The restaurant scene in Chapel Hill and Carrboro is constantly shifting—especially along Franklin Street—and some new places have already made waves. Here’s a look at some new restaurants you may not have heard of.
Carrboro has many food trucks serving many different cuisines, but Mike’s Vegan Hotdogs food truck stands out from the crowd. With four specialty hotdogs and a build-your-own version, Mike’s offers up a unique, totally plant-based, dining experience. However, Mike’s, located at 102 South Merritt Mill Road, is only open Thursday through Saturdays from 4:00 p.m. to midnight.
Peno Mediterranean Grill opened in August 2019 at 105 West Franklin Street, replacing Tama Cafe. The local chain sells Mediterranean-inspired food with South American influences, incorporating ingredients such as black beans, plantains, cilantro and, of course, jalapeno peppers. The restaurant chain started in Wilmington, North Carolina, and now has eight locations in the state.
Perennial Cafe has moved to a new location at 401 West Franklin Street. The already-popular spot has more space than its previous location did and is still serving specialty pastries and caffeinated drinks. The new space offers patrons a place to relax or work from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Coronato Pizza—the name translates to “Crowned” in Italian—opened in August in Carrboro’s new South Green shopping center at 101 Two Hills Road. The restaurant, opened by chef Teddy Diggs, serves Roman-style pizzas that feature cracker-like thin crusts with extra virgin olive oil, while offering patrons plenty of vegetarian options.
Dame’s Chicken and Waffles already has a cult following in Durham, so, despite the fact that the 147 E. Franklin Street location—the former location of [B]’ski’s—is not yet open, we still had to include it on our list. The new venue will offer counter service, unlike the original Durham location which is a sit-down restaurant.
