Acclaimed Raleigh chef plans new sushi & ramen spot. Where to find it
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chef Katsuji Tanabe to open KatSushi Bar at Boxyard RTP this spring.
- Menu will feature hand rolls, ramen, rice bowls and craft cocktails.
- Tanabe and partner Anthony Rapillo will open High Horse at Horseshoe at Hub RTP.
One of the most accomplished chefs in the Triangle will soon open a new concept focused on sushi, ramen, rice bowls and craft cocktails.
Katsuji Tanabe, a former “Top Chef” contestant, is behind KatSushi Bar, the new eatery headed to Boxyard RTP.
Tanabe is not new to the shipping container development in the heart of Research Triangle Park. Last year, the chef opened La Taqueria at Boxyard RTP, in collaboration with restaurateur Anthony Rapillo of V Pizza.
The duo are partnering again on KatSushi Bar, which is expected to open this spring.
“KatSushi’s offering is simple: good fish, good rice, good broth. No shortcuts,” Tanabe said in a news release. “I’ve prepared these dishes for my friends and family for years, and now we can deliver that personal touch at Boxyard RTP.
“With hand rolls, you can see the fresh ingredients and try something different each time you visit. We put in the hours on the ramen broth ahead of time so we can deliver bold flavors with speed.”
Among KatSushi’s offerings will be the Spicy Tuna Handroll with sesame truffle mayo and Classic Shoyu Ramen made with 16-hour broth, pork belly, soy-cured egg, bamboo shoots, green onion and nori, a crispy seaweed.
Duke Campbell, who has experience at The Willard, Dram & Draught and The Third House, will be beverage director at KatSushi Bar.
Boxyard RTP is located at 900 Park Offices Drive in Durham.
More restaurants on the way
This is going to be a significant year for Tanabe and Rapillo, who together have also founded Flour & Barrel.
In addition to KatSushi, the pair are also expected to open a new High Horse at Horseshoe at Hub RTP, a mixed-use development in Research Triangle Park that houses Nanny Goat, Cheeni and Drift.
The first iteration hit downtown Raleigh in 2019, but closed months later, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Expected to open this summer, RTP’s High Horse will feature Mexican, American and Japanese flavors.
The restaurant, which will take a stand-alone building at Horseshoe at RTP, will have similar elements including a live-fire show kitchen, a cotton candy machine and a frozen shot glass bell, plus an indoor-outdoor cocktail bar, a patio and private dining room.
Also at Horseshoe at Hub RTP, Prime BBQ’s Christopher Prieto will open a new steakhouse called Prime STQ, and Cary’s Di Fara Pizza Tavern will expand to a second location.
This story was originally published February 18, 2026 at 3:01 PM.
