Foodie News: New coffee shop staffed by those with developmental disabilities opens

RALEIGH, N.C. — Rise Biscuits and Donuts is getting a little less sweet and a little more Southern with the announcement this week of a slight change in their focus, and a name change. The News & Observer shared that Rise Biscuits and Donuts is pivoting to fried chicken concluding that their future lies in the power of the fried chicken biscuit, changing its name to Rise Southern Biscuits and Righteous Chicken. In playing up biscuits and fried chicken, the company said it's downplaying the sweeter side of its business, giving doughnuts a smaller corner of the menu.

When the world needs more good news, there is this. 321 Coffee has opened a retail location at the State Farmers Market. 321 Coffee is a "nonprofit coffee shop... staffed by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities" and operates in partnership with students from NC State. The 321 in the name is "representative of Down Syndrome - the third copy of the 21st chromosome." The business hopes to "highlight the uniqueness of those with Down Syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities." The location at the State Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Check out this amazing shop here. Thanks to ITB Insider for highlighting this.

Reader Scott Eaton noticed a new Korean BBQ place called Honey Pig coming to Preston Walk in Cary where Panera used to be. No word yet on an open date.

A quick update from reader Scott Howell indicates that Cape Fear Seafood coming to Raleigh's Spring Forest Road is now targeting a late May, early June opening. Keep up with their opening on their Facebook page.

WRAL shared the news this week that Fresh. Local Ice Cream shop, with locations in Raleigh and Cary, has opened a third location in Apex at 109 N. Salem St. just in time for the warm weather.

If you've been camping out up at Raleigh's Brier Creek in anticipation of the next Mellow Mushroom, we got an update that they are now targeting April 15 for their open date. But stay tuned and keep up with their official announcement on Facebook. Thanks to reader reader Jennifer Buchholz for keeping us updated.

The folks over at ITB Insider shared the news this week that Raleigh will be getting a second Biscuitville, which will be opening on Western Boulevard in 2019. The new Biscuitville will be located in the former home of Wicked Tacos, next to Cook Out and a few doors down from Bojangles'. If you are not familiar with Biscuitville (first, shame on you), get familiar here.

The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Cary's Amberley Square will welcome the first Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea shop to North Carolina when the 1,500 square foot café opens to the public later this spring (early estimate is May). The café's menu will feature a globally-inspired menu of premium coffees, teas, pastries and sandwiches.

The folks at ITB Insider also shared the news that site plans have been filed for a new bar and restaurant called Bowstring Bar, which will be located at 1930 Wake Forest Road just off the Capital Boulevard interchange. No other details are available at this time. Stay tuned.

And also up that way, reader Burke Williams shared that the closed Sawasdee on Capital Boulevard is now Jamaican Tasty Delights. You can get familiar with them on their Facebook page here.

It is going to happen next week! Yes, you heard it straight from the Mayor himself - Tim Coynesmith. Al's Pub Shack will swing open their doors in Chatham County in the Food Lion shopping center across from the entrance to the Governor's Club. Tim got a sneak preview this week and shared the plans to open "one day next week," according to Al himself. Get ready, Chatham! Look for them to make the opening day announcement on their Facebook page.

Amber Watson over at Bites of Bull City shared that this month's Pop Up at American Tobacco (318 Blackwell St.) showcases a tea house that will be opening a brick and mortar spot on Market Street this summer. This is a great opportunity to get a sneak preview of Jeddah's Artisanal Tea, April 5-26.

Down in Chatham, we told you about this last August, but it looks like it is "any day now" for the opening of the Triangle's third location of Mi Cancun. It is opening in the Penguin Place development adjacent to Marco's Pizza, House of Hops Pittsboro and The Root Cellar Café (behind Bojangles). Chatham, get familiar with Mi Cancun on their Facebook page. Thanks to Shelley Colbert for keeping an eye on this.

Got word this week from WRAL that The Little Dipper Fondue restaurant in Durham's Brightleaf Square closed on March 29. They still have the original location in Wilmington.

Reader Burke Williams shared that the 6 Flavors Indian Restaurant in the Harvest Oaks shopping center off Strickland Road is closed. The Facebook page suggests it is just temporary, so stay tuned.

April Foods Day Food Truck Rodeo in downtown Garner on Main Street is this Sunday, April 7 from 12-5 p.m. The annual event features 15 food trucks and 3 local NC craft breweries! Enjoy live acoustic/bluegrass music by City Dirt Trio, local artisan vendors, handmade crafts and kid-friendly activities! FREE parking, FREE admission, rain or shine, no pets please. Get all the details on their Facebook events page.

Wake Forest is holding their first food truck rodeo of the year this Sunday. At least 14 trucks will be participating in the Wake Forest Food Truck Rodeo this Sunday, April 7 from 12-4 at 405 S. Brooks St. in the Wake Forest Renaissance Center/Brooks Street Bowl lot. The next two dates are set for June 30 and Oct. 27. Get all the details on their Facebook page.

Go ahead and mark down the dates for 2019 for the Durham Food Truck rodeos — they are: June 16, Sept. 1 and Nov. 3!

And the dates for the 2019 edition of the Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo have been released. They are Sunday, May 5 — noon-6 p.m. (Cinco de mayo ); Sunday, June 9 — noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, August 4 — 3 p.m.-9 p.m. ( Evening Rodeo ); and Sunday, Oct 6 — noon-6 p.m. All are held along Fayetteville Street. Get all the details here.

Thanks to a note from Mark Ginsberg, I learned that the Knightdale Food Truck Thursdays is getting ready to kick back up for the season. The event is held the third Thursday of the month from April through October at Knightdale Station Park for lunch AND dinner. Get all the details, truck schedule and more here.

This is kinda cool. Central Carolina Community College Culinary Arts Program has a food truck (which in and of itself is pretty cool), but now you get to name it! They are holding a context to name their truck. Submit your idea and get all the details here. Thanks to Neha Shah for the heads up on this.

Les Dames, NC, a philanthropic society of professional women leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage and hospitality is hosting its annual fundraising event — Dudes for Dames Dinner. This year, chefs Bill Smith of Crooks Corner, Sean Fowler of Mandolin and other extraordinary chefs will be cooking to support this organization in their efforts to raise funds for the NC K12 Culinary Institute and No Kid Hungry in Memory of Karen Barker. The event is Sunday, April 7 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at Lavender Oaks Farm.

Also on April 7, celebrate North Carolina Beer Month at Fearrington from 2 to 5 p.m. for their second annual N.C. Beer Fest! Craft brewers from across the state will be pouring a variety of beers for you to sample so join us to honor some of our favorite N.C. breweries. The festivities don't stop there! They're making this an all North Carolina affair with live music and Allen & Sons BBQ will be serving traditional BBQ and sides. Love one of the beers you've sampled at the festival? Pint tickets will be available for purchase as well.

The Town of Cary will host their Downtown Chowdown on Sunday, April 14 from 12:30 until 5:00 p.m. where you can enjoy a food-filled afternoon along Academy Street in Downtown Cary. Taste some of the best food in the Triangle, enjoy cool beverages from craft beer and wine vendors, and relax to the music of great local performers. See you Downtown!

Also on April 14, Lonerider Brewery is hosting its 10th Anniversary Party from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. at The Hideout at Lonerider Brewery (8816 Gulf Court, Raleigh). They'll be debuting new beers on tap, bringing back an old fan favorite, food trucks, a pop pup mini golf course, and more! Twenty percent of all proceeds from food trucks will go back to Triangle Beagle Club who will be hosting their 4th Annual Beers for Beagles event the same day.

On Thursday, April 18 at 6 p.m., executive chef Thomas Card of Counting House at 21c Museum Hotel Durham will host a Dinner to Benefit No Kid Hungry, an exclusive multi-course event to benefit the No Kid Hungry campaign's work to end childhood hunger in America. Chef Card will team up with Social House Vodka and local guest chefs including Matt Kelly of Mateo Bar de Tapas, Phoebe Lawless of Scratch Bakery, and Colin Bedford of the Fearrington House Restaurant.

Driftwood Southern Kitchen will host a Crawfish Boil on Saturday, April 20 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in conjunction with Lafayette Village's Seafood Festival. Crawfish plates with potatoes and sausage as well as peel-and-eat shrimp will be offered alongside local pours from Mother Earth Brewery based in Kinston. With over 350 pounds of crawfish, Driftwood Southern Kitchen will have plenty of deliciousness to go around! Crawfish plates will be offered for $15 and peel-and-eat shrimp for $20 per pound.

Al's Burger Shack, Mel's Commissary & Catering and IP3 Italian Pizzeria III are teaming up once again to bring you Caffe Marrone — 6 courses of your Italian favorites and a wine pairing at the Mel's Carrboro location at 7 p.m. on April 24. These seats will fill quickly, so be sure to get your tickets before they're gone!

Shop Local Raleigh’s annual craft beer festival, Brewgaloo, will take place April 26 and 27. Brewgaloo features craft breweries from North Carolina and partners with local food trucks, local vendors and local bands. Get tickets now and all the details on their website here.

Cary's fourth annual Fest in the West returns on Saturday, May 4, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. The event features old-fashioned contests (like pie eating!), artists, beer, food trucks (10) and live bands on multiple stages. (Rain date is May 5.)

Tickets are on sale now for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina's Thrive NC, scheduled for May 9 and 10 at City Market in downtown Raleigh. NOTE: Friday's event is SOLD OUT! The inaugural event attracted thousands of members of the community to celebrate North Carolina's culinary roots, while also initiating critical conversations about food insecurity in our state. The highlight of the two-day event is the festival that will feature more than 60 of the area's best restaurants serving food and drink samples as well as live entertainment, including chef demonstrations and music.

On Saturday, June 8 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. the Town of Cary will host the Pimento Cheese Festival where food trucks will line Academy Street to serve their regular menu, along with new dishes featuring a southern delicacy: pimento cheese! Enjoy live music at the Downtown Park, grab a drink from local breweries, and taste some of the best pimento cheese samples from local restaurants. You can even test your skills in the pimento cheese sculpting contest.

Forget the hassle of a trip to the grocery store for your next food drive... “Shop” with the Food Bank through our Virtual Food Drive and maximize your donation times ten! For every dollar donated, the Food Bank can provide $10 worth of food or five meals. Over half a million people in the 34 counties we serve struggle with food insecurity. You can make a difference in your community by hosting a Virtual Food Drive for your friends, family members or coworkers.

Sean Lennard covers the Triangle food scene on his site Triangle Food Blog.