A New Pizza Joint + Four More Selects Right Outside Raleigh
Pizza, coffee and arcade outposts worth venturing beyond city limits for
Emmy Squared
DURHAM
“A lovely cheese pizza, just for me.” If you prefer your ’za in square form, look no further than this newly bowed sup spot boasting a one-of-a-kind collab of New York-style grandma pie with Detroit-style pizza—the result feat. a focaccia-like cheese-crusted dough dubbed frico crust that you won’t be able to get enough of (where all the crust fans at?!). Beyond pie pickings, the brainchild of Brooklyn-based duo Emily and Matthew Hyland also touts an award-winning double-stack burger, pretzel bun sandwiches, wings, mozz sticks and more. Ready to embrace your pizza mind?! emmysquaredpizza.com
Parallax Coffee Lab
WENDELL
Get your phones ready—because you’re gonna wanna ’Gram this. Brewing up a “no rules, all-frills experience,” this eclectic java joint founded by a trio of Triangle families flaunts an aesthetically pleasing vibe (hey, checkerboard floors and pink + green pops of color!) and creative coffee and tea drinks—the former roasted from roasted-in-Raleigh Black & White Coffee beans. Think wildberry lemonade cold brews, raspberry matchas and boba-infused bevs—NTM myriad tea selects and baked goods from Union Special to sate your sweet teeth. Geeking out by way of coffee? Say less. parallax.coffee
Fare Game
CLAYTON
All is ~fare~ when embracing your competitive side at this locally founded “barcade” masterminded by three buds while drinking a brewski during hunting season. Go balls to the wall with Skee-Ball and pinball, strum up to the plate with the likes of Guitar Hero, or try your luck with the lineup of 35+ other games. And once you work up an appetite, order up a chef-curated wood-fired pizza feat. toppings like crawfish, venison and elk—then cool down with a cold one or cocktail. Got game? faregamenc.com
Breakaway Cafe
CHAPEL HILL/CARRBORO
Alexa, play “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson. After meeting in a coffee shop in the late ’90s and later getting hitched (cue the “aws”), this coffee-loving couple concluded their neighborhood needed a third place. Now with two locations, the cafe showcases its MO of “great food, great drinks and great people” via a versatile lineup of mealtime pickings for breakfast, lunch and dinner—think stuffed brekky burritos, grilled cheese, tofu banh mi and pasta. Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure all-day affair. Yes, please! breakawaync.co
Lakewood Social
DURHAM
Nostalgia is the muse behind this welcoming neighborhood restaurant helmed by chef Joel Schroeter (of now-defunct Old North Meats & Provisions and Mandolin fame) with a killer burger as its claim to fame (NTM snacks, sandwiches, salads and desserts)—plus beer, wine and draft cocktails (s/o to the 24 drinks on tap!). While getting your fill of sips and sups, kick back on the wraparound porch or take a romp through the expansive green space. “Good food and good times” found. lakewood-social.com
