These 4 Raleigh & Cary restaurants are closed. Here’s what to know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Fresco Veloce shut its Morgan Street Food Hall location after about a year.
- Three Wendy’s restaurants in the Triangle have closed since December.
- Backyard Barbecue Pit in Durham may close soon. The owner is seeking a buyer.
CORRECTION: Clarification: Fresco Veloce, a vendor in Morgan Street Food Hall in Raleigh, has closed. The food hall remains open.
The Triangle now has fewer pasta places and hamburger joints.
A local barbecue restaurant could close soon, too.
Here are some recent restaurant closings to know about.
Raleigh pasta bar closes
After about a year, Fresco Veloce has shut down at Morgan Street Food Hall in Raleigh.
The post announcing the closure hints that the pasta counter may return in the future, but offered no details.
“This isn’t goodbye — just the end of this chapter,” according to the post. “Thank you for every visit, every smile, and every bowl of pasta shared with us. We’re proud of what we built together. Arrivederci (for now).”
Owned by Lucas Palmeira and Carl Kjerrumgaard, Fresco Velcoe served fresh pasta dishes, antipasti, bruschetta and cannoli chips for dessert.
The food hall remains open with several other vendors serving a variety of cuisines.
3 Wendy’s locations close in the Triangle
Three Triangle locations of the fast-food chain Wendy’s have closed since December.
The restaurants — two in Raleigh and one in Cary — may be part of the company’s decision to close at least 5% of its U.S. restaurants in the first half of 2026.
Wendy’s still has 10 locations in Raleigh and three in Cary.
Wendy’s did not respond to The News & Observer’s request for comment.
Durham barbecue joint may close
A barbecue restaurant in Durham could close at the end of the month, its owner told The N&O.
The turbulent economy and rising prices are pushing Angela McLean to likely close Backyard Barbecue Pit, which opened in 2007.
“People are having to choose between buying a meal or putting gas in your car,” McLean said.
McLean is looking to sell the business to a new owner. She took over the restaurant from founders Fabianne and Melvin Simmons in 2023.
The News & Observer’s Drew Jackson contributed reporting.
This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 1:48 PM.
