Foodie news: Knightdale finally has a food hall (Feb. 11, 2022)

It is big news when a town of 16,000 people gets a new restaurant. It is huge news when said same town gets 5 new concepts on the same day. So it is today for the town of Knightdale as The Corner Venezuelan, Poblanos Tacos, Fiori Trattoria, Finca Burger and Craften Bar open today at 4:30 p.m. under one roof at Craften Food Hall. Fiori Trattoria features made-to-order pasta bowls, pizzas and classic sandwiches; Poblanos Tacos features authentic Mexican tacos, burritos and quesadillas; The Corner Venezuelan features traditional Venezuelan arepas stuffed with beef, chicken, plantains or whatever else your taste buds desire; Finca Burger features hamburgers, fries and other classic sides (also with a Venezuelan twist); and the Craften Bar will offer local beer and craft cocktails, and coffee from Workbench Roasters in nearby Wendell. What’s unique about this food hall is that you are seated and can order from any of the concepts, which is then brought to your table. Check out Craften here.

Staying in Knightdale for a bit of an update. The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau shared a brief update that The Depot on First, an upscale, fast-casual restaurant, is expected to open this spring in a historic home in the heart of Knightdale at 608 North First Ave. According to the website, they will offer an American cuisine with fresh seafood dishes, vegetarian friendly options, made to order flatbreads, fresh salads and sharables for everyone to enjoy. Get familiar with them here.

We told you back in August that Geluna Gelato, featuring small batch, Italian-style gelato, is coming to downtown Cary, hopefully by November. But, this sunny Saturday (Feb. 12) from noon to 4 p.m., they’ll be paddling their three favorite flavors: Strawberries & Cream, Ruby Milk Chocolate and Sea Salted Caramel. Take-out only with bench seating outside. Best to follow them on Instagram here for the details. The pop-up will take place at their shop (111 E. Chatham St.) between Hank’s Downtown Dive and DiFara’s.

Next time you are over at PNC Arena, at a NC State football game or hitting an event at the Fairgrounds, you’ll have a new dining option as Bojangle’s just opened their newest location near the intersection of Trinity and Edwards Mill roads.

Despite the “fake Spring” we are enjoying right now, the cold weather will return. To help with that, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance created a list of downtown Raleigh restaurants that have heated outdoor dining. Check out the list here.

And a huge congratulations to the team over at Boulted Bread at 614 W. South Street in downtown Raleigh as they were tapped as the “best bread” in North Carolina according to Food & Wine. They noted, “Besides the staples, which are easily at the top of their class, look for a breathtakingly good Nordic Rye, as well as a wonderfully unusual bread made with smoked oats.” Get by Boulted and see (rather, taste) for yourself! Read the article here and visit Boulted here.

Downtown Durham restaurants have created a new option for your dining pleasure on Thursday nights called Small Plates Crawl! Each establishment is offering special small plates on Thursday nights. It began yesterday and features the following restaurants: Mateos, Taberna Tapas, Viceroy, COPA, Luna, Pompieri, Bull City Burger, Dos Peros, Jack Tar, Dashi, Rue Cler, Alley 26, Queeny’s, M Pocha and Killer Queen. Get all the details, including a map, on the Downtown Durham Inc. website here.

It looks like Durham is getting a beer garden – Bao and Beer Garden will be opening next to Jetplane Coffee in the 800 block of Mangum Street. No official date yet, but their Instagram page suggests the summer of 2022. Follow them here.

Over in Chapel Hill, Big Belly BBQ shared a big announcement this week. They have closed their location at the Blue Dogwood Market. But with the announcement came the news that they will be opening a new concept called Bombolo in the new building under construction in the Midway District at 104 N. Graham Street. The new restaurant will feature sandwiches on fresh bread at lunch, and an array of exquisite fresh egg pasta dishes, tasty small plates, and a few delicious mains at dinner. Excellent sweets and good wines, too. They suggested a late Spring opening is possible. Follow along on their Facebook page for upcoming announcements.

A quick update, Buena Vibra, a new restaurant and bar specializing in Caribbean cuisine, was set to open in Chapel Hill on Feb. 9 on East Rosemary Street but have had to reschedule their opening. The new dates hasn’t been shared just yet. Best to follow along on Instagram here for the new date when it is announced.

Over in Durham, WRAL shared the news that Saltbox Seafood Joint owner and chef Ricky Moore is celebrating Black History Month with a new dish featured each Wednesday in February. Moore noted that these dishes speak to the global influence African food has had on our food culture in the Americas, not just the United States. Coming up: Wednesday, Feb. 9 – Bake & Shark; Wednesday, Feb. 16 – Senegalese Fish Yassa; Wednesday Feb 23 – Moqueca Baiana. See WRAL’s feature to get more information on each special here. I know where Andre Fortune and I will be next Wednesday!

Being in the “food business” there are always causes to get involved in and support. That is especially the case with a couple of upcoming events over in Chapel Hill. In 2019, Stephanie Jackson, who is married to Daniel Jackson, executive chef of Osteria Georgi, was diagnosed with a tumor pressing on the communication part of her brain. Her symptoms progressed and in 2020 it was discovered that she had stage 4 brain cancer. You can show your support for the Jackson family in a couple of different ways. On Saturday, Feb. 26, Osteria Giorgi will donate a portion of their sales to the “Head for a Cure” foundation. Plan to dine in or take-out. And secondly, you can participate in (or simply donate to) a 5k at 9 a.m. on Sunday, February 27 that begins at the Southern Village Green. Stephanie and Dan have a team called “Above Average” that is participating in the 5k. Find out about the dinner here and the race here. Thanks to Carrie Brogren for bringing this to my attention. Our prayers are with Stephanie, Dan and their family.

The folks over at the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau have put together a great list of dining options in Orange County (Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, etc.) that have outdoor seating and heaters. Check out the list here.

And here’s a way to enjoy a great dish while supporting a good cause. In celebration of the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook group reaching 20k followers, founder Carrie Brogren teamed up with Chapel Hill’s Il Palio to create a special dish – Spaghettini alla Carrettiera, which includes sicilian oregano, garlic, olive oil, white wine, pepperoncini, arugula, and grana padano. It will be on the menu until March 3r and paired with a glass of wine, a portion of the pasta proceeds will go to TABLE NC.

Happy to share that the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo has announced the dates for 2022 rodeos. They are as follows – May 1, June 12, Aug. 7, Sept 25 or Oct 2 and Nov. 6 (Alternate/Rain Date). The rodeo is set up on downtown Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street featuring a half mile of food trucks and restaurants spread out over 10 city blocks. Details here.

And not to be outdone, Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo has also released their 2022 schedule and it is as follows – March 20, June 5, Sept. 4 and Oct. 30. Mark your calendars. Get all the details here. And if you are food truck, you can get information on participating here.

Looking to find your favorite food truck (or stalking them and simply don’t want to have to admit it)? We understand. Find them on Street Food Finder here.

On Saturday, Feb. 12 the folks over at The Rockford on downtown Raleigh’s Glenwood Avenue will introduce a new music series over brunch called Rockin’ Brunch. The first Brunch and a Band in the series will feature Say Less The Band, a local trio featuring folk-pop and soul music. Brunch will be served from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Make reservations here.

On Thursday, Feb. 17, Ruckus Pizza & Pasta will kick off their Bourbon Dinner Nights where they will pair bourbon with a special menu. Each event will be in their private dining space. The February 17th event will be in their Apex location. Followed by Feb. 24 in Cary and the third event on March 3 at their Morrisville location. Get your tickets here.

April 2, 2022 will see the return of a very popular food festival in Cary. Let me warn you, this is “nacho” average food festival – it is the Tacos ‘N Taps Festival from 12-5 p.m. at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The event features over 15 taco trucks, taquerias, and Mexican restaurants with over 30 different types of tacos. Each taco vendor will offer a wide variety of tacos and Mexican inspired dishes. Additionally, they will have over 60+ craft beers, mezcals, margaritas, tequilas, wine and ciders. Get tickets and all the details here.

Cary’s Downtown Chowdown food truck rally returns this year on Sunday, April 10th where you can enjoy a food-filled afternoon along Academy Street tasting 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! Get all the details here.

On Saturday, April 16 (I think it is in honor of my birthday on Sunday) The Pit’s 12th ‘Cuegass Festival returns to downtown Raleigh. The event will once again support SAFEchild. For the event, they close down the streets around The Pit and fire up the pig cookers to serve plenty of their famous Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue and a selection of locally made beers. And on the stage they’ll have your favorite bands. Get all the information here.

And we are just under three months away from this year’s edition of Shop Local Raleigh’s Brewgaloo (April 22-23) – NC’s largest craft beer festival and 2nd biggest in the US! Voted #1 Best Beer Festival two years in a row by USA Today’s 10Best. The weekend of events features craft breweries from NC and partners with local food trucks, local vendors and local bands. Friday night will be a sampler event from 6-10pm. Tickets are $45 per person. Saturday’s event is 2-10pm and open to the public. Beer is sold by the pint or the taste. The day will feature over 75 NC breweries, over 50 food trucks, dozens of local vendors and bands. Drink tickets will be sold in advance and available for purchase at the festival. Food trucks and vendors accept cash and credit options. Get tickets and all the details here.

You can make a difference every month! Despite a record amount of food being distributed to individuals, seniors, children, veterans, and families of all kinds who are facing hunger last year, the food bank is still not meeting the increased need in the 34 counties the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina serves. Their partner agencies on the front lines are still reporting a sustained 35% increase in need over pre-pandemic levels. They need your reliable support to nourish all their neighbors in need. Sign up this January and your 1st monthly gift can be matched up to $2,500! Start giving today! #NoOneGoesHungry