Mama Dip’s in Chapel Hill for sale and will see some major changes. What we know
Mama Dip’s, the iconic Southern restaurant that helped establish Chapel Hill’s culinary identity for over four decades, is on the market.
The building and property at 408 W. Rosemary St., has been put up for sale as the iconic Chapel Hill brand moves in a new direction, its owners say.
It’s listed on a commercial real estate website for $3.6 million, including the 4,226-square-foot building and the 0.68 acre land.
Mama Dip’s Kitchen — founded in 1976 by the late Mildred “Mama Dip” Council — will transition into a fast-casual model in a new location, said Spring Council, a co-owner of the restaurant, told The News & Observer Monday.
“The property is for sale, but not the brand,” said Spring Council, one of Mildred Council’s daughters, in a phone interview. “We’re going to keep the brand and switch it out to do a fast-casual model.”
She confirmed the listing and said Mama Dip’s will remain open through the sale. A new location has not been decided yet.
Mama Dip’s Kitchen is famous for its traditional Southern menu. Its matriarch, the late Mildred Council, was a community leader, chef and cookbook author. She died in 2018 at age 89.
The restaurant on Rosemary Street became nationally known in the 1980s when New York Times food editor Craig Claiborne wrote about it in a piece about Chapel Hill restaurants. Since then, it has been a beacon for diners seeking classic Southern food.
“We’ve always been a destination,” Spring Council said. “We want to take our business to other areas around the South. People tell me all the time, ‘We want a Mama Dip’s where we live.’ You can’t find traditional Southern cooking and vegetables everywhere.”
Spring Council said the transition to a fast-casual model had been in the works since early this year, driven largely by a desire to grow the restaurant for a new generation. She said lingering staffing issues in the restaurant industry also influenced the change.
“We got through the pandemic okay, but we just started looking at our staffing issues,” Spring Council said. “On New Year’s Day I was in the back washing dishes. There’s nothing wrong with that, I don’t mind doing it, but that’s how hard staffing is at the moment.”
What will a new Mama Dip’s look like?
In building the new Mama Dip’s, Spring Council said the restaurant would start in Chapel Hill.
The fast-casual model and menu are still being developed, but Spring Council said it would be based on the restaurant’s top sellers. That means fried chicken, pork chops, catfish and chicken and dumplings will likely star as entrees, plus mac and cheese, greens and okra for sides. Of the famous desserts, look for pecan pie, pound cake and sweet potato pie.
“We want to keep the same feel and quality of the food and serve what we can train people to make,” Spring said.
Mama Dip’s Kitchen moved into its current home in the late 1990s, just a few doors down from its original location on Rosemary Street.
Spring Council said the restaurant will operate as usual until a sale is complete.
“We’re continuing our Mama’s legacy of traditional Southern food and getting things ready for the next generation,” Spring Council said. “In business you have to grow, and this is growth.”
Spring Council said she doesn’t know what the future will hold for the property, but has seen Chapel Hill development mean large projects in recent years. Not far down Rosemary Street, Breadman’s restaurant closed and moved a few years ago to make way for new housing. Elsewhere, an Innovation Hub as well as more office and research space is being built in downtown to entice more year-round workers.
“The way Chapel Hill is going, everyone is going up,” Spring Council said. “I have no idea what will happen. We’re just trying to create this model. This wasn’t an easy decision for us.”
This sale and retooling for Mama Dip’s comes as Chapel Hill’s dining scene has moved in the direction of larger chains and fast casual restaurants. Another historic Chapel Hill restaurant, Crook’s Corner closed during the pandemic, but has vowed to reopen soon.
At nearly 50 years old, the legacy of Mama Dip’s is well established, Spring said, and the new model will carry that torch forward.
“I think what (Mama Dip’s) means to people is traditional Southern cooking,” Spring Council said. “Food is what you are, who you are. Southern folks feel that comfort, like they’re eating at grandma’s house. Other people want that experience, if they’re flying in and want Southern food, they come to Mama Dip’s.”
This story was originally published April 10, 2023 at 12:27 PM.
