It’s wine o’clock at St. Pierre! Oakwood Pizza Box’s Anthony Guerra teamed up with sommelier Scott Hardiman to open a new wine shop and bar at Raleigh Iron Works. The classy yet comfy space uncorks thoughtfully curated wines from under-the-radar makers, exceptional producers, and up-and-coming labels, plus craft beer and cider, with craft cocktails on deck (stay tuned).
Left Hook, right move? The Left Hook Coffee is leaving Gussie’s at the end of October to focus on its East Raleigh brick-and-mortar. Good news, Gussie’s will take over the coffee counter—and your fave brekkie items aren’t going anywhere.
New name, who dis? Foxcroft Wine Co. is now Foxcroft Food & Wine, highlighting a mod American menu with housemade pastas, steak frites and a bangin’ burger. Sips crafted with lauded Charlotte speakeasy Dot Dot Dot feat. batch ’tails and barrel-aged whiskeys arrive this fall alongside brunch. Cheers!
Foxcroft Food & Wine
It’s getting hot in here! Dave’s Hot Chicken is bringing tongue-tingling spice—and those addicting seasoned fries—to the former BB’s Crispy Chicken spot.
Bye, burgers—hello, hummus and pita. Urban Olive Mediterranean is replacing Transfer Co. Food Hall’s Mama Crow’s in November, serving fresh, made-from-scratch recipes that blend traditional and modern flavors.
Paris + Seoul = yum! French/Korean bakery Tous les Jours is opening a new Seaboard Station spot serving tasty pastries, sandwiches, cakes, bevs and more.
Saucy! Build-your-own taco spot Barrio is now open in Smoky Hollow, serving tacos, nachos, bowls, queso and handcrafted margs.
Horseshoe happens. Poole’siconic double horseshoe counter is back—red barstools and all.
Forrest Mason Media
Pour one out for Mandolin and Mofu Shoppe, both of which closed their doors for good this summer after 14 and eight years, respectively.
Encore! Five Points fave Ajjamakes Garden & Gun’s best new restaurants lists. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors + groovy patio = no surprise there.
They’ve got buns, hun! Whataburger plans to open not one, but two Raleigh locations by 2026, plus a Wake Forest outpost in the works. Expect burgers, sandwiches, chicken strips, fries and bevs.
From dumplings to burgers—Barley and Burger is primed to flip gourmet burgers and beers by October at its fourth NC location in the former David’s Dumpling & Noodle Bar space.
Wings—brick-and-mortar style. Raleigh’s own “chicken wing guy”—of Da Bubs fame—is now at Le Dive, plating wings (naturally), focaccia pizzas, burgers and more.
Leo Velasquez
Get a taste of the Big Apple at H&H Bagels, setting up shop later this year in Chapel Hill’s University Place. The brand—cameoed in Sex and the City and Seinfeld (!)—also has plans to break onto the Raleigh and Durham scenes.
Same name, new owners? 42nd St. Oyster Bar may reopen as soon as this fall under property owner John Holmes and GM Hunter Correll.
Get back to your roots: Feel-good Roots Natural Kitchen expands to a second Triangle spot this spring in the former Gumby’s Pizza, serving salads and grain bowls ranging from Southwest spice to Asian ginger.
Now it really is 5 o’clock somewhere, as RDU removes alcohol time restrictions, serving spirits as early as 4am.
A new chapter is unfolding for Peregrine, what with Zack Thomas (formerly of Boatman Spirits Co.) joining the team as beverage director. The resto also launched brunch, feat. the likes of hot honey cured eggs and beef heart shawarma.
Also getting a recent brunch upgrade is East End Bistrot, which now serves French-inspired dishes like croque madame, steak frites and eggs, and quiche every Sunday.
A new garden just bloomed in DTR. Enter La Veladora’s back patio, blossoming with Latin spirit-inspired sips, agave, and a plethora of greenery in vibrant pots. Catch ya outside!
Get your fix at Boxyard RTP with new addition Baekho Coffee & Ice Cream from the Namu/Bulkogi/The Can Opener team, specializing in Korean-inspired handcrafted bevs and coffees.
Brunch is always the answer—even on weekdays (find the lie). Birdie’s now dishes weekday breakfast Mon.–Fri. with standard fare like biscuits, French toast, and shrimp and grits—plus coffee and other morning bevs.
Birdie’s Barrom & Kitchen
Wawa lands. The cult-fave Northeast chain opens its first Triangle locale in Garner—with its famed hoagies, breakfast sandos and coffee that make road trips all the more worth it.
Cary’s got the meats. New York Butcher Shoppe is now slicing beef, chicken, pork and fish, plus housemade entrees, sides and dips—not to mention a wine bar serving a full lunch/dinner menu + vino on tap.
Lunch is leveling up—La Terrazza and Figulina now serve elevated midday grab-and-go selects in DTR.
Vic’s Pizzeria is firing up at Wendell Falls—slated to slice on the scene in 2027 with a full bar feat. craft and bottled beer, wine, and liquor—plus the same menu as the DTR location, with expanded pasta selects.
Yeehaw meets howdy thanks to Tex-Mex chain Mezcalito, lassoing the former On the Border near downtown Cary with its bold dishes, from chimichangas and carnitas to quesadillas, tortas, burritos, fajitas and more.
All buzz, no hangover: Secret Garden’s THC-infused spirits hit Le Dive late August.
Arrivederci, Brio! The Italian spot at Crabtree Valley Mall shuttered post-bankruptcy filing—look for new owners to crop a fresh spot to feed the mall crowds.
Pizza for lunch? Say less. Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Timber Pizza Co. now slices pie, empanadas and salads at lunchtime.
Still fancying the possibility of a Euro summer? Don’t dash your dreams just yet. Indulge in a Euro summer—sans the PTO, lack of AC and pricey plane ticket—via Raleigh’s slew of European-esque restos that have that certain ~je ne sais quoi~. Alfresco meals, sinking sunsets and bevvy ops galore? It’s almost like the Mediterranean Sea is a skip away. Here’s your Raleigh resto guide to a sweet escape of délicieux snacks and sips, Euro-inspired flavors and sunny spacious patios. Cin cin!
Taverna Agora For two decades, this Grecian eatery has transported Raleighites to the lush environment of the Mediterranean coast. From authentic dishes like handmade spanakopita and creamy tzatziki with fresh veggies to the beloved greek village salad and chicken souvlaki, you can snack on authentic flavors paired with vibrant greenery on the open-air rooftop patio—it’s giving Mamma Mia.
Giorgios Epicurean Market Stroll through the local market for a bevvy (think a Matcha made with Samovar Tea or an organic small batch brew) before sitting down to a flavorful dish made with ingredients handselected by Giorgios himself. Pro tip: No matter your pick, don’t skip the expansive patio.
Barcelona Wine Bar Wine, tapas and charcuterie: Need we say more? This ode to Spain has a phone book-size wine list, small plates worth sharing (unmatched patatas bravas) and the bustling energy of a Barcelona street on a summer night.
Press Coffee & Cocktails It wouldn’t be a Euro summer without a double espresso paired with a made-from-scratch crepe savored on an open-air patio. Sophisticated and casual, cool and comfortable—Press is the place for the 4pm coffee-to-cocktails transition time.
Ajja The Mediterranean meets the Middle East with a small Southern twist on Cheetie Kumar’s colorful and bold menu boasting the likes of lamb seekh, king trumpet mushrooms and whole fried trait. “Of the world, for the world,” indeed.
I will nevernot order shakshuka at brunch. I’ve tried to resist the urge and switch my order up—but I always come back to my No. 1… and she never disappoints. When I first stumbled on shakshuka almost a decade ago, the dish was a rare menu find (and my reqs for it were met with blank stares). But, lately, it’s been ~shaking~ up the brunch scene. If you’re not yet familiar, the Middle Eastern dish typically features eggs served in a tomato-based sauce, coupled with crusty bread (dipping is the best part, obv). Essentially, a brekkie game changer—and I stand by that. Here, where you can—and should—order up around town.
Taverna Agora Going Greek has never tasted so good thanks to Taverna’s baked eggs served with roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, greens, pickled red onions and feta—plus a side of pita for dunking, natch. @tavernaagora
Hummingbird Green eggs and ham? More like green shakshuka. This Dock 1053 brunch best puts a green spin on its shak, complete with spinach, Brussels sprouts, fennel, onion, chickpeas, and herbs and spices. @hummingbirdral
Photo courtesy of NRBC
Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie A brew-tiful way to start your Sunday found via the “Belgian-inspired and Carolina-crafted” beer and shak pairing within Neuse’s sunlit interior or out on the greenery-filled patio. @neuseriverbrewingco
Photo by Long Lens Photography, courtesy of Rosewater
Whiskey Kitchen Rise and shine out on WK’s sunny patio with this bright and light shakshuka comprised of a rustic tomato sauce, soft eggs, feta and sumac onions. Double your dose of tomato with a bloody to boot. @whiskey.kitchen
Photo courtesy of Wye Hill
Wye Hill You’ll want to swim in the savory stewed tomatoes, served with elite-bread-of-breads focaccia—I said what I said—and topped with goat cheese and avocado. No judgment… @wyehill
Fall in love with these seasonal food and drink specials during the month of love.
Calling all lovebirds, galentines and palentines! If you’re anything like us, you may be itching to ditch those candy conversation hearts (unless we’re talking about the hilarious and all-too-real situationship limited-edition Sweethearts) and celebrate love month with something a touch more elevated.
Lucky for us, Raleigh touts the total package when it comes to delish V-Day bites and bevs—and you’ll no doubt fall head over heels for these perfectly pink and seasonal potions and specials around town. It’s giving love at first sight!
The Parlor at Heights House Love rules at the Love Shack, and The Parlor knows that game all too well. Slide through with a gaggle of pals or your better half to sample your way through the lineup of Cupid-approved pink cocktails on the menu. Choose from the fruit-forward tequila-based Love Potion, the vodka- or gin-based Stupid Cupid feat. bright flavors, the Rosemary Me (no explanation needed!), or the Heightened Prosecco polished off with a touch of rosé and roses. Hey, sip happens!
Whiskey Kitchen x Videri Chocolate “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” … Get curious this month at Whiskey Kitchen by testing out pairings of decadent chocolate, such as the Tanzania Single Origin bar, alongside a selection of spirited sips including Woodinville Straight Rye. Could anything be sweeter?
Sassool Cafe Hummus lovers’ hearts (and bellies) are sure to feel full via the crowd-fave chocolate-covered figs and back-by-popular demand Heart Beet hummus, a tantalizing take on the Mediterranean cafe’s OG recipe—infused with the red root veggie and lots of love, natch. It truly cannot be beet.
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar Treat the bestie, the boo or yourself to the sweetest deal of all: $5 cherry chocolate shakes—only on Feb. 14. Alexa, play “Today Was a Fairytale.”
Flying Biscuit Cafe Paint the town—er, breakfast, red. Jet over to the Village District’s buzzy breakfast outpost for delectable homemade red velvet pancakes topped with fresh strawberries and drizzled with cream cheese frosting. Um, yum! … And on V-Day itself, the resto is offering free (!) bread pudding with any purchase. Sweetest dreams: found.
Asali Desserts & Cafe It’s that time of year again when red velvet carpets are filling our feeds front to back—and this Cary dessert cafe is keeping up. Sip love in a cup via red velvet lattes and sample chocolate pomegranate cheesecake—NTM a host of Valentine’s treats to boot. TLDR: Three sips for lovely eats and drinks!
Alex Ricci’s Prospects restaurant to serve up good eats and drinks for Raleighites—by Raleighites.
When the opportunity arrived for Alex Ricci to open his own restaurant in Raleigh, he naturally tapped residents to help him build the menu—think friends, influencers, fellow chefs and other “people who have really impacted both me and the food scene here,” he says.
That concept, Prospects Craft Kitchen & Cocktail Bar, is opening in the former Rainbow Luncheonette space on North West Street in December, but will evolve as Ricci continues to query guests for featured rotating dishes.
“I’ve written tons of menus, but I’ve never really thought about what my guests want and what dishes mean something to them,” elaborates Ricci. “So instead of having a chef-driven concept, it’ll be a guest-driven concept.”
The menu features Ricci’s elevated takes of those inspired, nostalgic dishes, like a Puerto Rican-inspired pork dish—a nod to his mom; and a steak dinner as an ode to Rainbow Luncheonette, with $5 from every one sold going to late Rainbow employee Tyler McDavid’s daughter’s college fund. Meanwhile, the bev menu features cocktails, boozy milkshakes and beer.
Adding a super-late-night option to the city relatively lacking one, Prospects will serve food until 3am Thursday through Saturday. NTM the longest (and latest) brunch in the city (!)—11am to 6pm on Sundays—to ensure industry folk can still get a hearty weekend breakfast in, even if they worked a brunch shift elsewhere that day.
To further encourage communication and relationships between Ricci and guests, an open layout ensures patrons will feel like they’re eating at his own home kitchen. And while the signature rainbow floors remain, Ricci enlivened the space with hydroponic gardens, spice racks and cool commissioned pieces from local artist Cassie Ott. … Peep the black-and-white painting of Anthony Bourdain that looks down at the chef as he prepares food in the kitchen. And look out for an alfresco parklet to connect Prospects to sister bar The Devereux, opening by the end of the year. @prospectsnc
