A comforting kitchen on Raleigh’s Glenwood South plans to close it doors after a decade
A staple restaurant on Glenwood South is closing its doors after more than a decade in business.
The Raleigh restaurant Plates Kitchen announced Monday that it will close after 11 years of feeding the heart of the city’s nightlife district.
Owners Kate and Stephen Day and Justin Gallus opened Plates in 2013, and over the past decade it served as a quintessential neighborhood restaurant, preparing menus showcasing comfort and seasonality.
The last day of service at Plates will be July 28.
“When we opened in 2013, we did so with the belief that everyone deserves a relaxed, neighborhood restaurant where they can enjoy a delicious meal and warm hospitality,” the restaurant owners wrote in an email announcing the closing. “Every member of our restaurant family has poured their heart and soul into creating memorable dining experiences for you for these ten years, and we are especially proud of the work environment we worked tirelessly to build.”
Co-owner Justin Gallus lives across the street from Plates and said he’s seen the bustling corridor grow into what it is today, a nightlife center with a somewhat checkered reputation.
“We’ve seen this neighborhood spring up out of the ground,” Gallus said. “A pretty awesome set of people call this place home, while the public perception is going in the opposite direction.”
After two busy years after the height of COVID, Gallus said Plates has seen its weekend dining traffic steadily decline.
Gallus said announcing the closing date early was an effort to give regulars and fans time to stop in.
“This was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Gallus said. “We (announced early) because of the relationships we have with our people. We want to give them a chance to say goodbye properly.”
Thanksgiving charity dinners
Among its best efforts and biggest successes were the annual Thanksgiving charity dinners, which sold out quickly and raised thousands of dollars for local Triangle food banks. Each year the dining room would serve a special multi-course Thanksgiving feast, with money going toward, most recently, The Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC.
“We are humbled to have had the platform and opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate through our partnerships with The Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC, Rise Against Hunger, and other wonderful charitable efforts during that time,” the restaurant owners said in an email.
Now four years since the start of the COVID pandemic — which forever altered many aspects of the restaurant industry, great and small — the Triangle has seen a series of notable dining rooms close over the last few months. Plates joins Raleigh institutions like Humble Pie and Capital Club 16 as longtime restaurants to close up in the midst of a still evolving restaurant landscape.
“While we bid farewell to this chapter, we will carry the memories we made with us forever,” reads the Plates closing email. “We are incredibly grateful for your love, fellowship and support, and we thank you for allowing us to live our dream.”
This story was originally published July 8, 2024 at 2:37 PM.
