Beer, bakeries, and bread might be the theme for 2014. Downtown Raleigh continues to see more openings than closings and while some places close, the spaces aren’t empty for long.

For a complete list of eats, drinks, and coffees in and around downtown, make sure to bookmark the DT Eats page. Try something new!

• The Person Street Bar has opened up and quickly become a neighborhood favorite. The Person Street plaza area is really coming around.
• Pictured above is the new Hibernian Pub, rebuilt with two floors and a great outdoor patio.
• The Raleigh Beer Garden is still in the design phases. The upcoming beer spot is having trouble getting through city planning unfortunately. The problem? What else but parking.
• The North Street Beer Station, a bottle shop in Glenwood South, has opened up. It should officially open with fully stocked shelves soon. The place plans to install a takeout window and even deliver beer.
• In the former Draft space in the 510 Glenwood building, The Oakz has opened up.
• A new brewery called Storm Clouds Brewing plans to open in July according to their website. They will occupy the space where Napper Tandy’s used to be on West Street.
• A new coffee shop in Seaboard Station is being worked on called Brew.
• Staying with coffee, the shop Oak City Coffee Roasters have set up on West Hargett Street near the train tracks.
• Happy and Hale, the downtown juice and veggie people, want to set up in one of the kiosks in City Plaza.
• The owner of Taverna Agora, Lou Moshakos, wants to move his restaurant from North Raleigh to the empty building between Second Empire and the Holiday Inn on Hillsborough Street.
• Moshakos is also bringing a Carolina Ale House to a new building at the corner of Tucker and Glenwood Avenue.
• Also for Hillsborough Street, the restaurant space on the top floor of the Holiday Inn has been remodeled into the Skye Tower Lounge.
• A new bread store, Boulted Bread, is planned to open in the cluster of retail shops on West South Street.
• A dessert and cocktail bar called Bittersweet is close to opening in the PNC Tower along Martin Street.
• The tasty treats just keep coming. Lucettegrace is a bakery planning to open in the former Crossfit space on the 200 South Salisbury block.
• Tasty 8’s will be a gourmet hot dog joint opening on Fayetteville Street where Spize used to be on the 100 block.
• The Berkeley Cafe has now reopened. The owner of the former Sadlack’s Heroes on Hillsborough Street has given it a little makeover and made a cool hangout spot.
• Bada Bing pizza has been taken over and is going to become DeMo’s Pizzeria and Deli. They should have the remodel done with the restaurant open this month or next.

It’s been a colder winter compared to last year. It only takes rain or the occasional snow to slow things in downtown Raleigh. This season, we have new coffees and a few eats worth trying.

For a complete list of eats, drinks, and coffees in and around downtown, make sure to bookmark the DT Eats page. Try something new.

• Let’s first get the good news out the way. (*sarcasm) A Subway is opening in the Wells Fargo tower almost directly across from the Salisbury Street location. I haven’t yet asked if this is just a move or an entirely new restaurant. If anyone knows, please share.
• Garland has now opened their restaurant space. This now completes the triple threat at 14 West Martin Street with Neptunes Parlour in the basement and King’s Barcade upstairs.
• The Station opened in late Fall and has all winter to get things worked out before the Spring. With a fantastic outdoor patio, this place is sure to be busy when the temperatures rise.
• Café de los Muertos, pictured above, is now open in The Hue. They did a really nice job with the space offering an upstairs “nook” for hanging out. In the warmer months, the garage door-style window will really make the place open up.
• Oak City Meatball Shoppe has opened in the Red Hat tower along Davie Street. In addition to servings tasty balls, the shoppe also has a decent drink list and currently stays open late after serving dinner. Plans for lunch hours are upcoming.
• Work continues at the Person Street Bar and you can follow their progress on their Facebook page.
• Wine Authorities has now opened in the Person Street Plaza. This is their second location in the triangle, their first being in Durham.
• Speaking of wine, The Wine Feed has moved from their space in the Carter Building to a full shop in the Hampton Inn space along Glenwood Avenue. The new store offers wine fans longer hours and you can drink wine at their new bar.
• Plates is now open in the former Zely and Ritz space in Glenwood South.
• After a nice makeover, Gringo a go-go is now open in the building at the corner of Edenton and Person Streets. Get your taco fill!
• Napper Tandy’s has moved out of their space near Powerhouse Plaza and into the former Murphy’s Law space, next to Dos Taquitos Xoco, in Glenwood South.
• Amra’s in Glenwood South has closed but is only changing management and will re-open very soon.
• Mentioned on the blog last month, there are plans for a beer garden at 614 Glenwood Avenue. Hopefully we’ll see movement on this in the Spring or Summer.

• A new bottle shop is planned for Glenwood South. A sign, pictured above, for North Street Beer Station has popped up at the space between Clockwork and The Rockford along West North Street.
• Staying on beer, Paddy O’Beers has opened in the Alexander Square parking deck retail spaces along Fayetteville Street.
• Next month, The Oakz will open in the former Bogart’s space in the 510 Glenwood building.

Now that the usual hectic September is over, we’re in the middle of wonderfully cool temperatures as Fall swings into downtown Raleigh. As far as the eating and drinking options go, there’s plenty of new and upcoming options out there for us to cover.

The list continues to grow as new places are outpacing closings. Here’s the restaurant roundup for this Fall:

• Starting with upcoming drinking spots around Person Street Plaza, The Station, pictured above, is looking real good and close to completion. The new bar and restaurant could open soon so check out their Facebook page for a lot more photos of their very unique outdoor space.
• Near The Station, the Person Street Bar is being worked on in the renovated shopping center. They have a Facebook page up.
• Next door, the Durham-based wine shop, Wine Authorities is working on their second location.
• And for equally good but non-alcoholic treats around Person Street, Yellow Dog Bread Company is now open. The small bakery makes various bread products and is a nice place to grab a treat and a coffee. I’m all for new places that make croissants!
• The good guys behind The Wine Feed are moving from their space below The Carter Building along Glenwood Avenue and into the retail space in the Hampton Inn.
• Garland should be wrapping up the final touches on the interior space. There’s a sign on their takeout window saying that they are hiring and that they will open their doors soon.
• The upcoming coffee shop, Cafe de los Muertos, still hasn’t opened but they are making progress. There’s a slide-open, garage-style, window installed and the counter is built out. They’re located in one of the spaces of The Hue along Hargett Street.
• Ashley Christensen’s newest, Joule, has opened in the former Wilmoore Cafe space along Wilmington Street.
• Jimmy V’s Osteria and Bar has opened in the lobby of the Sheraton. In addition to a nice lobby refresh, the restaurant takes over the former hotel bar and outdoor patio.
• A little north of downtown, Stanbury has opened on Blount Street in the former space of Market.
• Still the same as this past summer, Ashley Christensen is working on a new restaurant called Death and Taxes for the bottom floor of the recently renovated Raleigh Industrial Bank building.



The Flash House

• A small, “off the beaten path” bar with a little attitude has opened next to the Black Flower along Peace Street called The Flash House. (pictured above via blurrycam) This place will make a perfect late-night break from any hectic Glenwood South night.
• The space for Oak City Meatball in the Red Hat Tower along Davie Street is coming along. I got a glimpse of the space while they were working on it and the walls are painted, the counter in place, and a long bench on the back wall. Looks like it just needs furniture, the essentials, and food before this place opens. Their Facebook page keeps teasing a close opening.
• Work continues on the former Zely and Ritz space, going to be called Plates, along Glenwood Avenue. If I recall correctly, I remember plans for an October opening so they are either delayed or real close to opening.
• The modern Mexican restaurant in The Depot, Jibarra, has closed and quickly re-opened with a new concept and menu. Called Jose and Sons, the place feels a bit more fun and lively with more Tex-Mex options. Fans of Centro and Dos Taquitos Xoco should give this place a try.
• We’ve mentioned it before on the blog but Gringo A Go-Go will be a new taqueria at the corner of Edenton and Person Streets.
• For a quick coffee fix near the 400 or 500 block of Fayetteville Street, there’s a new coffee shop in the Sheraton Hotel lobby called Cafe Siena.



Hibernian under construction

• Niall Hanley, the one behind the previously mentioned The Station bar and other downtown restaurants/bars, has been reported to be working on a beer garden concept for the building at 614 Glenwood Avenue. Currently, nothing seems to be moving along but they must be pretty busy with The Station almost done and the re-building of the company’s Hibernian restaurant also located on Glenwood Avenue. (pictured above)
• There’s a web presence for a new coffee shop called Brew for Seaboard Station but not a lot of details out there yet. Must be early in the process.