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Restaurant & Bar Reviews » Cary

Cary Restaurant Reviews on NC Triangle Dining

January 24, 2018 by Ron Wen 8 Comments

Best Dining and Restaurants at Waverly Place in Cary

Sunset at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Sunset at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining

Over the years, Waverly Place has seen good and bad days. I used to live in this neighborhood and I never found much of a reason to visit this large, sunken strip plaza. But over the past two years, things have really picked up at Waverly Place. A new developer has spent a lot of money bringing in some high-end touches to the plaza such as water fountains, ambiance lighting and more. And the incoming restaurants have been a cut above your usual strip mall fare with a diverse group of eating choices. And also really nice patios given the strip mall setting!  So where to go when visiting Waverly Place in Cary?  Here are some of my favorites…

Enrigo Italian Bistro at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Enrigo Italian Bistro at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Rigatoni amatraciana at Enrigo Italian Bistro in Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Rigatoni amatraciana at Enrigo Italian Bistro in Cary- NC Triangle Dining

One of the first new restaurants here was the Italian classic, Enrigo Italian Bistro!  When they first opened up, I always found their food to be decent, just not amazing.  But a new chef has brought about a huge improvement in the food here. A recent lunch here showed off some great amatriciana pasta, apps and tiramisu.  Along with a great covered patio, Enrigo Italian Bistro has definitely stepped up its game and is a worthwhile meal at Waverly Place.

Taziki's at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Taziki’s at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Taziki's at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Taziki’s at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining

Next on the list is the relatively new, Taziki’s Cafe!  More of a quick casual, Greek-Mediterranean offering, they’ve got counter order and the lines to show that they must be doing something right!  Choose from salads, wraps and kebab plates, the food portions here are generous and fresh-tasting even though they may be a bit Americanized.  Still a good choice if you’re looking for something healthier and don’t want to pay for the full sit-down experience. Taziki’s usually pleases most people and for good reason.

Famous Toastery at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Famous Toastery at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Famous Toastery at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining
Famous Toastery at Waverly Place, Cary- NC Triangle Dining

A casual and country dining choice is the casual Toast Cafe which dishes out more classic American eats.  Think BLT’s, turkey sandwiches and egg salad!  But while the menu may look familiar, Toast Cafe does a nice twist on things.  Fresh sides and great service make it a good option for a quick but satisfying meal.  And they’ve got a side-patio complete with fountain, woohoo!

Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Shake Shack in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Shack burger at Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Shack burger at Shake Shack in Cary – nctriangledining.com

One brand new option at Waverly Place for dining is Shake Shack!  This chain of fast-casual grills offers up outstanding hamburgers, crinkle fries and shakes. While the price is a bit high for a burger joint, the quality is evident in every bite of your meal.  Don’t miss out on the classic Shack burger along with their great chicken sandwich. Great for families, Shake Shack has a great view of the Waverly Place green given its central location.

Next on the list is Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop which is a small chain based out of the mid-Atlantic region. Highlights for me include their Bobbie (pulled turkey, cranberry, stuffing) and cheesesteak sandwiches. A casual and tasty spot for a quick meal.

View of Waverly Place in Cary- NC Triangle Dining
View of Waverly Place in Cary- NC Triangle Dining

So Waverly Place you’re all growed up!  In addition to the above restaurant there’s also a Barberitos (Mexican), Menchie’s (frozen yogurt) and a soon to come Cinebistro in 2015.  So walk around, window-shop, enjoy the fountains and green space along with the good dining options here.  Waverly Place is getting better each month, bring the family along for a relaxing visit…

 

Great Restaurants, Dining and Food at Waverly Place in Cary

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop (Hoagies)

Chicken Salad Chick (Southern)

Enrigo Italian Bistro (Italian)

Tazikis (Greek, Mediterranean)

Famous Toastery (American, Sandwiches)

Gonza Tacos y Tequila (Mexican)

Mod Pizza (Pizza)

Shake Shack (Burgers)

Tasu Asian Bistro (Japanese, Thai)

Waverly Place Directory

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Filed Under: Cary, Local Information, Overviews Tagged With: Family Friendly Restaurants

February 13, 2021 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

Di Fara Pizza Tavern, Cary – An Exceptional Example of Classic NYC Pizza for NC

Front of Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Front of Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

As a self-proclaimed pizza-holic, I can honestly say I will wait for hours for a good pizza! Whenever I’m visiting a new area, I do a cursory search for the best pizza available and usually make an effort to visit. Based on the Daily Meal’s 101 Best Pizzas in the country list, I’ve managed to visit 10 of the top 30 in the USA, alright! And growing up in the Northeast has honed my appreciation for the wondrous experience of diving into a pie with a divine crust, luscious tomatoes and soft cheese, truly a magical experience. One OG pizza stand-out over the years has been Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn whose owner, Dom, has been known to pull pies straight out of the oven with his bare hands. I was able to visit once and watched him meticulously finish off his pies with careful snips of basil and a thorough drizzle of olive oil. It was a sublime pizza experience in my early days and worth the 2 hour wait.

Kitchen at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Kitchen at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Dining room at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Dining room at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Flash forward to 2019 and it’s announced that there will be a new Di Fara Pizza Tavern opening up in Cary by his nephew. Given the pandemic, development was slowed down and finally the new Di Fara Pizza Tavern soft-opened up in early February of 2021. I was able to stop in for an early dinner to try out their pizza and it met all my pizza-holic expectations! Inside, the space is still pretty sparse given how recently they opened up and to allow for social distancing. Kitchen in front with a large Di Fara logo, a dining room with maybe 10 or 12 tables along with a long bar to the side. There’s also a patio outside for when the weather warms (and dries) up. Thankfully they do have their ABC license and are already serving beer and wine, it looks like they are set up to do cocktails too, but I didn’t try any.

Food menu at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Food menu at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Bar area at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Bar area at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Beer menu (1 of 3) at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Beer menu (1 of 3) at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

The menu is really basic like most pizzerias: Cheese pizza for $25, house specialty pizza for $29 to $35 and each topping is $2 for custom pies. Pizza is also available by the slice along with a calzone option. But of course for me on my first visit, I do the standard 18″ cheese and expect to bring leftovers home. And it’s an excellent pie with a great crust that snaps a bit. Unlike Neapolitan pies, they bake them pretty crisp here at Di Fara Pizza Tavern which I know some people prefer. The cheese is thick but leaves room for the mellow tomatoes to shine, I’m guessing they use a cheese blend here. And there’s plenty of basil on top for that pungent kick of green, gardeny flavor. Overall I am really pleased with my first visit and this pie. While it may be a bit different than the Brooklyn classic, it’s pretty close and really darn good. A well balanced pizza all around for texture and flavors, cooked perfectly. Service was friendly and prompt at the bar which was a nice surprise. They’ve even got a great craft beer list to wash your za down!

Cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Close-up of cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Close-up of cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Crust peek of cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Crust peek of cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

While the prices may give you pause, it’s an excellent example of a great pizza for the NC Triangle and has vaulted quickly into my Top 10 list for the area. Di Fara Pizza Tavern uses official “NYC water” for their dough and I’ll look into that claim sometime soon. And I’ll be back to try some of those specialty pies and toppings but will need some friends for that endeavor. But yeah, if you’re a pizza aficionado, make an effort to get down to Cary to try out the new Di Fara Pizza Tavern. Who knows, maybe we’ll see it on that Daily Meal 101 best pizza list sometime soon…

Chaos pizza at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Chaos pizza at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Di Fara classic pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Di Fara classic pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com
NYC water maker at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
NYC water maker at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Grandmother pie from Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Grandmother pie from Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Side patio at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Side patio at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

 

Di Fara Pizza Tavern

111 E Chatham Street

Cary, NC 27511

919.678.5300

Location on Google maps

Filed Under: Cary, Featured, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Patio, Pizza, Restaurants Near Downtown Cary

April 27, 2022 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

V Pizza in Cary – For Wood Oven Fired Neapolitan-Style Pizza

V Pizza in Cary - nctriangledining.com
V Pizza in Cary – nctriangledining.com

As a self-confessed pizzaholic, I’ve been impressed with the NC Triangle’s pizza scene of late. 10+ years ago it was hard to find decent NYC pizza but now we have a ton of choices and pizza types including V Pizza out in Cary. A smaller chain based out of Jacksonville, FL, V Pizza sits in the busy Kildaire Shoppes plaza near the Trader Joes end of the space. This location has had some challenges over the year in terms of keeping a restaurant tenant. But it looks like V Pizza is here to stay after 2 years, here’s what to expect when you visit!

Entry area at V Pizza in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Entry area at V Pizza in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Step into V Pizza and the first thing you’ll probably pick up is at the end of your nose! The warm odors of baked bread and smoky wood aromas fill your nostrils as you walk through the space. Wood-planked floors, wood siding, and exposed beams overhead follow the olfactory theme in V Pizza’s interior. It’s a big dining room with booths and 4-tops next to the open kitchen. A large U-shaped bar to the side leads out to the lovely patio overlooking the busy plaza. I’ve never sat outside on V Pizza’s patio but it seems like a nice spot with big umbrellas and light strings overhead.

Bar area at V Pizza in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Bar area at V Pizza in Cary – nctriangledining.com

But it’s all about the food, amirite? As you can guess, V Pizza is pretty focused on its Italian-American menu: Neapolitan-style pies, wings, calzones, stromboli, salads, sandwiches and soon to come, pastas! First up are V Pizza’s wings which has won awards down in Florida and I’d have to agree that they are excellent wings! Plump and charred after a spin in the wood-fired ovens, the Signature V Pizza wings (olive oil, lemon, rosemary, garlic, pepper) have a hit of sweet and spicy, along with being served up with some caramelized onions. Finger-licking good from my experience and some of the best in the area, for sure.

Signature wood-fired wings at V Pizza in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Signature wood-fired wings at V Pizza in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Over the course of several visits, I’ve had a chance to sample several pizzas that I would describe as Neapolitan-style, for sure. While V Pizza uses the typical, quality ingredients required for a true Neapolitan, it spins off a bit with different cheeses, toppings, and sauces for variety. While the more traditional flavor options are quite good, I recommend their specialty white clam and garlic pizza which is a nod to the classic Pepe’s pizza in New Haven, CT. This pie is made of fresh baby clams, on a white pizza base with garlic, oregano, parsley, and Romano cheese. It’s a delicious slice and unusual to find in this area. V Pizza does an above-average crust which is key to all of their pies.

White garlic and clam pizza at V Pizza in Cary - nctriangledining.com
White garlic and clam pizza at V Pizza in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Meat pizza at V Pizza in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Meat pizza at V Pizza in Cary – nctriangledining.com

I’m looking forward to trying more off the V Pizza menu over time but it will take some more visits. But based on what I’ve tried, I’m guessing there is more deliciousness to be found here. Service at V Pizza is pretty solid and efficient, it has a NY feel to things so don’t expect Southern hospitality, just good food! And that type of service fits perfectly in this Cary neighborhood. So a thumbs-up to V Pizza. While it doesn’t serve up a traditional Neapolitan pie, what comes out of its oven is quite good along with those wonderful chicken wings. Don’t sleep on this tasty pizza joint at Kildaire Shoppes in Cary!

Bar area at V Pizza in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Bar area at V Pizza in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Outdoor patio at V Pizza in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Outdoor patio at V Pizza in Cary – nctriangledining.com

 

V Pizza

1389 Kildaire Farm Road

Cary, NC 27511

919.650.1821

Location on Google maps

Filed Under: Cary, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Neapolitan Pizza

July 22, 2017 by Ron Wen

Maxing Out Your Movies: An Overview of the Best Movie Theaters & Cinemas in the Triangle

Wish my pictures were sharper but pretty much all movie theaters are dark!

In the battle for your movie dollar, the Triangle has been popping! Higher end theaters with stadium seating and upgraded food menus are upping the ante for movie-watching in the Triangle. And who can blame them given the great home theater set-ups many of us have at home? Without making the cinema experience stellar, we would never leave our family rooms, amiright? But in the summer heat, there’s often nothing better than catching the latest flick in a deluxe movie theater with all the bells and whistles. I’ve been able to try most of the super cinemas in the area, here’s my take on what you get for your movie-watching dollar at each one!

Front of IMAX Theatre at Marbles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Front of IMAX Theatre at Marbles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

First up is the classic IMAX Theatre at Marbles in Raleigh! For a while, IMAX was the only real luxe movie-watching experience in the Triangle. From the enormous screen (70′ by 52′) to the seat-shaking Dolby sound system pumping out 24,000 watts of sonic thunder, the IMAX still rocks it out for the right movies. If you’ve got a great 3-D movie with top notch cinematography and sound, IMAX will blow you away. I’ve seen Inception, Gravity and Avatar at the IMAX and it truly feels as if you’re IN the movie. The stadium seating gives you an unfettered view of all the action, the only bad seats are the 3 or 4 rows up front. The seats, while comfortable, are your more typical seats with drop-down arm-rests and cup-holders.

Seating for IMAX Theatre at Marbles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Seating for IMAX Theatre at Marbles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Stellar screen and sound system for IMAX Theatre at Marbles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Stellar screen and sound system for IMAX Theatre at Marbles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Tickets for IMAX are $11 (2-D) and up which isn’t bad at all given the screen size. Concessions are reasonably priced ($3 to $7) but very basic and limited in selection (candy, popcorn, soft drinks, wine-beer). Note that you also can NOT choose your seat at IMAX Raleigh which means you’ll have to queue up early to ensure great seats for the hottest movies. What you’ll give up here at IMAX Raleigh is the comfy leather recliners and expanded food-drink menu. But still, even with all the less modern movie theater operations here at IMAX, it delivers a stellar movie-watching experience for the right movies. Choose wisely and you’ll be blown away by whats on-screen at IMAX Theatre at Marbles.

Front of Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Front of Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh – nctriangledining.com
Bright lobby at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Bright lobby at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

The newest entry in the super movie theater list is the Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh which just opened in April of 2018. Located in E. Raleigh, downtown Oak City residents finally now have an option for a movie with reserved seating! Inside Alamo Drafthouse it feels like a devotional to the cinematic and movie experience. You’ll find a bar up front and the Video Vortex (video rental store) decked out in pink neon.  The Video Vortex rents out movies for free that range across the classic genres and is built for movie buffs. Behind the Alamo Drafthouse bar is a slew of beer taps for you beer lovers, over 30 taps! Food is served inside the theater and throughout the movie with an assortment of apps, salads, pizzas, burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches from $7 to $15. The menu is squarely in the middle in terms of assortment, below Cinebistro and above the Raleigh Grande.

Chicken meatballs with garlic bread at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Chicken meatballs with garlic bread at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Inside the Alamo Drafthouse theater you’ll find soft, plush leather recliners with motorized foot-rests. The seats are individual seats without movable arm-rests and while the rows are not stadium-style, there’s plenty of rise between the rows. Each recliner has a fixed table with lighting underneath. You’ll need the light to fill out your menu requests which will be handled by the wait-staff. I tried out a tasty cast-iron skillet of chicken meatballs with garlic bread which were perfect for a late night snack.

Theater seating at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Theater seating at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

The screen for my movie was excellent with a decent sound-system, I’ll have to get back for a more challenging movie to see what they can really do. Also note that Alamo Drafthouse has a strict, no texting, no talking during the movie policy and will toss you out after a warning if people complain. You have been warned, movie-talkers! Overall I was pretty impressed with Alamo Drafthouse, it reminds me of a more casual Cinebistro with decent eats and screens along with lower prices ($8 to $11.50 for 2-D tickets).

Lobby at Cinebistro Wavery Place in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Lobby at CMX Cinebistro Wavery Place in Cary – NC Triangle Dining
Lobster roll at Cinebistro Wavery Place in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Lobster roll at CMX Cinebistro Wavery Place in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Next up on my super cinema list is Cinebistro at Waverly Place in Cary! Cinebistro was the first of the newer luxe movie theaters in the area, bringing together food, drink and the show all in one venue. And it’s still one of the best! With a full bar and lobby at the entrance, you know you’re in for a special experience. Billed as dinner and a movie, you show up early for your movie, order and are served in the theater for your meal. And the food here at Cinebistro is quite good, my faves include the cheesesteak sandwich and lobster sliders. Once the movie starts, you’ll have to self-serve your dishes and any additional drinks-eats at Cinebistro.

Seating at Cinebistro Wavery Place in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Seating at CMX Cinebistro Wavery Place in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Seating at Cinebistro is luxurious, leather recliner seating with motorized foot-rests that allow you to kick back to enjoy the movie! While Cinebistro does not have stadium style seating, you do recline back to get a good view of the excellent raised screens. Cinebistro tickets can be purchased online through Fandango and range from $13.50 to $16. Note that after 6pm, Cinebistro is 21 and over. But I can tell you for sure that Cinebistro hits the trifecta of great food, great screens and great seating. The only major drawback is the price, you can easily drop $50 here on popcorn and food, ouch. For more details, check out my full review of Cinebistro in Cary.

The Raleigh Grande Theater – NC Triangle Dining
The Raleigh Grande Theater - NC Triangle Dining
The Raleigh Grande Theater – NC Triangle Dining

Heading up a bit further north is the Raleigh Grande! For years, the Raleigh Grande was a traditional movie theater but a renovation in 2016 brought stadium type seating and an expanded food menu. Inside, not only does the Raleigh Grande have tiered stadium style seating but also the same motorized recliners found at Cinebistro. What is nice is that the Raleigh Grande provides a more private viewing experience with walls behind each row of seats, creating some real separation.

Seating at the Raleigh Grande Theater - NC Triangle Dining
Seating at the Raleigh Grande Theater – NC Triangle Dining

For food you have your standard popcorn and soft drinks but the expanded theater menu includes sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken tenders, pizza and more! If you’re ordering hot food, they’ll give you a buzzer to bring to the theater and once it goes off, meet your server in the hallway outside your theater to get your food! The Raleigh Grande also has decent draft beer and wines available here for your movie. I’ve tried out just a handful of items off their menu but I can tell you that they do a solid chicken tenders plate for $7 along with some truffle fries for $4.

Chicken tenders at the Raleigh Grande Theater - NC Triangle Dining
Chicken tenders at the Raleigh Grande Theater – NC Triangle Dining

And tickets at the Raleigh Grande have stayed an affordable $9.50 so you won’t break the bank here on either tickets or food. I’ve managed to catch a couple of movies here and if your focus is more on the movie than the food, you can’t go wrong at the Raleigh Grande. While the food is more garden variety, higher end movie-theater fare, the screens and movie-watching experience more than make up for that slight miss. Plus you’ve got the Lynnwood Brewing Concern right across the street if you’re hungry!

 

Paragon Theaters Parkside in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Paragon Theaters Parkside in Cary – nctriangledining.com
Bowling alley at Paragon Theaters Parkside in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Bowling alley at Paragon Theaters Parkside in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Now (Paragon Theaters Parkside – Extreme as of December 2021) let’s head back down to Cary and the new Paragon Theaters Parkside! This bowling alley and cinema presents another spin on the deluxe movie theatre experience. Up front and to the right you’ll find the bowling alley lit up in neon. Above the bowling alley area is an arcade with some fun games like Pop-a-Shot, skee-ball and more. And to the left, you’ve got your luxe movie theaters!

Stadium seating at Paragon Theaters Parkside in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Stadium seating at Paragon Theaters Parkside in Cary – nctriangledining.com

The food menu here is upgraded theater food but it’s not bad at all! I ordered up a ridiculous plate of tater tots which was a ginormous, heaping mound of crisp tots covered with two types of cheese sauce, bacon, and scallions, delicious! But I could have fed a family of four off these tots. The rest of the menu runs the gamut of wings, tacos, sandwiches, burgers and entrees, plenty good but more casual than Cinebistro. With ticket prices in the $12 to $15 range, Frank Theatres CineBowl & Grille is an excellent option if you’re looking for food AND a movie.

Front of Silverspot Cinema in Chapel Hill - NC Triangle Dining
Front of Silverspot Cinema in Chapel Hill – NC Triangle Dining

And finally, our last super theater: Silverspot Cinema in Chapel Hill. Located off of S. Estes Drive on the west side of University Place, Silverspot mixes things up a bit compared to the previous four super cinemas! Silverspot offers the upscale Trilogy Restaurant at the front of the cinema for a pre-show dinner or take-out box for in-theater dining. If that doesn’t float your boat, you can grab some eats at the more standard concessions area. I’ve done a media dinner at Trilogy Restaurant and it is certainly the highest-end food available if you dine in. Check out my full review here!

Concessions at Silverspot Cinema in Chapel Hill - NC Triangle Dining
Concessions at Silverspot Cinema in Chapel Hill – NC Triangle Dining

Silverspot is pretty modern and offers ticket kiosks on a wall to grab your seat if you don’t order your ticket online.  Once you get your eats, move on into the movie theater section where you’ll find yourself in a luxe seating area but different from the other options on this list. Silverspot offers plush leather seating in a stadium (tiered) setting BUT the seats are not motorized and don’t offer foot-rests. The front row does have leather ottomans available to kick up your feet but you won’t be able to do that for the back rows.

Seating at Silverspot Cinema in Chapel Hill - NC Triangle Dining
Seating at Silverspot Cinema in Chapel Hill – NC Triangle Dining

So there you go! A quick trip and overview through most of the top movie theaters in the area. What’s really interesting is that they all offer slightly different food, seating options and movie watching experiences. So choose wisely based upon your needs, location and interests. Some days I’m in more of a dining mood and want the food. Other times it’s all about the movie watching experience. But I’m pretty certain that one of these deluxe, blinged out movie theatres will suit you fine!

IMAX Theatre at Marbles

201 E Hargett Street

Raleigh, NC 27601

 

Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh

2116-D, New Bern Avenue

Raleigh, NC 27610

 

Raleigh Grande

4840 Grove Barton Road

Raleigh, NC 27613

Paragon Theaters Parkside – Extreme

Parkside Town Commons

1140 Parkside Main Street

Cary, NC 27519

 

CMX Cinebistro, Waverly Place

525 New Waverly Place 

Cary, NC 27518

 

Silverspot Cinema

201 S Estes Dr #100

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Filed Under: Activities, Cary, Chapel Hill, Overviews, Raleigh

August 30, 2017 by Ron Wen

First Take: BottleDog Bites & Brews Delivers Great Beer, Pizza and Poutine

Front of Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Front of Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Along with beer and brewery boom here in North Carolina, one other type of storefront has proliferated: the bottle shop!  A place where you can sample some craft brews or grab a specialty 4-pack to enjoy at home. And usually they have one thing in common, no food! But they usually give you the option of BYOF or ordering food from a nearby restaurant or delivery service. Recently I ran across BottleDog Bites and Brews in Cary online and the reviews mentioned the food quite often. Could it be true? Might there be a bottle shop in the area that’s now offering great food on top of their beers? Well it was time to find out!

Patio at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Patio at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

We head on over to the address looking hard for BottleDog Bites & Brews and the GPS is only somewhat helpful getting us to Chapel Hill Road. We find ourselves in a small plaza with Woody’s Sports Tavern and not much else, we start scratching our heads. But we’re not ready to give up and head to the right-hand side of the plaza and find BottleDog’s storefront. Located in the old Maximillians Pizza Kitchen, there’s a nice covered patio up front that looks dog-friendly!

Dining area at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Dining area at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Heading on inside to BottleDog, we find a large beer bar on the right hand side and a retail beer section and dining area to the left. BottleDog is airy and open, there’s plenty of space to stretch out in here, it definitely feels different than most other bottle shops I’ve been to in the Triangle! It neatly fills the space between bottle shop and restaurant, similar to State of Beer in Raleigh. But there are some more pleasant surprises to come!

At the bar, BottleDog has 10 or 12 beers on tap, I go with the Bond Bros American IPA, Obfuscate! It has a super floral palate but also a nice clean afterbite with just a touch of hops, dee-licious! My beer loving buddy gives BottleDog’s beer selection a big thumbs up on its quality. Peering through the food menu, we find some really cool options for lunch. Poutine?! A beaver tail? Or how about some smoked meats? So in addition to the usual hot dogs and flatbreads, BottleDog seems to be going a bit Canadian with the menu which is fine by me, I love Canada! We put our food orders in and just sit back and enjoy our beers. It’s pretty quiet given a holiday weekend but slowly people start trickling in with kids and dogs in tow.

Nashville hot chicken at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Nashville hot chicken at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary – NC Triangle Dining
Poutine with smoked meat at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Poutine with smoked meat at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary – NC Triangle Dining
Poutine at Bottledog Bites and Brews in Cary - nctriangledining.com
Poutine at Bottledog Bites and Brews in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Soon enough, our food starts coming out starting with my friend’s Nashville hot chicken tenders. Served up on some white bread and thick pickles, it looks fantastic and spicy! I hold back on a taste since I need to save room for my meal. My Quebecois poutine comes out next and it starts with their basic poutine (fries, brown gravy and cheese curds) but adds in some smoked meat and pickles, yum-may! I haven’t eaten much poutine in my life but this dish is G-O-O-D! The warm potato is soaked in the gravy and the cheese is just decadence on top. Add in the peppery smoked meats and you’ve got yourself a mouthful! I’m already looking forward to trying some of the other poutines, stat.

Sweet Caroline flatbread at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Sweet Caroline flatbread at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

The Sweet Caroline flatbread also hits the spot with a perfectly done thin-crust topped with mozzarella, onions and grilled chicken. House-made barbeques sauce is drizzled on top making for a delicious barbeque chicken pizza (I know, they call it flatbread here, but…) While the crust at BottleDog isn’t a perfect Neapolitan style, it’s similar but with a crisper bottom to hold all the toppings. An excellent pie and plenty to eat for one person, you can certainly share for two lighter appetites.

Bottle selection at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Bottle selection at Bottledog Bites & Brews in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Service at BottleDog was solid and pretty casual which is fine for a place like this and prices this low. All you really need to know is that the food at BottleDog is really good! I’m not often surprised by restaurants but BottleDog did it for me in a very pleasant way. I get the strange idea that there may be some leftover culinary talent from the old Maximillian’s Grill here at BottleDog which would explain the great, bar eats here. So rock on BottleDog Bites & Brews. Your name is a mouthful but then again, so is your delicious food. I’ll be back again, soon…

 

Bottle Dog Bites & Brews

8306 Chapel Hill Road

Cary, NC 27513

919.694.5377

Location on Google maps

Filed Under: Cary, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Beer - Brewery, Chicken Wings, Dog-Friendly Restaurants, Patio, Poutine

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