Foodie news: Fried chicken, breweries and Raleigh restaurant icons

BB’s Crispy Chicken posted this week that their midtown Raleigh location (out in front of Wegman’s on Wake Forest Road) is putting on the final touches and looking to open in early October. Look for the Durham location to open in November and the Cary location in December.

This week Pure Vegan Cafe (original location in Cary) held their grand opening at their Raleigh location at 8369 Creedmoor Road. They are a 100% vegan cafe with cold pressed juices, smoothies and smoothie bowls. Congrats to owner Veena Birajadar.

Also in Raleigh, another update. A few months back we shared that the folks behind RallyPoint Sport Grill in Cary had taken over the Honest Abe’s space in Wade Park (adjacent to Cardinal Gibbons high school and across from the PNC Arena). They still have but will open it as a concept called Bru’s Public House. Look for them to open later this month or in early October (like everyone else, they are patiently waiting on backordered items). Thanks to reader Jeff Gimondo for the tip on that.

And one final note in Raleigh, Michael DePeria of DePersia & Associates shared that NY Bagel on Glenwood South was sold to Matt Kenner, who plans on opening a wine bar/charcuterie spot after a remodel (he is simultaneously leasing the vacant salon next door as well to double his size and increase his patio space). This is the space between Sushi Blues and The Hibernian Irish Pub. Stay tuned for additional details as we gather them.

In Cary, Triangle Business Journal shared that Vicious Fishes Brewery will be opening their fourth location at 510 Old Apex Rd. in downtown Cary (at the West Chatham Street traffic circle). The new brewery and taproom is slated to open in spring, where you can expect a beer garden as well as an expansive outdoor area.

And if that is not enough libations for you, reader David Amann shared that Bottle Theory Craft Beer and Wine held their grand opening last weekend at 3675 Green Level West Rd. in Apex just off the White Oak Creek Greenway and near Starpath Dance Studio, the Goddard School and Triangle Family Dentistry. Twenty-four beer taps (four non-alcohol) and an extensive wine list await you.

Down in the Quay, we got an update from the popular blog/Facebook page “Today in the Quay” that the Cleveland Draft House is now shooting to open on Oct. 1 (that’s next Friday!) at 1420 East Broad St. (the old Golden Corral building). They currently have locations in Clayton and Garner and the menu in Fuquay-Varina will mirror the menu of the other locations.

This is kind of fun. Visit Raleigh put together a list of restaurant “Icons and Institutions” in and around Raleigh/Wake County. It is a fun list of restaurants and bars that have been around since, well, even before me! How many have you been to? Have fun checking out the list here.

Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. Check out that list here.

David Sadeghi is at it again, this time announcing a second location of his popular Latin American concept O’Ya Cantina. The original location is just south of Chapel Hill at the entrance to Briar Chapel. This second location will be a little bit further into Chatham County in the massive Chatham Park development in Pittsboro.

Chapel Hill Magazine and Indy Week both shared the news this week that Paula de Pano will be leaving her post as beverage and service director/ advanced sommelier at Fearrington Village to open Rocks + Acid wine shop and bar in Chapel Hill’s Southern Village (at 712 Market St. in the former Medlin-Davis dry cleaner space) in early spring of 2022. In the middle of the shop will be a communal table for tastings, where she hopes to continue teaching wine classes twice a month. They will also offer cheese, charcuterie, caviar and a wine supper club to match sellers with wine aficionados.

Over in Durham, friend Glenn Gillen shared that his favorite coffee purveyors at the Durham Farmers’ Market, Caballo Rojo Coffee Shop (a woman-owned coffee company) have an Indiegogo campaign to fund a new brick and mortar coffee shop next to the King’s Red & White grocery store on N. Roxboro Street. According to Gillen, they have been roasting their beans at the Oak House on Main Street but want to open their own place.

And here are a couple of wonderful resources for those looking to dine in downtown Durham or downtown Chapel Hill – Downtown Durham Inc. has an up-to-date listing of the status of each restaurant in downtown Durham. Check out the list here. And the Downtown Chapel Hill Partnership has put together a similar list for Chapel Hill here.

The Brier Creek Food Truck Festival is back this Saturday, Sept. 25 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. and will feature some of the area’s most popular food trucks serving up their delights. It will take place at the corporate center behind Brier Creek Commons shopping center at 8010 Arco Corporate Drive.

After an August 1 cancellation of the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo, they have also decided to cancel the Sept. 26 event as well as the Nov. 7 event, opting instead to wait until May, 2022 to crank things back up again.

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.

Get ready for the seventh-annual WRAL.com Voters’ Choice Awards! Nominations for the WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards are now open! Nominate your favorite local businesses and help them make it to the voting round in October. Each year, your nominations and votes help WRAL recognize local favorites. Get all the details here.

The third annual Festa Italiana, a street festival with food, entertainment and more to celebrate Italian heritage, will take place this Saturday, Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. in the Glenwood South District (corner of Tucker and Boylan). Free admission.

Hops for Hope will also take place this Saturday, September 25th from 2–6 pm at the Coastal Credit Union Midtown Park in Raleigh’s North Hills. The cost is $30 which will give you access to 31 local breweries who will be introducing new brews to benefit the nonprofit, Children’s Flight of Hope. Get all the details here.

Downtown Durham Inc. announced that The Streetery will return Saturday, Sept. 25 at Five Points with added outdoor seating and buskers. Join them from 12 – 9 p.m. to shop, carry out, dine in or dine out. The Streetery happens on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month.Get all the details here.

Our friends over at RalToday reminded us that Raleigh Veg Fest 2021 originally scheduled for April 4 has moved to Oct. 31 in downtown Raleigh’s Moore Square. Details here.

After to cancel the 2019 and 2020 events, the Town of Cary will hold Fest in the West on November 6th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event will take place at the USA Baseball National Training Complex and will feature food and beer vendors, entertainment, a kids’ zone as well as arts and crafts. Get all the details here.

And there is a new event in the works for the Triangle – our first Triangle Vegan Restaurant Week which is scheduled for Nov. 1-7 this year. Organizer Karen Pullen has lined up 16 participating restaurants so far and is looking for more. So if your restaurant is interested in participating (a special menu for that week–at least two creative vegan options, or a three-course fixed price meal) reach out to her at karen@triangleveganrestaurantweek.com or visit the site here for more details.

September is #HungerActionMonth — a nationwide initiative designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness to help people experiencing the impossible choices of hunger. All month, people across the country will be taking action against hunger to help families faced with impossible choices, like buying groceries or paying rent. This September, we’re asking those who are able to come together to provide the consistency and trust needed by the people the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina serves by becoming a monthly sustaining donor. In fact, this September, a Leadership Donor is matching your first month’s sustaining gift — up to $5,000! Learn more about what you can do this month here.