From humble beginnings in 2024 to a James Beard Best New Restaurant semifinalist nod only about a year later, DTR pasta darling Figulina has never stopped evolving. Now, it’s literally turning up the heat—adding a fryer, grill and other equipment to broaden the menu, following a weeklong closure Jan. 5–12.
“We’ve been working with saute, which is great, but we haven’t been able to do, say, fried apps,” says chef-owner David Ellis, teasing a potential arancini addition—plus new “nibbles” feat. the likes of marinated olives, house focaccia and spiced nuts. “We’ll be able to bring some more textures into our cuisine this way,” not to mention new cooking techniques unlocked by the reno.
The grill will also expand Figulina’s “Mountain-to-Sea” section—entree-size plates beyond the core rotating pastas—from two dishes to four or five. Think shareable proteins like lamb loin chops, braised beef cheek, pan-seared scallops, and grilled whole branzino.
Ellis stresses the revamp is something he’s wanted to do from the start—and the January pause provides the perfect timing. “You don’t really get the opportunity to close too many times to do some big changes,” he notes. “We didn’t want to just close and rest our laurels. … This is what made sense to me.”
Jeff Bramwell
At its core, the refreshed menu will stay true to Figulina’s Italian-meets-Southern pastacentric MO, but Ellis plans to lean further into his British culinary roots as well—already visible at brunch (bubble and squeak, English scones, and crumpets in the eggs Benny). One definite new dinner addition? Scotch egg—a soft-boiled egg wrapped in nduja sausage, bread-crumbed and fried.
“It’s delicious, but you don’t really see a whole lot of that around here,” maintains Ellis. “I wasn’t sure how the feedback would be on going super heavy on the British side—but it’s been good and I want to lean into it a little bit more.”
Between the kitchen revamp, revived grab-and-go lunch, new Monday hours, special dinners, Sunday patio hangs, and the fleshed-out provisions store, Ellis and his crew prove they’re not afraid to adapt.
“The restaurant’s always been evolving from day one—we didn’t just open and say, ‘This is it; it’s going to be this forever,’” he says. “We hope to stay in that whole world of James Beard. … We’re just gonna keep doing what we’re doing: serving delicious food and making people happy—and if that happens, it happens.”
And who knows—maybe next year Michelin will come calling too. figulinaraleigh.com
Chew on the latest food & bev news in Raleigh and beyond.
Patio season was in full swing this summer with the openings of Peregrine’s and Tamasha’s outdoor oases, each with their own new slew of ops to sip and snack on in the sun.
Skip the backyard grill sesh for newly debuted Inka Grill, a VA-based Peruvian restaurant now open in the former Capital Club 16 space on West Martin Street. Menu faves include lomo saltado, ceviche, Peruvian-style paella and other authentic eats.
That’s a wrap—literally. After 15 years slinging noodles and folding fan-fave dumplings, David’s Dumpling & Noodle Barserved its last slurp July 13.
Oh, how sweet it is! Escazu moved from its longtime North Blount Street digs to a larger space in Gateway Plaza, still dishing out confections, ice cream, hot chocolate and other bevs. And the former spot is in good hands—Stanbury’s cooking up something new.
Pour one out for Cornerstone Tavern, which closed its doors after 13 years in late July. Shortly after, two new concepts—The Row and Arcadia—opened in its place.
West Coast meets East Coast via coastal-inspired K38 Baja Mexican Grill, bringing its popular tacos, fajitas, burritos, enchiladas and more to Seaboard Station this fall.
Just in time for NC’s unpredictable seasonal mood swings, La Terrazza dropped retractable glass walls around its iconic rooftop patio—blocking the weather drama but locking in all the good vibes, tantalizing ’tails and bangin’ bites.
Drop anchor on your boring midday meals and post up at Boatman Spirits Co., now serving up weekend lunch. Expect your same faves from the dinner menu—plus a few new bites coming soon.
Boatman Spirits Co. | Photo by Forrest Mason
Slice, slice, baby! Oakwood Pizza Box’s highly anticipated takeout-only Capital Pizza Box location is now slinging pies on Wake Forest Road. Look out for a special event space coming soon to boot.
Asheville fave Botiwalla by Chai Pani is coming to Raleigh Iron Works next spring. A love letter to late-night Irani cafes, the restaurant features charcoal-cooked kababs, rice bowls, chaat and okra fries—plus boozy slushies, chai and lassi.
Gotta risk it for the biscuit. All-day breakfast, brunch and lunch concept Flying Biscuit Cafe is set to drop its fifth Triangle location at Wake Forest Crossing on Capital Boulevard soon.
An offer you can’t refuse: Beloved Omaha, Nebraska-based franchise Godfather’s Pizza is making its return to Raleigh with a new slice of real estate on Glenwood Ave. this fall.
Alexa, play “Good Graces” by Sabrina Carpenter—and brace yourself for good eats and drinks at highly anticipated market, bar and eatery dubbed, ahem, Good Graces, now open at NHID with a menu of fresh, healthy eats, plus coffee and cocktails.
Get your tickets to Flavortown. … Guy’s Pizza Joint is officially slicing it up at RDU Airport, slinging signature pies like The Guy-talian and OG Hamburger Pizza—plus freshly made to-go sandwiches, wraps, salads, breakfast items and the like.
Tea time, anyone? In not-so-little news, DTR coffee shop Little Native expanded with hidden “speakTEAsy” Littlest Tea Roomand maker space/retail outpost Littlest Shoppe.
Midday vibes, Napa style. Napa Bistro & Wine Bar recently rolled out lunch and brunch, serving up classic weekend faves like quiche, chicken and waffles, and Benedict.
Meet Hub RTP’s latest G.O.A.T. James Beard Award-nominated Preeti Waas’ boutique bodega Nanny Goat is the first concept to bow at Horseshoe, dishing chef-prepared meals, local artisan goods, fresh produce, baked items, coffee, beer and wine, gifts, and specialty imported goods.
Nanny Goat | Photo courtesy of The Plaid Penguin
Cowabunga! Lawrence Barbecue closed its Boxyard RTP chapter with a bang, delivering one last superior service in early August before its move to upcoming digs in downtown Cary.
Chef Michael Lee is on a roll, switching up his M Test Kitchen at Fenton to M Izakaya, featuring an updated menu, interior renovations and a new sushi menu coming soon.
Taste the rainbow of vibrant Mexican flavors at Cary’s new Meche Cocina Mexicana, serving up classics and twists like tuna tlacoyos, quesabirria tacos, ceviche and chilaquiles nachos—plus margs and other ’tails to match.
Rewriting your morning routine: Narrative Coffee just opened its first permanent location in downtown Durham, pouring tasty lattes, matcha, chai and other morning bevs to jump-start your day.
We’ll always have Paris… and, by late this year, Fenton will have Sweet Paris Crêperie, specializing in crêpes (natch) and other sweet and savory French-inspired dishes.
Sweet Paris Crêperie | Photo courtesy of Fenton
Let’s ~taco~ ’bout “Better Mex” on deck. Del Taco opened its first-ever Triangle eatery earlier this summer in Durham—begging locals to flock for burritos, tacos, quesadillas and more.
Lunch on this: Magnolia Grill alum Amanda Orser is bringing serious sandwich game to Durham with LRB Provisions, set to open later this summer. The neighborhood shop will spotlight local farms and purveyors, plus housemade meats and other from-scratch staples.
Slurp on this: Locally loved Peri Brothers Pizza bowed modern Peri Brothers Italian next door, plating homemade pasta and comforting apps + mains, paired with curated wines and craft cocktails in a natural light-flooded space that strikes the perf balance between classy and moody—ideal for fam dinners, date nights and everything in between.
Forks up! Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week is back July 24 through Aug. 3, shining a light on some of the city’s best eateries and tempting diners to try out new-to-them spots or return to their faves for special deals, prix fixe menus and experimental dishes. And no matter what you’re craving, odds are it’s on the list, with diversified ops ranging from Southern comfort and contemporary American to Asian, Italian, Mexican and more—plus new-this-year drink and dessert ops. See the full list of participating restaurants below, and click here for all the specific offerings.
Delivering an all-day affair ideal for a to-go coffee and pastry, leisurely brekky or lunch, evening happy hour meeting, date night, or anything in between, the new hot spot promises to percolate an otherwise sleepy section of DTR.
“We’re excited,” says co-owner Kevin Frazier, who came from the bar world (think Charlie Goodnights and City Limits Saloon—to name but a couple) up until he “got tired of the 3am” and hoped to get some of his “Starbucks coffee money back” in 2016. “We feel really good about it and we love the location. We’ve [already] seen a lot of traffic down here.”
And, not shocking because, in short, it’s a vibe. Intentionally counter to everything the typical coffeehouse is, SWC swaps the standard “white subway tiles, crappy furniture, and either phenomenal or a little pretentious baristas” for its intentional “coffee, craft, comfort” MO, says Frazier.
To wit, an exterior patio alive with uplighting, massive orange underlit umbrellas (“because orange is such a warm color,” he says) and tunes welcomes people to stay and play—or even work. Patio tables and Adirondack chairs surrounding a repurposed firepit border accordion doors and windows for that indoor-outdoor alfresco feel. “Highwoods wanted a Sir Walter Coffee but elevated, so we’re a Sir Walter Coffee but elevated,” says Frazier.
Inside, find a thoughtfully crafted concept with ample cozy nooks and seating ops, from church pews and a UK-flag adorned leather couch (a nod to Sir Walter Raleigh’s British roots—though, fun fact, the cafe/barroom’s moniker is actually dubbed for Sir Walter Raleigh Tobacco, a nod to what Frazier’s father smoked, not to the English statesman) to custom-made booths and coffee trays, classy bar stools and beautiful finishings.
Building further on Sir Walter’s OG Davie Street locale, the core menu, served till 4pm, features elevated food options across breakfast and lunch. Think bagels shipped directly from New York, sandwiches, breakfast tacos, avocado toast, salads and more—transitioning to such late-night bar bites (from 4–10pm) as bruschetta, potato skins, deviled eggs and spicy sausage cheese balls, not to mention daily blue plate specials like meatloaf Mondays and fish taco Fridays.
On the bar side, aka Sir Walter’s “alter ego,” dubs Frazier, find five coffee cocktails (hello, espresso martinis!), five specialty cocktails and five classic cocktails—plus three cocktails, four beers and prosecco on tap. Rounding out the bar program, there’s mimosa flights, Tiki drinks, and a “funky G&T” feat. St-Germain and served for four via an Oscar Award-esque vessel that will promise to make you a regular.
And, of course, at its very core, there’s coffee. The Charter Square spot will keep churning out the coffee and espresso drinks for which it’s known, complete with eight specialty blends of its own branded Cardinal Sin espresso and abundant housemade syrups. “We’re not reinventing the wheel, but we’re definitely doing coffee a little differently,” maintains Frazier. And Raleigh is here for it. sirwaltercoffee.com
Fun fact: Sir Walter Coffee is not actually named after Sir Walter Raleigh, but the cans of Sir Walter Raleigh Tobacco Frazier’s dad used to smoke.
If you thought sandwiches were the most boring lunch op since sliced bread, well, think again. Raleigh’s got sando sanctuaries in droves—boasting all kinds of hot and cold flavor-filled selects piled high with housemade ingredients on freshly baked bread to boot. Think spicy buffalo chicken-stuffed numbers, turkey melts, your go-to ham and cheeses, and even vegan options feat. a rainbow of veggies. In short, your lunch break just leveled up. Here, the sandos you should be noshing on right now.
(ish) delicatessen What to order: Reuben Good ish: found. “Weird sandwiches from weird people” is the MO at this hole-in-the-wall sandwich haven helmed by former Poole’s partner Matt Fern (also a Level 2 certified sommelier!) and boasting Jewish, Italian and Southern influences. Insider intel: Brekkie also slaps. 702 N. Person St.,@ish_delicatessen
Union Special What to order: Grown-up grilled cheese Every sando is ~special~ when featuring Union’s top-notch housebaked bread feat. flour sourced from Graham-based Lindley Mills. Take a sammy scroll on Insta for almost-daily specials—and be sure to grab a pastry for the road, trust us. 2409 Crabtree Blvd., Ste. 102,@unionspecialbread
Southern Craft Sandwiches What to order: Steak and cheese You beefin’? Southern Craft Butchers’ since-revamped full-scale sandwich oasis features the same local beef its longtime fans know and love—making the meat lovers sandos the obvious go-to. So go ham… or beef, chicken, bacon or turkey (!). 8460 Honeycutt Road, Ste. 116, southerncraftsandwiches.com
Eastcut What to order: Chicken Parm Welcome to sandwich utopia! Born from the New Jersey- and Bronx-bred owners’ nostalgia of the delis and sandos of their youth, this Raleigh Iron Works lunchtime mecca boasts traditions from all over the East Coast—alongside craft beer, cider and wine. Pro tip: Always add a side of the housemade mozz sticks. 1101 E. Whitaker Mill Road, Ste. 126, @eastcutsandwich
Alimentari at Left Bank What to order: Tomato jam tigelle They’ve got the meats! … A collab between Mothers & Sons Trattoria chef/owner Josh DeCarolis and Left Bank Butchery, the Transfer Co. Food Hall outpost not only boasts large sandwiches and tigelles (aka Italian sliders), but doubles as a whole animal butchery feat. fresh sausages, bacon and the like. And don’t sleep on the fresh pasta. 500 E. Davie St., @alimentari_at_left_bank
The Panini Co. What to order: Raleigh Rooster Get pressed at this slice of heaven inspired by the restaurant industry’s post-pandemic resilience feat. a pentad of gourmet paninis repping Raleigh. From the chicken-pesto Rooster to the Oak City Hamboree and Carolina Caprese, every bite is made with love—NTM the gourmet charcuterie and those fresh local chocolate-covered strawberries. Morgan Street Food Hall,@thepaninico
