Category / Restaurants

by Leo Suarez

Fall Backwards For The 2012 Fall Restaurant Roundup

Fiction Kitchen on Dawson Street.

The restaurant waves keep crashing in and this Fall, there are some new options for you and quite a few announcements of things to come in the Downtown Raleigh foodie pipeline. Most of the new places are setting up in previously empty retail spaces rather then closed spaces. Downtown just hasn’t tapped out yet.

As always, make sure to bookmark the DT Raleigh Eats list when you need to find something new. Onto the roundup.

  • Pictured above is the signage for an upcoming 100% vegetarian restaurant on Dawson Street. Fiction Kitchen hopes to open within the next few months and could use your help through their Kickstarter campaign.
  • Zinda has now opened in one of the ground floor spaces in PNC Plaza. The new Asian restaurant expands Eschelon Hospitality’s takeover of the 300 block of Fayetteville Street.
  • Bida Manda, a Laotian restaurant, is now open on Blount Street across from Moore Square. Bida Manda replaces the former Fai Thai restaurant in the same space that closed in July 2011.
  • Work continues on the new spaces at Seaboard Station where a coffee shop, Blend and Grind, and a burger shop, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, are planned.
  • A collaboration between the folks behind Dos Taquitos and The Hibernian will result in Dos Taquitos Xoco which will open in the former space of The Diner in Glenwood South. The new restaurant is being worked on today and expected to open this fall.
  • Not satisfied yet, those behind The Hibernian are working on another pub along Person Street near Piebird. Work on the former Rosie’s Plate will bring a neighborhood beer and wine bar around Spring of next year.
  • Bolt Bistro and Bar is really taking shape and the sign is up on the space along Fayetteville Street. The sign still says opening Summer 2012 so hopefully the slip in the schedule isn’t too bad.
  • The house at 610 Glenwood Avenue has had major renovation work done to it and a new bar, View Bar, is set to open there. You can follow the progress up until opening on their Facebook page.
  • Across the street at 603 Glenwood Avenue, work continues on another bar for the renovated house at the corner of Glenwood and Johnson Street.

by Leo Suarez

Pic of the Week

Bolt Bistro and Bar coming soon

Bolt Bistro and Bar will open soon in the space formerly occupied by The Mint on Fayetteville Street. By open soon, I mean “Late Summer” according to the new sign posted in the space windows. According to the restaurant’s website:

The concept of Bolt is to bring a sleek, clean, approachable, affordable, dining experience to Downtown Raleigh.

Bolt has teamed up with International Culinary Superstar Penny Davidi! Penny and our chefs are working on a local infused menu from North Carolina.

The sign also has a little rendering of the outdoor seating space. Could Bolt finally create a lively outdoor seating scene that The Mint could not?

Bolt Bistro and Bar coming soon

by Leo Suarez

Spring 2012 Restaurant Roundup

Oro restaurant in Downtown Raleigh

Summer isn’t quite here yet so keep enjoying the fabulous weather we’re having before the heat arrives. While you’re out exploring, a few new eats are in the works as well as some upcoming ones that continue to test our patience. Ever since the winter update, there hasn’t been as much movement on the eats list as some of the past seasons.

You can still find new places to eat on the ever growing Eats list though. Here’s the latest tips and openings to look forward to:

  • Oro has opened this past weekend and the tapas menu looks very tempting. They are located in the PNC Plaza building at the corner of Martin and Wilmington Street. (photo above)
  • With the Nature Research Center opening in April, the Daily Planet Cafe on Jones Street is open with the museum’s hours. It may not be for a night out but with local ingredients and beer, it could make for a solid lunch.
  • Blue Mango in Glenwood South has opened in the 222 building.
  • The Raleigh Times is expanding, adding more seats and a rooftop area.
  • A Laotian restaurant, Bida Manda, is planned to open at the former location of Fai Thai on Blount Street.
  • Zinda, the Pan-Asian restaurant coming to the PNC building, is still covered up and waiting to open. According to their Twitter, they are now hiring:

https://twitter.com/#!/ZindaRaleigh/status/202048507710935040

by Leo Suarez

Renovations For Libations in Glenwood South

603 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh

Approved back in December 2011, the house in the picture above, located at 603 Glenwood Avenue, is being heavily renovated for a new bar with outdoor seating. While passing by I asked some of the gentlemen working on the renovations about the new bar. They mentioned that this was being done by the owner of 606, the club across the street, and that the bar would be styled like a speakeasy.

Another thing to note about the picture is that you can see the comprehensive plan in action. Look at those wide sidewalks!

by Leo Suarez

The State of Seaboard Station

Seaboard Station

Seaboard Station sits at the northern end of downtown Raleigh and is a unique area compared to Glenwood South or Fayetteville Street. Over the last few years, the area seems to be riding with the downtown revitalization wave but there’s just something that’s holding it back. Why don’t people come to Seaboard and stay for awhile? I’ve always felt like the area was convenient for quickly getting there, but just the same, easy enough to get right out.

The Shops at Seaboard Station website plays on the locally owned theme of restaurants and services. 18 Seaboard and J. Betski’s have been serving at Seaboard for a few years now and the recently opened Tyler’s Taproom seems to be an instant favorite. While not included on their website, Sunflower’s needs a big nod for doing business here for almost thirty years.

In retail, Seaboard is creating a little variety for shoppers. Logan Trading Co. may be the anchor tenant and the family-owned garden shop has been open since 1991. Over the last few years, places like Seaboard Wine, Ace Hardware, and O2 Fitness have moved in to diversify the list of services.

But the most dramatic story in recent history may be what happened in 2007. A grocery store, Capital City Grocery, opened in Seaboard Station with high anticipation. The news was all over it, saying it was the pinnacle of downtown Raleigh’s re-birth. However, over time the hype died down and reviews were mixed about the store. For whatever reason, the grocery store closed and re-opened in 2008, only to close permanently later that year.

Around that same time, condo projects were even planned for Seaboard Station. The 111 Seaboard condos were planned along Seaboard Avenue but that project never came to be. Now, the empty building will not be razed for development but renovated for more retail spaces.

Today, Seaboard Station has a few new tenants in addition to the previously mentioned with plenty of empty space for more.

Empty Storefronts at Seaboard Station
Empty Storefronts at Seaboard Station

The events, the largest probably being the Music on the Porch series during the warmer months, have been fine but what will it take for Seaboard Station to naturally be a hub of activity?

The area has some natural obstacles all around it. To the south, the black hole that is the state government complex will almost never contribute more than a steady lunch crowd. The customer base to the east is not growing much with Peace College and the Mordecai and Oakwood neighborhoods. The area is also cut off somewhat with the train tracks to the north and Capital Blvd to the west. The area is somewhat isolated.

Seaboard’s contribution to downtown is not urban at all so its suburban nature makes it compete with other places of similar style. The vast parking lots make it easier for cars to go in and out so it is now competing with other shopping centers around the city. If I have to drive to Seaboard Station, then why choose that area if getting to someplace better outside of downtown is just as easy now that I’ve made the decision to drive? You can see it in the map below.

In my opinion, Seaboard Station cannot do it alone and needs to be tied into a few other projects in order for it to be a place to stay awhile. The Blount Street Commons project that essentially stalled when the economy went bad a few years ago needs to be re-energized in some way. More residents need to move into the northern end of downtown to feed Seaboard. The Capital Blvd Corridor study will also be a huge factor in realizing Seaboard’s potential. This study also includes a Peace Street corridor redesign which could greatly improve Peace Street.

The location is great but the barriers are too restrictive at the moment for Seaboard Station. The current stop on the R-Line is another plus but even greater connectivity is needed for this area to feel like an integral part of downtown Raleigh.

by Leo Suarez

Winter 2012 Restaurant Roundup

Fire Wok in City Plaza, Raleigh.

We’re about two weeks into the year now and if you’ve fallen of the “lose weight” resolution train, eats in downtown Raleigh won’t judge. Last fall, we ran through a few new openings. For winter, work continues on some establishments but there are still a few new places for you to explore.

Tyler’s Taproom is probably the biggest recent opening with their Seaboard Station location finally serving brews and food. It was first mentioned on this blog back in June, 2008 so the opening is very much welcomed by Tyler’s fans. If you’ve been to the other locations around the Triangle, you know what to expect here. The large space and outdoor patio should be popular with families and larger parties.

Other downtown Raleigh restaurant happenings:

  • The Indian restaurant in Glenwood South, Blue Mango, continues to take shape. My last “window peek” witnessed a finished, modern looking bar, a few scattered tables, and painted walls. A stone host stand was being built in front of the doors so with a little floor work it looks like they could throw a few tables out, stock the bar, and open for business within the next few months. They are also now hiring.
  • The London Bridge Pub has now opened on Hargett Street.
  • The first ever tenants of the RBC tower are still working behind the shades. Zinda continues it’s work on Fayetteville Street while construction work is clearly visible on the upcoming restaurant Oro along the windows of Martin Street. Oro’s website claims a Spring 2012 opening.
  • The pavilion space in City Plaza formerly occupied by Krispy Kreme has a coming soon sign. Fire Wok will set up shop there and a posted menu shows sushi, hibachi, and Chinese eating options.
by Leo Suarez

Restaurant Roundup Falling On You In 2011

I really think that the new restaurant talk in the news and around town comes in waves. Maybe it’s a seasonal thing. Or I only think about it four, convenient times a year. Anyway, an update each season seems appropriate so let’s run through the new and upcoming in downtown Raleigh eats.

  • Tyler’s Taproom is under construction in Seaboard Station. The photo above shows that they have removed the trash bins from the front and are building, what is most likely, an outdoor patio. The new drywall inside needs paint to match the large beer logos on the brick walls. The restaurant will be big, filling the front to back space of the Seaboard Station building along Seaboard Avenue.
  • Calavera has now opened at the corner of Blount and Davie Streets.
  • The Indian restaurant, Blue Mango, is still being worked on in the 222 building on Glenwood Avenue. As I walked by I saw plates being unboxed so perhaps they can open this fall as their website states.
  • Right next door, Tutti Frutti will start serving frozen yogurt on November 2nd according to a sign posted on the door.
  • And next to that, the Mediterranean food shop, Zaky, looks like it could open soon too.
  • Volcano Cafe and Lounge is open at 108 East Hargett Street.
  • Next door to that is a “Coming soon” sign for a new pub called London Bridge
  • Zinda, the pan-asian restaurant from Eschelon Hospitality was mentioned in a great article over at the N&O; Eschelon bucks restaurant trend.

Steel is put in for the second floor of the upcoming restaurant Zinda. (via @zindaraleigh on Twitter)

  • Mantra, an Indian restaurant on West Street, is now open.
  • A spanish style tapas restaurant called Oro will open in one of the ground floor spaces at RBC Plaza on the corner of Wilmington and Martin Street.