to bring this fresh vibe back to Glenwood South,” the team tells RM. “With the combination of great music, comfortable seating, tasty bites and top-notch service, we’re creating the perfect spot for a memorable night out.”
Perched on the second floor, Sage Room becomes another strategic stop in the group’s Glenwood South orbit—easy to fold into a night that starts with bites at Hibernian, spans pours at Peggy’s, Botanical or Raleigh Beer Garden; and ends on the dance floor. In short: proof that Glenwood’s nightlife pulse isn’t fading—it’s evolving.
You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, 10 Things I Hate About You—these classic rom-coms ruled the box office in their heyday and continue to stay in rotation as comfort-watches across generations. But they did more than entertain us: They quietly taught us how to date. From awkward first kisses to missed connections and romantic rejection, these films modeled the messy social cues of falling in love (even if it was a tad unrealistic, cheesy and mildly chaotic).
Today, though, those crowd-pleasing rom-coms are all but missing from theaters and streaming services—and an entire generation has come of age without that masterclass in messy coming-of-age moments. Of course, the genre still exists, but today’s flicks are few and far between, often lacking the same nostalgic pull as ’90s and early 2000s standouts—from Bridget Jones’s Diary to 500 Days of Summer and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.
Even this year’s slew of holiday meet-cute movies (and there were plenty) don’t hold up to the timeless appeal of The Holiday, Love Actually or even Elf. They just don’t do it like they used to: a handsome newly elected British prime minister falling for his junior staffer; a slightly stalkerish videographer confessing his love to his best friend’s new wife via cue cards; a house-swapping Californian who falls for a strapping English dad. These aren’t just iconic scenes from bingeworthy movies—they’re cultural moments. And today’s films just don’t stack up.
So what caused the falloff? Like most things, it comes down to money. Per Parade, major studios have increasingly shifted focus toward big-budget franchises and massive blockbusters—see: Avatar, Dune, Top Gun, Oppenheimer—that reliably gross billions, leaving midbudget fall-in-love flicks and other genres in the dust.
“The legacy studios are definitely making fewer romantic comedies than they were 20–30 years ago during the genre’s modern heyday,” explains critic Kimber Myers, “and that’s largely because they stopped being such a sure bet at the box office.” It’s a classic chicken-or-the-egg scenario: If studios invest less money and resources into rom-coms, fewer people show up, so they make them less—and round and round it goes.
Many mod attempts at rom-coms tend to fall short—predictable, overly silly and baited with big-name casts that feel, in a word, unoriginal. Still, the genre hasn’t completely died off, and there’s reason for optimism. Highly anticipated films like People We Meet on Vacation (January 2026), You, Me & Tuscany (April 2026) and The Summer I Turned Pretty movie (TBD) may spark the rom-com renaissance we’ve all been craving.
Because without rom-coms, we’re not just losing a genre—we’re losing a shared cultural playbook for love. One that showed us how to flirt, how to fail, how to recover and how to try again. And that’s a lesson worth rebooting.
