Raleigh, North Carolina — Following in the footsteps of Mitch’s Tavern reopening last week, another Raleigh institution opened its doors last Tuesday. Downtown Raleigh Makkah Restaurant, founded in 1930, is now open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends at 13 E. Martin St. All your old favorites, daily specials, and even Sunday brunch! Congratulations to Chef Danon and his entire team! And thank you to Greg Hatem for keeping a Raleigh tradition and institution alive.
Wake County Restaurant News
Have you been to fluffy mushroom at Brier Creek in Raleigh recently? If so, you may have noticed their exterior upgrades. If you haven’t already, see you there on Saturday, June 4, as they “officially” unveil their outdoor space from noon to 3 p.m. with a courtyard party. I just saw it and it’s super cool! Just behind the restaurant, they remodeled their patio and backyard, adding outdoor dining, all turf/grass areas, and cool sail awnings topped with custom lighting. They also closed off the side yard for a fully fenced dining area and added four picnic tables, umbrellas and custom lighting.
The folks at RalToday shared this two roosters is hosting a grand reopening of its Lake Boone location this Sunday, May 29. The ice cream shop will hold events from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. with an appearance by Durham Bulls mascot Wool E. Bull, face paint and live bluegrass music.
Also in Raleigh, RalToday shared an update. Cozy cookie delivery company Tiff’s treats should open on June 4 in the village district. To celebrate its grand opening, the store is giving away a dozen cookies to all new subscribers. Sign up for free cookies here.
A quick update to the grand opening of Red, hot and blue in Park West Village in Morrisville. As with most things in today’s “supply chain challenged” world, there is a delay in opening them. Don’t worry, it happens, it’s just going to take a little longer than expected. They’re looking at a mid-June opening, but haven’t set a date yet. We will let you know as soon as we know.
At Wake Forest, triangle explorer John Huisman informed me that Heritage Donuts in Wake Forest opened last Saturday. They are located in the Publix Shopping Center near Rogers Road.
Durham, Orange and Chatham Restaurant News
Our friends at Bites of Bull City have brought to our attention that Durham is about to have its own German-inspired bottle shop and bar. The Nachbar, which will be located in North West Durham at 4916 Hillsborough Road (adjacent to the intersection of Hillsborough Road and 751) will feature a tap wall (20 rotating taps) and patio area. Congratulations to owners Gert and Erin Blüschke and Eric and Laura Cannon. They are aiming for an opening date in early June.
Chapelboro shared the news this week that Base camp, a new Franklin Street restaurant and bar from the owner of MoMo’s Master, will be soft-opening through the end of July. They will be holding a ribbon cutting today, Friday, May 27 at 4 p.m., hosted by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce as well as a complimentary food and soft drink sample for guests until 5 p.m. open to the general public. They have taken over the space formerly occupied by Jed’s Kitchen at 105 East Franklin St. Kudos to owner Ramesh Dahal.
Chapel Hill Magazine shared this week that Hillsborough is getting a new watering hole (literally) before the end of the year with the planned opening of Eno River Brewery. Located on the banks of the beautiful Eno River (at 329 Allison Street), the brewery will reflect the owners’ philosophy that “what the world needs right now is more craft beer.” Now that’s a theory I can understand!
Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies founder Carrie Brogren brought to my attention the good news that the people behind Coffee B3 announced that they will open their first kiosk in June at the Chapel Hill Public Library. B3 Coffee is a non-profit organization that provides community-embedded social and employment opportunities for people with disabilities and their allies. They are close to reaching their goal of raising $16,000. If you can, donate today to get them over the finish line to a successful launch next month. Visit their GoFundMe page here.
And a quick congratulations because the Fearrington House Inn and Restaurant announced this week that Paul Gagné would become the new Executive Chef. An equal amount of praise and thanks goes to chef Colin Bedford as he ends his sixteen-year contribution to this award-winning restaurant.
Closures/Cancellations
We were wrongly informed that the tube from Glenwood Square to Chapel Hill had closed. He does not have. Please drop by today and get yourself a sub! However, reader Chris Creighton informed us that the subway in Circle K at Holly Springs Road and Ten Ten Road has closed.
food trucks
Alright, be careful. Some changes to the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo 2022 Calendar. There are only two dates for the 2022 rodeos and they are as follows – June 12 and September 25. The Rodeo is set up on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh with a half mile of food trucks and restaurants spread over 10 blocks.
The rest Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo The 2022 schedule is as follows: June 5, September 4 and October 30. Mark your calendars.
Looking to find your favorite food truck (or stalking it and just don’t want to admit it)? We understand. Find them on Street food search.
Events
Taste of soul NC takes place this Saturday, May 28 from 3-8 p.m. at Central Park in Durham. Dubbed “the ultimate barbecue”, the event will feature a wide variety of options from the best food trucks in the area, as well as local vendors, children’s games and music from a DJ as well as live performances . See the list of providers and all the details here.
Someone is still reading my diary. This Sunday, May 29, it’s North Carolina Sugar Rush, an all-dessert food truck rodeo, taking place from 1 to 5 p.m. at the City Plaza in downtown Raleigh. The event will feature a DJ, live performances, merchant vendors and, of course, over 20 dessert vendors.
Islands in the alley returns to Alley Twenty Six in Durham city center on June 1. The retro-themed pop-up offers tropical food and drinks reminiscent of the days of Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber. They decorate the bar and the alley with a lot of tropical kitsch. Customers can expect culinary specialties like Coconut Shrimp and the Big Kahuna Burger to make an appearance. The cocktail menu, once again, will feature classics like Saturn, Cobra’s Fang and Junglebird along with new creations. It begins at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 1 and ends on July 31.
Beats & Eats Music Festival in Chapel Hill will take place June 4 from 6-9 p.m. on the Southern Village Green. Attendees will enjoy dancing, music from Bantum Rooster and food from Paco’s Tacos at this fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Chapel Hill.
The second annual Bubbles and Chest is scheduled for Saturday, June 4 from 2-6 p.m. at Smoky Hollow in downtown Raleigh. The event is a collaboration of chefs, well masters, winemakers, sommeliers and brewers pairing bubbly bubbles with a variety of cooking techniques and side dishes that feature everyone’s favourite: beef brisket. . Early Bird tickets on sale for the month of April are $65/person. On May 1, tickets are $75/person. Get all the details and tickets here.
The directory Triangle Restaurant Week the summer edition will take place the week of June 6-12, 2022. During the event, participating restaurants in Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham and surrounding areas will be offering a special 2- or 3-course prix fixe menu ( $20, $25, $30, $40, $50) every day of operation. Visit their website for a list of participating restaurants and their offerings.
The North Carolina Hop Festival will take place June 11 and 12 at the NC State Fairgrounds. Attendees will be able to sample a selection of over 100 NC craft beers, ciders and seltzers while enjoying live music, local makers and food trucks. Get all the event details here.
After a 2 year hiatus, Dinner in the meadow will be returning as attendees will reconvene in the meadow on Sunday, September 11 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The dinner sells out each year, so we encourage you to purchase your tickets early.
Like beer? Excellent. Visit Raleigh has established a Raleigh Beer Trail which gives you a passport to get dabbed at over 30 Raleigh-area breweries, from Wake Forest to Raleigh to Holly Springs to Fuquay-Varina. Once you’ve filled your passport with stamps, you submit it to receive prizes. Nothing like being rewarded for drinking! But as always, drink in moderation.
Food bank corner
Thanks to your support over the past year, the food Bank distributed food to approximately 200,000 youth facing hunger in the 34 counties we serve. Unfortunately, we continue to see the devastating effects of COVID-19 on young people, who are vulnerable to family and school changes. No child should have to worry about when they eat again, and no parent should have to skip a meal, so they can put food on the table for their children. Through agency distributions, targeted nutrition programs, education and public policy work, the food bank provides young people with healthy and fun food options. Learn more here. #NoOneGoesHungry
Sean Lennard, originally from Raleigh, has been part of the Triangle’s culinary scene for…a long time, but professionally since 2002 with the Triangle food blog, formerly known as Friday Fun Food Facts, in 2008. You can find his blog here. And you don’t have to wait for updates on Friday because you can follow Sean throughout the week on Facebook and Twitter.
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