A car crashed into an upscale North Hills restaurant. When will it reopen?
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AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- A car crashed into Cucciolo Terrazza during dinner service on Saturday July 12.
- Police charged the driver with impaired driving. No injuries were reported.
- The restaurant may reopen this week, pending gas line checks and repairs.
A car crashed through the window at upscale North Hills restaurant Cucciolo Terrazza near the end of dinner service Saturday, July 12 night.
“It was like a bomb went off,” owner Jimmy Kim says he was told by workers inside. “It was a very loud bang.”
What happened to Cucciolo Terrazza?
The crash happened around 10 p.m., near the entrance to a parking garage and Cucciolo’s side patio. Raleigh Police charged Leigh Anna Gillila Ligon with driving while impaired.
Kim was halfway home for the night when someone called him to come back to the restaurant, he said. He found a car in the side of the building, its front wheels hidden behind glass near Cucciolo’s kitchen. A row of empty tables sat a few feet away.
“The good news is no one got hurt,” Kim said. “We’re still in the process of assessing the damage.”
The car destroyed a window and ceiling tiles, dented the hood system in the kitchen and damaged a gas line, Kim said. No other businesses were impacted by the crash.
When will Cucciolo Terrazza reopen?
In a social media post late Saturday night, Kim worried the restaurant could be closed for a while.
But by Monday, July 14 things looked more optimistic, he said.
Barring the discovery of any structural damage or leaks, Kim is optimistic Cucciolo Terrazza could reopen as early as this week. The restaurant’s gas line will be pressure tested Monday.
“I’m grateful a lot of people answered the call Saturday, our general contractor, insurance,” Kim said. “The damage doesn’t appear to be extensive.”
About Cucciolo Terrazza
Cucciolo Terrazza opened in 2021 as the second Triangle restaurant for Kim, who impressed with the opening of Cucciolo Osteria in Durham.
This story was originally published July 14, 2025 at 1:39 PM with the headline "A car crashed into an upscale North Hills restaurant. When will it reopen?."
