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Restaurant Roundup
🍽️ Get hungry
You’re going to fall in love with the Indian food at a new spot coming to Raleigh Iron Works. | Photo by Tim Robison
2026 is set to be a big year for Raleigh’s restaurant scene — here are just a few of our most-anticipated spots. ]
Botiwalla | Projected opening: Spring 2026
Botiwalla by Chai Pani, a famed Indian street grill restaurant based in Asheville, is coming to Raleigh. If you just can’t wait, you can visit the other locations in Charlotte and Asheville to try the masala smashed potatoes, Desi salad bowls, and tikka rolls before they land in Raleigh.
Big Cat | Projected opening: Spring 2026
Owners of Ajja + Ex Voto and a Locals Seafood partner are coming together to bring a new concept to 1000 Brookside Dr., which has seen multiple recent turnovers. The space has been leased by this all-star group of restaurateurs, and all we know is the name Big Cat from Instagram.
Songbird | Expected opening: June 2026
This new daylight-to-dusk bar will focus on seasonality, zero- and low-proof beverages, and ingredient-driven fare. Plus, it’s coming from hospitality pros Charlie Blue Arm and Meg Paradise, a name you might recognize from Umbrella Dry Bar.
In more food news, Vic’s will open a new North Raleigh location at the corner of Six Forks and Millbrook, and this new spot will include a drive thru for pick-up orders. Expect an opening this spring, and visit the local fave’s other locations in the meantime. (Triangle Business Journal)
Outdoors
Wake County is working on new hiking + biking trails near Lake Crabtree County Park, and the county will present its plan later today. The paths are expected to be on 400 acres near RDU, and you can learn more at Downtown Cary Park today from 4 to 7 p.m. (The News & Observer)
Opening
Trugalug Chocolates is now open next to the Alamo Drafthouse, and its star-studded grand opening is tonight at the movie theater. Watch the 1971 “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” with Paris Themmen, who plays Mike TeeVee, and indulge in a chocolate bar with a guaranteed golden ticket after.
Try This
MLB Raleigh, a grassroots group advocating for a major league baseball team in the 919, will host its annual Baseball, Beer & Barbecue event on April 11 at Trophy Maywood with MLB Raleigh merch, games on the TVs, and tasty food trucks.
Watch
The Oscars are this Sunday, March 15, and The Rialto is showing all the nominated short films this week. Grab a ticket to the live action, documentary, and animated screenings before Hollywood’s biggest night.
Closing
After filing for bankruptcy earlier this year, Saks Fifth Avenue will close its Triangle Town Center location this spring. Macy’s is also set to close its store in the mall. (Triangle Business Journal)
Shop
Skip the regret, bloating, and hangovers when you shop this clean, women-owned cannabis brand, which offers bestsellers like THC pineapple gummies + mini THCA pre-rolls. This March, get 20% off sitewide and a free sample pack of Buzzed Gummies with code POTOFGREEN.†*
Tech
AI has completely changed the cybersecurity game. Scams are smarter, malware is faster, and phishing emails look shockingly real. Protect your devices, privacy, and identity with a leading digital protection plan from Webroot. Save 60% and get protected today.*
Editor’s Pick
🏀 College hoops preview
Duke men’s basketball lost to Houston in the Final Four in 2025. | Photos via Duke Athletics
Let the March Madness begin. The ACC men’s basketball tournament starts today in Charlotte, and it could shake up where Triangle teams land for the NCAA basketball tournament before Selection Sunday.
No. 7 seed NC State starts things off tomorrow against the winner of Pitt vs. Stanford at 12 p.m., and No. 4 seed UNC and No. 1 seed Duke will start playing on Thursday with a double bye.
ICYMI, Duke women’s basketball took home the ACC title this weekend. UNC fell in the semifinals, and NC State lost in the quarterfinals. Both the men’s and women’s March Madness brackets will be revealed this Sunday, March 15.
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Y’all know I’m Raleigh down, but this weekend, I spent a lot of time in Durham and finally went to a show at Motorco and grabbed some sheet pan nachos at Queeny’s. I’m itching to spend more time in that part of the Bull City — Cocoa Cinnamon, TaTaco, and King’s Sandwich Shop are calling my name.
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