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
On the prowl to up his benefactor, well, factor, Panthers owner David Tepper, along with wife Nicole, donated $1.2 million (!) to local food banks across the Carolinas via The Tepper Foundation and the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation,
“Assisting with essential needs is a critical pillar for our foundations,” said Tepper in a release. “The need is great, and we are proud to support food banks across the region.”
One food bank to benefit is Raleigh’s Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. The donation will provide support for its programs assisting individuals and families facing food insecurity while also supporting its MO for a hunger-free community—to FEED neighbors, TEACH self-sufficiency, GROW healthy foods and CULTIVATE innovative approaches to end hunger.
“Our agricultural approaches to end hunger in our service areas are a unique opportunity for organizations and individuals alike to become involved in our mission and see the direct impact of their efforts,” says Jonathan Lee, VP of agricultural programs at IFFS. “We are grateful to have a partner in the Tepper Foundation and look forward to seeing the fruits of this relationship develop into life changing impacts in our communities.”
More than just a food bank, IFFS will also be directing a portion of the donation to Gardens for Everyone program, which was launched in 2020 to target low-income families and orgs as a way to build raised garden beds in the community (think homes, community centers, preschools and transitional housing facilities) in order to provide them the opp to grow their own fresh and nutritious food. With support from the foundations, IFFS will be able to install 100 garden boxes in rural service counties, adding to the food shuttle’s 121 existing beds in Wake and Durham counties.
A portion will also go to IFFS’ Food Shuttle Farm, which provides fresh and nutritious foods to community members in need year-round by distributing fresh produce to Food Shuttle programs such as Mobile Markets, Grocery Bags for Seniors, School Pantries, and other partner agencies to the tune of a net total of 53,000 pounds of produce last year alone. The donations will go toward upgrades and potential expansion, as well as efforts to provide educational opportunities for the community via workshops and even internships.
And you can do your part to help IFFS’ mission as well. With summer soon upon us, IFFS is in need of volunteers to help with crops and delivery. Life’s a garden—dig it. And dig in. foodshuttle.org
WEB EXCLUSIVE Raleigh’s own Juniper Level Botanic Garden is like something out of a fairytale. A trickling stream winds its way through native perennials, exotic plants and rare specimens, interspersed with natural wonders such as the grotto garden waterfall.
The not-for-profit garden was established by plantsman Tony Avent, an NC State alum, in 1988, on 2.2 acres of abandoned tobacco fields with the mission to “promote and preserve botanic diversity by bridging the gap between botany and horticulture,” according to the website.
Since 1994, Avent has traveled to more than 12 countries and taken more than 80 botanical expeditions, both domestic and international, in order to study and preserve thousands of species of plants. The current collection of more than 30,000 plants spread across 28 acres of land makes the Juniper Level Botanic Garden one of the largest and most diverse in the world.
Onsite, you’ll find greenhouses, fountains, creeks, rock gardens, bogs, rain gardens and fields of shrub and tree trials. Plant Delights Nursery, located adjacent to the gardens, sells more than 1,600 different perennials for visitors to add to their own home gardens.
Juniper Level Botanic Garden and Plant Delights Nursery are open to the public for only eight weekends in the year. This weekend, they’ll hold the last open garden and nursery days for the summer until September. Visit Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Sunday, July 19 from 1 to 5 p.m.
North Carolina artist Elizabeth Bradford will open two concurrent shows at The Umstead Hotel and The Mahler art gallery downtown. Bradford began her career painting the farms and gardens of the elderly residents who populated the rural community near her family’s farm in north Mecklenburg County. She watched as years passed and the farms and gardens gave way to subdivisions and shopping centers.
“I was glad to have painted my elegy for the way it had been,” Bradford says. “In some way, it gave a sense of permanence to what was impermanent.”
Bradford’s exhibit will feature her latest work, “Wild and Sacred,” realistic depictions of nature ranging from tree roots growing into a creek bed to cattails flourishing in a duck pond.
“I learned I could sit in one spot in the woods and paint for hours, lost in the natural opulence,” Bradford explains. “Animals and birds would cease to see me as a threat because I was still for so long. I have come to believe that I am now painting the permanent…”
Bradford’s work is featured in permanent collections across the state, including UNC-Greensboro’s Weatherspoon Art Museum, the Mint Museum, the Kenan Center and UNC Rex Heart and Vascular Hospital.
