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Foodie News: National Doughnut Day and free ice cream

Triangle Food Guy has information about free Jeni's ice cream, a new Raleigh bookstore and coffee shop plus a list of free doughnut deals.
Posted 2023-06-02T11:35:22+00:00 - Updated 2023-06-02T13:04:30+00:00
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Today is one of my favorite holidays of the year -- hopefully you have the day off -- National Doughnut Day is today, June 2! You know what to do! Here's a list of freebies and deals.

Wake County Restaurant News

This weekend (June 3 to be exact) will see the official opening of the second location of Salt & Lime Cabo Grill! The new location is at 4800 Grove Barton Road in Raleigh. They will celebrate and welcome you all day Saturday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. and all day Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The weather looks perfect, so be sure to check out their patio!

In downtown Raleigh in the Glenwood Avenue district, we got word that Mustang House, a new Nepalese and Indian restaurant, has opened (June 1) at 411 Fayetteville St. Probably best to follow along on Facebook here.

Over in the Village District, a neighbor will move into the former So•Ca spot as it was announced this week that Cafe Carolina and Bakery will make that short move just up the hill. They are looking to complete the move and open Sept. 1. There will be a short time they will be closed to make the transition. In the meantime, get by their current location here.

RalToday shared the news that Blackbird Books and Coffee, a new book shop that will serve specialty coffee and host community events and workshops, is opening soon in City Market. They are currently crowdfunding to get the shop up and running as soon as possible. Get all the details and support their effort here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

Got word this week that on June 7 chef Oscar Diaz will open his first Durham restaurant, Little Bull, in Old Five Points at 810 N. Mangum St. The small neighborhood restaurant will serve dinner, cocktails and a late-night weekend menu. The menu will include comfort staples as ‘pocho cuisine,’ like Diaz’s take on dumplings (stuffed with birria), Nom Tom Steak and Piri Piri Bam Bam, a whole chicken dish. The menu will change seasonally. Diaz joins Mezcalito Group Inc. as co-owner. Best to follow along on Instagram here.

In Durham, WRAL shared the news that June 10 from noon until 11 p.m. is the grand opening of Lonerider Distillery and Taproom (located at 708 Ramseur St). Look for them to have tons of drink specials, tastings/samplings and much more. Visit their Facebook events page for all the details.

And this is a little bit of a stretch for our “triangle” – but reader Carolyn Barnes was so kind to pass along the recent opening of Incorrigible Cafe in Roxboro, North Carolina (just north of Durham and Hillsborough for those that don’t know). Anyway, this little cafe is family owned and just opened. If you are out driving around this weekend, pay them a visit and give them some love (they are located at 44 Gordon St., Hall’s Way #60)! They also sell their pimento cheese, chicken, potato and macaroni salads by the pound, so you can take some home with you! Visit them on Instagram here.

And a quick nod of congratulations to our very own Sera Cuni, co-owner of Cafe Root Cellar in Pittsboro and Root Cellar Cafe & Catering in Chapel Hill as she won Food Network’s Supermarket Stakeout this week! Visit Root Cellar and congratulate her in person!

Closings

None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

A Place at the Table announces their second annual Pay-What-You-Can Food Truck Rodeo on Sunday, June 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This fun-filled community day will consist of delicious meals, refreshments, and desserts from a variety of food trucks including: Q-spresso, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle: The Spinning Plate, Bulkogi, Magdalena’s Chimney Cakes, Locopops, AMPM Burritos, Season It Up Vegan, Aries Dish Delivered, and Goodness GraceUs. All food trucks will have special menus prepared for the event. The rodeo will take place in the parking lot on the corner of West Hargett and South Harrington street across from A Place at the Table. Purchase tickets ahead of time here.

The next Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo is June 11 from noon to 4 p.m. Get out your calendar and make note of the dates for the rest of the 2023 Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeos: Sept. 3 and Oct. 29. All rodeos are from noon to 4 p.m. Giddyup! Here is the link.

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.

Events

Head over to downtown Raleigh’s City Plaza this Saturday, June 3, for Raleigh’s International Food Festival featuring food, dessert, beer and wine from over 60 countries – along with art, culture and traditions from around the world. There will be more than 50 food trucks and a large outdoor dance party. Admission is free! Get all the details here.

Clouds Brewing is hosting its second annual Summertime Beer Fest this Saturday, June 3. Head to the taproom (1233 Front St., Raleigh) from 3 to 7 p.m. to sample and celebrate 25+ NC beers on tap from breweries across the region. Tickets are $25-$65 and include entry, a commemorative glass and 10 beer tickets. Get tickets here.

Tickets are on sale now for NC F&B Podcast’s 3rd Bubbles & Brisket at Smoky Hollow scheduled for Saturday, June 3, from 2 to 6 p.m. The event features 10 BBQ pit-master chefs and an array of sparkling beverages. With the purchase of a ticket, guests will enjoy various styles of brisket and side dishes prepared by the best talent in the state, along with sampling multiple styles of sparkling wine from around the world. Get tickets here.

Got word from Neha Shah, director of the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, that Farm to Fork is making its return in 2023 on June 4 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Fearrington Village. Held in the Triangle for more than 15 years, the Farm to Fork Picnic is a showcase of North Carolina chefs, artisans, and farmers paired together to create sips and nibbles of the region’s best flavors and seasonal ingredients! You can get tickets and all the details here.

For the grand opening of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in the Village District on Monday, June 5, they will be giving away free scoops of ice cream from 7 to 11 p.m. Check out Jeni’s here.

The annual Triangle Restaurant Week event is set to run next week of June 5-11. During the event, participating restaurants within Raleigh, Cary,Chapel Hill, Durham and surrounding areas will offer a special 2 or 3-course prix fixe menu ($20, $25, $30, $40, $45, $50) each day they are open. Get all the details here.

Like the beer in Durham? North Carolina that is. What about the beer in Durham, UK? Well, here is your chance to find out. Sister Cities of Durham will hold their Two Durhams Beer Festival on Friday, June 9, from 5-9 p.m. at Durham Central Park (Durham, NC). Essentially 5 breweries in Durham, NC are exchanging beer recipes with 5 breweries in Durham, UK. There will also be live music, food trucks, and souvenirs. I’ll drink to that! Get the details here.

Friend Kitty Kinnin reminded me that tickets are now available for the 5th Roots for Reece Chef’s Picnic being held on June 11 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Haven Farm in Knightdale. At the event you will be able to sample small plates and beverages from over 25 local food and beverage establishments. Check out this list: Longleaf Swine BBQ; Glass House Kitchen; Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing; The Umstead Hotel and Spa; Craften Neighborhood Food & Drink; Postal Fish Company; Under The Oak Catering; Locals Seafood; Mebane Crafted; Cucciolo Terrazza Raleigh; Viv’s Fridge; Jolie Restaurant; Elevated Catering Company; Layered Croissanterie; Native Fine Diner; ORO Restaurant & Lounge; Lawrence Barbecue; Leroys Taco Shop; William & Company; Revival 1869 – A Drinkery; Trophy Brewing Company; Umbrella Dry Bar; Deep River Brewing Company; and Double Barley Brewing. All proceeds go to the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition, which saves lives through education and prevention of opiate overdose. Visit the site here to get your tickets.

On June 14 at 6 p.m. our friends over at Prohibitive Cary (located at The Matthews House) will take us on a Mediterranean adventure around the coast of Italy pairing 5 wines with light bites. They are located at 317 W Chatham St. Tickets are $60 each. Get all the details and tickets here.

Sunday, June 18 is the date for the Summertime Seafood Festival in downtown Pittsboro hosted by The Sycamore and Postal Fish Company. From 2 to 6 p.m. on the lawn and inside of Forest Hall at Chatham Mills, guests will be able to enjoy delicious food, refreshing drinks and live music. Advance tickets for entry are $10 or purchase at the door for $15 (if available). Food, drinks and desserts are available for purchase. Get all the details here.

The folks over at Acme are bringing back Salt & Smoke on Saturday, Oct. 28. This year’s event will be held at The Barn at Sonark Media (located just off of Old 86 in Hillsborough). If you are not familiar with the event, it is a full afternoon and evening of live music, whole hog barbecue, raw oysters, roasted clams and plenty of the right beverages to wash it all down – local beer, wine and cocktails. And if you get your tickets now, through the end of this month there is a $25 discount for all tickets purchased (just use the code FINALLY when checking out). Get all the details and tickets here.

Food Bank Corner

Right now, one in five people in central and eastern North Carolina doesn't have enough to eat. Your tax-deductible gift helps provide food and hope to families, children, and seniors right here in our community. Together, we can help people in our community during their greatest time of need. Give here. Every $10 you donate provides 50 meals! #noonegoeshungry

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