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.

It could be just me but the summer seems like a great time to open a restaurant in downtown Raleigh. Need to work all the kinks to get ready for the cooler temperatures. It could just be the timing though.

Anyway, with us deep into the summer season, here is the latest bit of restaurant news.

• We’re still waiting on something from Cafe de los Muertos, a coffee shop planned for a space along Hargett Street in The Hue building. Progress is happening though.
• Joule Coffee, opening in the former space occupied by the Wilmoore Cafe on Wilmington Street, hasn’t opened yet but articles keep coming out saying that should happen soon.
• Garland has been serving food from their take-out window along Martin Street. Sandwiched between King’s and Neptunes Parlour, Garland is still working on their indoor space but have set up tables and chairs on the sidewalk.
• The lobby of the Sheraton Hotel on Fayetteville Street has been under heavy renovation the last few months. In it, Jimmy V’s Osteria & Bar will be opening soon.
• Cognito Bar and Grill has opened where the former Joel Lane’s Public House was in Glenwood South.
• Pop Up Ice Cream Parlour has opened a second location. The original location on Wilmington Street will still be open for the summer while the second one, at 616 North Person Street, is opening.
• Stanbury, a restaurant being set up where Market’s original location was on Blount Street, looks almost finished and ready to open any day now.
• 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 Ohio based pizza chain, Donato’s, has brought a location to Seaboard Station.
• Crank Arm Brewing will be opening up their taproom in the next few weeks.
• The food space in the Marbles Kids Museum is now Pogo creating a kid-friendly (and adult) menu ran by a company that buys food from nearby family-owned farms and ranches.
• There are signs for a restaurant called Oak City Meatball Shoppe in the retail spaces along Davie Street in the Red Hat Building.

And finally, I don’t know anything about it but the last retail space in the PNC Plaza has some paper covering up the windows. There aren’t any signs but instead symbols of food. Take it with a grain of salt as to what could, or won’t, be coming in that space.

I hope everyone is spending as much time as possible outside before the heat kicks in. This is one of the best times of the year in downtown Raleigh for walking and outdoor eating.

Here’s the latest list of restaurant news.

• Dos Taquitos Xoco is now open in Glenwood South. Besides sitting outside on the outrageously decorated patio, the booths with the toy train serving chips and salsa are pretty enjoyable.
• Kimbap, a Korean cafe, has opened in Seaboard Station. There is a lot of sustainably grown food served here as well as a very gluten-free friendly menu. The dumplings are excellent!
• They have been open for some time now but Trophy Brewing has been making progress on their new kitchen and outdoor space. Expect that to be open soon.
• The Videri Chocolate Factory in the warehouse district has added a coffee bar.
• Fiction Kitchen has now been open for two or three months and is 100% vegetarian. The tinga tacos are way tasty!
• Cafe de los Muertos is opening a store in The Hue building and should be open late this summer or early fall.
• Another coffee shop, Joule Coffee, is still being worked on in the former Wilmoore Cafe spot. According to the (silent) Twitter account, it’s still planned for a Spring opening so expect it soon.
• This fall, a doughnut shop, Donut Theory, is planning to open in a space near the intersection of Saunders and South Street.

Also, a little bird has told me that the space between Neptune’s Parlour and King’s on Martin Street may be serving food out of the window this weekend. Is The Garland finally going to open? Perhaps we’ll know in a few weeks.