Raleigh will become a barbecue capital, and other grand food proclamations for 2020
Our reporters are writing about what they expect to be some of the big topics on their beats in 2020.
This was a most delicious year.
When the dust settles and the ovens cool, we may look back on 2019 as one of the most important years in the history of Triangle dining. A major James Beard win for Ashley Christensen, the arrival of celebrity chefs to Raleigh, the christening of food halls.
And the next year looms just as large, with one of Raleigh’s most ambitious restaurant projects ever, even more food halls, comeback stories and the possible crowing of the Triangle as a barbecue destination.
Here are some of the 2020 food stories we’ll be watching.
BBQ Renaissance
There’s a smoky haze on the horizon that will usher in a new era in North Carolina barbecue. The state’s most famous food has big plans for 2020, with a new generation of homegrown pitmasters picking up the barbecue torch and lighting their own burn barrels and smokers.
Opening restaurants in Raleigh next year are the likes of barbecue legends Sam Jones and Ed Mitchell. Restaurants are also coming from Longleaf Swine, Picnic owner Wyatt Dickson, Chris Prieto with Prime BBQ over in Knightdale, a second Redneck BBQ Lab in Johnston County and rumors of Jake Wood opening Lawrence BBQ somewhere in Raleigh. There are rumors still of more barbecue to come.
We can’t call it a golden age just yet — we still have to taste the barbecue — but it’s certainly a new age, a reinvigoration of the cooking tradition North Carolinians hold most dear. Nationally, barbecue is finally getting its due, fueled by James Beard awards, an ongoing obsession with Texas brisket and high profile restaurants from New York to Los Angeles, all lifting the art of smoked meats from the backyard to the mainstream.
This new class of pitmasters looks to make North Carolina’s case to the country, that the barbecue tradition is alive and well in the land of whole hog and pork shoulders.
The restaurants opening next year will redefine barbecue in North Carolina and could establish Raleigh as one of the South’s barbecue capitals.
Finishing off food halls
It’s safe to say the Triangle is enjoying its food halls. From bagels and boba tea to gin cocktails and freshly shucked oysters, nothing made a mark on Triangle dining this year quite like food halls.
The trend kicked off with the opening of Blue Dogwood in Chapel Hill, followed by Morgan Street and Transfer Company in Raleigh. Now fully built out, they’re packed for lunch and dinner and have even collected a few national shout outs.
Next year, look for two more.
After a sluggish 2019, the Durham Food Hall is starting to come together and should open early next year. Its roster is deep with exciting projects that make the food hall seem very much worth the wait, led by artisan taco masters Angela Salamanca and Marshall Davis of Ex-Voto, a new oyster bar from Locals, plus bagels, sandwiches, desserts and wood-fired pizza.
Johnston County will claim the next food hall, with Old North State Food Hall opening in Selma in the former JR’s Cigars warehouse. The project promises 10 vendors and a craft beer bar. So far, the Redneck BBQ Lab and Boulevard East coffee shop have signed on. Look for an opening in late spring or summer.
Luang Prabang
It’s pretty easy to pick next year’s most anticipated restaurant, Luang Prabang, the third project from brother and sister Vansana and Vanvisa Nolintha of Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana.
Planned for a spot up high in the Dillon, Luang Prabang will be a sprawling love letter of a restaurant to the Nolinthas’ hometown in Laos.
Teaming up with Brewery Bhavana partner Patrick Woodson, the trio promise a lively dining room and balcony bar, charcoal grilled street food, cocktails, beer and an unmatched view of downtown Raleigh.
Luang Prabang plans to open sometime in the fall or winter of 2020-2021.
Project Extra Crispy
This is a special time for chicken sandwiches. The food phenomenon of 2019 belonged to fast food fried chicken chain Popeye’s special chicken sandwich.
Next year, Ashley Christensen is getting into the fast casual game and making her own contribution to the great fried chicken war.
The James Beard award-winning chef has a new fried chicken sandwich up her sleeve and in the spring will open three new counter service restaurants in Raleigh, Cary and Durham.
The restaurants themselves are still without an official name, but social media previews suggest crispy chicken, thick cut pickles, iceberg lettuce, all hugged by a potato bun.
Craft beer goes basic
It’s a new dawn for dad beer. Suddenly craft beer has taken a decidedly crispy turn, setting its sights on the crushable lagers and pilsners popularized — if not scandalized — by the likes of Budweiser, Miller and Coors.
Hoppy pale ales and IPAs make up most of the craft beer market, but next year will be an important one to see whether craft can beat macro at its own game.
Last year, New Belgium launched NC State beer Old Tuffy, followed by Carolina Hurricanes beer Storm Brew from R&D Brewing. Next year, look for Hi-Wire’s new lager brand, Old North Beer, along with Mort’s from Trophy Brewing.
All of these could be heading to a lawnmower or tailgate near you.
St. James returns
Lastly, Matt Kelly’s Durham seafood palace, St. James, will reopen nine months after a gas explosion destroyed half a block and claimed two lives.
The St. James building suffered little physical damage in the explosion, but reopening has been a question mark since April, with Kelly only recently announcing the reopening.
Kelly’s group of Durham restaurants include Mateo, Mothers & Sons, Lucky’s Delicatessen and Vin Rouge. St. James opened late in 2017, with a menu celebrating sustainable seafood, be it raw or fried and ran a bar program built around tiki cocktails and punch bowls.
Reopening St. James could be the comeback story of the year.
Drew Jackson covers the food and dining scene. For smart, reliable and timely coverage of the issues you care about, subscribe to The News & Observer at newsobserver.com/subscribe or subscribe to The Herald-Sun at heraldsun.com/subscribe.
