Enter Prime STQ, opening spring 2025 in the Horseshoe development at Hub RTP. The author, TV personality, champion pitmaster, BBQ preacher and teacher’s second restaurant blends Prieto’s award-winning barbecue with a high-end steakhouse experience that nods to his Puerto Rican heritage, Texas roots and NC home.
By day, the eatery will serve those beloved chopped-to-order smoked meats and scratch sides, and by night, transition into tableside service with an elevated menu of grilled meatcentric entrees prepared on a custom wood-fired grill from Mesquite, Texas-based J&R Manufacturing.
The shining star of that dinnertime menu will, of course, be an aged-in-house custom cut of steak from Creekstone Farms, smoked with a blend of oak, pecan and fast-burning mesquite wood, then served with chimichurri. It’s a masterful meat Prieto honed via hours spent at steakhouses with other chefs and participating in professional steak cooks.
“I learned a lot about how to push flavor into a steak,” recalls Prieto, who also led a winning professional barbecue team at the Kansas City Barbecue Society competitions and appeared on Food Network’s BBQ Brawl andBBQ Pitmasters. “I started seeing this other side of the world of how people consume steaks, which I found fascinating.”
In addition to steak, the burger also promises to be a hit—and the beer, bourbon and wine list will offer a curated selection of ops to pair. The atmosphere will likewise blend old and new, replicating that longtime tradition of barbecue while introducing fresh and bright elements to ensure a welcoming vibe for all, with ample outdoor seating and a separate room dedicated to to-go orders to boot.
The takeout portion will cater to the professionals frequenting the RTP area, which Prieto has a fondness for and familiarity of, thanks to a nine-year tenure at Quintiles (now IQVIA). During his time there, he was writing cookbooks, doing TV shows and hosting his popular BBQ Club before opening his first restaurant.
And the rest, as they say, is history. … “If you think Prime’s good, just wait—[STQ will] literally knock people’s socks off,” Prieto maintains. “We’re going to drive the best experience that side of the city has ever seen.”
Through 1/5 Illuminate Art Walk Head into the holidays (literally) via this year’s installment of Illuminate Art Walk, lighting up the DTR streets with its signature piece, “Talking Heads,” created by Limelight and distributed by Wireframe. Plus, spy a scad of stunning pieces compliments of NC light artists highlighting our state’s wildlife, along with our innovative past, present and future. Merry and bright, indeed! downtownraleigh.org
Through 1/7 Dutch Art in a Global Age Talk about going global. Take in myriad masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston that explore the crossways between art, commercial networks and Colonial expansion. ncartmuseum.org
Through 1/14 NC Chinese Lantern Festival The fan-fave fest promises to be *lit* again this year thanks to 40+ new awe-inspiring Chinese lantern displays—plus captivating cultural performances nightly. Glow on!boothamphitheatre.com
Through 1/15 The Rink Presented by UNC Health Ice, ice baby. Figure-eight your way into the holidays with the return of Raleigh’s festive Rockefeller-esque ice skating rink at Red Hat. redhatamphitheater.com
Through 3/31 Igloos at Unscripted Just chillin’? Roll up to your own personal igloo experience filled with a pre-set food menu and an immaculate winter wonderland vibe (plus wine pairings and bevs available for purchase). How festive! opentable.com
12/28 Canes vs. Montreal Canes take Canadiens by storm. Sounds like quite the matchup, eh? nhl.com
12/29 Chef’s Table Revel in the glorious flavors of chef Sera Cuni’s Food Network-worthy dishes at Cafe Root Cellar’s five-year anny celebration. Bon appétit! orderstart.com
12/29–30 Chris Porter Of Last Comic Standing and Ugly & Angry fame, this sought-after sillyman’s set on the Goodnights stage is sure to slay. goodnightscomedy.com
12/29–31 Godfrey Hoot and holler along with this Nebraskan comedian you might know from notable film cameos such as Zoolander and Original Gangstas. improv.com
12/31 The Avett Brothers “I wish I was…” spending NYE jammin’ out at PNC with the uberpopular North Carolina-bred folk rock band (!). pncarena.com
12/31 First Night Raleigh Cheers to 2024! Come outta your shell (had to) and ring in the new year via DTR’s highly anticipated acorn drop, complete with live music, fireworks and more. @firstnightraleigh
12/31 NYE With Local Icon Bring in the new year like a “Local Icon.” Meet at midnight at The Merchant for “the sexiest New Year’s Eve ever” with a prix fixe dinner & cocktail menu; party it up at The Architect for a Studio 54-style fete feat. a DJ and a Champagne toast at midnight—or make a rez at any of Local Icon’s locations (Little City Brewing, Virgil’s Cocktails and Cocina, The Green Light) for a night to remember. Cheers to the new year! thelocalicon.com
12/31 Young Hearts Distilling New Year’s Eve Celebration Goodbye 2023, hello 2024! Ring in the new year with curated spirits and snacks, live entertainment and plenty of space for you to dance the night away at DTR’s only distillery. opentable.com
The 12 fiery hopefuls will be split into three teams, led by culinary icons and Food Network hosts Bobby Flay, Michael Symon and Eddie Jackson. The three celebrity chef captains will mentor and coach these up-and-coming barbecue stars from around the country through 10 episodes set at Star Hill Ranch in Austin, Texas.
Each episode, a panel of judges—including barbecue legend Rodney Scott, chef Brooke Williamson and lifestyle personality Carson Kressley—will decide which team was least successful, with the competitor deemed the weakest link eliminated.
The winner is dubbed the Master of ‘Cue (not such a bad nickname, huh?) and will become Food Network’s official BBQ expert of the year—plus, ultimate bragging rights, of course.
We, obviously, will be rooting for Prieto all the way. A champion pitmaster, book author, barbecue judge and teacher, we think he’s got the chops to take home the W. Have you tried the food at Prime yet?! From smoked brisket and housemade sausage to sweet potato salad and mac and cheese, Prieto has already won the hearts—and stomachs—of North Carolinians. Cheer him on when the BBQ Brawl airs Monday, June 14 on Food Network.
