by Leo Suarez

Connoisseurs Report In, Demolition In Glenwood South

Reader Mark sent in these pictures of the demolition work taking place on Johnson Street. This destruction will make way for a new Hampton Inn hotel for Glenwood South, properly dissected in this post here.

While not a visually stunning building, the hotel elevates the district’s status as now visitors can stay right on the strip with easy access to the rest of downtown via the R-Line.

Thanks again Mark for the pictures.

by Leo Suarez

Big Support For Food Trucks In Raleigh By Area Residents

I have a new blog post up on the Raleigh Downtown Living Advocates’ (DLA) blog. The group has polled it’s membership, mostly residents of downtown Raleigh, and there is strong support for having food trucks here.

Strong Support For Food Trucks By DLA Membership via RaleighDLA.com

The attempts of this is to provide hard data to the city council that people support food trucks. Participants in the poll are registered members of the DLA.

The next move on the food truck issue could come on Tuesday, August 30th as the Law and Public Safety Committee has to come up with a recommendation to make for the city council. The committee is made of city councilors so e-mail them your thoughts on this matter so we can move forward.

by Leo Suarez

Shocking News, Raleigh Likes Beer at Tasty Beverage Soft Opening

On Monday evening, the depot saw a line through the parking lot for Tasty Beverage Company‘s soft opening. The soon to open beer store had free samples from the good people at Stone, Anderson Valley, Duck Rabbit Brewery and others. On top of selling beer, the store has a bar in the back with select drafts for tastings.

If you didn’t make it, put Tasty on your grocery list as the selection may be the best in town.

by Leo Suarez

2011 Summer Restaurant Roundup

Downtown Raleigh just keeps adding on to it’s long list of drinks and eats. This summer we have a few openings and more to look forward to as early as this Fall. The usual restaurant roundups are quick and easy so here’s the list.

  • Beasley’s, on the corner of Wilmington and Martin Street, had their soft opening this past weekend and the brown paper over the windows should come down sometime very soon. This is the first of three new places brought to this corner by Ashley Christensen, owner of the already popular Poole’s Diner.
  • The good fellas at Isaac Hunter’s Oak City Tavern have expanded over to Glenwood South. Joel Lane’s Public House is now open in the former space of the short lived restaurant The Artisan, located behind The Diner. I haven’t been but I better see some cherry bounce there.
  • According to their website, Calavera, an empanadas and tequila bar, will be open this month. This is the space previously occupied by 101 lounge at the corner of Davie and Blount Streets.

  • There are signs up in the corner space of the 222 Glenwood Building for an Indian place called Blue Mango. This brings the 222 Glenwood building one step closer to filling in all the retail space on the ground floor.
  • As mentioned very early this year, a Pan-Asian restaurant is being put together on the ground floor of the RBC Plaza tower. We’ll have to keep an eye on this as the last update was it opening “later this year”.
  • Battistella’s, on the corner of Martin and Blount Streets, is showing progress but still has not opened. The last update was a May opening and clearly that hasn’t happened. Unpredictable this restaurant business but their website claims a late August opening.


Click for larger

  • And finally, from the owners of Mosaic, Babylon has opened in the old knitting factory on McDowell. I took the picture above when I walked over and this place has some very swanky outdoor space. A wide angle and a little less light could make for some great pictures. I’m looking forward to trying it and hanging near the pool on a cool night sometime soon.