Dream team of Raleigh chefs to open one of 2026’s most anticipated restaurants
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Big Cat will open spring 2026 in East Mordecai, led by well-regarded Triangle chefs.
- Cheetie Kumar will lead dinner, like roasted chicken, grilled lamb and seasonal sides.
- The 3,500 sq ft site will house 60-seat dining, 18-seat bar, 80+ outdoor patio and market.
A dream team of Triangle chefs have taken over a neighborhood market in a popular Raleigh neighborhood.
Owners of Mala Pata, Ajja and Locals Seafood have teamed up to create Big Cat, a multi-use restaurant and market set to open this spring in Raleigh.
The details behind Big Cat have been scant for months, but anticipation surged based on the owners involved. Big Cat includes Ajja chef and owners Cheetie Kumar and Paul Siler, Ex Voto’s Angela Salamanca and Marshall Davis and Locals Seafood partner Justin Pasfield.
Big Cat will open in the former Brookside Bodega space at 1000 Brookside Dr. in Raleigh’s East Mordecai neighborhood.
Big Cat menu
Now we know more about the plans for Big Cat. Kumar will lead the dinner program, with dishes like slow-roasted chicken served with garlicky thoum or herby chimichurri and seasonal sides. There will be grilled lamb and marinated vegetables in the summer. A lunch menu will include sandwiches and, no matter the time of year, soft-serve ice cream will be flowing.
The name nods to the many feline intersections in the neighborhoods surrounding Big Cat — the Conn Elementary Cougars, Joyner Elementary Jaguars, Lion’s Park. But it’s also drawing on the talent and resume of those involved — collectively boasting James Beard nominations and a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
“Big Cat is also a term for a big shot and we liked the playfulness of that,” Marshall Davis said. “It’s going to be a pretty ambitious multipurpose space.”
The project takes over the 3,500-square-foot space, offering 60 seats in the inside dining room, another 18 at the bar and room for at least 80 on the outdoor patio. The market side of things will include prepared foods, grab and go bites plus select beer and wine.
Look for Big Cat to show its claws in late March or early April.
This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 3:03 PM with the headline "Dream team of Raleigh chefs to open one of 2026’s most anticipated restaurants."
