Raleigh Magazine got the exclusive on the new rooftop restaurant and bar on top of The Dillon.
The day The Dillon opened to the public in 2018, Kane Realty Corp. CEO John Kane told Raleigh Magazine Publisher Gina Stephens this restaurant space would only open with a local restaurateur. “We are not bringing in an outsider,” he told her. “This space is too special.”
We’ve known for two years who would be taking that space—and are thrilled to finally reveal La Terrazza, which, fittingly, translates to “the terrace.” The concept by Raleigh restaurateur Samad Hachby of Umbria Hospitality Group (Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar,Melrose Knitting Mill) is slated to open on The Dillon rooftop in spring 2023. Arguably the most coveted piece of real estate in the food and beverage community—with its 4,000+ square feet of interior space and 1,300+ square feet of outdoor space overlooking one of the best views of the city—it could’ve been leased to anyone, and national bigwigs surely would’ve jumped at the opportunity to open a restaurant there. But Kane stayed loyal to his local ambitions. And Hachby certainly has the chops to create an impressive dining destination.
Of course, the location helps. The interior dining room featuring floor-to-ceiling glass walls (aka views for days) will seat over 100 people and double as event space for weddings. It will also play host to two bars—one inside and another in an enclosure on the patio (dubbed the Sky Room) boasting accordion glass doors that will remain open when the weather is nice.
As for the remainder of the rooftop patio, it’s technically a public space commonly used by the tenants of the building. But Hachby envisions that people who come up to the rooftop wanting to get a beverage while they grab a photo for the ’Gram or wait for a table at, say, Barcelona Wine Bar, will have that option. Ultimately, La Terrazza will provide an experience—whether you’re up there on a whim or have a reservation for dinner.
The food, says Hachby, will match the atmosphere. The menu will place a large emphasis on Mediterranean and Italian offerings to include fresh seafood, crudi, handmade pastas and artisanal pizzas. “It’s very healthy fresh food, very delicious—and lends itself to be seasonal, which is part of my style of cooking,” says the prolific restaurateur, who is also known for his cocktail programs. Taking center stage on the drink menu is Champagne and other bubbles—their prominence spotlighted in designated Champagne coolers at the front of the restaurant—alongside wine and craft cocktails.
The hospitality heavyweight maintains that his travels served as a huge inspiration for the menu. “I’m constantly inspired by visiting other places, especially in the Umbria region of Italy,” says Hachby, “and bringing back the best of my experiences to share with our dining and special event guests right here in the heart of North Carolina.” He adds: “You have to travel; otherwise, you will die in this business.”
So this is it—the creme de la creme of Raleigh rooftop dining. “There’s no place like this in town,” says Hachby. “It’s very iconic.” Cue the excitement!umbriahospitality.com
A project two years in the works, La Terrazza—a Mediterranean- and Italian-focused restaurant and bar by local restaurateur Samad Hachby of Umbria Hospitality Group—is opening at The Dillon rooftop next year. (Jennifer Robertson Photography)
If you’ve ever stepped off the curb to cross the street Downtown and feared for your life—you’re not alone. And, now, the city has a solution. An absolute game-changer for pedestrian and bike safety, Raleigh leaders are reducing the speed limit from 35 to 25 mph on all streets between Glenwood Avenue and East Street, and Peace Street to just south of Martin Luther King Boulevard—including seeming raceways Dawson and McDowell. The change will also eliminate all turns on red and double turn lanes. The Downtown Pedestrian Safety Project is the result of a Downtown Raleigh Pedestrian Safety Study ordered in 2019 by Gov. Roy Cooper after a state worker was killed walking at the intersection of McDowell and Lane streets. Additionally, over the past 15 years, 335 pedestrian crashes have been reported in DTR—42% of which are the result of vehicles hitting pedestrians crossing the street, according to data from the NCDOT.
Down for a good trip? Look no further than Chris Evans’ Good Trip Gallery in DTR, an art gallery-meets-tattoo studio that’s shaking up the local arts scene.
“There are no rules in art”… so says local tattoo artist, painter and Good Trip Gallery owner Chris Evans—an MO that quickly becomes apparent when you walk into his colorful gallery awash wall-to-wall with his paintings spanning all styles and subjects, from people to animals to the abstract. “I just paint whatever I feel,” he says.
The same goes for his tattoos. If he had to choose a go-to style, it would be photorealism, but, says the artist, “I don’t like saying I have a style—I like to try whatever feels right.”
A born creative, Evans picked up tattooing in high school as another way to make money. “It was probably a little illegal,” he jokes. He’d always wanted an art gallery and thought that eventually he would transition out of tattooing into a full-time painter. But why choose one when you can have the best of both worlds?! And, so, Good Trip Gallery was born January 2021, peddling both his dope tattoo skills and his paintings.
“I just hadn’t seen an [all-in-one] art gallery and tattoo studio before, so I knew I wanted to try it and bring it to Downtown Raleigh,” adds Evans, who was born in Apex, but migrated to the City of Oaks two years ago to open the avant-garde art house.
In addition to offering his artworks and tattoo services at Good Trip Gallery, Evans also participates monthly in Downtown Raleigh Alliance’s First Friday—during which you’ll find him posted up outside on the sidewalk to live-paint, with another local artist live-painting in the gallery’s back room, a DJ or live musician on-site, and late hours to boot.
This month, you also can catch Good Trip Gallery repping at IBMA Bluegrass Live! (Sept. 30–Oct. 1), where, in addition to having his artwork on display, Evans will be performing a live painting. (Unfortunately, though, you can’t get a tatt out in the middle of Fayetteville Street. Womp womp.)
And as far as the virtuoso’s “goal” for the gallery… well, he doesn’t really have one. Now in his 17th year as a full-time tattoo artist, Evans emphasizes that he doesn’t want his creative outlets to turn into work. “I know that sounds crazy being in business, but I don’t have a goal or an expectation with my art,” he adds. “Whatever happens, happens.” Sounds like a good trip, indeed. goodtripgallery.com
Keeping the soul of Raleigh alive in lieu of another teardown are singer Tift Merritt and Durham hotelier Daniel Robinson, whose plans for the storied Yellow Gables Inn in Mordecai will lean into a sort of deja vu midcentury moment in Raleigh history.
The once-popular rest stop on the hip thoroughfare from Florida to New York a la 1920s to ’50s is one of only two popular remaining stays that hasn’t been destroyed. Now, Merritt and Robinson have resumed plans for reno and restoration. “The goal is to highlight the property’s historic and architectural references without kitsch,” says Robinson, “and with emphasis on the more casual side of Raleigh’s emerging culture: artistic, playful, accessible, informal.”
With construction set to begin on The Gables Lodge in Q1 2023 and a newly signed hospitality agreement with Early Bird Night Owl (projects include The Willard, The Durham Hotel, and The Mayton and Peck & Plume), the hoteliers are primed to keep the soul of the 1925 inn built by William and Ella Johnson in a moment where residents are desperate to cling to some of our significant structures.
The property’s stone garage, rich finishes and 17 cozy rooms will harken back to memories of family road trips and impromptu rest stops at less-than-fancy motels. At Gables, travelers—and Raleighites—will also be able to enjoy a drink from the lodge’s neighborhood bar. Get ready to make those staycation plans. gableslodge.com
Where to eat, play and sway outside Raleigh in October
1. QueenBurger DURHAM Calling all (burger) kings and queens! This oh-so-meaty all-the-rage joint from the team behind Kingfisher and Queeny’s that cooked up as a pandemic parking lot pop-up has finally opened its brick-and-mortar at Durham’s American Tobacco Campus—and, well, you burger believe the drive is worth it. The casual yet bangin’ double-patty smashed grass-fed beef and handmade veggie and vegan burgs (the signature topped with griddled onions, NC hoop cheddar cheese, special sauce and pickles) will make you feel like royalty (and royally satiated!)—and the fresh cocktails, wine and draft beer are perf for washing it all down. We can’t wait to get smashing outside Raleigh. eatqueenburger.com
2. Osteria G APEX Named after an Italian osteria—aka an establishment serving a simple wine and food menu with an emphasis on local specialties—The OG (as some call it) takes traditional Italian food to new heights with “beautiful farm-to-table-style creations carrying an Italian soul.” Helmed by executive chef Manny Lozano, who trained in France and worked at several high-end restaurants in New York City, the modern Italian resto feats seasonal starters, entrees and desserts that’ll keep you coming back for more—think meatball Wellington, gnocchi fondue, bucatini puttanesca and ragu Napoletano—plus Italian wine and spirits, natch. It may just be the next best thing to dining in Italy—and far cheaper than a plane ticket. Ciao, bella!osteriag.com
3. OC Aerial DURHAM Thrill-seekers, this one’s for you. This adrenaline junkie playground is the ultimate all-in-one 16,000-square-foot indoor adventure park, feat. ninja obstacle courses, a warp wall, rock climbing, zip line and super-cool slick slides that launch riders onto an inflated cushion (!)—taking the Tom Petty song “Free Fallin’” to a whole new level. And if you’re really looking for an adrenaline boost, take on the Leap of Faith, a belayed free fall from 22 feet. … The name says it all. Think you have the guts? oc-aerial.com
4. Carrboro Music Festival CARRBORO Anyone who’s been to this community-minded fest will tell you it’s “Carrboro’s favorite day.” This year, 100 local bands—think Organ Failure, Too Much Fun, Sad Magazine, The Gone Ghosts and more—will take to the stage at 16 venues across town, from Weaver Street Market to Cat’s Cradle to The Station to Steel String Brewery, offering a diverse range of music specifically chosen for each of the venues. And to boot, this year will be the first time the musicians are getting paid (!). Established in 1998, the festival was originally held as an official affiliate of the Fête de la Musique (aka Make Music Day) to “make all genres of music more accessible to the public through free concerts.” Get ready to jam out outside Raleigh! carrboromusicfestival.com
5. Taipei 101 CARY Let us school you on what might be the best and most authentic Chinese food in the Triangle (case in point: It’s made N&O’s list of Best Restaurants: Best Chinese (Taiwanese) for the past six years!). Founded with a goal of offering a side of Chinese food not typically found in the buffet lines, this hidden gem specializes in Szechuan, Zhejiang and Taiwanese styles of cooking, with fave dishes including the scallion beef pancake roll, Szechuan-style beef noodle soup, anchovy fried rice and mini steamed buns. You’re gonna wanna ditch your standard Chinese takeout stat. carytaipei101nc.com
