In honor of Oktoberfest, here’s a smorgasbord of news.
New restaurant: Zoë’s Kitchen (1028 Oberlin Road, Suite 248, Raleigh, 838-0909, www.zoeskitchen.com) opened recently in the Oberlin Court shopping center. Zoë’s is a “fast casual” small chain headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., and growing throughout the Southeast. It offers fresh-made sandwiches, salads, pitas, hot entrées and roll-ups inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, with some Southern touches. For example, the menu features a Greek chicken pita, but it also includes a pimento cheese sandwich.
New home: Fullsteam (www.fullsteam.ag), the local craft brewery without a home, is building an 8,000-square-foot warehouse in the Central Park district in Durham. To celebrate, Fullsteam hosts its first-ever Backyard Beer Festival from 4 to 9 p.m. Oct. 3 at 726 Rigsbee Ave. The event is sold out, but it can’t hurt to ask at the door if there are any spare tickets.
Fullsteam planned the backyard event to coincide with the World Beer Festival (www.allaboutbeer.com), happening that day just one block away at the old Durham Athletic Park. The festival has two four-hour sessions (noon to 4 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m.). General admission tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door if not sold out.
New farmers’ market: There’s now one at N.C. State, held from 10 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays in the Brickyard (in front of D.H. Hill). A flyer announcing the fall dates promises that seasonal produce, eggs, milk, meat, seafood and even “heat and serve” barbecue will be available. The market, open through Nov. 18, is organized and run mostly by students. For information, contact manager Ariel Fugate at arfugate@ncsu.
Oktoberfest fun: J. Betski’s (10 W. Franklin St., Suite 120, Raleigh, 833-7999, www.jbetskis.com) celebrates all day on Oct. 10. From 1 to 9 p.m., the restaurant serves a German-themed menu: sauerkraut with assorted house-made sausages; roasted and smoked pork, boiled potatoes and spaetzle; sweet and sour red cabbage with apples; sourdough pretzels and apple strudel. Cost is $25 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. For a quicker meal, J.Betski’s is also serving grilled sausages outside.
Carolina Brewery (www.carolinabrewery.com) celebrates Oktoberfest at each of its locations in Chapel Hill (460 W. Franklin St., 942-1800) and Pittsboro (120 Lowe’s Drive, Suite 100, 545-2330). First up, from 1 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 4 the brewery participates in Festifall, Chapel Hill’s annual outdoor festival on Franklin Street (www.townofchapelhill.org/festifall). Then, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 17, the Pittsboro location serves cold beer and grilled bratwurst in its beer garden; tickets are $5.
A Southern Season (University Mall, U.S. 15-501 at Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 929-7133, www.southernseason.com) showcases seasonal beers, including “the best of the bunch from Germany, as well as some great American craft brews,” during Fridays Uncorked (usually a wine event) at 5 p.m. Oct. 2. Cost is $10.
(For more on fall seasonal beer offerings, see our Sept. 2 Beer Hopping column, “An abundance of local seasonal brews.”)
Contact Now Serving at food@indyweek.com to list your event.
