Crook's Corner will sell its honeysuckle sorbet for 1 day in Chapel Hill

An iconic dessert will be sold in Chapel Hill on Friday for one day only.

The owners of Crook’s Corner, a Chapel Hill staple that closed in June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are working hard to reopen the restaurant.

Owners said "construction, legal and financial challenges" will keep the restaurant closed for now, but to celebrate summer and look toward reopening, the owners will sell Crook's Corner's honeysuckle sorbet on Friday, June 3, between noon and 4 p.m., or while supplies last.

"We want to give folks a little taste of something to look forward to,” Shannon Healy, one of the owners, said. "If you grew up with honeysuckle, a taste of the sorbet is a mind-bending experience. You can watch people’s faces when they taste it and see their reactions of pure delight and nostalgia."

The iconic dessert was developed by Crook’s former executive chef Bill Smith, who made the batch of sorbet that will be sold Friday.

Guests will be limited to purchasing two servings each. Each serving costs $8. Only credit cards will be accepted.

Crook's Corner is located 610 W. Franklin St. The sorbet will be sold from the kitchen door on Merritt Mill Road.

Retired WRAL anchor Bill Leslie loves Crook's Corner, and especially honeysuckle sorbet.

He wrote about it in 2019, saying, "It’s a recipe that transports you back to your childhood when you first discovered the sweet nectar of wild honeysuckle. It was a practice of patience as you pinched, pulled and produced a tiny amount of liquid candy with each honeysuckle flower."

Leslie and his wife, Cindy, were frequent visitors to Crook's Corner. Leslie also loved the shrimp and grits.