Sorry, Raleigh empanada and tequila fans — Calavera has now closed for good
That’s it for Calavera Empanadas and Tequila, at least as a downtown Raleigh restaurant.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, owner Ken Yowell announced he had sold the restaurant concept. The restaurant itself never opened after the New Year, and Yowell said he wanted to let fans know Calavera had closed for good.
In the Facebook post, Yowell suggested some version of Calavera’s menu would soon be available for online ordering and delivery.
“We have received a lot of inquiries about when we will reopen. We have been waiting to make an announcement because we have sold our concept,” the Facebook post reads. “Calavera will be available for online ordering soon, but not yet. We wanted to make the announcement when delivery is up and running, but, we didn’t want to keep you waiting any longer. We will post as soon as you are able to order Calavera through Grubhub.”
In its nine-year run, Calavera developed a loyal downtown Raleigh following with fans of empanadas, and its bar featured a deep selection of tequila and some mezcal. Yowell closed the original Calavera at the corner of East Davie and Blount streets, saying the space was often too cramped for the restaurant and that another business owner had offered to take over the lease. The Davie pub is now in that space.
Calavera planned to reopen a block from the State Capitol building on Salisbury Street in the former Tasty 8’s Gourmet Hot Dog space, but after a lease dispute, Yowell abandoned the project at that location.
Last year, Calavera looked like it had found its new long-term home in the former Moonlight Pizza space at 615 W. Morgan Street, in the middle of the Warehouse District’s redevelopment.
While closed, the Calavera space has hosted a monthly “Drag Brunch,” and served as a commissary kitchen for other projects.
“Thank you to everyone that has made Calavera a part of your lives for so many years,” Yowell said in Calavera’s sign-off Facebook message.
