Restaurants News in Raleigh

Located in the sleek Hudson condo building on Fayetteville Street in Downtown Raleigh is a new Japanese restaurant with a vibrant interior and tasty sushi.  Sono opened last week, a bit under the radar, and is slowly gathering customers through word of mouth.  Unlike its neighbor Yancy’s, Sono takes up very little facade real estate and is a bit more stylish and contemporary than The Mint located one block North.  A nice amount of attention was paid in the development of Sono, from the restaurant’s food to its interior design.  These two elements, in parallel consideration, are why Sono excels in a big city way.

We recently reported on the signs that popped up at 1908 Hillsborough Street advertising the opening of the beloved Durham staple Locopops.  Without an opening date posted on the window, it was anyone’s guess when the company would open their doors.  But, just in time for a warm sunny February Saturday, the wait is now over.  Locopops opened its doors on Friday and I popped in today to check out the selection and space. 

Like many people from Raleigh (and I mean from Raleigh, as in born in that big old brickpile at the corner of Wade and St. Mary’s) I have a great respect for Durham and Chapel Hill and my own personal little club med, Carrboro. Going out to eat in these cities is a miniature vacation, and there are often truly great meals to be had. This is just the kind of naïve optimism that cost me 120 dollars and any shot at restorative canoodling with a girlfriend too uncomfortable from the high cost and stiff atmosphere, unhappy with her food and therefore not full, and eventually too drunk from the stress-drinking and empty stomach to be a legally consenting sex partner.

If you have ever been to an event in Downtown Durham, you may have noticed small ice cream carts rolling around with smiling lollipop logos and a funny name on it.  The name is Locopops and the company is more genius than loco.  News has been passed around and is being projected on their website that they will be moving into 1908 Hillsborough Street, the old Weatherman’s Jewelers location beside the newly opened Red, Hot and Blue BBQ.  If you’ve never had a Locopop, by summer you may be addicted.  Mexican popsicles and Latin American chocolates in downtown Raleigh this summer?  Culturally refreshing treats.

Chocolatier Hal Parson was making chocolate bars in Beaufort, North Carolina before venturing to Costa Rica and Venezula.  A couple of years later, he has returned to Raleigh’s Glenwood South with a Chocolate Bar that looks to add a bit more daytime activity to the night friendly strip.  And with handcrafted chocolates made from organic chocolate from Latin America, Escazu will add a bit more international culture to downtown as well.