Local TikTok star Grandma C shares her Raleigh faves.
“Hey, everybody, it’s Grandma C!” You’ve likely stumbled upon the endearing Carol Chapman on TikTok, known for her videos tasting popular food and drinks—not to mention her fan-fave “Fun Drink Friday” creations.
Based in Raleigh, she became a viral sensation following a fateful review of Sabrina Carpenter’s limited-edition Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso at Dunkin’ after the “Espresso” singer herself commented on the video (!), skyrocketing her follower count and making her a breakout grandma star on the social platform.
“I found out, at that time, she was handling her own PR,” recalls Chapman, who joined TikTok toward the end of COVID after which one of her granddaughters encouraged her to start an account. Now, at 51K+ followers and counting, she’s on the radar of countless brands who regularly send her products to review and feature on her page. And as a bona fide foodie, she’s got opinions. Here, we chatted up the fun-loving content creator to scout some of her local faves.
Photo courtesy of Carol Chapman
Fave Raleigh restaurant:Seasons 52—we go there for every one of my daughters’ and daughters-in-law’s birthdays. I love Angus Barn too. My good friend and I have been with our husbands every New Year’s Eve for 42 years. Her husband passed away, then mine passed away—and now it’s just the two of us.
Must-have pick you’ve reviewed: I’m a real coffee drinker, and I drink coffee all the time—so my favorite TikToks would be all the different kinds of coffee products I’ve tried. Of course the espresso one. … I’ve been a Dunkin’ fan for years.
Go-to Dunkin’ order: Coolatta
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life: It has to be chicken.
Old-faithful food to cook: Pasta is my favorite—I like carbonara, and I make that quite a bit.
Standout sip: I’m a milkshake person. I go to Sonic, Chick-fil-A. At Christmastime, I like the peppermint milkshake at Chick-fil-A. I like cookies & cream as well.
Ideal foodie day in Raleigh: Breakfast: New York Bagels & Deli on Falls of Neuse Road Lunch: Chick-fil-A Dinner: Bonefish Grill or Seasons 52 Dessert: Burney’s Sweets & More’s filled croissants
Gobble up delish turkey and all the fixins’ via these spots around town.
Gearing up for Thanksgiving takes tons of prep work—from hosting out-of-town family members to planning out the mealtime spread—NTM all the time it takes to cook up a turkey and all the fixins’. Prefer to swap hours in the kitchen in favor of QT with the fam or simply watching football on the couch? We got you. Here, we rounded up a ream of restaurants offering takeout Turkey Day meals for preorder around town. And if a dine-out resto experience is more your jam, there’s also a slew of spots open for a sit-down meal that’ll appease even the toughest of turkey critics. Ready, set, gobble!
Fare for the Road
Mandolin Gobble for good on a festive feast feat. all the fixins’, such as sweet potato punch, aligot potatoes, green bean casserole, bread pudding stuffing, yeast rolls and pie. The best part? A portion of proceeds benefit Give Raleigh. Just place those orders by Nov. 10!
Boulted Bread Now open for Thanksgiving preordering, Boulted Bread is offering all the carbs your heart desires—from pies and quiches to your classic breads and pastries. Pick up your glutenous goodies ahead of the holiday and watch as they slowly (or quickly) disappear. Let’s roll.
Lawrence Barbecue Lawrence Barbecue has the meats! … And the sides, desserts and oysters too. Go hog wild on pork butt, brisket or turkey breast, and don’t miss the three-cheese mac and smoked bacon green beans. Yum!
Midwood Smokehouse Grab your holiday grub from this Smoky Hollow BBQ restaurant touting smoked meats, oodles of scrumptious sides—think mashed potatoes, coleslaw and broccoli casserole—and dessert. We love to see (and taste) it!
PoshNosh Partnering with Hummingbird and Union Special (talk about sweetening the deal!), PoshNosh Catering Company is offering two dinner spreads serving parties of two to four or eight to 10. Gotta love options! Find brined + herb butter-rubbed turkey, cornbread sausage stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and more on the menu—along with rolls and pie selects from Union Special.
Sam Jones Feed eight to 10 hungry family members with a whole smoked turkey breast, a bottle of Sam Jones Sweet BBQ sauce, mac and cheese, baked beans, sweet potato muffins, and more. And be sure to save room for dessert, as that pecan pie is def gonna be irresistible.
Union Special Sate those sweet teeth via this beloved bakeshop and cafe’s pies and cookies (looking at you, pumpkin molasses cookies!), then throw in an order of savory goodies like cabbage casserole, mashed potatoes and creamed collards. Plus, stock up on bread for days—you know, just in case.
Cafe Root Cellar Take those hunger pangs to Pittsboro for a scratchmade Thanksgiving meal, made with a few fun twists. Think cranberry red wine-braised brisket, butternut squash lasagna, and lemon- and thyme-roasted Brussels sprouts, to name a few.
A feast fit for the table (natch), Table & Twine’s Thanksgiving feast includes the likes of brioche stuffing, bacon-bourbon collards, buttermilk mashed potatoes and more. An appetizer and brunch package are also on offer to make holiday hosting a breeze.
Take or Stay? Your Pick
Irregardless Cafe Irregardlessly good, grab a seat at this Morgan Street cafe for roast turkey with cornbread stuffing, vegan mushroom Wellington, marinated grilled salmon with tomato and bean stew, and linguine Arrabbiata and more menu items to boot. And takeout diners can enjoy many of the same menu ops at home.
Perry’s Steakhouse Let them eat steak! Select your eats from the restaurant’s full menu or opt for a special Thanksgiving meal. And if you’d rather take your fare on the road, a four-person takeout menu is also available.
The Pit Offering both takeout and sit-down dining options, this DTR BBQ spot is cooking up all the classics for your feast—from appetizers to kick off the meal to desserts to finish on a sweet note.
Seasons 52 “Thanksgiving traditions never tasted so good.” Fill that belly with all your fave dishes (turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans) or take ’em home.
Sit and Stay Awhile
Il Faló Prefer your Thanksgiving buffet-style? Chow down on Italian-inspired eats—from gnocchi al forno to pumpkin bisque to a selection of carved meats. And did we mention there’s a mac and cheese station…? Um, yes, please!
Peck & Plume Peck or gobble (dealer’s choice!) on a three-course meal feat. butternut squash soup, seared duck breast, hush puppies, boneless braised beef short ribs and more at Downtown Cary’s stylish Southern oasis.
Sullivan’s Steakhouse Grab a seat at this Glenwood South steakhouse for a three-course prix fixe menu feat. soup, salad, handcarved turkey, sides and dessert. And mentally prepare for that post-grub food coma.
Since the holidays are more about spending time with the fam (um, and watching football!) and less about spending hours defrosting turkey and cooking up casseroles in the kitchen, why not let one of Raleigh’s fab restaurants do the cooking for you this Thanksgiving? Here are a few local sup spots around town to find holiday fare for family feasting without the hassle. … Just be sure to book a rez. Feast mode: activated.
Southern Living named Raleigh among the “Top 10 Tastiest Towns in the South,” and last year Zagat named us #19 in its “26 Hottest Food Cities.” Independent restaurants are flourishing, and national chains are knocking. The great news: national chains can be allies to local businesses, especially in affluent downtowns like Raleigh, Austin and Denver, says national restaurant industry expert Darren Tristano.
“The better the economic area, the better the chains and independents will work together,” says Tristano, president of Technomic, Inc., a research and consulting firm that specializes in data, trends and forecasting. “A good trade area is critical to success—entertainment venues, sporting arenas, movie theaters. The other part that’s key is having the right economic demographic—the middle upper income group, whether it’s retired boomers moving back to the city or being around the right corporate environment that gives you a large number of workers.”
High-end chains like Capital Grille and Seasons 52, both owned by Darden Restaurants, were eager to join Raleigh’s vibrant and much-talked-about food scene. Capital Grille is one of the top-ranked steak houses in the nation, and it opened last year in the new Bank of America Tower at North Hills. Surrounded by dozens of businesses, the restaurant serves both a corporate and local clientele.
Managing partner Joseph Butler says feedback has been fantastic. “Since arriving, our neighbors have welcomed us with open arms to an already sophisticated dining scene,” he says. “We look forward to welcoming many new faces in the coming months.”
At Crabtree Valley Mall, the newly opened Seasons 52 offers an usually diverse wine list—serving more than 100 bottles and 52 by the glass; the move created more than 100 jobs. While newly opened J. Alexander, located just behind the mall, is part of a collection of boutique restaurants based out of Nashville. The company chose Raleigh for its first North Carolina location and also hired approximately 100 full and part-time employees.
“The change with chains is that they’re looking at this business in a way where they’re adapting locally,” Tristano says. “It isn’t a one-size-fits-all. They’re going into a market; they’re using local architects. They’re building stores that don’t necessarily follow a cookie-cutter philosophy.”
Tristano has seen chains use local artwork and photography—or local materials—for interior elements. These days, chains also want to share more details when it comes to the bottom line. Also, national chains are often more local than consumers think.
“Chain restaurants are typically owned locally and run locally,” says Tristano. “The people who are there represent, in most cases, 25 to 30 percent of the restaurant sales through their labor and expenses. Often, you’re supporting local distributors, suppliers and farmers. I think many people forget that restaurants are about a 5 percent profit margin, and most of the money is spent locally.”
Still, it’s all about the experience. “It’s always going to come down to quality, value, execution, service; those things are always important,” he adds.
Of course, the relationship between larger corporations and local businesses can at times be rocky, and it can play out in the press and on social media. In September 2016, 1010 a burger chain owned by actors Mark and Donnie Wahlberg, announced it would open its first North Carolina location in January in The Hudson building, which formerly housed the Oxford. The area is ripe with potential diners, but the Oxford has been shuttered for more than a year, leaving those who live in the building with fewer options.
The Downtown Raleigh Alliance was excited, tweeting: “#MarkyMark is feeling those #goodvibrations in #downtownRaleigh! We showed Wahlburger’s the space where the Oxford used to be, and they’ll be opening next year!”
In an N&O article published shortly after, several independent restaurant owners weren’t as happy. “I think it sort of sucks the soul of out downtown,” said Van Alston in the article; Alston has owned Slim’s downtown since 1999.
Now, spring is here; Wahlburger’s is not. But Kelvin Dumas, the commercial broker with Colliers International who put together the deal, said Wahlburger’s will open this quarter. The delay is due to rollouts of other southeastern Wahlburger locations, not pushback from independents.
Still, the push-and-pull between national chains and independents is not new; it spans across all industries—and cities—when it comes to urban development.
“Generally, a healthy business mix will have both locally-owned businesses as well as chains to serve different types of users with varying preferences,” says Danny Vivenzio, communications manager with the Downtown Raleigh Alliance. “We do most of our work with the former and want to see downtown always maintain a strong local business core, even as we see more national chains potentially move into the area.
