A restaurant boom will come to the Triangle next year. These spots are most anticipated
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What’s the Future of Dining Out?
Nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic, diners are more accustomed to navigating menus on their phones, flashing vaccine cards and reheating takeout. Now the choice of where to go out includes a new option — whether to go out at all. We explore how COVID has reshaped dining, what it looks and feels like to go out for a meal and how the Triangle’s celebrated dining scene advances. Plus, we’ll tell you which new restaurants — and meals — are drool-worthy.
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A restaurant boom will come to the Triangle next year. These spots are most anticipated
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Next year the Triangle’s dining scene is poised for an explosion of new restaurants, many in major developments in the suburbs or the outskirts of downtown.
Here are the most anticipated restaurants expected to open in 2022:
Four from Giorgios: The Triangle’s most prolific restaurateur, Giorgios Bakatsias, appears poised for his biggest year yet, with four vastly different projects opening in 2022. They include the pizzeria Giorgio Pizza Bar and the ode to Spanish tapas Las Ramblas, both in Raleigh’s North Hills. Then the French restaurant East End Bistrot in Raleigh and the casual Asian spot Krill in Durham.
A’Verde Cocina & Tequila Bar: Former “Top Chef” star Katsuji Tanabe is taking a second chance on the Triangle. In the middle of 2020, Tanabe closed his brand new restaurant High Horse, the project he moved to Raleigh to build. Now he’s creating a modern Mexican restaurant under the umbrella of LM Restaurants. A’Verde Cocina will open in Cary in early 2022, focusing on creative tacos and housemade tortillas and an embrace of seasonal North Carolina vegetables, Tanabe said.
Fine Folk: Within days of the COVID-19 pandemic flipping the restaurant industry upside down, Christopher Lopez launched Gov’t Cheeseburger, an ironic tribute to fast food dishes built around one incredible burger. That leap of faith ultimately led to Lopez’s first restaurant, Fine Folk, opening early next year in Raleigh’s Gateway Plaza. Fine Folk has existed for months as a residency at Union Special Bread, but will soon step into its own space, serving one of the city’s most creative menus. Yes, the burger remains, but there’s much more to discover.
Bright Spot: The first time Boulted Bread teamed up with Jubala Coffee the result was Benchwarmers Bagels, a wood-fired bagel shop, cafe and pizzeria that’s quickly become one of Raleigh’s most beloved places to eat. Bright Spot is the follow-up act, a tiny doughnut shop near Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood, serving up yeasted doughnuts with lots of patio space. The combination of fried dough and sugar remains undefeated.
JB’s: Amid development pressure and a global pandemic, J. Betski’s closed last summer after 15 years in Raleigh’s Seaboard Station. But a more modern and casual JB’s will open next year less than three miles from the original. Owner John Korzekwinski plans to serve small plates and grab and go versions of the Polish and German dishes he’s been making for years.
Crawford Brothers Steakhouse: This has been one of the Triangle’s buzziest restaurants since it was announced more than three years ago. In that time the world has completely changed and chef Scott Crawford has opened two other restaurants. Crawford Brothers will be the acclaimed chef’s biggest Triangle project yet, opening as a big steakhouse for big moments. As one of the restaurant anchors in Cary’s Fenton development, Crawford Brothers will specialize in dry-aged steaks and in-house butchering. It also promises one of the area’s most ambitious wine lists. Don’t bother looking to the Triangle, Salt Bae, Scott Bae has it covered.
Emmy Squared: This Brooklyn pizzeria will make its Triangle debut in the renovated and retooled Brightleaf Square in Durham. The pizzas are, you guessed it, square, made in the thick Detroit style. But owner Emily Hyland said the restaurant isn’t just a pizzeria and has a hyped-up burger to prove it.
Zweli’s Ekhaya: Following up on the success of their original restaurant, Leonardo and Zweli Williams will open the new Zweli’s Ekhaya next year in downtown Durham. The restaurant will join the American Tobacco Campus and focus on Bantu cuisine, serving a tapas style menu.
Bluebird: Acclaimed chef Brandon Sharp opened his first Chapel Hill restaurant Hawthorne and Wood in 2019. This second restaurant aims to be a French bistro serving the classics, like Croque Madame sandwiches and chicken Fricasse. Sharp says to expect French but not fancy cuisine.
Craften: This new food hall model will debut in Knightdale early next year, followed by a second location in Clayton. Invented by Max Trujillo and Kip Downer, Craften is a food hall concept that operates like a restaurant, where diners can order at the table from one menu with multiple vendors.
The Old North State Food Hall: This Johnston County food hall just off Interstate 95 remains alive and plans to become possibly the first interstate food hall, with an opening this summer. A new operator has taken over, Hospitality HQ, owned by Akhtar Nawab, who operates multiple food halls across the nation. The Old North State Food Hall currently has two local vendors previously booked, Rocky Mount’s Burger & Barley and Greenville’s Luna Pizza Cafe. Nawab said more than a half dozen still to come. The new operator said to look for a summer 2022 opening.
Queenburger: There’s always room in a city for the next great burger. Born as a pandemic pop-up from the owners of the Durham cocktail bar Kingfisher, this burger shop will specialize in griddled smashburgers and deeply flavorful veggie burgers. Look for an opening in the spring near the American Tobacco Campus in Durham.
M Sushi: This second M Sushi will be restaurateur and chef Michael Lee’s first project outside of downtown Durham. Opening in Cary’s Fenton development, this M Sushi won’t be a copy of his excellent Durham original, Lee said. Details down to the rice preparation will be somewhat different.
Longleaf Swine: This long-awaited barbecue project from Adam Cunningham and Marc Russell will open this year with a 2,000-square-foot patio on Person Street in downtown Raleigh. The restaurant actually has a split identity, with barbecue in the daytime and a diner at night. Look for brisket and pulled pork for lunch, but smashburgers and poutine late into the night.
This story was originally published December 19, 2021 at 6:00 AM with the headline "A restaurant boom will come to the Triangle next year. These spots are most anticipated."
