New restaurant expands into downtown Raleigh’s Moore Square
Lucky Tree Cafe will open at the restaurant space in Moore Square this weekend.
The grand opening is set for 4-8 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at 225 E. Martin St., featuring live music, free samples and “collaborative art.”
It will be the second location for the local cafe, founded by twin sisters Amanda and Ashley Faries. The original location is at 3801 Hillsborough St.
“We’re really excited to see that space open up,” said Bill King, CEO and president of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance.
“It’s a great local vendor. And it’s important for the park to have something in it that brings people in,” he said. “The park does well with events and is a nice space, but you want to have that opportunity to have food and beverages.”
It’s also a nice complement to the Marbles Kids Museum across the street, he said.
The cafe held a soft opening the weekend of the Dreamville music festival before officially opening this week.
The first tenant in the city-owned restaurant space was Empire Eat’s Burger Square, which ended it lease in 2023.
“Ongoing initiatives in and around Moore Square continue to improve visitor experiences to create a safe and welcoming area downtown,” according to a 2023 memo to the City Council about Burger Square leaving.
The city initially struggled to fill the spot, receiving only two restaurant applications in early 2024. Neither had business plans or operating hours that worked for the square, according to a 2024 city memo. A second round of proposals netted nine proposals.
Lucky Tree menu
The restaurant features house-made doughnuts, french toast, waffles and sandwiches for breakfast, as well as smoothies, acai bowls, oatmeal, coffee, tea, beer, wine and locally made mead and cider. A lunch menu will be added later.
Lucky Tree hours
- 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday
- 7 a.m. to 8 pm Friday
- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 11:04 AM.
