Triangle Foodie News: Tandem opens in Carrboro

RALEIGH, N.C. —

Featured Restaurant News

The News & Observer reported this week that longtime Triangle restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias will open Boheme in the former Straw Valley Food + Drink space at the intersection of 15-501 and Interstate 40 in Durham. Bakatsias said chefs Chelsea Mock and Damon Barham will lead the kitchen, garden and bar, which will open in May.

James Borden’s Development Beat was the first to report that Glenwood South’s Tobacco Road Sports Cafe (222 Glenwood Ave.) would move around the corner to the former Natty Greene’s space at 505 West Jones St. Construction has already started and they hope to open the new location by the end of August. That also means the current location has closed (as of yesterday) to focus on the new location. Until the new location opens, you can visit them in Chapel Hill or Durham. Thanks to Ashton Mae Smith for the nod on this information.

Also in Raleigh, the Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Pieology Pizzeria has set an opening date of April 23 in Hillsborough Street’s Stanhope building. It is in the same building as the soon-to-be-relocated Hillsborough Street icon, IHOP.

Got word from my buddy Tim Moore that Cary’s On The Border on Walnut Street will reopen next Wednesday, April 13th at 11 a.m. A fire shut down the establishment a little over 5 months ago. Now, a $1 million renovation will give us a more open dining area, a new kitchen and a new menu. I’m looking forward to getting a sneak preview this Sunday.

Multiple media outlets reported this week that a new restaurant called Tandem is opening tonight (April 8) in Carrboro’s Carr Mill Mall where Cafe Symmetry was. It is being opened by Younes Sabouh and Emma Dunbar, who have been the chef and general manager respectively at City Kitchen in Chapel Hill for the last four years. Hours will be limited initially before beginning normal hours next Tuesday. Check the website for hours, menu, and more information.

During a recent stroll down Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street, I noticed that a new pizza joint (imagine that) called Benny Cappella’s has opened at 122 E. Franklin Street. Their tagline is Home of the Virginia Slice...not sure what that means. Check them out here.

Also in Chapel Hill, East Franklin’s Eastgate Shopping Center is undergoing some changes and upgrades (including a name change to Eastgate Crossing). Related to food, that means the former Boston Market will become a Zoe’s Kitchen by early 2017. Additionally, a modification to the former BP Station will mean new tenants, possibly another eating establishment (plans show an outdoor seating area). We will keep an eye on it.

Heard from dear friend Paula Brown Stafford that Pittsboro’s The Mod (Modern Life Deli & Drinks) is under new ownership. Congrats and best of luck to Dylan Perry. This is a great little spot just off the town center’s round-a-bout at 46 Stanford Road.

Over in Durham, Hope Valley Commons is very close to having another eating establishment open, possibly as early as next week. Got word this week from Jennifer Elkin that Treforni’s hopes to open in the next week or so. As soon as we have a set date, we will let you know.

And just down the street in the Homestead Market Shopping Center, MediterrAsian Bistro recently opened in the former Baba Ghannouj near Shiki Sushi, and around the corner from one of my favorite coffee shops, Bean Traders (love me some bean!). Anyway, the bistro features a buffet that offers Mediterranean, authentic Filipino and Asian cuisines.

As of April 30, Bull City Ciderworks will close it’s Elizabeth Street location (due to the new Durham Police Headquarters project). But the good news is that they will be moving to their new location at the corner of Dillard and Roxboro streets with plans to open late summer/early fall. Enjoy them for the rest of the month of April though!

Also in Durham, the folks over at Pie Pushers have plans to open a brick-and-mortar location above The Pinhook at 117 W. Main St. in Durham. The restaurant is expected to open later this year.

Over in Mebane, got word that Jack Fladeland, the owner and operator of Mebane's Subways restaurants, has committed to opening North Carolina's first Your Pie restaurant, a fast-casual pizza brand based in Athens, Ga. In fact, he has committed to opening 3-5 stores in the next 5 years, with the first in the Triangle to open this November. We will keep an eye on it.

Cary’s first Chatham Street Chowdown of the year will be held on Sunday, April 17, from noon to 4:30 p.m. in downtown Cary and will feature 19 trucks along with a wine and beer garden and lots of entertainment. Get all the details here.

With the warm weather returning, it also means the return of the Food Truck Thursdays in Knightdale. Every Thursday from April through June, the town will host a new truck at Knightdale Station Park for lunch and dinner. Just look for it from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. near the amphitheater (rain or shine - shelters are covered).

The Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo has announced its dates for this year: May 1, June 12, Aug. 7 and Oct. 9. VIP early admission wristbands, which let you get in to buy food before the general public, are on sale now. Get all the details here.

For a listing of ALL food truck events, head over to Art’s page, The Wandering Sheppard, on all things food truck related here.

With April upon us, thus begins the 4th Annual Bull City Vegan Chef Challenge taking place the entire month of April at participating restaurants (15 total) throughout Durham. Each restaurant/chef has added a plant-based (vegan) entrée to their menu - with an optional appetizer or dessert. Customers try the dish and vote on the best in several categories.

Also on April 9, the folks over at Ponysaurus Brewing Company will hold a Salt & Smoke Festival on their front lawn. Beer starts flowing at noon, entertainment begins at 2, oysters will be on ice and the party starts at 4. Ticket information and all the details can be found here.

The next edition of Glenwood Faire will be held on Sunday, April 17 at Babylon Restaurant (309 N. Dawson Street) from 1 -5 p.m. For $10, you get to sample from 10 different Glenwood South restaurants and a drink.

Tickets to one of my favorite annual events, Farm to Fork, have gone on sale. The event this year will be held on the weekend of June 3 through June 5. Get all the details and tickets here.

The 4th Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience will be held on April 10, but tickets have already gone on sale. Looks like tickets will be available through DPAC again this year and you can visit the DPAC ticket center to avoid service charges.

Bottoms up, bacon down. Got your interest? The annual Beer & Bacon Fest will be held again this year at Koka Booth Amphitheatre on Saturday, April 9 and will feature 75 craft beers, 15 restaurants and 10 bacons (who knew?) from across the country.

Morrisville's annual East Meets West Festival will be held April 16 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Town Hall Drive again this year. This food and music festival will feature local restaurants that represent the diversity of the dining scene in Morrisville along with lots of kid activities.

Also on April 16, barbecue, beer and bluegrass return to Raleigh's warehouse district at The Pit Authentic Barbecue's 8th annual Cuegrass Festival Saturday, from noon to 6 p.m.

The Washington Duke Inn in Durham will host The Brewer and The Farmer multi-course dinner on Wednesday, April 13 at 6:45 p.m. featuring Hillsborough’s Mystery Brewing Company and Rougemont’s Prodigal Farm. The cost if $65.

Heard from Jennifer Noble Kelly that on Monday, April 18 Standard Food’s Scott Crawford will team up with Foggy Ridge's Diane Flynt and Fullsteam Brewery's Sean Wilson for a unique food and beverage pairing. Guests will begin in the backyard farm with a cocktail featuring cider, beer and Crude Bitters, then be seated for a 4-course springtime dinner featuring alternate pairings of Foggy Ridge Cider and Fullsteam Brewery.

The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association and Weaver Street Market will host the 21st Annual Piedmont Farm Tour on Saturday and Sunday, April 23-24, from 2-6 pm on both days. This year’s tour features 38 sustainable working farms in Orange, Chatham, Alamance, and Person counties.

The 2nd Annual Shuck ‘n Cluck will take place on Thursday, April 28 at the Lynnwood Brewing Concern at 1053 E. Whitaker Mill Road from 6-10 p.m. The event will feature fresh oysters, chicken, beer, wine and live music. All proceeds benefit Rebuilding Together of the Triangle.

This is pretty cool. Want to head out to a farm and pick a little produce and then return to a restaurant to have it prepared and served up? Talk about farm to fork! Well, that’s exactly what the Fork2Farmer initiative is all about and their first event is on Thursday, April 21 with attendees first visiting Old Milbournie Farm before returning to Centro Restaurant to enjoy some of the freshly picked ingredients.

The annual Hook + Vine seafood and wine festival is scheduled for April 24 from 12 - 4 p.m. in downtown Raleigh at The Wine Feed, and co-hosted by Locals Seafood. The third annual festival will focus on pairing fresh seafood with high-quality wines found from around the world. Featured restaurants include Centro, Capital Club 16, Provenance, Plates Neighborhood Kitchen and Boiler Room Oyster Bar. Purchase tickets and get all the details here.

The folks over at Snap Pea Underground are holding two weekend’s of a Thai street food pop-up dinners at Midway Community Kitchen in Chapel Hill April 28 through May 1 and again May 5 through May 8th. Ticket prices vary and will go on sale today (April 1) at noon. These events will sell out, so act quickly.

Lots of opportunities to support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. The next big event that will benefit the food bank is April 21-23 at Taste the Event sponsored by Durham Magazine and Chapel Hill Magazine. Tickets to the Family Cookout portion of this three day event on April 23 are still available.