A new late-night bar and sandwich shop is coming to Carrboro later this summer, as Al Bowers of Al’s Burger Shack fame teams up with friend Chris Baldwin to open 401 Main.
The upscale dive bar will be serving up shareable bar snacks, local brews, and po’boys in the space formerly occupied by Cafe Carrboro.
The news arrives soon after the closure of Al’s Pub Shack, Bowers’ “neighborhood hangout” venture that offered traditional pub fare in Governor’s Village. In an effort to concentrate on his brand, Bowers shut down the Pub Shack after a month of business and reopened it as a new Burger Shack location.
The Pub Shack menu included Luke’s Fried Pickles, an item also present on 401 Main’s menu, and beer-battered grouper with slaw—just like the signature 401.
401 Main’s signature sandwich, the 401, is a po’boy stuffed with fried grouper, bacon, “dirty” slaw, tomato, pickles, and jalapeño ranch. Other po’boys range from fried oyster to shrimp to crispy cauliflower, and the menu also features snacks like “Dawg Bites”—fries, shrimp, bacon, and pimento cheese. Bar selections include wine, cocktails, and local and international beers.
401 Main is also dog-friendly—customers are encouraged to bring their dogs along and sit outside on one of the two large patios, where 401 will offer special treats just for the pups.
The restaurant’s logo features a cocker spaniel, and the Instagram bio reads, “Home is where your dog is. Doesn’t hurt to have some beer available!”
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