Expand your palate with these local picks during Triangle Restaurant Week.
Hey, foodies… we hope you’re hungry! While Raleigh no doubt has a slew of restaurants worth raving about, the Triangle is teeming with tasty spots worth checking out—and what better time to give them a try than during Triangle Restaurant Week? From Jan. 23–29, popular local sup spots are featuring special 2- and 3-course menu ops for lunch and dinner—no rez required. Here, a few of our picks to nosh on some fab fare outside Raleigh. Time to dig in!
Calling all ramen-tics! For some “Far East funk” and mouthwatering fare, snag a seat at this vibrant, colorful spot serving up Asian dishes with flair. At the helm, find executive chef Jason Lawless whipping up noodle dishes, bao buns and other amazing entrees—NTM going wild on the wok.
Come, see, conquer, eat at this traditional authentic Italian resto feat. pastas and breads made in-house daily—best enjoyed with a glass (or bottle—we aren’t judging!) of vino. Mamma mia!
“I don’t know about you, but we’re feeling (local) 22!” … This Downtown Durham delight will have you feelin’ peckish with its all-American classic comfort food—think burgers, pizza, mac ’n’ cheese, fries and the like. And we do like.
Highlighting divine dumplings, comforting curries and an extensive fresh raw bar, this gorgeous upscale resto touts a range of Southeast Asian dishes, plus stunning desserts that look almost too perfect to eat. Keyword: almost.
A nod to the birds and park within view, this modern American resto inside The Mayton offers Southern comfort foods in a chic atmosphere. Whether patrons want to “peck” on plates with friends or celebrate with a big dinner, this nosh spot has the chops. Waddle this way…
Serving up dishes using the best seasonal ingredients from local farmers, fishers and purveyors, Market and Moss features fare as colorful as its atmosphere (see: the teal blue walls/chairs and overall cute + cozy vibe). Taste the rainbow!
Light the way… to this loveable Asian restaurant that marries flavors from the East with local ingredients (and who doesn’t love a good collab?!). Behind the scenes, find renowned chef/owner Andrea Reusing cooking up delish dishes—and advocating for food policy change to boot. Essentially: A dining experience that’s all that and dim sum!
This Research Triangle sup spot stays serving up seasonal, well-executed eats all year long—and the same rings true for its TRW menu. Pro tip: The food is just as ’Grammable as the restaurant’s beautiful interior. Get your cameras ready!
Since the final curtain closed at its Morgan Street digs, the legendary laugh house has been supplying the sillies via its temporary space in the defunct K&W Cafeteria. Now, Goodnights’ new permanent home—situated underneath what will soon be a wraparound Shake Shack (stay tuned for opening updates!)—will be amping up Village District as the new hip place to hang.
“We’re thrilled to welcome guests into Goodnights’ permanent new home!” says Goodnights owner Brad Grossman. “After months of hosting guests in our temporary location, we’re ready to unveil our new space, which is packed with amenities to further enhance the comedy club experience. Goodnights is a Raleigh institution and we’re proud to continue to honor our roots and legacy while also enhancing the overall atmosphere.”
With 11,000 square feet, two stages (doubling its comedic capacity!), the space to hold a 300- to 325- person audience, and low ceilings, the setting is thoughtfully designed to foster a sense of community and an ideal comedy setting.
To boot, the new venue is a vision—literally—thanks to a massive mural of DTR by local artist Jennifer Ross spread across the backdrop of the stand-up stage. It’s (finally) time to say hello to the new Goodnights!
Bourbon and barbecue go together. And as if The BBQ Lab hadn’t already made Raleigh go hog wild, what’s next is, well, kind of a pig deal.
Releasing next Wednesday, Jan. 18, expect the addition of shareable selects like brisket poutine with white brisket gravy garlic cheese curds, smoked fried wings (exclusive to the Raleigh location), made-in-house BBQ chips with Maytag blue cheese sauce, and so much more.
And of course, if there’s bourbon, there’s booze. Bourbon mules and bourbon crush complement other unique spins on traditional drinks like Coladas with Dole whip (they slap). Look for a pastrami beef rib no one else doing it in Raleigh—and what owner Jerry Stephenson says is hands-down his best dish (!).
Pro tip: Order eats on DoorDash starting Wednesday, Jan. 11. … And stay tuned for brunch coming soon. The anticipation begins!
More of Our Fave Menu Selects
BBQ Lab Brisket Tacos:Slow-smoked in a blend of spices put into hot corn tortillas topped with a cheddar cheese, pickled onion and a housemade smoked jalapeno green goddess salsa
Brisket Mac:Our signature pasta dish with our chopped prime beef brisket, white queso sauce, tomatoes, chiles and onions covered in a blend of melted cheeses
Bacon Cinnamon Ice Cream Waffle: Homemade bacon jam covering cinnamon ice cream on top of a waffle
“Paired with world-class education and R&D resources, the support of incentives and programs from organizations at all levels for a variety of industries, including high-growth sectors such as electric vehicles, made the state our choice for top recognition this year,” said Business Facilities Editorial Director Anne Cosgrove.
In 2022, Gov. Roy Cooper announced a record number of jobs (28,300+) being added across the state, and CNBC also ranked the Tar Heel State as the No. 1 state in the country for business—earning top spot based on what CNBC rated as “America’s strongest state economy, with robust job growth, solid public finances and a healthy housing market.”
Earning high marks in other categories: “As a major banking center, the state finishes second only to California in the list’s Access to Capital category, and the home of one of the nation’s oldest research and development hubs—the famed Research Triangle Park—finishes 5th for Technology & Innovation.”
Here are some of the big businesses that made major moves in NC:
Amgen broke ground at its next major manufacturing facility in Holly Springs
Wolfspeed announced plans for a ~$5 billion facility in Siler City
Freedom Solar, the largest solar panel company in Texas, expanded to NC following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act
Health start-up One Medical, which was recently acquired by Amazon, continues to expand its locations across the state
There’s barbecue sauce, rub, marinades… now, enter Meat Sweats to your BBQ lineup—the first-ever ready-made BBQ spritz products, concocted right here in Raleigh (!).
Taking the defeat-dry-meat DIY out of meat prepping is this brainchild of locally based brothers and co-founders Scott Chalkley and Adam Bell, who began getting piggy with it during the pandemic while digging into recipes for flavoring meats. “We just started experimenting with flavor profiles, cooking meat and sharing it with our family and friends,” says Chalkley.
Keeping things juicy, Meat Sweats offers three signature spritz flavors, from flagship spray Hog Wash to beef and brisket spray Bull Spritz to sweet-heat spray Bird Bath—all of which help keep your meat moist with the bonus of the smoky bark of your dreams.
And not resting on their pork buns, these BBQing brothers have plans to cook up even more for their meaty business, with a wild game spray in the works and a seafood spritz set to launch as soon as this winter. As backyard barbecue people themselves, Chalkley and Bell believe their Meat Sweats lineup helps take the sweat out of the smoke—read: less time slaving away in the kitchen, bonus quality time around the smoker with the fam.
“Barbecue brings everybody together,” says Bell. “You see people sitting down, eating and talking. I don’t think BBQ will solve the world’s problems, but it’s a pretty good start.” Well done, indeed. meatsweatsusa.com
