Over the last couple of years, Raleigh has landed on Zagat‘s list of “Hottest Food Cities” and Durham on “Next Hot Food Cities.” It’s a good time to eat in the Triangle, but next year looks even better. Here are some of the shiny new and soon-to-come restaurants that have us excited for what’s ahead.
CARY
Pizzeria Faulisi
215 East Chatham Street
Open
Wood-fired pizzas from husband and wife Zach and Amber Faulisi, plus antipasto like burrata with radicchio and an anchovy vinaigrette.
Pros Epicurean Market + Café
211 East Chatham Street
Coming soon
Richard Procida will join Cary’s downtown revitalization with his first restaurant. It will focus on French and Italian foods, such as rigatonia al ragu.
CHAPEL HILL
Blue Dogwood Public Market
306 West Franklin Street
Opening soon
A food hall for small, local businesses. Vendors of cold-pressed juices, handmade chocolates, and Carolina-caught shellfish have already signed on.
Guglhupf
1800 East Franklin Street, #24
Open
Claudia Kemmet-Cooper opened a second location of her Durham bakery, which specializes in German and European baked goods such as danish, bretzel, and mandelhoernchen.
Luncheonette
100 Europa Drive
Open
As the name implies, this spot from chef Adam Rose is lunch-only. Word has it that a deep-fried hot dog is involved.
DURHAM
East Durham Pie Company
406 South Driver Street
Opening summer 2017
What started as Ali Rudel’s one-woman, home-based operation in 2015 is now slated to have its own brick-and-mortar. The shop will serve pies and hand-pies as well as breakfast and lunch, from seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
Goorsha
910 West Main Street
Coming soon
In Amharic, goorsha means expressing love by feeding someone. This new-to-Durham cuisine will include traditional Ethiopian dishes like awaze tibs, doro wot, and injera by a mother-son duo in the kitchen.
The Lakewood
2022 Chapel Hill Road
Opening spring 2017
Phoebe Lawless, owner of Scratch Baking, is taking on her second venture, a full-service restaurant and bar. The location is also set to include a second Scratch and a wholesale production bakeryalong with a rooftop terrace.
M Kogi and M Taco
Location TBD
Opening late 2017
Unsurprisingly, from Michael Lee, the same chef behind M Sushi and M Kokko. Kogi will include a sandpit where live fire cooks meats.
SaltBox Seafood Joint
2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard
Opening spring 2017
While the original Saltbox Seafood Joint, beloved for its local fried fish, is takeout only, this second location from Ricky Moore is more than seven times the size, with forty-eight seats, in the former longtime Shrimp Boats location.
RaleIGH
Brewery Bhavana
218 South Blount Street
Open
Vansana and Vanvisa Nolintha have been brewing up their second business project for three years now. It’s a taproom and dim sum eatery and flower shop and bookstore. And it’s right next door to their first restaurant, Bida Manda.
The Cortez Seafood + Cocktail
413 Glenwood Avenueinstagram.com/CortezRaleigh
Opening spring 2017
A new restaurant from the same trio behind Jose and Sons: brothers Hector and Charlie Ibarra and chef Oscar Diaz. While Jose and Sons focuses on Mexican/Southern fusion, The Cortez will draw upon the Ibarras’ American upbringing in places like Chicago and Los Angeles, with a seafood focus.
Morgan Street Food Hall and Market
411 West Morgan Streetmorganfoodhall.com
Coming soon
Describes itself as: “New lifestyle dining concept, not to be confused with a food court.” Expect fish and chips, sushi, and boba from this multivendor market.
2130 Clark Avenue
Open
From the same partners behind bu.ku, Sean Degnan and Tony Hopkins. So.ca will similarly feature global cuisines, particularly Caribbean and Central and South American.
St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar
223 South Wilmington Street
Open
When Ashley Christensen announced the closing of her coffee shop Joule, she also made it known that Sunny Gerhart, her longtime chef, would be taking over the space. His new venture honors his family’s New Orleans roots.
Tulum Restaurante & Bar
411 Fayetteville Street
facebook.com/Tulumrestaurantebar
Coming soon
Operating in a supposedly cursed location that’s hosted three restaurants in three years, this Mexican restaurant and bar from Alfredo Lara will focus on Mayan flavors.
illustration by christopher williams