A feast for the eyes and the senses, the crown jewel of Raleigh’s retail market is officially unearthing at East End via Giorgios Hospitality Group’s latest “GEM.”
Answering the call for an approachable and highly curated shopping and dining experience, the aptly dubbed Giorgios Epicurean Market is at once a European sojourn and one-stop shop for whatever you bloody well fancy—including even a bloody (or freshly squeezed OJ or coffee…).
From first entry, aromas, visuals (and for the samplers, scores of tastes) overcome the senses as you’re met with an abundance of lush flora and fauna—inviting you to check your real-world worries at the door and succumb to a Zen-induced haze of indulgence highlighted by a verdant design that’s “vibrant and alive with the fresh energy of a modern European market,” says Giorgios Bakatsias. Sommelier selects? Check. Olive oils, jams and spices? Yup. Plants and potables for the hostess, office or “oh-yeah-it’s-my-anniversary” gift? Count on it.
Playing on herbaceous hues, every detail is intentional—from the mod white, olive and rusty subway tile sections that merge with natural wood and concrete to the gentle botanical brushstrokes by artist Arianne Hemlein seamlessly blending the seasons across the length of the market to even the authentic “boulanger” sign Bakatsias procured from a flea market to add a little “spice.”
At the root of it all, a massive full-sight breakfast-lunch-dinner kitchen production helmed by Managing Partner/executive chef William D’Auvray promises to tempt the palate with fresh butcher cuts and made-in-house bakery selects, salads, grilled goodies and beyond—whether to grab a pastry, sandwich to savor on the piazza or steaks for tonight’s dinner.
Vinos for pairing are intentionally selected by sommelier Scott Hardiman to complement the cafe menu and prepared foods, says Bakatsias, “so guests can easily curate a gourmet meal to enjoy at home.” Essentially, they thought of everything so you don’t have to—the “simple things in life people want—executed at the highest level,” he adds.
And not to confuse elevated with unapproachable, this isn’t some stuffy, unaffordable pinkies-up place. Instead, at its very core is an MO of utter simplicity and approachability. “We’re not boxing somebody in to spend a certain amount to have this experience,” says Bakatsias. “You can come in and spend $10 for lunch or whatever you wish.”
Further delving into the Euro-ness of it all, docents are at the ready as you shop and savor to proffer wine, party platter or gift picks. And in line with that Old World vibe, no, they won’t pounce you like a SNL Sur La Table skit. But, so new age, they will provide a pay-where-you-are option sans the line.
Ambling past the abundant product—which D’Auvray, who also helms East End Bistrot, spotlights in the market menu—quaint alfresco-esque indoor seating gives way to a day-to-night indoor cafe and bar set off by rollup garage door. And, outside, a botanically-driven “relaxing playground for eating and drinking” awaits via covered terrace and lush piazza dotted with mixed seating—and primed for pop-up farmers markets.
Both masterful and masterpiece, it’s got Bakatsias’ fingerprints all over it. As the ultimate gardener (see flourishing East End Bistrot, Rosewater, etc.), the market extends that signature vibe. And like all gems, she’ll get better with age. … Stay tuned for catering, and wine and cooking classes—even visiting chefs—to come.
Until then, “I’m excited to start baking and cooking food Giorgios and I both love and live by,” muses D’Auvray. So are we. Tue.-Sat.,8am–9pm,gemraleigh.com
Giorgios Bakatsias hasn’t written his last chapter—in fact, he’s turning the page on a new one. As the ultimate gardener—cultivating places, people and literal gardens—his forthcoming Giorgios Epicurean Market expands his reach at East End Market with a morning-to-night all-in-one cafe and market, anchored by the three B’s: butcher, baker, beverage program. “We’re creating a whole village here with our wonderful [cider] friends,” says the master craftsman. “I love it.”
A “jam for the community,” jibes Bakatsias, the purposefully named space is a nod to his salad days frequenting markets in Greece to grab things for Mom. (Fun fact: Epicureanism, aka a hedonistic philosophy placing pleasure as paragon, was founded by famed Greek philosopher Epicurus.) “I just came back from Greece not long ago,” he says. “I love just getting lost in those markets… I could stay there forever.”
A feast for the eyes and senses, the space serves up a short sojourn to Europe, at once satisfying necessity and wanderlust. “What inspires me are the visuals, the aromas… the overstimulation of the senses—the market does it for me,” he muses. Filling a void beyond the big-box ops, Giorgios Epicurean Market is, in a word, curated. Period. In an age of “abundance, it’s nice to go deeper in knowledge instead of just having an extra bottle of something,” he says, and to have a more personal experience of service—not just asking, ‘Did you find everything?’… What does that mean?”
To wit, sundry handpicked goods will be on offer—from sommelier vino selects from the wine library to fresh rotating fare and expertly prepared foods (salads! sandwiches! moussaka!) to freshly baked breads (baguettes, pastries and beyond by operating partner and East End Bistrot executive chef William D’Auvray). Think even a personalized concierge at the ready to help you orchestrate the perfect meal or gift—this wine, this olive oil, this mustard, that pastry or cookie.
And, since “everything has a vibration,” says Bakatsias, for those not on the go, expect bountiful flora and fauna—not unlike the ambitious restaurateur’s Rosewater and East End Bistrot—cultivated across a massive canopy-covered piazza featuring 200+ myriad seating ops and some combination of spaces for relaxing so you can post up solo with a book or for a hang sesh with the SO or fam.
A water feature supplies serenity and heaters keep the nip at bay, while a window slide allows easy access for morning freshly squeezed juice or java giving way to afternoon or evening spirited mixology, wine or beer from the Euro-style bar. Inside, more seats abound in the cozy cafe where you can post up for a fresh snack amid the bustling market. “William makes amazing gourmet pizza,” suggests Bakatsias.
The lifeblood of the space is connectivity to ingredients—and people. An intentional gift to the community, at the heart of it all is that heartfelt hospitality. “The service culture and knowledge is just as important as the curation of product,” he says. “We can’t have everything in the world here, not because of space, but intention… so we can curate products that are meaningful and purposeful to you, and that you will enjoy with some quality and value because you know it’s important.”
Drafting another page in his book, Bakatsias still has more to come. “Creating is exciting,” says the master maker. “We don’t need just another project. What we need is to make sure we are serving the community—and in the best way we know how. … I want to write my best chapter—which I haven’t yet. You always want to continue to evolve and create.” Consider this just another brilliant “GEM” in Bakatsias’ beautiful jewel box. giorgiosgroup.com
Vibes are on high at the long-awaited Madre—now officially open in Smoky Hollow. Helmed by powerhouse trio Tyler Helikson, Brad Shoff and Celina Salinas, the Mediterranean oasis serves up small plates and community via a space intentionally designed for “serendipitous friend-making,” says Helikson. An homage to mothers (hence Madre)—with a lean into the coastal Mediterranean region that inspired it—the elevated cool come-as-you-are concept is the first locally owned restaurant of this scale to open Downtown since 2017 (think Vidrio, Brewery Bhavana). And with it comes the next era of modern dining—and exactly what Raleigh needs right now: a space intentionally designed for all walks of life for any occasion, from the experience to the ambiance to the bites and bevs. madreraleigh.com
Meet me at Madre. It just rolls off the tongue. It’s the kind of thing you’d say to your mom (aka “madre”), your SO, your bestie or your business partner. Or to no one at all as you fly solo. And that’s exactly the point.
Classy. Sophisticated. Elevated. The first full-service locally conceived and owned restaurant to drop in Smoky Hollow—and the first concept of this scale to drop in Raleigh since Brewery Bhavana—Madre will bring an unparalleled flair from some of the most brilliant minds in the hospitality industry, led by trio Tyler Helikson, aka Happy + Hale CEO/co-founder and man about town; his business-savvy best friend of almost three decades, Brad Shoff; and former Barcelona Wine Bar GM Celina Salinas, who will be running day-to-day operations. “This is the best assembled team I’ve ever seen in this industry in this town,” says Helikson.
To start, there’s the design, intentionally fashioned by master Lead Designer Bryan Costello “to create opportunities for serendipitous friend-making,” says Helikson. The heartbeat of the ~100-seat space from which the rest of the restaurant’s energy and liveliness will emanate is the captivating horseshoe-shaped bar—“which was really important for us to increase the odds of socializing,” he adds—aglow beneath a striking double-tiered canopy.
A vibey candlelit and dried-botanical-dotted windowside lounge adjacent to the bar overlooks the patio. Encased by two breeze-block walls, the living room-like first-come first-serve full-service space with loungey seating and coffee table enhances ops for mingling. “It’s cool because you could be sitting with strangers—share a cocktail, a laugh, a conversation—and by the end of the night, you could become friends,” says Helikson.
Meeting the challenge of making the massive space feel intimate and cozy—so big-city dining meets your mom’s house energy—it’s sectioned off so no portion feels too cavernous. Two reservation-only tables flanking each side of the bar serve as cozy cubbies for convo, and Earthen finishes throughout create curves to soften the space. “Bryan really touched on all the senses to give an energy you can feel the minute you open the door,” says Helikson. For the designer behind such aesthetic masterpieces as Heights House, “designing Madre has been about going all-in to set the scene and inviting people in to be a part of it,” says Costello. “We’re building our own little world in there. It’s a little piece of theater, and I’m really looking forward to opening night.”
“Designing Madre has been about going all in to set the scene and inviting people in to be a part of it. We’re building our own little world in there. It’s a little piece of theater, and I’m really looking forward to opening night.”
—Bryan Costello
From left: Tyler Helikson, Co-owner: 20 years in Raleigh, CEO + co-founder of Happy + Hale; Brad Shoff, Co-owner: Spent last 15 years in the finance industry; Bryan Costello, Lead designer: Studio Costello; Celina Salinas, Co-owner + operating partner: Former GM of Barcelona Wine Bar; Mara Sudol, Bar lead: Formerly of Tazza Kitchen fame; Jarrad Gwaltney, Executive chef: Of San Antonio’s Boiler House fame; Red Brewer, Assistant GM: Manager under Celina at Barcelona Wine Bar (Albright Studio)
Promising to be the Hollow hang, the patio will straight transport you with its Mediterranean garden feel via climbing jasmine, fig and olive trees, and background beats. Peppered with 10 to 15 tables, the alfresco affair leans Euro piazza, with an additional smaller outdoor lounge space with lower loungers for cocktails and snacks—think “great people-watching, comfortable, while-you-wait vibe,” says Helikson.
At its core, Madres sits at the intersection of bar and restaurant, casual and fine dining—exactly what Raleigh arguably lacks. Madre doesn’t fit in a box. Madre is enthralling, edgy, elevated, adventurous, spontaneous. And she will surprise you. The fresh protein-, seafood- and veggie-forward rotating menu by San Antonio-transplant renowned executive chef Jarrad Gwaltney leans coastal Mediterranean plates for sharing, natch, repping the regions of Portugal, Spain, Italy, France—even reaching for inspo from North Africa. “Think bright flavors—and really letting ingredients speak for themselves,” says Helikson. A boards section will bring charcuterie and cheese to whet (or sate) the appetite. And—so Euro—a pintxos section (aka “small snacks”) serves up food sans the need for knife and fork, a perfect bite for the wait or even while you play cards or work.
And of course cheers are in order via 10-ish signature cocktails imagined by bar lead and craft cocktailier Mara Sudol of Tazza fame. (Find us pinkies out in the Hollow a la The White Lotus’ Harper with that Aperol Spritz.) Both old and new world wines and sparklings will woo you, as will local brews. And the inventive vermouth on draft will have you talking—and checking yourself to see if you’re in Raleigh or at a Madrid tapas spot. “Vermouth on ice with an orange, a little sparkling water—it’s absolutely delicious,” says Helikson.
Shooting to tentatively open to the public Thursday, June 29, Madre encapsulates exactly what Raleigh needs right now—a space intentionally designed for all walks of life for any occasion. From the experience to the ambiance to the bites and bevs, “it’s all about shareability,” says Helikson. So meet me at Madre? I’ll be perched on a stool at the bar.
The owners of Pelagic Beer & Wine are opening a sister shop.
When husband-and-wife team Matt and Amanda Allen realized their vision to offer more at their independent craft beer, wine and cider shop Pelagic Beer & Wine was a little too large for its 800-square-foot space, instead of dashing the dream, the owners bought another building on South Saunders Street—offering them the opp to grow and serve more of what they love. And while similar in concept to Pelagic, this younger, spunkier sibling—anticipated to open mid-July—will take the duo’s locally loved offerings next-level.
Beyond peddling local, artisanal snacks, Riparian Provision Co. will also have 14 taps aflowin’ with beer, cider, hard seltzer and, potentially, wine, kombucha and cold brew to sip on either inside or out on the patio—plus cider, wine and beer to purchase to prolong the sips once home.
Designed as a thoughtfully curated retail space with a tasting bar, the new “provisions co.” (hence the name), will also serve up locally produced selects—from daily needs (think coffee, milk, creamer, bacon and eggs) to plants to feed your growing additions (see the dedicated corner where folks can buy native and indoor tropicals in addition to potting supplies).
“We wanted it to be its own little spot, but also connect enough to Pelagic so that people recognized that it was us and what we’re all about,” explains Amanda. Plus, the new location’s 2,400 square feet provides the space to spread their creative plans.
As you might have guessed from the shops’ unique names—Pelagic (relating to the open sea) and Riparian (relating to or situated on the banks of a river)—the Allens are passionate about water and the environment. But they are also firm believers in supporting independent businesses.
And when it comes to other liquids—aka their beverage selection—they don’t make exception. While Amanda says that some craft beer brands you find in your traditional grocery store might seem to come from independent businesses, they’ve actually been purchased by larger beer companies.
“We choose to sell only independent brands—which sometimes means refusing some good beer—in order to best support the little guys in the craft beer industry and help the industry grow,” she adds. “We are the only store in Raleigh/the Triangle that does that, sometimes refusing good beer because it’s not independent.”
Beyond lifting up independent brewers, the Allens are also committed to community, and, leaning into that, they are hoping to grow and build a connection with the area around South Saunders Street once they open, says Matt—including leading regular cleanups of the locally adopted stream in the neighborhood.
“We just installed some words along the storefront to kind of advertise what we’re going to be doing and selling,” adds Amanda. “And so it’s beer, wine, plants, provisions and community—and community is kind of the last one over the two front doors, and I think that’s really important to us and what we pride ourselves on at Pelagic. … I think our customers would say this is a community spot, and people feel comfortable here, and people feel welcome here, and you don’t have to be from here to experience that.” @riparianprovisionco
