Triangle Foodie News: Chopt opens in Cameron Village

RALEIGH, N.C. — The latest on restaurant openings, closings, food trucks, foodie events and more in the Triangle and beyond.

Well ‘tis the season. And if you thoroughly enjoyed handing off the cooking to someone else for Thanksgiving, then you’ll know that there is nothing better than doing that again on Christmas Day! So, the folks over at the News & Observer have put together a list of restaurants (including a special Chinese restaurant section) open on Dec. 25. Check it out here, but get your reservations in early!

Also, Raleigh’s Q Shack is doing locally raised, all natural fresh turkeys, hams and brisket and meals packed for reheating, for those that want to stay home, but don’t want to do the cooking.

In what may be one of the most visually stunning spaces I’ve ever seen for a restaurant, Lou Moshakos and his star-studded team announced this week that they will open the Mediterranean-inspired concept Vidrio on Jan. 23. It is located on the first and second floors of the 500 Glenwood Ave. building which Moshakos owns and also houses his Carolina Ale House on the third floor. A few of his “team” include executive chef Ian Sullivan, previously with the University Club in Durham and the Urban Food Group, as well as chef de cuisine Saif Rahman, previously of 21c Museum and Hotel, also in Durham. James Beard-nominated best restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias also consulted on Vidrio. It is going to be spectacular!

Chopt Creative Salad Company is opening Friday (Dec. 9) at Raleigh’s Cameron Village. The shop is located at 420 Daniels St., near Village Draft House. This is the Triangle’s first Chopt location, with a second location already announced for Chapel Hill’s Eastgate Crossing.

Also in Raleigh, if you stroll past 219 Fayetteville St. you will notice the brown paper is off the windows of the former Bolt location revealing the redesign as it transforms into Pizza La Stella - it is absolutely gorgeous. David Sadeghi and managing partner Rudy Theale have done an incredible job transforming that space. Not much yet on their website here, but the opening is just around the corner. Stay tuned.

In downtown Raleigh, the much anticipated opening of Tobacco Road Sports Cafe (which closed their Glenwood Avenue location to move around the corner into the former Natty Greene’s location at 505 W. Jones St.) is not far off. They posted on their Facebook page that they are planning to open later this month.

The Charlotte-based breakfast and lunch restaurant concept called Famous Toastery has plans for several locations in the Triangle in 2017. Their next location will open in March in Morrisville at Weston Corners Shopping Center. That will be followed by two more locations later in 2017, one in Holly Springs at the Holly Springs Town Center (right next to Blaze Pizza) and the other in Garner at the White Oak Shopping Center. Toast Cafe (same concept) is already open in Cary’s Waverly Place.

Got word that the guys from the locally owned Woody's Sports Tavern & Grill in Cary and Woody’s at City Market in downtown Raleigh have opened a new hybrid concept bottleshop/bar/restaurant called BottleDog Bites & Brews at the Center 54 shopping center in the space behind Maximillian's on Chapel Hill Rd in Cary (soft opening beginning Friday, Dec. 9). Thanks to owner Shawn Whisnant for the information.

Also in Cary, Academy Street Bistro is up and flying under the new ownership of Tom Havrish who also owns Lugano Ristorante. They have a new logo and are adding new menu items. Congrats to Tom on his newest endeavor.

The newest location of Another Broken Egg Cafe opened this past Monday in Parkside Town Commons at 1103 Parkside Main St. in Cary. The have additional locations in Morrisville, Raleigh and Durham.

And one more Cary announcement, reader Chris Creighton informed me that the second location of Johnny’s Pizza is now open in Cornerstone Village (intersection of Davis & High House) where Z Pizza used to be.

Up in Wake Forest, got word from WRAL that The Empanada Factory, Latin street food, opened this past week with a soft opening at 2010 S. Main St. (near the intersection with Ligon Mill Road). There is not much up on their website, so check them out on Facebook here.

Let’s just say the beautiful and talented Lori Bowers-Lennard is excited about this next bit of news (as am I). The News & Observer reported this week that Acme Food & Beverage Company’s Kevin Callaghan will open Atlas Taco Bar in the new South Green development on Carrboro’s Greensboro Street, just off Highway 54. Also in that development will be a nano-brewery and bottle shop called Gimghoul Brewing & Bottle Company. They also announced that 40 percent of the tenants will be restaurants. The bad news is they don’t break ground until June of next year and expect a 22 month build-out. Good things come to those who wait...I guess.

The Chapel Hill location of Guglhupf is looking to open in April in Eastgate Crossing. the Guglhupf Bake Shop will focus on fresh pastries, bread and specialty baked goods while also offering choice provisions and coffee service.

Also in Chapel Hill, the Daily Tar Heel reported that La Residence will reopen on Jan. 5. A fire back in June caused the popular Chapel Hill establishment to temporarily close.

Over in Durham, Luna Rotisserie & Empanadas is looking to spread a little love, at least (if not more) on the second Tuesday of each month. In light of a recent uptick in actions of hate, they will donate 10 percent of the proceeds each second Tuesday to organizations that provide direct support to disenfranchised and marginalized groups here in Durham. We say kudos!

Also in Durham, got word from Neal DePersia that the Cinco de Mayo Restaurant near the intersection of Highways 54 & 55, has been sold to Chris Thorpe, former area manager responsible for 16 Triangle-area McDonalds. While the name will be changing the concept and menu will stay pretty much the same.

And down in Chatham County, got word that just four weeks after opening, the Breakaway Cafe will begin offering a dinner menu on Dec. 14. They have met rave reviews with the coffee and lunch service - now we get to see what a dinner might hold! Check out Breakaway cafe here.

Two pieces of closing news from reader Chris Creighton. Perkins on US 64 in Apex has closed, as well as Ricci’s Pizzeria in Holly Springs (but apparently they are moving to another location in west Cary - stay tuned on that).

On Dec. 15 at 6:30 p.m., Teddy Diggs, executive chef of Il Palio, will join forces with international seafood expert, Barton Seaver, to craft a fresh approach to the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Hosted at Il Palio in Chapel Hill, this historic Italian feast will feature exclusively sustainably sourced seafood, showcasing recipes from Seaver’s acclaimed cookbook, Two If By Sea, and classics from chef Diggs’ Italian repertoire. Tickets may be purchased for $135 by calling 919-918-2545 and include autographed copies of Seaver’s Two If By Sea cookbook, Italian wine pairings, tax and gratuity.

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