INDY Week 7.14.21 by Indy Week

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

Raleigh W Durham W Chapel Hill VOL. 38 NO. 26

The Chapel Hill Public Library reopens, p. 54 PHOTO BY BRETT VILLENA

CONTENTS NEWS 5

The Triangle Bikeway could change the future of commuting in the region, but it faces challenges with funding and equity. BY ELLIE HEFFERNAN Residents of Cary's Mobile Estates are still fighting for titles to trailers they've long since paid off. BY CARYL ESPINOZA JAEN UNC-Chapel Hill's Black Student Movement and Black Caucus demands safety and equity on campus. BY THOMASI MCDONALD AND SARAH PEQUEÑO

7 9

BEST OF THE TRIANGLE 10 11 26 32 38 44 49

Intro Eat & Drink Out & About Shop Services Health & Body Local Color

WE M A DE THIS PUBLISHER Susan Harper E D I TO RI A L

ARTS & CULTURE 53 Trippers and Askers' latest release takes its cues from an Octavia E. Butler parable. BY DAN RUCCIA 54 The Chapel Hill Public Library reopens its doors. BY FRED WASSER 56 At the virtual National Women's Theatre, two Broadway stars take on the industry's inequities in a keynote address. BY BYRON WOODS

Editor in Chief Jane Porter Managing Editor Geoff West Arts & Culture Editor Sarah Edwards Senior Writer Leigh Tauss Staff Writer Thomasi McDonald Digital Content Manager Sara Pequeño Copy Editor Abigail O'Neill

THE REGULARS

Theater+Dance Critic Byron Woods

4 Quickbait

COVER DESIGN BY ANNIE MAYNARD

Contributors Madeline Crone, Jameela F. Dallis, Grant Golden, Spencer Griffith, Lucas Hubbard, Layla Khoury-Hanold, Brian Howe,

Lewis Kendall, Kyesha Jennings, Glenn McDonald, Anna Mudd, Dan Ruccia, Jake Sheridan Interns Caryl Espinoza Jaen, Ellie Heffernan, Rebecca Schneid

C R E AT I V E Creative Director

Annie Maynard Graphic Designer

Jon Fuller Staff Photographer

Brett Villena

INDY Week | indyweek.com P.O. Box 1772 • Durham, N.C. 27702 Durham: 320 East Chapel Hill Street, #200 Durham, N.C. 27701 | 919-286-1972 Raleigh: 16 W Martin St, Raleigh, N.C. 27601

E M A I L A D D R E SS E S first initial[no space]last name@indyweek.com

A D V E R T I S I N G SA L E S advertising@indyweek.com Raleigh 919-832-8774 Durham 919-286-1972 Classifieds 919-286-6642

ADVERTISING Director of Sales John Hurld Raleigh Sales Manager MaryAnn Kearns

C I R C U L AT I O N Berry Media Group

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

“Height is irrelevant. We need specified affordable housing, public transit, and minimum public parking requirements,” writes Facebook commenter MELODY MAYBE. “Otherwise these tall buildings will be empty tax write offs for the developers. Gross!” “Adding units alone will not slow housing cost increase,” writes commenter EMILY GALVIN. “We’re filling this city with luxury apartments and high rises when what we need is workforce housing, affordable to working class people including those making minimum wage. Mary Ann Baldwin and this city council are not just oblivious to what this city actually needs--they don’t care.” Commenter JEFFREY DAVID ZACKOSMITH sees some good about all the new development but also has some reservations: “I think higher urban density is overall a good thing ... especially *IF* there are good public transit and walkable resources (like grocery stores) available, and *IF* at least 40-50% of the housing created is affordable,” Jeffrey writes. “That said, this is like a gentrification replay of so many cities that end up being too expensive, less diverse and more generic (Seattle, Austin, Nashville, Portland). At least Seattle has great public transportation and I could walk to get everything I need. Doubt that will be true here.” “Raleigh wants to be Charlotte so bad,” writes BRANDY HOLLINGSWORTH, with two laughcry emojis. We also wrote for the web last week about award-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones’s decision to pass on a tenured position at UNC-Chapel Hill. “She’s completely correct. It is NOT her job to heal UNC-CH, but what a loss for North Carolinians,” writes Facebook commenter CAROL LAWRENCE. “Well she just delivered a master class. Her work is done here,” writes SYLVIA PFEIFFENBERGER. “I would have made the same choice in her shoes. Our loss is Howard’s gain,” writes Christy Marshuetz Ferguson.

WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME IN BOLD?

indyweek.com @INDYWeekNC 4

July 14, 2021

backtalk@indyweek.com @indyweek

INDYweek.com

Q UICKBA I T

BACK TA L K

Last week, Leigh Tauss wrote about all the new high-rise buildings in the pipeline for downtown Raleigh that will surely change the skyline. Our readers had a lot of thoughts about gentrification, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, and Raleigh turning into Charlotte.

Cost Benefits

BY ELLIE HEFFERNAN backtalk@indyweek.com

ven if the Triangle Bikeway lives to see its day in the sun, biking to work may seem like an inconvenient, expensive pipe dream. The INDY crunched some numbers to help you determine whether that’s truly the case. We based our calculations on gas mileage data for a 2021 Honda Civic, North Carolina’s average gas prices, and the average miles travelled by Americans in a year. Assume that a fully charged e-bike battery will last between 20 to 80 miles, depending on whether you increase your mileage by turning off electric assist when you bike downhill or on flat surfaces.

AVERAGE COST OF BRAND-NEW VEHICLE

$40,000

$2,750

AVERAGE PRICE OF RIDING 20 TO 80 MILES

$0.07

$1.43 to $5.73

SERVICING AND COMPONENTS (ANNUALLY)

$300

$1,050 BATTERY

(annually, years 1-3)

$200

$20

(annually, years 4-10)

(2 batteries in 10 years)

INSURANCE (ANNUALLY)

$1,000

ANNUAL FUEL COSTS

$11.79–$47.17

$964.38

COST OF PURCHASE AND 10 YEARS (rounded to nearest dollar)

$7,268–$7,622

$70,164

Sources: eBikesHQ.com, GOTRAX, MarketWatch, Cynergy E-Bikes, Move.org, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, BicycleVolt, WXII12, ABC11.

N E WS

North Carolina PHOTO VIA UNSPLASH

the pandemic. “I felt so much better when I got to work than I would’ve if I had been sitting in a car and dealing with the stress of traffic. It’s very invigorating and it’s a good way to incorporate exercise.” Since standard electric bikes reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour, you could ride the entire Bikeway in around 50 minutes. The majority of commuters won’t have to ride the full 17 miles to reach their destination, meaning an e-bike may get you to work faster than driving in rush-hour traffic. And biking is significantly cheaper than driving, even if you have to buy an electric bike (see Quickbait, p. 4). For now, many details about the Bikeway remain unspecified. A recommended route has been proposed based on an initial survey, conducted last fall, that solicited more than 2,000 responses about desired destinations, commuting patterns, estimated frequency of use, and route preferences. The study team is taking responses for a second survey until July 16, asking questions about frequency of use, reasons for travel, preferred access points, and where users would like to walk, as opposed to bike, along the pathway. There is currently no official projected user count, price tag, or established source of funding, says Iona Thomas, the Bikeway’s project manager from McAdams, a Durhambased civil engineering company providing consulting services for the project. Over two-thirds of the initial survey’s respondents said they would use the Bikeway at least once weekly.

Changing Gears

Looking forward

The Triangle Bikeway could help us reimagine how we commute, but its future is uncertain and equity is a primary concern. BY ELLIE HEFFERNAN backtalk@indyweek.com

f you’ve ever biked to work, you’re probably familiar with long commute times, fighting for your life amid speeding cars, and showing up to the office drenched in sweat. The proposed Triangle Bikeway would improve commuting by bike, making it a cheap, viable, sustainable, and downright enjoyable transit option. It’s unclear now, though, if the project will come to fruition or meet an untimely death, as did the canceled Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project. If the Bikeway is built, who will reap its benefits? That will likely depend on federal funding and the degree to which planners successfully address equity concerns. Last month, the Triangle Bikeway team shared a project update and recommended route for the 17-mile walking and biking path that would connect Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Research Triangle Park, Durham, and Chapel Hill. The

Bikeway will also run through regional parks, pass by The Streets at Southpoint, and come close to Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Although the Triangle has good biking infrastructure, including buses with bike racks and greenways like the American Tobacco Trail, there are gaps in coverage. Most buses can hold only two bikes at a time, and existing bike paths are not always well connected to each other or key destinations. These problems would be remedied by the Bikeway, says John Rees, president of the Bicycle Alliance of Chapel Hill and a member of the Triangle Bikeway Study working group. “It would allow you to make trips through the Triangle that currently are not possible,” says Rees, who commuted from Chapel Hill to his job in RTP by bus and bike before

Building the Bikeway will help achieve the Triangle’s urban planning goals, like those established by local metropolitan planning organizations. The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro and NC Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organizations are working together to create their 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), which will impact all transportation projects in the Triangle, including the Bikeway, for the next 30 years. DCHC and CAMPO released a bilingual online survey during the summer of 2020 to understand support for goals and objectives that would guide development of the MTP. Feedback from approximately 1,200 respondents influenced the plan’s official Goals and Objectives, approved in September. Close to two-thirds of respondents ranked walking and biking and increasing transit services among their top five policies to prioritize. The MPO aligned its objectives with the survey responses by making one of its main goals to ensure that everyone has access to a diverse set of affordable transit modes, including bicycling and walking. But the survey didn’t reach a representative portion of the Triangle’s population. People of color account for almost half of those living in the survey area, but they comprised just under 15 percent of respondents. When INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

“I felt so much better when I got to work than I would’ve if I had been sitting in a car and dealing with the stress of traffic.” results came in from the initial Bikeway survey, once again, only around 15 percent of respondents were people of color. Officials involved with the Bikeway say they are aware of this problem and hope to remedy it during subsequent public feedback periods. There’s also still time to diversify public feedback on the 2050 MTP, since the MPOs are asking for responses regarding the project’s Deficiency and Needs Analysis.

Addressing equity Rees says he’s concerned that bike share programs will not be accessible to everyone. “A lot of times we get all excited about technology, and people can use their phones and their watches or something like that to hop on a bike-share,” he says. “And obviously, not everyone has the money to have a modern smartphone or smartwatch.” Rees also worries that routes connecting people to the main Bikeway path will get axed as the project proceeds. It’s common for these “connectors” to hit snags due to unexpected circumstances that raise costs or previously planned development that delays or kills construction. If communities are heavily involved in the public feedback process, they can advocate against losing a connector. Pushing back becomes more difficult when you are unable to raise your concerns by accessing feedback surveys—if you lack Wi-Fi, a computer or smartphone, or transportation to public spaces that offer free internet access. The online survey was specifically designed to reach out to people who might not traditionally participate in a study like this, says Dale McKeel, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the City of Durham and the Bikeway’s DCHC project manager. The study team’s inclusion of demographic questions in its survey attempts to address equity by seeing whose voices have not been heard, McKeel says. Considering how the Bikeway will intersect with existing public transportation systems also balances equity questions. While the study team doesn’t have ideas of ways to provide bikes for those who lack their own, McKeel mentions that some cities along the route have their own bike-share 6

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

programs that people may be allowed to use on the Bikeway. There are also organizations like the Durham Bike Co-op that allow people to obtain bikes cheaply or for free after volunteering a certain number of hours.

Funding The N.C. Department of Transportation allocates just a tenth of a percent of its almost $5 billion budget to cycling. N.C. DOT also can’t use state funds to support independent bicycle and pedestrian improvements if they aren’t lumped in with other projects. But federal programs could help cut the state’s red tape. About 200 environmental and transportation organizations are pressing President Joe Biden to use $10 billion from the proposed American Jobs Plan for a “Greenway Stimulus.” The program would complete hundreds of proposed greenways, or walking and biking trails. The proposed National and Regional Greenways Act, introduced in the U.S. House, would create a grant program within the U.S. Department of Transportation specifically for greenways projects. The Connecting America’s Active Transportation System Act (CAATS), introduced in the U.S. Senate, would create a $500 million annual fund for grants to connect pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. Community Project Requests have also been used to fund greenways. The Bikeway could also use a private-public partnership, McKeel says, or apply for a RAISE grant, worth up to $25 million—though the grants are highly competitive. If the project is able to secure a large chunk of funding, some money could be used to address other gaps in the Triangle’s transit system, says McKeel. But his hands are tied at a certain point. “This is a project that has gotten a lot of attention, but we recognize there are a lot of needs in existing communities and other parts of Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro,” McKeel says. “Funding for this project will also be considered in relation to the other needs that exist. Ultimately, elected officials make those decisions about funding priorities.” W

N E WS

Cary

Ongoing Struggle Latinx residents of Cary’s Mobile Estates continue to protest for missing titles and other issues at the trailer park. BY CARYL ESPINOZA JAEN backtalk@indyweek.com

or more than 10 years, Damares Colin de Paz has not received the title to the mobile home she owns in Cary’s Mobile Estates trailer park, nicknamed Las Americas. She’s one of dozens of Latinx residents of the park who organized and approached the North Carolina attorney general’s office to request an investigation into the missing titles and accounting issues with Mobile Estates’ management. Since an April report published in the INDY, a total of 30 residents, up from 20 since last October, have now received their titles according to Sandra Bueno, an organizer with One Wake and the N.C. Congress of Latino Organizations. But progress has been slow, Bueno says, and at least 47 families are still awaiting titles. A state Department of Justice investigation is ongoing, and residents say they continue to be bombarded with a barrage of fines and eviction notices from Mobile Estates. Colin de Paz, a longtime resident, told the INDY that, even though Mobile Estates has refused to relinquish her title, she’s still had to pay for repairs to her home. Her yard, she says, has had flooding issues that have not been addressed for many years. She cannot cut her grass, she says, or else flooding gets worse, and because of that, she has received multiple fines. She is allowed to park her car only on a small patch of gravel by the road, where it has been damaged three times. Colin de Paz has received more than 20 eviction threats and letters from Mobile Estates, and many other letters charging her increasing amounts for trash, water, and pet fees. Her rent, which initially started at $345, was recently increased to $360 a month. Now, she refuses to pay Mobile Estates owner, Bern Bullard, until she receives her title. “He has the right to charge whatever he wants, and OK, I really could pay him all this money as long as he also supports me and fixes everything I have problems with,” Colin de Paz says. “I told him I wasn’t going to pay him until I get my title.” The eviction notices have taken a toll on the community, Colin de Paz says. Her former neighbor died by suicide earlier this year, she says, because his family was unable

Damares Colin de Paz at her home

PHOTO BY BRETT VILLENA

to keep up with payments. His mobile home stands vacant next to Colin de Paz’s home. “Coming to my neighbor’s house makes me want to cry,” Colin de Paz says. G. Hernandez, a construction worker and resident at Las Americas, said he has also faced multiple issues with Mobile Estates regarding his property. After letting a pregnant neighbor borrow one of his parking spots, Hernandez says Mobile Estates has not returned his parking spot to him. He is now allowed to park his Ford Ranger by a patch of grass in the corner of his property, where he says the vehicle juts out into the street and has been hit twice by a car. “What would you do if someone took away your parking spot?” Hernandez said. “Of course you’d go up to complain about it.” Parking has not been the only issue for Hernandez. He and many of the other residents say Mobile Estates has also incorrectly charged him in pet and trash fees. The managing company has tried to take away his construction tools in the past, he says. Last Friday, he met with the general manager at Las Americas to finally discuss his land problems. “It’s like being a mechanic,” Hernandez said. “Without his tools, he can’t work and make a living, so that’s why I’m going up to talk to these folk.” Carlos Carmonia Tagle, another resident at Las Americas, has also had similar problems. Recently, Carmonia Tagle went to court after receiving an eviction notice, despite his making monthly rent payments on time. In a letter to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission, Carmonia Tagle said he was also being charged late fees and other unclear

charges, and that connecting with Mobile Estates’ management was nearly impossible. Hernandez says it took months before he could speak to the management about his parking problems, and Colin de Paz said the front office at Mobile Estates also is uncommunicative. “Over the years, the accountant has ignored telephone calls, emails, and requests to speak regarding our accounts to this day,” Carmonia Tagle said in his letter to the N.C. Real Estate Commission. “Now that I am asking for a contract on my rental terms, I anticipate I may be charged for new fees they’ve added and cannot prove. I am not the only one with these complaints.” Matt Waters, an attorney for the company, said in an email to the INDY that Mobile Estates, “through its legal counsel, has been working with the North Carolina Department of Justice to rectify certain issues raised by certain residents...” The process of repairing mobile home titles is complicated, Waters continued, and was compounded by the pandemic slowing work at the N.C. DMV. He says Mobile Estates denies allegations against it from earlier news reports and that Mobile Estates “has repaired titles and made significant progress, even despite the pandemic.” But Bueno and the residents say Bullard and his team know how to target residents through various means, from eviction notices, to arbitrarily raising rent and assigning random fees, to shutting off residents’ water. Still, they remain steadfast in their organizing efforts. “He has so many trailers already and he still wants to take away ours,” Colin de Paz says. “He’s gonna have a hard time with mine. I could end up homeless but I’m going to hit him where it hurts.” W INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

N E WS

Chapel Hill

Race Reckoning UNC-Chapel Hill’s Black Student Movement and Black Caucus demand safety and equity. BY SARA PEQUEÑO & THOMASI MCDONALD

spequeno@indyweek.com | tmcdonald@indyweek.com

NC-Chapel Hill’s Black Student Movement has delivered multiple lists of demands to the university’s administration over its 50-plus years on campus. The first was in 1968, when they demanded the creation of the African, African American, and Diaspora Studies Department; more Black people in the administration; and better working conditions for staff. The most recent was a few weeks ago, when the 54th iteration of the group presented 13 demands to Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz’s administration, alongside the four demands they shared at a demonstration in support of Nikole Hannah-Jones. Although Hannah-Jones declined the position at UNC’s School of Journalism and Media and took her talents to historically Black Howard University, the Black Student Movement (BSM) and other Black community groups aren’t letting the administration sidestep the systemic racism that plagues the state’s flagship university. Instead, BSM, the Carolina Black Caucus, and the UNC Black Graduate and Professional Student Association consolidated their groups’ demands for the university. In the end, they settled on nine action items that BSM president Taliajah Vann says she believes the school could accomplish within six months. “Understand in the next few weeks and months, we are holding the university’s feet to the fire,” Vann said at a July 7 press conference. “We want to see action taken on these demands. These are actionable items.” The shortlist focuses on safety and equity; the former has been especially pressing in recent weeks following the way that UNC Campus Police responded to protesters at the emergency Board of Trustees meeting to vote on Hannah-Jones’s tenure. The

groups are calling for the termination of officer Rasheem Holland, who was recently promoted to interim police chief after former chief David Perry resigned. The appointment was announced on July 6, one week after Holland was involved in a skirmish with students at the trustees meeting. Annabelle Friedman, a UNC-CH senior not involved with the Black Student Movement, was in attendance that day. Friedman says it was nearing three p.m. when about 75 Black students, journalism professors, and others were allowed into the meeting. She notes that all of the more than a dozen officers lining the hall to the meeting room were white, except for Holland and a Hispanic cop with the surname Gonzalez. Once the meeting started, the trustees voted to close the meeting without explanation, and the demonstrators were told to leave. She said most of the onlookers left quickly, but four Black students—two men and two women—stayed inside holding protest signs. “The police ignored me,” Friedman, who is white, told the INDY. “There were two other white women inside who were ignored as well.” Friedman says once the police hustled the students out into the hallway, “the pushing became more aggressive.” The five or six officers involved also started shoving the students, she added. She described Holland as “the most aggressive officer” and said he seemed upset that a Black female student told him “he was a puppet for the master.” On videos posted to Twitter, you can see a hand holding a cell phone strike one of the students in the face, knocking off her mask. Friedman confirms that it was Hol-

South Building at UNC-Chapel Hill

PHOTO BY JADE WILSON

land, although she isn’t sure if it was before or after the puppetry comment. “He hit her on her left cheek bone with his left hand,” Friedman said. “You can see it on the video, and [he] wasn’t in a defensive position.” On July 6, BSM released a statement that “unequivocally condemns” Holland’s promotion to interim police chief, saying it creates “a clear and present threat to the safety of Black students.” The next day, Guskiewicz announced that an “external investigation” would be conducted into the department’s behavior and that his team would be assembling “a Campus Climate Plan to address the concerns shared by students, faculty and staff.” It hearkened back to the 2019 external review of how UNCPD interacted with activists protesting Silent Sam’s existence on campus. The external review, conducted by former FBI assistant director Chris Swecker, determined that police acted accordingly, contradicting the experiences of students, footage on social media, and body cam footage that showed officers at the Silent Sam protests praising a neo-Confederate outfit in Alamance County and using slurs when speaking about protesters. Additionally, Swecker went on a Fox News show this year to say that the January 6 insurrection had signs of being implemented by “antifa.”

“I am grateful for the continued advocacy of the Black Student Movement, the Carolina Black Caucus and the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association,” Guskiewicz said. Another focus of the group’s safety demands is the full integration of the UNC Anti-Racist Alert System, a text system created by the Carolina community, with the school’s official safety mechanism, “Alert Carolina.” The system’s necessity has been cited repeatedly, including this weekend after two members of the neo-Confederate group Alamance County Taking Back Alamance County brought Confederate flags to the campus’s Unsung Founders Memorial, where they spit and threw dirt on it. De’Ivyion Drew, UNC senior and member of the Campus Safety Commission for the last two years, mentioned at the press conference that the group has submitted more than 50 recommendations since its inception, but the university has not followed through. “The Campus Safety Commission cannot be a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” Drew says. “We will continue to struggle to bring marginalized students and others in our community into a space where each student feels valued, and included, but we cannot do it alone and we cannot succeed in this current environment.” W INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

ell, Triangle readers, it’s been a bear of a year, and we know you––like us––are sad to have seen so many of our region’s wonderful businesses not survive the tumult of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic shutdown. So, while every annual Best Of issue is a special issue, in the INDY’s 16-year history of conducting this contest, this year’s Best Of the Triangle issue feels a bit more meaningful, somehow. The restaurants, bars, and cafes, the yoga studios, gyms, and comedy clubs, the care and service providers, the nonprofits, museums, and shops that our readers voted for as their very favorites truly represent the best of what the Triangle has to offer. This last year was as tough on them as it was on anyone, but they weathered the storm and came out (if I dare say it now) on the other side. Thanks to you all, who were right there with your favorite places and people, supporting them in whatever ways you could. Congratulations to all of our Best Of winners and finalists and enjoy this sampling of winners’ blurbs from our staff writers and contributors. We’ll see you again next year, when I’m sure everything will be back to 100 percent normal again––and maybe it will be safe enough to hold a big celebration in person. ––Jane Porter

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

Contributors

Lena Geller Jane Porter Geoff West Sarah Edwards Thomasi McDonald Sara Pequeño Ellie Heffernan Rebecca Schneid Caryl Espinoza Jaen

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

B E S T SPOR T S BAR IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

Tobacco Road Sports Cafe Don’t let Tobacco Road Sports Cafe’s name fool you: By no means is this joint your quaint little coffee spot, and the owners themselves say it’s not exactly a sports bar, either. But if you’re looking to accompany your next MLB game with a delicious meal and fresh, locally brewed beer, Tobacco Road Sports Cafe is the way to go. With a commitment to quality food as well as support of local brewers, farmers, and fishermen, Tobacco Road Sports Cafe remains grounded in the local community. And with private spaces for reservation and catering options available, location is almost never a problem for those seeking to elevate their sports-watching experience — did we mention they’re doing takeout and delivery? —CEJ

content. Sign up for the email list before your birth month and you’ll get a free birthday burger as well. —CEJ Finalists: Only Burger, QueenBurger, Pure Soul

BES T C H I N ES E RES TAU RAN T IN W AK E CO U N T Y

Five Star Downtown Raleigh’s Five Star is something of an institution. Open daily from 5 p.m. to midnight, it offers a hip, modern dining atmosphere with an extensive selection of Chinese, Chinese American, Thai, and even Taiwanese meals. Similarly, Five Star’s after-hours menu brings the late night hits, including Szechuan ribs and a wide array of dumplings for hungry night owls. And, of course, there’s a nice array of cocktails, sake, beer, and wine to pair perfectly with your dinner. —CEJ

Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen PHOTO BY ANNIE MAYNARD

not smug, minimalistic but not obtuse, dual-location Jubala is still growing, with a third store in the works. Plus, what’s not to love about a coffee shop that doles out free espresso shots every Friday? —GW

Finalists: Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub, The Boot Room, Devine’s Restaurant & Sports Bar

Finalists: Taipei 101, Imperial Garden, Beansprout, Ni Asian Kitchen

B E S T V E G GIE B URGER I N D URH AM COUNT Y

BES T C O FFEE S H O P IN W AK E CO U N T Y

Finalists: Sola Cafe, Fount Coffee + Kitchen, NoRa Cafe

Jubala Coffee

BES T BARBECU E I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

Bull City Burger and Brewery A good veggie burger is hard to come by, but if you’re looking for a great, healthful alternative to spice up your diet then Bull City Burger & Brewery has you covered. The brewpub, a partner to various local farming and food organizations, gives customers the option to build their own burgers with various toppings, add-ons, and sauces. There are two pre-designed veggie burger options and you’re free to modify and add toppings to your heart’s B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

Forget the big-box chains: you’ll find more nuanced drinks for your refined coffee-going taste buds with Jubala’s espresso tonic, blackberry coffee mule, or jasmine orange blossom latte (yum). The menu offers little-plate specialties for the sweet tooth. Strawberry shortcake waffle, anyone? (There’s also avocado toast if you want to be all healthy and what-not.) And the shop’s artisan sandwiches will fill you up come lunchtime, but not so much that you crave a nap. Sleek but not pretentious, hip but

The Original Q Shack In a state where BBQ is as divisive as college basketball, Q Shack is unique in its lack of regional allegiance. The restaurant prioritizes variety over loyalty to technique, boasting a menu that includes the best of every locale: Texas-style brisket, St. Louis-style ribs, and N.C.-style chopped pork available with both vinegar- and tomato-based sauces. The local, pasture-raised meat is smoked

to perfection, then served either as a sandwich or piled high on a plate alongside a hefty portion of hushpuppies. Use the three-meat combo plate as an opportunity to sample styles from different regions—when you’re finished, you’ll realize the answer to “What’s the best brand of BBQ?” isn’t this place, or that place; the answer is simply, “Yes.” —LG Finalists: The Pit Durham, Picnic, Backyard BBQ Pit

B E S T B RE A K FA S T I N OR A N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen It’s rare to find a breakfast spot that delivers on both quality and convenience. Picking up a quick morning bite usually involves going to a fast-food chain, and getting scratch-made food before noon often means committing to a lengthy sitdown affair. Enter: Sunrise Biscuit KitchINDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

en, eliminating the need to compromise on breakfast since 1978. Sunrise occupies a tiny building on East Franklin, offering exclusively drive-through service and a menu as ordinary and unassuming as its location. But its biscuit sandwiches shine in their simplicity—flaky dough, exquisitely fried chicken, maybe an egg and cheese, if you feel like it, but nothing more—and after you try one, you might start to wonder if Sunrise has remained a drive-through not just for customers’ convenience, but also to preserve the secrets of its inner sanctum. —LG FINALISTS: Breadmen’s, Neal’s Deli, Village Diner

BEST DONUT IN THE TRIANGLE

Congratulations

Winners & Finalists!

Say “Thank You” to all of your loyal supporters in next week’s issue Contact sales@indyweek.com for details

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

Monuts There’s a reason why, on weekend mornings, you’ll want to order your donuts from Monuts early. They’re in high demand nearly every day because Monuts donuts are not just donuts; they are an experience of creative flavors and combinations coming together. Offering both yeast-risen and cake donuts, the Durham breakfast spot has so much to choose from. Even with a more limited menu throughout the pandemic, Monuts provided a variety of tasty donut options, from the classic apple cider, to the bright strawberry lavender, to the decadent vanilla and pecan brownie crumble. They’re fluffy, they’re light– everything a donut should be, and a perfect way to start your day. —RS Finalists: Duck Donuts, Krispy Kreme, Baker’s Dozen Donuts

BES T BAGEL I N T H E T R I A N G L E

Everything Bagels (Durham Food Hall) Ever since rainbow bagels broke the internet in 2016, bagelsmiths across the country have been racing to create their own viral sensations, revamping their menus with funfetti cream cheese, Dorito dry rubs, and enough food dye to kill your great-grandmother. So when I read that Everything Bagels was “avant-garde,” I assumed it was code for kitschy. Boy, was I wrong. The shop deviates from the norm in a way that’s refreshingly flavor-forward, offering creations like the

PBLT (pork belly, greens, tomato, chili oil, and kimchi cream cheese on a cacio e pepe bagel) that are funky yet thoughtful, often featuring locally sourced ingredients and available with a vegan option. If you’re looking to take a colorful Instagram photo, try the purple sweet potato bagel with strawberry matcha cream cheese—the taste will be more satisfying than all the likes you get. —LG FINALISTS: Benchwarmers Bagels, Brandwein’s Bagels, Big Dom’s Bagel Shop

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT IN ORANGE / CHATHAM COUNT Y

Carrburitos Carrburritos has held a solid grip on this category for 10 consecutive years, undoubtedly due to the aptly named mejor (“best”) burrito, the magnum opus of the California-style Mexican joint. Encased in a warm, pliable tortilla, the mejor is assertive in both size and flavor, featuring fresh, house-made fillings that are skillfully distributed in a way that retains their integrity while allowing you to get some of each in every bite. Pro tip: get a side of flour tortilla chips (they throw you a couple in the bottom of the burrito bag, but you’ll want more) and ask for ramekins of the frutas and fresca salsas (they’re free). —LG Finalists: Fiesta Grill, Monterrey Mexican Restaurant, El Restaurante Ixtapa

BEST HOT DOG IN THE TRIANGLE

Snoopy’s Hot Dogs and More Don’t come to Snoopy’s expecting to find veggie dogs or gluten-free buns. The grill’s menu hasn’t changed since the day it opened in 1978, save for the addition of chicken salad and vegetable beef soup; if you order one of Snoopy’s Famous Hot Dogs, it will be topped with mustard, onion, and chili (“unless you tell us differently”), and it will taste exactly the same as it did 30-odd years ago. Snoopy’s is the epitome of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and its adherence to Eastern Carolina tradition is mirrored by the undying loyalty of its customer base. —LG Finalists: The Dog House, The Cardinal, Cloos’ Coney Island

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

South Asian home cooking & some Southern favorites

Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten PHOTO BY JUSTIN COOK

BEST KID FRIENDLY RESTAURANT IN THE TRIANGLE

Elmo’s Diner With its comfy booths, cheerful atmosphere, and palatable menu options, there’s no doubt that Elmo’s is an excellent spot to take the family. Even for adult-only parties, though, the diner’s kid-friendliness shines in its ability to bring out one’s inner child. You’ll find yourself ordering breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast, coloring with crayons and stacking packets of jam into little towers while you wait for your food. Grown-up dining conventions don’t exist here, and it’s awesome. —LG Finalists: Pompieri Pizza, Honeysuckle at Lakewood, Kwench Juice Cafe Raleigh

B E S T SUN DAY B RUN C H IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten A German-styled bakery, restaurant, and biergarten all in one, Guglhupf has much to offer. Though the pandemic forced Guglhupf’s owners to move dinein seating outside, it in no way ruined the ambiance. The patio area is lush with cute decorations and plenty of seating under the cover of umbrellas. The menu offers both lighter veggie meals, like the avocado poblano panini, or a heartier meat-lover’s plate, like the pan-fried confit pork belly panini. No Sunday brunch B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

would be complete without drinks, whether a delicious summer bliss latte with refreshing lavender, or a morning mimosa. If all that doesn’t fill you up, stop into the bakery before you leave: a fruit tart, maybe? An almond schnecke? Some black pepper parmesan bread? Whatever you choose, you’ll leave satisfied. —RS Finalists: Monuts, Vin Rouge, Jack Tar & the Colonel’s Daughter, The Refectory Cafe

BES T DES S ER T S I N O RAN GE / C HA THAM CO U N T Y

Mapleview Farm Ice Cream Maple View Farm Ice Cream is (almost) just as much about the view as it is about the ice cream itself. If you get there at dusk, you can sit on the hill right beside the farm and watch as North Carolina’s dramatic and deep sunsets drop over the sky. That’s not to say that the ice cream isn’t notable. From the classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, to the unique Turtle, Banana Pudding, and Devil’s Delight flavors, Maple View ice cream is creamy and refreshing. And even from outside, you can smell the heavenly waffle cones baking, ready to be served. —RS Finalists: Guglhupf Bake Shop; Nantucket Cafe; Weaver Street Market; Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering; Matthew’s Chocolates

Award-winning Local Fare with a Global Flair Winner of : Best Indian Restaurant in the Triangle Best Chef in Orange / Chatham County Best Caterer in the Triangle

431 W Franklin St #415, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 919-929-3833 www.curryblossom.com

No Alcohol?

No PrObLeM. Da Kine’s Kava is Durham’s only alcohol-free bar, featuring kava, coffee, herbal teas, and other non-alcoholic drink options.

1114-B W. Chapel Hill Street Durham, NC 27701 Across from Durham Co-op dakineskava.com | 919-864-8002

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

BEST GREEK/MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT IN THE TRIANGLE

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering

PHOTO BY JEREMY M. LANGE

Mediterranean Deli is the Room of Requirement of the Franklin Street food scene. If you’re one of those people who hasn’t read Harry Potter, the Room of Requirement is a place that transforms itself into whatever you need it to be, a concept that Med Deli embodies in its unparalleled pervasion of nearly every corner of the food industry. Hoping to enjoy a leisurely sit-down meal? Order a fatayer or a falafel platter and plant yourself at a table. Looking to grab a healthful lunch to go? There are about 20 salads to choose from in the glass deli case. Need someone to cater your daughter’s bat mitzvah? Med Deli’s got you covered. Need ingredients to cook dinner? No problem—there’s a grocery store inside the restaurant. —LG

Cook Out

The Honeysuckle Tea House

BES T M EX I C AN RES TAU RAN T IN D URH AM CO U N T Y

Taqueria La Vaquita Just as Nick Carraway felt the allure of the green light across from Jay Gatsby’s mansion in The Great Gatsby, I have always felt drawn to the 3-D spotted cow atop Taqueria La Vaquita. I drove by for years, wondering about it, and it wasn’t until this year that I visited—and found that all my expectations were met (and exceeded) in one bite of their pastor taco. Their food is traditional street tacos and no-fuss Mexican plates, and that’s what makes it so well-loved. There’s no fusion tacos or fashionable decor, just well-seasoned meats and red picnic tables being watched over by la vaquita. Best eaten with your Jarritos of choice. —SP Finalists: Dos Perros, NuvoTaco, Cosmic Cantina

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

Once you discover Heavenly Buffaloes, self-dubbed “the wing joint you’ve been looking for,” your hunt for wing joints isn’t going to end, but it will take on a new meaning. You’ll no longer be searching for an establishment that sells killer wings; rather, you’ll be poking around the scraps in your gingham paper-lined tray, desperately seeking a wing joint— like, the bone kind of joint—that still has some meat clinging onto it. When you realize you’ve sucked the bones clean and want to order more, I encourage you to try the vegan wings, which are just as succulent as the chicken. —LG

B E S T L A T E N I G HT M E A L I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

BEST TEA HOUSE IN THE TRIANGLE

Finalists: Jeddah’s Tea, Pimiento Tea Room, Cha House

Heavenly Buffaloes

Finalists: M Kokko, Chicken Bee, Grub

Finalists: Neomonde, Sassool, Taverna Agora

If you grew up reading Magic Tree House, like I did, you’ve likely fantasized about finding a structure nestled in the forest that will transport you to a spot where everything is “absolutely still.” I’m delighted to inform you that this place exists in the real world, and it’s just a short drive from downtown Chapel Hill. An open-air farm stand tucked among the trees, Honeysuckle Tea House provides a peaceful oasis where guests can unwind with a locally grown cuppa while overlooking acres of berry fields, herb gardens, and tea beds. The venue also includes hammocks, a playground, and a stage where area artists perform live music. While I’m pretty sure Honeysuckle doesn’t have Magic Tree House’s time travel technology, the place is so tranquil that you probably won’t notice how many hours you’ve been sitting there until the sky gets dark. —LG

BEST WINGS I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

BES T JAPAN ES E RES TA UR A N T I N O RAN GE / C H AT HA M CO U N T Y

Akai Hana Though I adore Akai Hana and eat there all the time, I wasn’t sure what to spotlight in this blurb, so I read about 200 online reviews in efforts to pinpoint what makes the Carrboro restaurant so special. My Yelp investigation didn’t provide me with an answer, but it did validate my struggle in articulating the magic of Akai Hana; for years, customers have been sharing a sentiment that essentially amounts to, “I don’t know why, but this is the best sushi I’ve ever had.” The fact that Akai Hana doesn’t have a gimmick or specific claim to fame makes its win all the more impressive. —LG Finalists: Spicy 9, Iza Whiskey and Eats, Oiishi, Tokyo Express

A few months into the pandemic, I started to see the neon Cook Out sign as a beacon of hope. As once-24-hour grocery stores closed at 8 p.m., independent joints shut down before midnight, and even gas stations reduced their hours, Cook Out remained open into the wee hours of the morning. For me, a waitress who didn’t get off work until late at night and had no energy to cook for myself, Cook Out’s accessibility was a godsend. And how lucky was it that my only option was also an incredibly delicious one? —LG Finalists: Cosmic Cantina, Heavenly Buffaloes, Parts & Labor

B E S T B URRI T O I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

Cosmic Cantina Cosmic Cantina lives up to its name in a number of ways. Its burritos are of cosmic proportions—the “mini” will keep you full for hours, and the “giant” is longer than your forearm—and biting into one is an otherworldly experience, briefly transporting you from Earth to a celestial state of serenity. Cosmic is universally adored, boasting a customer base that knows no bounds; on a given evening, you might find yourself standing in line with a college student, a construction worker, and a chemical engineer. And like the cosmos, CosB EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

mic shines brightest at night: as other restaurants lock their doors, crowds flock to Cosmic, satisfying their midnight munchies with Mexican fare that’s nothing short of heavenly. —LG Finalists: Taqueria La Vaquita, NuvoTaco, Ex Voto

B E S T PIZZA IN O RAN GE / C H A T H AM COU N T Y

Italian Pizzeria III The Triangle’s pizza scene is increasingly dominated by fancier joints, so it’s heartwarming that our readers continue to see the value in a casual, family-run spot that peddles as much geniality as it does authentic Italian fare. A Franklin Street staple since 1980, Italian Pizzeria III—IP3, to locals—touts warmth over sophistication, is owned by two brothers who will welcome you with a spirited Ciao!, and won’t scoff when you ask if they sell pies by the slice. If you’re a student feeling swallowed up by the vastness of UNC’s campus, or just someone missing a homey environment, skip the coffee shop and head to IP3. —LG Finalists: Napoli Pizzeria & Gelateria, Pizzeria Mercato, Coronato Pizza

B E S T COF F E E SH O P IN ORA N G E / C H ATHAM C O UNT Y

Caffe Driade My first visit to Caffe Driade lasted five hours. This wasn’t entirely voluntary— the guy I was dating dropped me there while he went to run an errand, and then he forgot about me, or his phone died, or something—but that’s not to say it was an unpleasant experience. I actually can’t think of a better place to be stranded. After the barista gave me a French press, a scone, and a cigar (on the house), I wandered around the wooded area behind the shop, then returned to the patio to chat with customers and sit under trees strung with little lights. Though Caffe Driade is located off East Franklin, its secluded venue makes you feel like you’re miles away in some kind of magical forest. My boyfriend may have forgotten where I was, but after a while, I did, too. —LG FINALISTS: Cup-A-Joe Hillsborough, Joe Van Gogh Chapel Hill, Open Eye Cafe

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T LOC ALLY MAD E C I DE R IN TH E TRIAN GL E

Bull City Ciderworks Don’t tell my co-workers, but I don’t really like beer that much. This makes breweries difficult. Thankfully, I have friends who will indulge in my drink of choice, and go with me to Bull City Ciderworks’s Durham shop to try an array of flavors like sweet tea or habanero and strawberry. And if I’m at a bar or browsing the cider section at Harris Teeter, their classic “Off-Main’’ cider is often available, and always tasty. —SP

BES T S MAL L PL AT ES /TAPAS I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Mateo Bar de Tapas Finalists: Humble Pie, Barcelona Wine Bar, Taberna Tapas

BES T C H EAP EAT S I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Finalists: Botanist & Barrel, Chatham Cider Works, Dingo Dog Brewing Co.

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering

B E S T PIZZA I N D URH AM COUNT Y

Finalists: Carrburritos, Cosmic Cantina, Armadillo Grill

Pizzeria Toro Pizzeria Toro, or as most people around town just call it, ‘Toro,’ invites special experiences. Warm, twinkly lighting sets the stage for the neighborhood restaurant, which has an attentive staff and open kitchen, making it the kind of romantic spot you want to take shelter in during the winter months, or dip in and linger at during the summer. Thin, crispy crust is the foundation for a dozen-plus pizza varieties with white and red sauce bases and rich, complex flavors. Toro was closed for much of the pandemic and recently reopened, to much Durham relief and delight. —SE Finalists: Pompieri Pizza, Pie Pushers, Hutchins Garage

BES T FRI ES I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Al’s Burger Shack

B E S T SE A FOOD RE S TA URA N T I N T HE T RI A N G L E

BEST INDIAN RE S TA URA N T I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Boricua Soul

Saltbox Seafood Joint

Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe

BES T LO C AL LY MAD E MEAD I N T H E T RI AN GL E

BES T C H O CO L AT E I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Honeygirl Meadery

Videri Chocolate Factory

Finalists: Honeysuckle Meadery, Botanist & Barrel, Starlight Mead

Finalists: Escazu, Mathew’s Chocolates, Fera’wyn’s Chocolate Cafe

BES T FRO Z EN T REAT S I N T H E T RI AN GL E

BES T S T EAK I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

BES T PI E I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

Foster’s Market Finalists: Elmo’s Diner, The Refectory Cafe, Bean Traders

INDYweek.com

BES T C ARI BBEAN O R CU BAN I N T H E T RI AN GL E Finalists: COPA, Carmen’s Cuban Cafe & Lounge, Spanglish

Finalists: Goodberry’s Frozen Custard, Locopops, Two Roosters

July 14, 2021

PHOTO BY JEREMY M. LANGE

Finalists: Bull City Burger and Brewery, Heavenly Buffaloes, The Federal

The Parlour

M Sushi

Bin 54 Finalists: Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill, FarmHouse Restaurant, Venable Bistro

BES T S U S H I I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Sushi Thai (Cary) Finalists: Waraji, Sushi Iwa, City Market Sushi, Kai Sushi and Saki Bar

Finalists: 42nd Street Oyster Bar, Locals Oyster Bar, Squid’s

BEST STEAK IN W A K E C OUN T Y

Angus Barn Finalists: Sullivan’s Steakhouse, The Peddler, Rey’s Restaurant, Vinnie’s Steak House & Tavern

BEST NEW RE S TA URA N T I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

QueenBurger Finalists: The Honeysuckle at Lakewood, Lula and Sadie’s, Pure Soul

B E S T LOC A L LY M A D E W I N E I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Botanist & Barrel

Finalists: Viceroy, Sitar Indian Cuisine, Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar

B E S T JA PA N E SE RE S TA URA N T I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

M Sushi Finalists: Dashi, Kanki, Yamazushi

B E S T B RE A D I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Guglhupf Bake Shop Finalists: Weaver Street Market, Great Harvest, Wegman’s

B E S T SA L A D I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Happy + Hale

Finalists: Chatham Hill Winery, Cloer Family Vineyard, FireClay Cellars

Finalists: Chopt, V Pizza, Fount Coffee + Kitchen

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

Cocoa Cinnamon PHOTO BY ANNIE MAYNARD

BES T S U S H I I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

B E S T C HE F I N W A K E C OUN T Y

M Sushi

Ashley Christensen

Finalists: Shiki Sushi, Sushi Love, Sake Bomb

BES T S P O R T S BAR I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Top of the Hill - TOPO Finalists: Carolina Brewery, The Spotted Dog, Hickory Tavern

BES T I RI S H PU B I N T H E T RI AN GL E

B E S T D E L I I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Finalists: Cheetie Kumar, Scott Crawford, Christy Griffith

BEST LATIN A M E RI C A N RE S TA URA N T I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken

Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub

Finalists: Guasaca, Mami’s Latin Style Rotisserie Chicken, Centro

Finalists: Hibernian Irish Pub & Restaurant, Doherty’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, James Joyce Irish Pub

B E S T C OF F E E SHOP I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

BES T C H I N ES E RES TAU RAN T I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Jade Palace

Cocoa Cinnamon Finalists: Joe Van Gogh, Bean Traders, The Oak House

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering Finalists: Eastcut Sandwich Bar, Neal’s Deli, Deli Edison

BEST LATIN A M E RI C A N RE S TA URA N T I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken Finalists: Luna Rotisserie & Empanadas, COPA, Boricua Soul

B E S T SOUT HE R N FOOD RE S TA UR A N T I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Mama Dip’s Finalists: Lucky 32, Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant, Pure Soul

Finalists: Lantern, Gourmet Kingdom, Red Lotus 18

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T C H IN E SE RE S TA U RAN T IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

BES T C HEA P EAT S IN D URHA M C O UNT Y

Happy China

Elmo’s Diner

Finalists: Shanghai, Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant, Orient Garden

Finalists: Cook Out, Cosmic Cantina, Guasaca

B E S T M E X IC AN RE S TA U RAN T IN W A K E COU N T Y

Gonza Tacos Y Tequila Finalists: Los Tres Magueyes, Centro, Gringo A Go Go

BES T BAKERY IN WA KE C O UNT Y

La Farm Bakery

Irregardless Café

Pure Soul

BES T D ES S ER T S I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Finalists: Boulted Bread, Union Special, Utica Bakery

BES T D IS TIL L ERY IN THE TRIAN GL E

Finalists: Lucettegrace, Bittersweet, Bonafide Bakeshop & Cafe

Finalists: Mystic Farm & Distilling Company, TOPO Organic Spirits, Lonerider Spirits

Finalists: The Fiction Kitchen, Fount Coffee + Kitchen, Bonafide Bakeshop & Cafe

BES T C H EF I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

Parker and Otis Zwelibanzi Finalists: Toast, Eastcut Moyo-Williams Sandwich Bar, Old North (Zweli’s) Meats and Provisions,

Hayes Barton Café and Dessertery

Durham BEST VEGAN-FRIENDLY Distillery RESTAURANT IN WAKE COUNTY

BES T SAN DWI C H I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

BES T BU RGER I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Al’s Burger Shack Finalists: Wooden Nickel Pub, The Spotted Dog, Gov’s Burger and Tap, Buns

Finalists: Matt Kelly, Ricky Moore, Michael Lee, Nikolas Spaulding

BES T BI S CU I T S I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken

Durham Downtown & Durham Southpoint Finalists: Monuts, Debbie Lou’s

B E S T LOC A L LY M A D E C RA F T B E E R I N T HE T RI A N G L E

B E S T SA N DW I C H I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Trophy Wife, Merritt’s Grill Trophy Brewing Finalists: Neal’s Deli; Finalists: Biere de Garde, Ponysaurus; Humidity, Fullsteam; Cloud Surfer, Trophy Brewing;Hop on Top IPA, Lynnwood Brewing Concern

B E S T F RE N C H RE S TA URA N T I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Vin Rouge Finalists: Rue Cler, Coquette Brasserie, Jolie

B E S T B URRI T O I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Gonza Tacos Y Tequila

B E S T SP OR T S BA R I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Carolina Ale House Finalists: Woody’s Sports Tavern & Grill, Tobacco Road Sports Cafe & Brewery, Sharky’s Place, Brickhouse Sports Pub

B E S T D RA F T B E E R SE L E C T I ON I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

Beer Study

Finalists: Dank Burritos, Gringo A Go Go, Baja Burrito

Love the

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering; Deli Edison, Steve’s Garden Market & Butchery

Finalists: Fullsteam Brewery, The Glass Jug Beer Lab, Hi-Wire Brewing, Pour Taproom

s e s s e n i s bu e h t t r o p ... s Sup u t r o p p that su

! l a c o l S hop

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

B E S T C H E A P E AT S I N WAKE COU N T Y

Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken

PHOTO BY ALEX BOERNER

Finalists: Snoopy’s Hot Dogs and More, Char-Grill, Mami’s Latin Style Rotisserie Chicken

B E S T SUN DAY B RU N C H IN WAKE COUNT Y

Flying Biscuit Cafe Finalists: First Watch, Brigs at the Forest Restaurant, Fount Coffee + Kitchen

B E S T CUPC AKE I N T H E T RIAN G LE

Nothing Bundt Cakes Finalists: Small Cakes Durham, Gigi’s Cupcakes, The Cupcake Shoppe Bakery

B E S T BARB E CU E IN W A K E COU N T Y

The Pit Finalists: Sam Jones BBQ, Big Mike’s BBQ - Brew N’ Que, City Barbeque and Catering - Cary

B E S T B RE WE RY IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

Ponysaurus Brewing Co. Finalists: Fullsteam Brewery, Durty Bull Brewing Company, Barrel Culture Brewing & Blending

B E S T RE S TAURANT I N T HE TRIAN G LE

Angus Barn Finalists: Salvio’s Pizzeria, MoJoe’s Burger Joint, Pizzeria Veritas

BES T PIE IN W AK E C O UNT Y

Slice Pie Company Finalists: Bittersweet, Bonafide Bakeshop & Cafe, Burney’s Sweets & More of Raleigh

BES T D ES S ER T S IN D URHAM C O UNT Y

Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten

BES T VEGGI E BU RGER I N WAK E CO U N T Y

The Fiction Kitchen Finalists: Burger Fi, Mike’s Vegan Cookout, Wilson’s Eatery

BES T BREWERY I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Steel String Brewery

Finalists: Mad Hatter’s Cafe and Bakeshop, Rose’s Noodles, Dumplings and Sweets, Dulce Cafe

Finalists: Haw River Farmhouse Ales, Carolina Brewing, Craftboro Brewing Depot

BES T BREAKFAS T IN W AKE C O UNT Y

BES T BU RGER I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant Finalists: Flying Biscuit Cafe, Brigs at the Forest Restaurant, Fount Coffee + Kitchen

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar Finalists: Char-Grill, MoJoe’s Burger Joint, Abbey Road

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

SUPPORT LO C A L

Raleigh Raw PHOTO BY BEN MCKEOWN

BES T VEGAN FRI EN D LY RES TAU RAN T I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

by purchasing gift cards, shopping online, donating, ordering takeout, and tipping more 22

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

Mama Dip’s

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering

Finalists: Weaver Street Market, Cup-A-Joe Hillsborough, Pop’s Pizzeria & Ristorante, Bestfood Cafeteria (Siler City)

Finalists: The Spotted Dog, Sage Vegetarian Cafe, Vegan Flava

B E S T C HE F I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

BES T L AT E N I GH T MEAL I N WAKE CO U N T Y

Vimala Rajendran

Cook Out

Finalists: Andrea Reusing, Christian Patterson, Gabe Barker

Finalists: Raleigh Times, Waffle House, Char-Grill

businesses

BEST PIE IN ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

BES T VEGGI E BU RGER I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

The Spotted Dog Finalists: Al’s Burger Shack, Sage Vegetarian Cafe, Buns, New Hope Market

BEST WINGS I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Heavenly Buffaloes Finalists: Wooden Nickel Pub, Wings Over Chapel Hill, The Spotted Dog

B E S T FOOD T RUC K I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Chirba Chirba Finalists: Bulkogi, Arepa Culture, Succotash Food Truck

B E S T J UI C E BA R I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Raleigh Raw Finalists: Clean Juice, JuiceKeys, Kwench Juice Cafe

BEST LATE N I G HT M E A L I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Cosmic Cantina Finalists: Time Out, Linda’s Bar and Grill, The Northside District

BEST WINGS IN W A K E C OUN T Y

Woody’s Sports Tavern & Grill Finalists: V Pizza, Apex Wings, Sharky’s Place

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

BES T BREWERY I N WAK E CO U N T Y

am ou Durh Thank Y ur Loyal Yo For All During Support ic! Pandem

Finalists: Bond Brothers Beer Company, Lynnwood Brewing Concern, Raleigh Brewing Company

Elmo’s Diner

Best Breakfast in Durham County Best Cheap Eats in Durham County Best Kid Friendly Restaurant in the Triangle

776 Ninth Street, Durham y 919.416.3823 y www.elmosdiner.com NEW HOURS: Open Daily from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM

INDYweek.com

B E S T SUN DA Y B RUN C H I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Acme

BES T BI S CU I T S I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

BEST WINE LIST IN T HE T RI A N G L E

Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen Finalists: Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken Carrboro, Mama Dip’s, Neal’s Deli

Finalists: Weaver Street Market, Bread & Butter Bakery and Cafe, Phoenix Bakery

www.bigedsnc.com

Finalists: Taverna Agora, Wye Hill Kitchen + Brewing, Pure Soul

Finalists: Crook’s Corner, Carolina Inn, Venable Bistro, Village Diner

Guglhupf Bake Shop

k n a h T you!

Allen & Sons

Finalists: Monuts, Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten, True Flavors Diner

BES T BAKERY I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

July 14, 2021

B E S T BA RB E C UE I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Trophy Brewing Namu Company

BES T BREAKFAS T I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

B E S T OUT D OOR D I N I N G I N T HE T RI A N G L E

BES T I TAL I AN RES TAU RAN T I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Mothers and Sons Trattoria Finalists: Gocciolina, Bella Monica, Pulcinella’s

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT IN THE TRIANGLE

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering Finalists: Neomonde, Sassool, Sitti

Angus Barn Finalists: Barcelona Wine Bar, Herons, The Oak House, Vita Vite, Bulldega Urban Market

Finalists: The Pig, Hillsborough BBQ Company, City BBQ, Big Belly Que

BEST NEW RE S TA URA N T I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Cham Thai Cuisine Finalists: Napoli, Iza Whiskey and Eats, Nomad

B E S T B URG E R I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

Bull City Burger and Brewery

BEST STEAK IN D URHA M C OUN T Y

Finalists: Only Burger, Burger Bach, QueenBurger

Nanasteak

B E S T LOC A L LY M A D E L I Q UOR I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Finalists: Vin Rouge, The Durham Hotel, Metro8

B E S T B I SC UI T S I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Flying Biscuit Cafe Finalists: Bojangles, Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken Brier Creek, Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken Morrisville

BEST LATIN A M E RI C A N RE S TA URA N T I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Luna Rotisserie and Taproom

Conniption American Dry Gin, Durham Distillery Finalists: Conniption Navy Strength Gin, Durham Distillery; TOPO Organic Vodka; Oak City Amaretto

B E S T D RA F T B E E R SE L E C T I ON I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Raleigh Beer Garden Finalists: Flying Saucer, House of Hops, Black Dog Bottle Shop

Finalists: Fiesta Grill, Monterrey Mexican Restaurant, Que Chula Craft Tacos & Tequila B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

La Farm Bakery PHOTO BY ALEX BOERNER

B E S T SAN DWIC H IN W A KE COU N T Y

Village Deli Finalists: V Pizza, Mookie’s New York Deli, Southern Craft Butchers, Bonafide Bakeshop & Cafe

B E S T BAKE RY IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten Finalists: Ninth Street Bakery, Loaf, Mad Hatter Cafe + Bakeshop

B E S T JAPAN E SE RE S TAU RAN T IN W A KE COU N T Y

Waraji Finalists: Kanki, O-ku Sushi, City Market Sushi

B E S T SUSH I I N O RAN G E / C H A T H AM COU NT Y

Akai Hana Finalists: Spicy 9, Oishi, Mr. Tokyo Japanese Restaurant, Kurama

BES T BURRIT O IN O RA N GE / C HA THAM C O UNT Y

BEST VEGAN-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT IN DURHAM COUNTY

Carrburitos

Happy + Hale

Finalists: Cosmic Cantina, Fiesta Grill, O’Ya Cantina

Finalists: Goorsha, The Refectory Cafe, Pure Soul, Earth To Us

BES T D RA FT BEER S EL EC TIO N IN O RA N GE / C HA THAM C O UNT Y

BES T BLO O DY MARY I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Beer Study Finalists: Wooden Nickel Pub, House of Hops Pittsboro, Steel String Brewery

BES T PIZ Z A IN WA KE C O UNT Y

Salvio’s Pizzeria, Cary Finalists: V Pizza, Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, Pizzeria Veritas

BES T BREAD IN D URHAM C O UNT Y

Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Biergarten Finalists: Ninth Street Bakery, Loaf Durham, Jewish for Good at the Levin JCC

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

Jack Tar & the Colonel’s Daughter Finalists: Acme, Mason Jar Tavern, Parts & Labor, Flying Biscuit Cafe, Clouds Brewing

Raleigh's Community Bookstore

Latest on Bookin’

Available

7.12

BES T N EW RES TAU RAN T I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Sam Jones BBQ Finalists: Pool’side Pies, Pimiento Tea Room, Fount Coffee + Kitchen, Bonafide Bakeshop & Cafe

John Freeman, The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story Events IN STORE

SAT

7.17 3PM

David Carter, The Rat Reverend Clancy & The Seven Sacraments for adults

VIRTUAL

BES T BREAD I N WAK E CO U N T Y

La Farm Bakery Finalists: Boulted Bread, Yellow Dog Bakery, Union Special

TUE

7.20 7PM

Karin Slaughter, False Witness with Alifair Burke Free ticket/books available

Register for Quail Ridge Books Events Series at www.quailridgebooks.com. www.quailridgebooks.com • 919.828.1588 • North Hills 4209-100 Lassiter Mill Road, Raleigh, NC 27609 Offering FREE Media Mail shipping and contactless pickup!

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T PL ACE T O DAN C E I N T HE TRIAN G LE

The Pinhook

One can only wonder about the first person at the dawn of history who experienced joy as they wiggled, gyrated, jumped, plied, relieved, hopped, and shimmied in rhythmic fashion, doubtlessly inspiring onlookers who then rendered their own primordial versions of twist and shout. The Pinhook in downtown Durham has been selected by INDY readers in the past as the best gay and lesbian bar, and the best karaoke place. This year, voters say The Pinhook is the best place in the Triangle to get your groove on across the dance floor. —TM Finalists: Legends Nightclub, Carolina Ballet, Nightlight

B E S T COM M U N IT Y EVENT IN T H E T RIAN G LE

Durham Farmers’ Market

The Durham Farmers’ Market is more than an event, it’s a happening. To begin with, few moments are as marvelous as the Central Park district on a warm, sunny weekend morning. It’s crowded along Foster Street, filled with vendors who stream in and out of the shops that line the sidewalks. Young derring-dos and daredevils, rude boys and ruder girls brace themselves atop skateboards as they push the limits of their skill at the skateboard park. Busking is heartily encouraged. Food trucks might be there. And at the center of the activity is the Durham Farmers Market, which takes place each Saturday—and Wednesday afternoons—from April 26

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

through November at the Central Park Pavilion. The 22-year-old farmers market features 65 local vendors who provide a cornucopia of fresh produce, baked goods, pottery, jewelry, and more. —TM Finalists: Drag Queen Story Hour, Beaver Queen Pageant, Pinhook Karaoke

BES T P L ACE T O H EAR RO C KʼNʼ RO L L I N T H E TRIAN G L E

Cat’s Cradle

With complete honesty, I say that I thank God every day that Cat’s Cradle did not close from the COVID-19 pandemic impact. With its affordable prices, even the most broke college students—cough, cough, my friends and I—could always go find a concert to quickly shoot for our procrastinated Intro to Photojournalism assignment, always due the next day. Considering the almost-religious experience of seeing Grateful Dead cover band Cosmic Charlie at Cat’s Cradle last year, I’m not surprised the venue was voted Best Place to Hear Hip-Hop or Soul, AND Rock ‘n’ Roll—hey, that kind of rhymes! I remember how I felt when the band heeded my front-row plea to close the show with Brown Eyed Women, so I can say: I wholeheartedly agree with our readers. —EH Finalists: The Pour House Music Hall, The Cave, The Pinhook

NC Museum of Art PHOTO BY JADE WILSON

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR IN ORANGE / CHATHAM COUNT Y

B E S T A R T GA L L E RY I N T HE T RI A N G L E

The Kraken

NC Museum of Art

There are dive bars and then there are dive bars. The Kraken falls soundly into the latter category. With its humble, shack-like exterior, it can be easy to miss sitting right off Highway 54 outside Carrboro, but a cluster of Harley Davidsons gives it away. Don’t be scared, though; the bar, featuring a humble selection of beers, is nicknamed “the church of beer” for the reverent crowd it draws to regular events, like Jonathan Byrd and The Pickup Cowboys’s long-standing Wednesday-night residency, plus rockabilly, metal, punk, country, and old-time string bands, all of which are free. The Kraken supports its artists, too, and tip jars make frequent rounds. At some point, the pool table is inevitably nudged to the side, and people start dancing. —SE

Whenever people from out of town visit Raleigh and ask me for recommendations for things to do, the one thing I tell them, without fail, is to visit the North Carolina Museum of Art. The NCMA is spectacular, with an amazing permanent collection spanning more than a dozen galleries, plus always-fascinating traveling exhibits, dynamic programming, an amphitheater for intimate live music performances, and, of course, the sprawling museum park. The NCMA is truly the Triangle’s crown jewel––whether I’m wandering through the wings of the West Building or taking in the silent darkness in the Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky; when I’m there, I’m always in my happy place. —JP

Finalists: Linda’s Bar and Grill, Orange County Social Club, Bowbarr

Finalists: Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, Cedar Creek Gallery, Attic 506, Bev’s Fine Art B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

BEST MUSEUM IN THE TRIANGLE

Museum of Life and Science

Last year, INDY readers selected the Museum of Life and Science as the best place for indoor fun in the Triangle. Oh, what a difference a year makes. The Triangle features some of the best museums in the country, and the expansive, 84-acre gem on Durham’s Murray Avenue is always a perennial favorite for budding young (and young-at-heart) scientific explorers. It takes top honors again, this year as the Triangle’s best museum. —TM Finalists: NC Museum of Art, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Nasher Museum, NC Museum of Natural History

BES T CO MEDY CL U B I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Goodnights Comedy Club Goodnights (originally Charlie Goodnights), the Triangle’s venerable comedy club, has been operating in the 1930s Art Deco Whites Ice Cream Co. building since 1983, following renovations in the early 80s by its original owner, Tommy Williams. Goodnights has lured in some of the biggest names in standup comedy over the years: Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres, Jeff Foxworthy, Dave Chapelle, even Robin Williams stopped by for shows on their way to the top. Catching a stand-up show at Goodnights, now operated by Helium Comedy, is the perfect way to spend an evening. You’ll laugh a lot but don’t sleep on the food and the margaritas they serve there, either. —JP Finalists: Raleigh Improv, ComedyWorx, Zog’s, The Comedy Lounge

BES T L I VE T H EAT ER C OM PA N Y I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Raleigh Little Theatre

Established during the Great Depression, the venerable Raleigh Little Theatre is one of the oldest community theatres in the United States. Started in 1936, RLT celebrates its 85th anniversary this year. It’s fitting that the arts space in downtown Raleigh (where it routinely punches above its weight with powerhouse performances) was selected by INDY readers as the best community place in the Triangle for live theatre. —TM

JUL 28–AUG 8 28

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

Finalists: Playmakers Repertory Company, Paperhand Puppet Intervention, Burning Coal Theatre Company

The Green Room PHOTO BY D.L. ANDERSON

B E S T P L A C E T O SHOO T P OOL I N T HE T RI A N G L E

The Green Room

I’m telling you, yo: if I had heard that billiards legends like Minnesota Fats, Willie Mosconi, Luther “Wimpy” Lassiter, or “Fast Eddie” regularly shot games of eight- and nine-ball at The Green Room in Durham during their heydays, I wouldn’t be surprised. The Green Room on Broad Street looks like a poolroom. Looka here, I wouldn’t know William Vaughan if he beat me senseless with a Nerf football, but I agree with a one-sentence review of The Green Room he wrote in 2016, calling it, “Simply the coolest and most old school pool hall in the Triangle.” Ditto for Nate Freeman, who I wouldn’t know if he stood beside me and threw empty beer cans at my former wife. “The Green Room sells more PBR than any grocery store in the state,” Nate wrote in 2010. Nate ain’t lying, yo. Now that the Blue Swan is gone, The Green Room is one of the last old Durham spots. —TM Finalists: Sharky’s Place, High House Billiards, The Kraken B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

Durham Performing Arts Center PHOTO BY D.L. ANDERSON

BEST

IE IND K BOOTION C SELEIN THE E! TRIA

B E S T PL ACE T O H E A R JAZZ IN T H E TRIAN GLE

Duke Performing Arts

Finalists: C. Grace, Carolina Theatre of Durham, Neptunes Parlour

B E S T BAR TE N DER/ M I XO LOG IS T I N O RAN G E / C H A T H AM COU NT Y

Alex Joustra, The Baxter/ Belltree

Finalists: John Bowman, James Peery, Richard Stilwell, Darrick Long

B E S T GOLF COURS E I N T HE TRIAN G LE

Washington Duke

Finalists: Prestonwood, Hillandale, Knights Play, Hope Valley

BES T PL AC E T O HEA R BL UEGRASS IN THE TRIAN GL E

The Blue Note Grill Finalists: Haw River Ballroom, Cat’s Cradle, IBMA World of Bluegrass Festival

BES T L IVE THEATE R VENUE IN THE TRIA N GL E

Durham Performing Arts Center

Finalists: Raleigh Little Theatre, PlayMakers Theatre, Burning Coal Theatre Company, Stephenson Amphitheatre at the Raleigh Rose Garden

BES T PL AC E T O HEA R BL UES IN THE TRIAN GL E

The Blue Note Grill Finalists: Cat’s Cradle, Duke Performances, The Kraken

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

NGL

BES T PL ACE T O GET S P ECI ALT Y CO C K TAI L S I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Foundation

Finalists: Watts & Ward, Bittersweet, SideBar

BES T BAR T EN D ER/ MI XO LO GI S T I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

Shannon Healy, Alley Twenty Six Finalists: Megan Corbally, Corpse Reviver; Kacey Liebes, Kingfisher; Arturo Sanchez, Pizzeria Toro; Mack Wilson-Leigh, The Oak House

BES T LO C AL PO D C AS T

In-Store Shopping Curbside Pick Up

b e sngtle OF

TH E

t r ia

2018

Basic Brunchcast Finalists: The Bob and Lu Show, ArtCurious Podcast, At The Intersection

www.regulatorbookshop.com 720 Ninth Street, Durham, NC 27705 In-store and pick up hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10a-6p INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T TH E ATE R T O S E E AN IN DIE FIL M I N T HE TRIAN G LE

Carolina Theater of Durham

Finalists: The Rialto, Chelsea Theater, The Cary Theater

B E S T GAY OR LE S BIAN BAR IN T H E T RIAN G LE

The Pinhook

Finalists: Ruby Deluxe, Legends, The Green Monkey, Flex

B E S T PL ACE T O H E A R H IP - H OP OR S OU L IN TH E T RI A N GLE

BES T O UTD O O R MUSIC VENUE IN THE TRIAN GL E

NC Museum of Art

Finalists: Red Hat Amphitheatre, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

BES T PL AC E T O HEA R N O IS E/ EL EC TRO NIC A IN THE TRIAN GL E

Finalists: Slims Raleigh, Sharky’s Place, Foundation

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR IN DURHAM COUNTY

Alley Twenty Six

Motorco Music Hall

Finalists: Cat’s Cradle, Nightlight, The Fruit, Alchemy

BES T T RI VI A N I GH T I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Finalists: The Pour House Music Hall, The Pinhook, Durham Fruit

July 14, 2021

Person Street Bar

Finalists: The Glass Jug Beer Lab, Accordion Club, Crafts & Drafts NC

Cat’s Cradle

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR IN WAKE COUNTY

INDYweek.com

Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub Finalists: Ruckus Pizza and Bar, Tomato Jake’s Pizzeria, Original Flying Burrito

BES T PL ACE T O GET S P ECI ALT Y CO C K TAI L S I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

Alley Twenty Six

Finalists: Bar Virgile, Kingfisher, Corpse Reviver Cocktail Bar

BES T PL ACE T O H EAR WO RL D O R I N T ER N AT I O N AL MU S I C I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Duke Performances, Carolina Theatre of Durham (tie) Finalists: Motorco Music Hall, Raleigh Greek Festival

BEST PLACE TO G E T SP E C I A LT Y C OC K TA I L S I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

The Crunkleton Finalists: Bowbarr, Belltree Cocktail Club, Orange County Social Club, Old East Tavern

B E S T BA R T E N D E R/ M I XOLOG I S T I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Martin Wheeler, Locals Oyster Bar Finalists: Alison Williams, Slim’s; Greg Ewan, Aunty Betty’s Gin & Absinthe Bar; Josh Self, Blind Pelican; Shannon Spivey Aris, Toast it Up

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T CON SIG N MENT/THRIFT S H O P IN WAKE C O UNT Y

B E S T G I F T SHOP I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Things I bought at my last visit to Dorcas Thrift Shop: A Corningware casserole dish, a glass carafe with little pink flowers, and a cross-stitch of the phrase “Happiness is Homemade” with a sweet note on the back from one friend to another. As a vintage aficionado, I love making the short drive to Cary to sift through retirees’ mid-century modern decor and high-end department store clothes. Dorcas delivers this in a clean, well-organized store with tons of great finds, with a majority-volunteer staff that always seem ready to lend a hand. Shop revenue goes toward covering bills, rent, and food for neighbors who need it—centering the whole “feeding and clothing the least of these” thing that Jesus talked about. In 2018, the $1.4 million they raised went to 26,000 people in Cary and Morrisville. —SP

If meeting the artists whose work you buy is important to you, then WomanCraft Gifts is just your place. Many of the women who sell their work in the store also work at the counter. From $12 stained glass birds to $120 hand-coiled pine needle baskets, the store offers something for everyone, regardless of how much you can pay. I love exploring all there is on offer whenever I take a walk down Main Street in Carrboro. But talking to the local artists I’m supporting is by far my favorite part of the experience. —EH

Dorcas Thrift Shop

Finalists: North Raleigh Ministries Thrift Shoppe, TrunkShow, Raleigh Furniture Gallery

B E S T B IKE SH OP I N WAKE COU N T Y

Oak City Cycling The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things, but if one activity has remained fiery, it’s bike riding. Oak City Cycling, a bike shop located near William Peace University, is the place to go for all your two-wheeled needs (though its iconic weekly maintenance class and cruiser ride is currently on hold). But in spite of these changes, 32

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

WomanCraft Gifts

The Scrap Exchange Thrift Store PHOTO BY JADE WILSON

the shop remains one of the best places to buy and test-ride bikes and to get repairs, replacements, and biking gear. Both new and used bikes come with respective warranties, and for cyclists looking for new routes to try, Oak City Cycling serves as the starting point for many easy and challenging cycling routes. —CEJ Finalists: All Star Bike Shop, Cycle Logic, Inside-Out Sports, Rhythm Wheel Works

BES T FU RN I T U RE S T O RE IN THE T RI AN GL E

TROSA Thrift Store

TROSA is a repeat reader favorite in the “best furniture store” category, and for good reason: If you are searching for

an affordable piece of used furniture, no matter how specific, you are pretty much guaranteed to walk out of TROSA with one. It’s like the world’s best-curated yard sale, with rows of couches, lamps, tables, desks, shelves, and rugs. Need an old-fashioned magazine holder, an offbeat end table, a pair of floral outdoor cushions? The TROSA store— part of a larger substance abuse residential recovery program offering vocational services—has your back. Careful, though—you might make your way over to the clothing section and walk out with an extra pair of shoes or two. —SE Finalists: Raleigh Furniture Gallery, Hill Country Woodworks, TrunkShow, Discount Furniture of the Carolinas

Finalists: Magic on 70, This & That Gift Gallery, Sally Mack

B E S T J E W E L RY S T ORE I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Light Years

I normally have at least one piece of jewelry from Light Years on my body at all times (as I write this, two of the five rings adorning my fingers were purchased at Light Years). Similarly, my fridge has at least two magnets with Light Years price stickers still on the back. It’s my go-to for hoops, studs, dainty necklaces, and rings; it’s also my goto place to take my mom and sister when they visit, since the small Chapel Hill store is stocked wall-to-wall with different styles and small gifts that you can’t help but pick up. Since it’s locally owned, I also feel better going there to get jewelry that suits my tastes, over a big-box store like Target or an overpriced chain like Urban Outfitters. —SP Finalists: WomanCraft Gifts, Melissa Designer Jewelry, William Travis Jewelry B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

Dear Readers, We would like to thank you for voting Quail Ridge Books the Best Bookstore in the Triangle! This honor means so much to us. Thank you to the other finalists: Flyleaf Books, The Regulator and Dog-Eared Books. We are in this together. Thank you for shopping indie, and thank you for shopping local.

—Your Friends at Quail Ridge Books www.quailridgebooks.com • 919.828.1588 • North Hills 4209-100 Lassiter Mill Road, Raleigh, NC 27609 CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST: BOOKIN’ w/Jason Jefferies B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

BES T PL ACE T O BU Y LO C AL LY MAD E AR T I N WAK E CO U N T Y

B E S T B I K E SHOP I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

B E S T W OM E N ’ S BOUT I Q UE I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Finalists: Adventures In Bloom, Cary Gallery of Artists, TrunkShow

Finalists: The Clean Machine, Trek Bicycle Chapel Hill, Pittsboro Bicycles

Finalists: Lily Mae’s, Little Details, Pinafore Boutique

DECO Raleigh

BES T LO C AL BRAN D I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Munjo Munjo

Finalists: RUNAWAY, The Vintage Bee, Be Like Missy

Wine Authorities PHOTO BY GEORGE A. HOFFMAN JR

B E S T GIFT SH OP I N D URH AM COUNT Y

Parker and Otis

Coming up with gift ideas fills me with anxiety; thankfully, the Triangle’s got good gift shops. Parker & Otis is literally crammed with good gifts for birthdays (or baby showers, or Father’s Day, or housewarming, or basically any event that necessitates a gift). The hybrid retail and restaurant—which recently moved to the American Tobacco Campus, after 13 years in Durham’s Brightleaf District—contains aisles of cookbooks, candles, journals and note cards, bulk candy, North Carolina kitsch, and many, many things made out of Mason jars. It also serves some of the most delicious egg salads and sandwiches in the Triangle. Don’t just take it from me: Readers also voted Parker & Otis Best Sandwich in Durham County. Maybe you really can have it all. —SE Finalists: Vaguely Reminiscent, The Artisan Market at 305, Bull City Fair Trade

B E S T N E W B U SINESS IN W A K E COU N T Y

Femme Fromage NC Who doesn’t love a cheese plate, especially when you’re stuck at home, drinking wine, with nothing else to do––like, say, during a global pandemic? According to local lore (and the Femme Fromage Instagram page), two mom friends, Natasha and Gabby, started Femme 34

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

Fromage as a way to teach folks how to design pretty charcuterie boards for parties, company team building, and other events right before the pandemic took hold. But, rather than flailing as so many food-based businesses did during this last treacherous year, Femme Fromage found its footing with charcuterie boxes to go and virtual classes. Today, Femme Fromage is flourishing. —JP

BES T RETAI L BEER S EL ECT I O N I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Beer Study

Finalists: Weaver Street Market, House of Hops Pittsboro, The Casual Pint

BES T RU N N I N G S T O RE I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Fleet Feet

Finalists: TrunkShow, OutpostLE, Manes and Mascara Salon

Finalists: Bull City Running Co., Pace Yourself Run Company, Runologie

BES T C ON S I GN MEN T /T H RI FT SHO P IN D U RH AM CO U N T Y

BES T YARN S T O RE I N T H E T RI AN GL E

The Scrap Exchange Thrift Store

It’s a regular weekend at The Scrap Exchange. There’s a teacher browsing the crafting, school, and office supplies sections. There’s a parent choosing crafts for their son’s art homework and browsing the electronics section for their daughter’s robotics project. There’s a couple looking to furnish their brand-new apartment, as fashion students leaf through the leather scrap pieces bin. A few kids are sitting among the book stacks, flipping through to find what interests them. In what other place can you find so many different people searching for so many different things? —RS Finalists: TROSA Thrift Store, Pennies for Change, Fifi’s of Durham

Hillsborough Yarn Shop

Finalists: Great Yarns, Warm and Fuzzy, Freeman’s Creative Craft Supply

BES T ERO T I C GI FT S I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Cherry Pie

Finalists: Adam & Eve, Frisky Business Boutique, Priscilla McCall’s, The Maxxx Adult Store

Back Alley Bikes

B E S T BOOK S T OR E I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Quail Ridge Books

Carolina Roots Boutique

B E S T W OM E N ’ S BOUT I Q UE I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Sofia’s

Finalists: Flyleaf Books, The Regulator, Dog-Eared Books

Finalists: Womancraft Gifts, Say Wear Boutique, Lark Home Apparel

BEST PLACE TO B UY M USI C A L I N S T RUM E N T S I N T HE T RI A N G L E

B E S T T OY / K I D S S T ORE I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Finalists: High Strung Violins & Guitars, Guitar Center, Twin House

Finalists: Ali Cat Toys, Read With Me, Tiny

B E S T SA LVA G E / RE -USE B USI N E SS I N T HE T RI A N G L E

BEST NEW B USI N E SS I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Harry’s Guitar Shop

Habitat for Humanity

Finalists: The Scrap Exchange, TROSA Thrift Store, TrunkShow

BEST E N V I RON M E N TA L LY F RI E N D LY B USI N E SS I N T HE T RI A N G L E

The Scrap Exchange

Finalists: TROSA Thrift Store, Fillaree, TrunkShow

Learning Express Toys & Gifts

Bottom of The Fox Farm

Finalists: Mia Frenduto Photography, Peel Gallery

BEST NEW B USI N E SS I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

The Durham Food Hall

Finalists: The Glass Jug Beer Lab Downtown Durham, Crafts & Drafts NC

B E S T GA R D E N S T ORE I N T HE T RI A N G L E

B E S T G I F T SHOP I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Finalists: For Garden’s Sake, Garden Supply Company, Homewood Nursery & Garden Center

Finalists: DECO Raleigh, Lily Mae’s, Little Details

Logan’s Trading

Bless Your Heart Boutique

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

BOER BROTHERS

HEATING AND COOLING THANK YOU FOR VOTING US

Best HVAC Company IN THE TRIANGLE! Congratulations to All the Local Business Winners!

Call Today! 919-929-9886 FOR ALL YOUR HVAC INSTALL, REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS

Our Family Taking Care of Yours best

O F TH E

triangle

2018

SERVING THE TRIANGLE

WWW.BOERBROTHERSHVAC.COM B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T WIN E SH OP I N WAKE COU N T Y

B E S T J E W E L RY S T ORE I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Total Wine

Holland’s Jewelers

Finalists: The Raleigh Wine Shop, Wine Authorities, Taylor’s Wine Shop

Finalists: The Vintage Bee, color me badd girl collection, Be Like Missy

B E S T WOM E N ’S BOU TIQ U E IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

BEST C ON SI G N M E N T / T HRI F T SHOP I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Vaguely Reminiscent

Finalists: Vert & Vogue, Dolly’s Vintage, Smitten Boutique

B E S T RE TAIL B E ER S E L E C TION IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

Sam’s Bottle Shop

Finalists: Beer Study, The Glass Jug Beer Lab, Durham Co-op Market, Crafts & Drafts NC

B E S T FAB RIC S T ORE IN TH E T RI A N GLE

Cary Quilting Company Finalists: Mulberry Silks & Fine Fabrics, Freeman’s Creative Craft Supply, Bernina World of Sewing

B E S T AR T / CRA FT S U P P LY S T ORE I N T H E T RIAN G LE

The Scrap Exchange

Finalists: Jerry’s Artarama of Raleigh, Freeman’s Creative Craft Supply, Craft Habit Raleigh

H Mart

BES T PL AC E T O BUY LO C AL LY MA D E A R T IN O RAN GE / C HA THAM C O UNT Y

Womancraft Gifts

Finalists: Magic on 70, Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, Frank Gallery, Peel Gallery, Hillsborough Art Council Gift Shop

BES T HA RDW ARE S T O RE IN THE TRIA N GL E

Triangle ACE Hardware, Durham Woodcroft

Finalists: Fitch Lumber, Town and Country Hardware (Cary), Burke Brothers Hardware

DURHAM COUNT Y

Finalists: Bulldega Urban Market, The Wine Feed, Hope Valley Wine & Beverage

July 14, 2021

BES T PL ACE T O BU Y LO C AL LY MAD E AR T I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

INDYweek.com

BES T BI KE S H O P I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

Durham Cycles

Durham Craft Market

Finalists: Oak City Cycling, Bullseye Bicycle, Seven Stars Cycles

Finalists: Durham Night Market, Durham County Pottery Tour, The Artisan Market at 305

BES T C H I L D REN ’ S CLO T H I N G S H O P I N T H E T RI AN GL E

BES T S T O RE T O BU Y EY EGL AS S ES I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Carrboro Family Vision Finalists: Upchurch Optical, Specs, The Eye Institute Seaboard

BES T RETAI L BEER S EL ECT I O N I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Black Dog BEST WINE SHOP IN Bottle Shop Wine Authorities

PTA Thrift

PHOTO BY ALEX BOERNER

Finalists: House of Hops, Greenway Beer and Wine, Pelagic Beer and Wine

Once Upon a Child

Finalists: Tiny, Glee Kids, Beanstalk, Children’s Orchard Raleigh

BES T CD / RECO RD S T O RE I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Schoolkids Records

Finalists: Nice Price Books & Records, Chaz’s Bull City Record, Volume Records & Beer

BEST INTERNATIONAL MARKET IN THE TRIANGLE

H Mart

Finalists: Li Mings, Grand Asia, Bull City Fair Trade, Food World Durham, K-town Market

Finalists: Rumors Boutique, My Secret Closet, CommunityWorx Thrift Shop

B E S T B UT C HE R SHOP I N T HE T RI A N G L E

B E S T F LORI S T I N T HE T RI A N G L E

The Butcher’s Market Finalists: Left Bank Butchery, King’s Red & White, Carolina Butcher Shop

B E S T V I N TA G E / A N T I Q UE S T ORE I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Father and Son Finalists: Dolly’s Vintage, TrunkShow, Raleigh Furniture Gallery

B E S T J E W E L RY S T ORE I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

Jewelsmith

Finalists: Light Years, Hamilton Hill Jewelry, Atelier N Fine Jewelry

B E S T C OM I C BOOK S T ORE I N T HE T RI A N G L E

The English Garden

Finalists: Preston Flowers, Blossom & Bone Florals, Elan House

BEST PET SP E C I A LT Y S T ORE I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Phydeaux

Finalists: Unleashed the Dog & Cat Store, Oliver’s Collar Dog Treat Bakery & Boutique, Other End of the Leash Pet Boutique & Bakery

B E S T W I N E SHOP I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Weaver Street Market

Finalists: Chapel Hill Wine Company, Hillsborough Wine Company, winestore. Chapel Hill

Ultimate Comics Cary & Durham

Finalists: Atomic Empire, Foundation’s Edge B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

THIRD TIME’S A CHARM! THE BEST OF THE TRIANGLE THREE YEARS RUNNING

Thank you for voting us as Best Dental Practice in Orange/Chatham County for the third year in a row!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED US BEST DOG TRAINER IN DURHAM! WE LOVE OFFERING HIGH QUALITY DOG TRAINING TO THE TRIANGLE! 5922 US-70, Durham, NC 27705 • www.wholedoginstitute.com • 919-452-3764

THE HOLMAN DIFFERENCE When you combine holistic oral health care with a passion to deliver a distinctive dental experience, the results are remarkably different from your average dental practice.

18 3 6 M A R T I N L U T H E R K I N G J R . B LV D C H A P E L H I L L , N C 2 7 514 | ( 919 ) 9 3 2 - 7 811 h o l m a n f a m i l yd e n t a l c a r e . c o m

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T N ON PROFIT I N W AKE COU N T Y

Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC There are so many wonderful nonprofits in Wake County doing great work, but the Food Bank does something incredibly basic, yet fundamental, and does it well— it has provided food for people at risk of hunger in 34 counties in North Carolina for the past 35 years. Whether the Food Bank is providing Kids Summer Meals, as it is this year with families still suffering in the wake of the COVID pandemic, or whether it’s providing emergency supplies to communities in the wake of a hurricane or other natural disaster, you can always be assured that, through the Food Bank’s work, your neighbors aren’t going hungry. It’s also a wonderful place to donate to or volunteer; somehow, sorting potatoes at the Food Bank’s giant warehouse on Capital Boulevard is actually a fun experience. —JP Finalists: LGBT Center of Raleigh, Cause for Paws of NC, Rise Against Hunger, Perfectly Imperfect Pups, Activate Good, Bridge the Gap Mission, Inc

B E S T DOG TRAINER I N W AKE COU N T Y

Jeff Millman Dog Training The competition was furry-ous this year (sorry) but Cary-based trainer Jeff Millman took the top dog trainer’s spot. Jeff trains Triangle dogs in anything from behavior problems including aggression, barking, and separation anxiety, to leash walking training, puppy training, or training dogs to be good around kids, all using humane, science-based training techniques. Excellent customer service is part of the business model––Jeff will train your dog at your 38

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

home or he’ll meet you at the dog park–– and, having studied at Jean Donaldson’s world-renowned Dog Training Academy in San Francisco, Jeff has trained thousands of dogs in his career, so it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two. Check out all his fivestar Google reviews––Jeff’s pretty pup-ular with dogs and their humans! —JP Finalists: Dog Training Camp USA, aMANda’S BEST FRIEND

PENNY, ADOPTED FROM

Saving Grace

PHOTO BY ANNIE MAYNARD

BES T N O N PRO FI T I N O RAN GE / C HAT H AM CO U N T Y

Orange County Rape Crisis Center

Earlier this year, I wrote an article about Orange County Rape Crisis Center’s budget cuts at the hands of the state, and what it could mean for the resources they offer. In the process, I was reminded of just how vital OCRCC’s resources are. It’s one of the only freestanding rape crisis centers in the state, and their program on consensual touch is taught to more than 12,000 kids every year. Their role as informed instructors includes being able to see patterns in behavior that suggest a child is facing sexual abuse, something that other adults may not be able to pick up on. As the federal government stalls on finding a solution to the random loophole that led to these grant shortages, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center will continue doing what it can to make sure survivors are cared for, and that everyone knows what enthusiastic consent looks like. —SP Finalists: Carolina Tiger Rescue, The ReCYCLEry, Caramore Community

BES T BED & BREAK FA S T I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Carolina Inn

I’ll never forget staying in The Carolina Inn before my UNC-Chapel Hill freshman orientation. From its gorgeous blackand-white checkered floors to its soft porcelain bedding and impressive colonial architecture, The Carolina Inn is certainly the most picturesque hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Its beauty, combined with easy proximity to campus and Franklin Street, likely form just part of the reason why readers love it. I’m certain that its delicious menu features, designed by Executive Chef Jeremey Blankenship and his culinary team, also come into play here. Where else can you eat such wellcooked versions of delicious Southern classics, including pimento cheese BLTs and shrimp and grits? —EH Finalists: The Colonial Inn, Morehead Manor, Arrowhead Inn

B E S T P L A C E T O A D OP T A P E T I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Saving Grace

Saving Grace is a reader favorite and I wholeheartedly agree: it’s the best place to adopt a pet in the Triangle, because last summer, it brought me the best dog in the Triangle—my dog, Penny. Beyond that obvious bias, Saving Grace does a lot of good. Established in 2004, the volunteer-run nonprofit shelter serves stray animals, primarily dogs, from rural parts of North Carolina and in counties that have high euthanasia rates, and has placed about 22,000 animals into their new homes. Make an appointment to go to Saving Grace’s Wake Forest farm space and you’ll encounter several dozen tail-wagging dogs of all shapes and sizes playing at the “Funny Farm.” If you can’t adopt right away, but want to see what the dogs are up to, Saving Grace’s very active Instagram account regularly features videos of sweetie-pie dogs that will bring you to tears. And now, with Penny sitting beside me, eagerly watching a garbage truck out the window, I’m about to be in tears myself. —SE Finalists: Triangle Beagle Rescue, Durham Animal Protection Society, Perfectly Imperfect Pups B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T RE ALT OR I N O RAN G E / C H A T H AM COU N T Y

Justin Burleson, Fonville Morisey/ Premier Agents Network Finalists: Martha Newport, Newport Group, Dave Cherry, Atomic Properties, Ryan Euliss, Allen Tate Realtors

B E S T E LE CTRICIAN I N T HE TRIAN G LE

Bonneville Electric

Finalists: R.L. Griffin Electrical Service, Electric Avenue, Creative Electric

July 14, 2021

BEST PET-SITTING SERVICE IN ORANGE / CHATHAM COUNTY

Kate’s Critter Care

Finalists: Walk & Wag, Rachel’s Pet Care, Laughing Dog Pet Care

BES T INS URA N C E AGENT IN THE TRIA N GL E

Karen Boone, State Farm Finalists: Amanda Hagood, State Farm; Ola Stinnett, State Farm; Christine Walorz, Walorz Insurance

BES T S U MMER C AMP I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Piedmont Wildlife Center

Finalists: Carolina Friends School, Learning Outside, Schoolhouse of Wonder

BEST DOG TRAINER IN DURHAM COUNTY

Whole Dog Institute

Finalists: YAYDog!, Dog Training Camp USA, So Fetch K9 Adventures, Joanne the Dog Lady

BES T PET GRO O MER IN D URHAM C O UNT Y

BEST TATTOO STUDIO IN THE TRIANGLE

Finalists: Eno Animal Hospital, Pampered Pooch, Dog Stylists Inc

Finalists: Facial Xpressions Makeup and Microblading, Ratatat Tats, Conspiracy Ink Tattoos

Elliotte’s Pet Spa & Salon

INDYweek.com

Inkvictus Studios

BES T REALT O R I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

B E S T A UT O R E PA I R I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Justin Burleson, Chapel Hill Tire Fonville Finalists: F & F Morisey/ Automotive, A Better Premier Agents Wrench, Elite Auto Body Network Finalists: Martha Newport, Newport Group; Paula Carr, Atomic Properties; Cory Sherman, Homegrown Real Estate

BES T REALT O R I N WAK E CO U N T Y

B E S T E A RLY C HI L D HOOD L E A RN I N G FA C I L I T Y I N W A K E C OUN T Y

Preschool for the Arts (APA)

Finalists: Temple Beth Or Preschool, Follow the Child Montessori School, Knightdale Station Preschool

Justin Burleson, Fonville Morisey/ B E S T L A N D SC A P E Premier Agents C OM PA N Y I N T HE T RI A N G L E Network Finalists: Paula Carr, TROSA Atomic Properties; Mike Wolgin, Wolgin Real Estate Lawn Care Group; Chip Barker, Core Realty Advisors; Beatriz Negrin, DeRonja Real Estate

B E S T P E T -SI T T I N G SE RV I C E I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

Kate’s Critter Care

Finalists: Bull City Pet Sitting, A Whole Lotta Love Pet Sitting, Barbie & Company Pet Services

BEST PET G ROOM E R I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Hair of the Dog Grooming Studio

Finalists: Love Overboard Kennels & Grooming, Green Beagle Pet Lodge, Moppy Top Pet Grooming, K9 Perfection Grooming Salon

Finalists: New Leaf Landscaping, Peak Sodding, Burge Landscapes

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

B E S T LICE N SE D C O N TRACT OR I N O RAN G E / C H A T H AM COU NT Y

Little Corner Construction

Finalists: BuildSense, Actual Size Builders, Pope Builders Inc.

B E S T PE T BOA RDIN G IN W A KE COU N T Y

Suite Paws Pet Resort and Spa Finalists: Dogtopia, Pooch Pad, Happy Puppers, Dog Diggity, Audrey’s Barkyard

B E S T H OUSE C L E A N E RS IN WAKE COUNT Y

Go 2 Girls

Finalists: Best Clean Ever, Carpe Diem Cleaning, Spotless Home Cleaning Service

B E S T DOG TRAINER I N O RAN G E / C H A T H AM COU NT Y

Jane Marshall, Cheery Dogs

BES T PL UMBER IN THE TRIAN GL E

Cary Plumbing Finalists: Carrboro Plumbing, NC Water Heaters, Greene Hunt Plumbing

BES T A RC HITEC T / A RC HITEC TURE S TUD IO IN THE TRIA N GL E

Shaw Design Associates

Finalists: Sophie Piesse Architect, PA; BuildSense; In Situ Studio

BES T VETERIN A RY PRA C TIC E IN D URHAM C O UNT Y

Carver Street Animal Hospital

Finalists: Eno Animal Hospital, Southpoint Animal Hospital, Willow Oak Veterinary Hospital

BES T EARLY C HIL D HO O D L EA RNIN G FAC IL IT Y IN D URHA M C O UNT Y

Finalists: Kuba & Company, Dog Training Camp USA, Hickory Hounds

Carolina Friends School

B E S T H OUSE C L E A N E RS IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

Finalists: Children’s Campus at Southpoint, Grey Stone Preschool & Kindergarten, Branches Community School

Finalists: Go 2 Girls, Carpe Diem Cleaning, Tangerine Clean

BES T PET GRO O MER IN WA KE C O UNT Y

Best Clean Ever

B E S T PE T - SITTIN G S E RV ICE IN WAK E COUNT Y

FURbaby Pet Sitters

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Cary Finalists: MOSA Pet Spa & Resort, City Pet Grooming, All About Pets Grooming

Finalists: aMANda’s BEST FRIEND, Happy Puppers, Pack and Pride B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

BES T H O U S E PAI N T ER I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Hansell Painting Company

Finalists: Anderson Painting, Zarazua Painting, Color World House Painting

BES T AU T O D EAL ERS H I P I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Leith Auto Center

Finalists: Hendrick Subaru, Fred Anderson Toyota, Crown Honda

BES T EVEN T / WED D I N G PL AN N ER I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Something Fabulous

Finalists: The Perfect Plan, Search in the City, Pavillion at Nicks Road, Cross + Main

BES T AU T O R EPAI R I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Johnson Auto Body Inc.

Finalists: Frantz Automotive Center, Duty Tire & Service Center, Atlantic Ave, Ernie Lee’s Service Center

BES T H O U S E CL EAN ERS I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Maria’s Cleaning

Finalists: Carpe Diem Cleaning, Tangerine Clean, Patricia Sandoval

Thanks for voting us

Best Yarn Store in the Triangle

Dog Training Classes, Day School, Private Sessions

We appreciate your support!

C O N TAC T 114 South Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278 (919) 732-2128 | www.hillsboroughyarn.com

joanne@joannethedoglady.com www.joannethedoglady.com 919-864-0229

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T C ATE RE R IN T H E T RIAN G LE

BEST PET BOARDING IN DURHAM COUNTY

The Umstead Hotel

Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe

Camp Bow Wow North Durham

PHOTO BY D.L. ANDERSON

Finalists: Sunny Acres, Eno Animal Hospital, The Pet Wagon, Creature Comforts Inn

Finalists: Rocky Top Catering, Catering Works, Cannon Catering

B E S T HVA C C OM PA N Y I N T HE T RI A N G L E

B E S T PE T BOA RDIN G IN ORA N G E / C H A T HAM COUN T Y

Boer Brothers Heating and Cooling

Green Beagle Pet Lodge

Finalists: Air Innovations HVAC, Warren Hay Mechanical, All American Heating and Air

Finalists: Dogwood Veterinary Hospital & Pet Resort, Doggie Spa & Day Care, K9 R&R Pet Retreat, Chapel Hill Pet Resort, No Barking Back

B E S T RE T I R E M E N T C OM M UN I T Y I N T HE T RI A N G L E

B E S T LICE N SE D C O N T RACT OR IN W A K E COU N T Y

Croasdaile Village Retirement Community

Little Corner Construction

Finalists: BuildSense, Big Monkey Renovation & Repair, One Team Restoration

B E S T LICE N SE D C O N T RACT OR IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

Little Corner Construction

Finalists: G. Crabtree Spaces, Gateway, BuildSense, Actual Size Builders

B E S T AD AG E N CY I N T HE TRIAN G LE

BluePrint Business Communications Finalists: Heights Digital Media, Food Seen, French West Vaughan

July 14, 2021

BES T SUMMER C AMP IN WA KE C O UNT Y

Camp Kanata Finalists: YMCA, Raleigh Little Theatre, New Life Camp, Arts Together

BES T SUMMER C AMP IN D URHA M C O UNT Y

Museum of Life & Science Finalists: Piedmont Wildlife Center, Camp Shelanu at Jewish for Good, Schoolhouse of Wonder

INDYweek.com

BES T AT T O RN EY I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Cara Dudek Petri, Jackson Law Finalists: Taibi Law Group, PLLC, Newman & Newman, PLLC, Arnette Law Offices, PLLC

BES T VET ERI N ARY PRACT I CE I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Carrboro Plaza Veterinary Clinic Finalists: Healing Paws Veterinary Hospital, Cole Park Veterinary Hospital, VCA Timberlyne Animal Hospital

TROSA

Finalists: Urban Ministries of Durham, Jewish for Good at the Levin JCC, Reggie’s Legacy

BES T VET ERI N ARY PRACT I CE I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Banfield Pet Hospital

Finalists: Magnolia Animal Hospital, Care First Animal Hospital at Oberlin, Shiloh Animal Hospital, Bayleaf Veterinary Hospital

Martha Newport Realty Group Finalists: Premier Agents Network, Atomic Properties, Wolgin Real Estate Group

B E S T HO T E L I N T HE T RI A N G L E

The Umstead Hotel

Finalists: The Durham Hotel, 21c, Unscripted

B E S T E A RLY C HI L D HOOD L E A RN I N G FA C I L I T Y I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Learning Outside

Finalists: Carol Woods, Carolina Meadows, Magnolia Glen, Carolina Preserve at Amberly, Creekside at Bethpage

BEST NONPROFIT IN DURHAM COUNT Y

B E S T RE A LT OR G ROUP I N T HE T RI A N G L E

B E S T A UT O R E PA I R I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

Wasp Automotive

Finalists: Massey Brothers Automotive, Durham Tire & Auto Center, Ingold Tire & Auto Service Center

B E S T DA N C E S T UD I O I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Academy for the Performing Arts (APA)

Finalists: Carolina Friends School, Children’s Campus, Childcare Matters, Casa Club Spanish Immersion Preschool

B E S T M OV I N G C OM PA N Y I N T HE T RI A N G L E

TROSA Moving Finalists: Two Men and a Truck Durham, Crabtree Family Moving, Chapel Hill Moving Co., Bee Line Moving

B E S T M USI C L E SSON S I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Triangle Music School

Finalists: High Strung School of Music, Notasium, Gabriel Pelli, Ashe School of Music

Finalists: Graceful Expressions Dance Education, Encore Academy of Dance, Premier School of Dance B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

WHERE A DOG CAN BE A DOG.

To everyone who has trained with us, laughed with us and cried with us over the last diﬃcult year, THANK YOU! And to those of you new to us, come join us— the laughs are free!

www.cheerydogs.com | jane@cheerydogs.com B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

Free Day Camp with Boarding Stays All Day Play Snooze The Night Away®

Large Indoor & Outdoor Play Yards Live Web Cams Open 6:30am–7:30pm

Camp Bow Wow® North Durham 4310 Bennett Memorial Road | Durham, NC 27705 919-309-4959 INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T BARB E R SHO P I N T HE TRIAN G LE

Rocks Bar & Hair Shop, and Arrow Haircuts (tie) No matter what you identify as, look like, or the status of your hair, Rocks Bar and Hair Shop will take you as you are and uplift you to your grooming goals. My first time in the chair, I was nervous–I have a condition that often causes me to have thin, patchy hair–but the excellent stylists went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable and worthy to be in that seat. Tied for first place, Arrow Haircuts reputation speaks for itself. Sharp and sleek cuts from master stylists will elevate your hair game to the next level. With locations throughout the Triangle, this is a convenient and classy place to clean up your look or find a new one. —LT Finalists: Chapel Hill Barber Shop, Mister Pompadour Barber Lounge

B E S T YOGA S TU DIO I N W AKE COU N T Y

Alchemy Hot Yoga Studio

Hot yoga. It isn’t for the weak of will. But it’s also accessible to all, since the sweltering temperature is doing the work, warming your muscles and purifying you from the inside out as you move through a series of postures and breaths. And afterwards, even though you’re drenched in sweat, you feel amazing. There are many great hot yoga studios in Wake County, but our readers voted Alchemy Hot Yoga in Wake Forest as their favorite. Alchemy owner Jennifer Wagner started the studio to promote a sense of com44

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

munity among her student practitioners, and Alchemy is a welcoming, non-judgmental space. Alchemy is unique in the Triangle for its use of infrared radiant heat, an energy-efficient system that provides a uniform warming effect from the floors. But the best part about Alchemy, clients say, are the studio’s teachers, who are wonderful, and just as warm as the room. —JP Finalists: Barre-Up Raleigh, YoBa Studio, Gratitude Hot Yoga Center

BES T YO GA S T U D I O IN D URH AM CO U N T Y

Global Breath Studio One can barely swing a proverbial dead cat along a Triangle sidewalk and not smack a yoga enthusiast attired in loose-fitting apparel and tights, gliding down the sidewalk with the telltale rolled yoga mat swinging blissfully behind them. INDY readers selected Global Breath as the best yoga studio in Durham County. The one time I have been inside the place was to participate in a West African dance class that featured a choreographer from West Africa, but who knew? The studio centers on community, social justice, and mindfulness while offering in-person and virtual classes at rates that accommodate its practitioners’ financial reality. Maybe it’s time to engage your mula bandha, baby! —TM Finalists: Durham Yoga Company, Yoga Off East, Arrichion Hot Yoga, Blue Point Yoga, Trilogy Power Yoga

The Umstead Hotel PHOTO BY CAITLIN PENNA

BES T C H I RO PRACT O R (I N D I VI D UALʼ S N AME) I N T H E T RI AN GL E

B E S T GY M I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

B E S T YOGA S T UD I O I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Finalists: Dr. Taylor Frederick, Dr. Cheyne Ashline, Dr. Chas Gaertner

Finalists: Fit Lab Studios, Courage Fitness, CrossFit RTP, The Body Games Center

Kindness Yoga School (Go Deep Yoga), Thousand Petals Yoga

BES T N AT U RAL H AI R SALO N I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

B E S T P E RSON A L T RA I N E R ( I N D I V I D UA Lʼ S N A M E ) I N T HE T RI A N G L E

B E S T OP T OM E T RY P RA C T I C E I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Dr. Jaylene Bair

Syd’s Hair Shop Finalists: Salon and Spa Suites of Hillsborough, Glam Salon, M&A Salon/ Hillsborough, Ashlynn & Co.

BES T WO MEN ʼ S H EALT H PRACT I CE I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Kamm McKenzie ObGyn

Finalists: Durham Women’s Clinic - Brier Creek, Arbor ObGyn, Regenesis MD

Jewish for Good Health & Carrboro Yoga Company Wellness Center Franklin Street at the Levin JCC Finalists: Yoga Center, Loving

Kevin Gidrey

Academy Eye Associates

Finalists: Casey Rush, Ayana Gibbs, Giannina Tessener

Finalists: Carrboro Family Vision, McPherson Family Eye Care

B E S T P HYSI C A L T HE RA P I S T / C L I N I C I N T HE T RI A N G L E

BEST PILATES S T UD I O I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Liz Waddell, Art of Movement Physical Therapy

Barre-Up Raleigh

Finalists: Inside Out Body Therapies, Durham; Bull City Pilates and Massage; Spira Pilates Studio

Finalists: Jessie Mathers, Evolution Physical Therapy and Wellness; Anne Wolfe, Emerge Pediatric Therapy; The Running PTs

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

THANK YOU for voting Signature Smiles as Best Dental Practice in Wake County! We are honored to be your locally-owned, trusted family dental practice, and we are committed to providing every patient a safe, educational, relaxing, and fun dental experience. You deserve it.

Dr. Archie Cook, Jr. signaturesmiles-nc.com 919-803-0168 B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

Locally owned optometric care for over 40 years D

BES T WO MEN ’ S H EALT H PRACT I T I O N ER (I N D I VI D UAL’ S N AME) I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Michelle Kessler, PA-C Finalists: Dr. Bhavna Vaidya-Tank, Regenesis MD; Dr. Nicolette Schreiber; Dr. Nichelle Satterfield

BES T D EN TAL PRACT I CE I N D U RH AM CO U N T Y

Smile First Dental

Finalists: Durham Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Bull City Smiles, Turning Point Dental and Aesthetics

Meredith Canterbury, OD

BES T GY M I N WAK E CO U N T Y Jennifer Powell, OD

Find A Way Fitness

Finalists: 9Round Raleigh, Current Wellness, Pura Vida Studio, Arise Athletics

BES T MAR T I AL AR T S S T U D I O I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Best Optometrist in the Triangle •

Full scope adult & pediatric eye care including eye health exams, cataract post-ops, & LASIK co-management

•

Offer familiar brands of contact lenses & a unique variety of eyeglass frames for patients to look their best

•

Treatment & management of ocular disease such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, & retinal detachment

•

Use of digital retinal imaging and no drop, no puff eye pressure testing

•

Treatment of acute problems such as conjunctivitis, corneal abrasions, foreign bodies, & ocular inflammation

DURHAM • 3115 Academy Road • 919-493-7456 CHAPEL HILL • 910 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. • 919-942-8531 A C A D E M Y E Y E . C O M 46

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

Chapel Hill Quest Martial Arts Finalists: Triangle Krav Maga, The Coalition NC, Wah Lum Kung Fu of Raleigh

BES T TAN N I N G FACI L I T Y I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Alietha’s Sunkissed Tans Finalists: Tansformation Spray Tanning, Oak City Sunless, Unfiltered Beauty

B E S T HOL I S T I C M E D I C I N E I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Duke Integrative Medicine

B E S T T HE RA P I S T ( I N D I V I D UA L’ S N A M E ) I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Amy Kline

Finalists: Integrative Medical Clinic of North Carolina; Acupuncture Healing Center, Chapel Hill; Regenesis MD

BEST D E RM A T OLOG I S T ( I N D I V I D UA L’ S N A M E ) I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Dr. Mark Fradin

Finalists: Dr. Patricia Mauro, Dr. Kendall S. Hash, Dr. David T. DeVries

B E S T A E S T HE T I C I A N ( I N D I V I D UA L’ S N A M E ) I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Winnie Li, Regenesis MD

Finalists: Bethany Burdine, Fuzzy Bee Waxing Studio; Lindsey Westendorf, Smoothe LLC; Myriam Edery

B E S T GY M I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

Finalists: Cheryl Carroll, Randi Milroy, Felix Morton IV

B E S T M A SSA G E T HE RA P I S T ( I N D I V I D UA L’ S N A M E ) I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Suzanna Vogel, LMBT #6705 Finalists: Castle Frame, LMBT #16422; Jonathan Groger, LMBT #17054; Carole L. Pope, LMBT #12671; Peter Kerr, LMBT #13771

BEST WOMEN’S HEALTH PRACTITIONER (INDIVIDUAL’S NAME) IN DURHAM COUNTY

Melinda Everett, WHCNP Finalists: Michele Kessler, PA-C; Dr. Nicolette Schreiber; Dr. Nichelle Satterfield

B E S T N A T URA L HA I R SA LON I N W A K E C OUN T Y

UNC Wellness Center

Taji Natural Hair Styling Salon

Finalists: Orangetheory Fitness, The Coalition NC, Pure Barre

Finalists: Wake Forest Natural Hair Salon, Tone Hair Salon, Salt Hair Salon

B E S T W OM E N ’ S HE A LT H P RA C T I C E I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

BEST PRIMARY CARE PRACTITIONER (INDIVIDUAL’S NAME) IN THE TRIANGLE

Chapel Hill OB-GYN

Finalists: Mosaic Comprehensive Care, Women’s Birth and Wellness Center, UNC Regional Midwives

Dr. Stacey Bean

Finalists: Dr. Susan P. Blackford; Dr. Bhavna Vaidya-Tank; Lea Lott, PA-C

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

Thank you to all our wonderful clients who supported us this past year! 610 WEST MAIN ST. SUITE 101, DURHAM, NC, 27701 INFO@POSHTHESALON.COM • 919-683-2109

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

B E S T DE N TAL P RA C TICE IN ORA N G E / C H A T H AM COU N T Y

Holman Family Dental Care Finalists: Sunrise Dental, UNC Dental Faculty Practice, Ellis Family Dentistry

B E S T N ATU RAL H A I R SALON IN DU RH AM COU N T Y

Veena B. Salon Finalists: The Heir Salon, Vent Salon, H2O Hair Salon & Spa

BES T D ENTA L PRA C TIC E IN W AK E C O UNT Y

Signature Smiles Cary

Finalists: Smileplicity Dentistry, Tryon Family Dentistry, Raleigh Dental Arts, Pediatric Dentistry Downtown Raleigh, Supremia Dentistry

BES T W O MEN’S HEA LTH PRA C TIC E IN D URHA M C O UNT Y

Chapel Hill OB-GYN - Southpoint

Finalists: Durham Women’s Clinic, Duke Women’s Health Associates, Durham Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) at North Duke Street

BES T CO U P L ES T H ERAPI S T (I N D I VI D UAL’ S N AME) I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Paige Armstrong, MSW, LCSW

Finalists: Kate Cosgriff, LCSW, PLLC; Erin Ballard, LMFT

BES T DAY S PA I N T H E T RI AN GL E

Umstead Spa

Finalists: Regenesis MD, Spa Retreat Cary, Skinologie: A Beauty Bar

BES T WO MEN ’ S H EALT H PRACT I T I O N ER (I N D I VI D UAL’ S N AME) I N O RAN GE / C H AT H AM CO U N T Y

Melinda Everett, WHCNP

B E S T P S YC HI A T RI S T ( I N D I V I D UA L’ S N A M E ) I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Dr. Mona Gupta, DO

Finalists: Dr. Matthew Conner, MD; Dr. Robin Casey; Dr. Steven D Prakke; Dr. Kerry Landry, MD; Dr. Erik Gustke, MD

Finalists: Dr. Pat Chappell, Dr. Sonya Williams, Dr. Nicolette Schreiber

BES T H AI R SALO N I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Moss

Finalists: Wake Forest Natural Hair Salon, Tone Hair Salon, Little Shop of Hairdos NC

BEST HAIR SALON IN DURHAM COUNTY

Posh The Salon

Finalists: Vent Salon, Willow Hair Studio, Veena B. Salon

B E S T HA I R SA LON I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

BEST A C UP UN C T URI S T ( I N D I V I D UA L’ S N A M E ) I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Carmela Mager, L.Ac., Acupuncture Healing Center Finalists: Dr. Adam Gries, Awakenings Health; Dr. Mary Clark, DACM, Raleigh Health & Wellness; Cholena Erickson, L.AC., O.M.D, Acupuncture Healing Center

B E S T P E D I A T RI C P RA C T I C E I N T HE T RI A N G L E

Regional Syd’s Hair Shop, Pediatrics Finalists: Chapel Hill Lavish Beauty Pediatrics and Adolescents, Durham Pediatrics, Emerge Lounge (tie)

~~ Finalists: To the Woods, Glam Salon

Pediatric Therapy

Looking for Answers? Follow @INDYWeek on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for breaking news. 48

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

BEST LOCAL POLITICIAN IN NEED OF A REALIT Y CHECK

Republicans

This year, Republicans—yes, all of them—were voted the most deserving of a slap in the face, a douse of ice water, or a lengthy chastising from an exasperated shrink. We doubt any of that will work, of course, but it’s fun to think about. What’s not fun to think about is Republicans still running Jones Street, filing bills on everything from criminalizing protests to curtailing gender-affirming medical practices. And that’s just in Raleigh. We still have the usual antics of Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr, plus a bunch of congressmen, in Washington. Curious that Democratic governor and finalist Roy Cooper—a man who won two-thirds of the vote in the Triangle just eight months ago—somehow landed oh so close to earning his own slap in the face. —GW Finalists: Thom Tillis, Mary-Ann Baldwin, Roy Cooper

B E S T LOC AL - IN TERES T/ W E BSITE B LOG

Bites of Bull City

Yes, we technically also run a “local-interest website,” but sometimes you got to recognize. And the people recognize you, Bites of Bull City, a previous winner of this category. Founded by Durham foodie/writer Amber Watson seven years ago, Bites covers the ins and outs of the Durham restaurant-verse.The city’s burgeoning food scene was part of the reason why Watson and her husband relocated to the Bull City from the Northeast in the first place, and that passion for southern cuisine has morphed into B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

such an integral part of my childhood that I ranked Hodge’s celebrity alongside that of Justin Bieber or Oprah. As I’ve grown older, WUNC has remained the soundtrack to my day-to-day life, but I’ve come to view Hodge and his colleagues more as friends than famous people. They keep me company while keeping me informed, sharing community-relevant stories that I likely wouldn’t have clicked on or come across on a different medium. News sources are becoming increasingly detached from their consumers, so if you brush shoulders with your favorite radio host while buying tomatoes, take it as a good sign. —LG

Eno River State Park PHOTO BY ALEX BOERNER

Finalists: WKNC 88.1 FM, Radio Free Raleigh, That Station 95.7

B E S T P L A C E T O HI K E

Eno River State Park what’s become a go-to website for tracking everything from the latest on restaurant grand openings to breezy menu reviews that discerning foodies have come to appreciate. And did we mention all those food pics? Try not to salivate. —GW Finalists: Livable Raleigh, Today in the Quay, RALtoday

BES T LO C AL T WI T T ER FEED

Discover Durham has a tweet for you. One of the best things about the feed is that it doesn’t hammer you over the head. They usually tweet one to three times a day, and the posts are generally witty, newsy, or helpful. Discover Durham is a great follow for both lifelong locals and clueless newbies. They also won best local Instagram account. Keep ‘em coming, DD. —GW Finalists: @RALtoday, @RadioFreeRaleee

Discover Durham @durhamnc

BES T LO C AL R AD I O S TAT I O N

A picturesque photo of a Durham sunset. A gleeful PSA about the reopening of Duke Gardens. A link to a list of nearly 300 local restaurants(!) with takeout, delivery, and outdoor dining. Whatever your interests—sports, food, lemurs—

When I was nine years old, I spotted Eric Hodge, host of Morning Edition, at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market. I was starstruck to the point of tears; WUNC was

WUNC

If you’re like me, you enjoy hiking, but don’t like to sweat. That’s one of the reasons why I love Eno River State Park. The park’s clearly marked trails are accessible to almost everyone, even those of us who can’t handle much more than a brisk walk. But best of all are the destinations these trails lead to. Just under two miles of round-trip hiking will get you to and from Sennet’s Hole, one of the Triangle’s most scenic places to swim. Littered with giant, mossy rocks, excellent for lounging and sunbathing, Sennet’s Hole will surely cool you off after your hike. Just make sure to bring sunscreen, a towel, and maybe some shoes you can wear in the water. Stepping on a million little rocks will bruise your feet! Who knew? —EH Finalists: Umstead Park, Occoneechee State Park, Brumley Nature Preserve INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

American Tobacco Trail PHOTO BY JEREMY M. LANGE

BES T PL ACE T O RU N

B E S T LOC A L A C T I V I S T G ROUP

It’s 7 p.m. in the summer on the American Tobacco Trail. The sun is flitting through the trees, bathing the path in a golden light, the leaves are glowing bright green, and as you pass through the heart of the Triangle, it all gets just a bit more beautiful. The American Tobacco Trail extends uninterrupted from Durham more than 22 miles south, through Chatham County, to its end in Wake County. The road is long, flat, and full of space to both enjoy a solitary run, or a chill walk with your friends– the kind of place we all needed this past year. You’ll get your share of wildlife and luscious greenery, as well as a taste of the Triangle’s bustling and lively cityscape. —RS

At first glance, Livable Raleigh’s army of social justice warriors appears to be a bunch of families walking down a neighborhood street, kids on bikes, and parents pushing strollers. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll find steely-eyed activism, with a splash of politics. The website is part local news banter, part neighborhood watchdog, and part primer for a Raleigh newbie learning the ropes of a new city. Co-founded by former city council member Stef Mendell, the group picks its battles—most recently with city officials for postponing local elections, citing census delays. The group called it a “slow-moving coup.” They’re family-friendly all right—just don’t spit on their sidewalk. —GW

American Tobacco Trail

Finalists: Neuse River Trail, Al Buehler Trail, Duke Wall East Campus

Livable Raleigh

Finalists: Food Not Bombs, Emancipate NC, Southerners on New Ground (SONG)

Thank you to all those who supported us throughout this past year! We are honored and humbled to be a finalist for Best Hair Salon in Orange/ Chatham County Make your next appointment today! 190 Orange Grove St, Hillsborough, NC 27278 | glamsalon123@yahoo.com | (919) 732-4000

RECYCLE THIS PAPER

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

LOCAL ARTS, MUSIC, FOOD, ETC.

in your inbox every Friday

BES T PO L I T I CI AN I N WAK E CO U N T Y

Roy Cooper

Finalists: Literally no one, David Cox, Jason Wunsch, Sarah Crawford, Erin Pare

BES T LO C AL FACEBO O K PAGE

Chapel Hill/ Carrboro Foodies

Finalists: Livable Raleigh, RALtoday, Beltline to Broadway

BES T LO C AL I N S TAGRAM ACCO U N T

@durhamnc Finalists: @nceatandplay, @raltoday, @ riverthethreeleggeddog

BES T PL ACE T O TAK E VI S I T O RS FRO M O U T O F T OW N

Sarah P. Duke Gardens Finalists: NC Museum of Art, MagikCraft Bull City Magic, Cedar Creek Gallery

an Arts & Culture Newsletter

B I G G E S T W A S T E OF P UB L I C M ON E Y

Saving & protecting confederate monuments

B E S T RE A SON T O LOV E T HE T RI A N G L E

Diverse and multicultural

Finalists: Tax breaks for corporations, Tax Increment Grant for Kane’s Downtown South Project, The Police

Finalists: Arts and culture, Nature access, People wear masks to save others

B E S T P OL I T I C I A N I N ORA N G E / C HA T HA M C OUN T Y

David Price

BEST PLACE TO P E OP L E W A T C H

NC State Fair Finalists: Weaver Street Market Carrboro, Durham Central Park, Streets of Southpoint

B E S T USE OF P UB L I C M ON E Y

Finalists: Graig Meyer, Damon Seils, Lydia Lavelle, Linda Lovelle

B E S T P OL I T I C I A N I N D URHA M C OUN T Y

Steve Schewel

Affordable housing

Finalists: Nida Allam, Pierce Freelon, Jillian Johnson

Finalists: Public schools, Public parks, Libraries

B E S T LOC A L D O-G OOD E R

B E S T -K E P T SE C RE T

Cedar Creek Gallery

Finalists: MagikCraft Bull City Magic, Redbud Writing Project, Kandy Apples by K

Muffin (Andrea Hudson of NC Community Bail Fund) Finalists: Wanda Hunter, Maggie Kane, Jamie Tripp

BES T REAS O N T O L EAVE T H E T RI AN GL E

Over development that damages the environment and increases traffic and pollution Finalists: Gentrification, Traffic, The Painted Farmer

TO SUBSCRIBE, VISIT indyweek.com/newsletter-signup 52

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

B EST OF TH E TRIANGLE 2021

M U SIC TRIPPERS & ASKERS: ACORN

ACORN ALBUM RELEASE PARTY

HHHH1/2

July 16, 7 p.m. Shadowbox Studio, Durham

[Sleepy Cat Records; July 16, 2021]

Resilient Roots Trippers & Askers’ new album, Acorn, invokes Octavia E. Butler’s prophetic vision of the future BY DAN RUCCIA music@indyweek.com

here’s something about Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower. Once you’ve interacted with her remarkably prophetic vision of the near future, you begin to see it referenced everywhere. The radical acceptance and resilience the novel outlines in its Earthseed religion—the notion that god is change, and that individuals have the agency to shape their situation and create community— are strangely irresistible to many artists. Trippers & Askers, the band of former Durhamite and current Ashevillian Jay Hammond, is certainly not the first group to use this novel as a springboard, and on new album Acorn, he treats it more as source for allegory than as a narrative to be recounted. The album’s two halves roughly divide into visions of childhood and adulthood, of empathy and observation, with detours to a gentrifying New York City and the streets of New Orleans. Both sides end with explicit invocations of Parable, tying together all the fleeting references that dot the rest of the album. Hammond has a keen eye for the way we interact with each other and the meanings that flow from those interactions. In the song “Henry,” which opens the second half of the album, he recounts a passing interaction with an elderly homeless man on the street, unpacking all the charged layers of race, class, and so forth that divide them with the awareness of an anthropologist. He wants to relate to the man but notes that “what I think isn’t worth a dime at the shelter/ or on the street, there’s not a feeling that flows hard enough.” Ultimately, though, Hammond sings to end

the chorus, “You learned my name, said thanks, and walked away.” Surrounding all these observations is a veritable who’s who of the Durham scene including Joe Westerlund on drums, Andy Stack (Wye Oak, Joyero) on saxophone, Ken Moshesh (Sun Ra Arkestra) on percussion, Joseph O’Connell (Elephant Micah) on organ, and Chessa Rich on vocals and keyboards. Together, they put a distinctive spin on the Southern folk/rock sound of local folks like Hiss Golden Messenger or H.C. McEntire. Hammond’s melodies are at once wellworn and unusual, and the arrangements burst with color, like the spacious mix of saxophone, organ, and pedal steel in “Pulsing Place.” Nobody is in a rush and changes come exactly when they need to. And then there’s the driving psych of album closer “Making Forests,” where guitar, organ, and saz continually rise up to the sun as “we marvel at what we made.” Throughout, Hammond is seeking community. It’s safe to say he finds it. W

To advertise or feature a pet for adoption, please contact advertising@indyweek.com INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

PAGE

Turning a Page Beloved community fixture Chapel Hill Public Library reopens, and takes a look toward the future BY FRED WASSER arts@indyweek.com

o some, it may seem like long ago and far away. To others, it may seem like yesterday: Friday, March 13, 2020. Susan Brown, the director of the Chapel Hill Public Library, says she has a very “visual and visceral” memory of the day of the library’s COVID-19 lockdown. At around noon, a staff member announced over the P.A. system that the library would close at five o’clock. That is, not just close for the day. As hour zero approached, and word spread in the community, resourceful readers seized the moment. “People were checking out armloads and laundry baskets full of books,” Brown says. “It was this interesting mix of people being unsure of what was happening and what would happen next. And, of course at the time we all thought: We’ll be closed for two weeks. Maybe two months.” Like other businesses, the library adapted and improvised. During the pandemic, it focused on its “park and pickup” program—a labor-intensive process, serving about 900 people daily, with about 1,500 books requested every day. Brown says that tasks that required just one person during ordinary times took four people. “It took 100 percent of our staff capacity. Still, the checking-out of books decreased,” she says. That’s because the only way to access books was by putting them on hold using the website. There was no browsing of the stacks. “ “But compared to other public libraries our circulation [during the pandemic] was very high,” she adds. “Chapel Hill is a town that reads.” Now, a page is being turned as the pandemic—and the library—begins a new chapter. On July 8, the library reopened for browsing, although with some occupancy limits. Much of the furniture has been removed and initially, patrons will not be allowed to sit at tables or chairs. Masks are required. The library remains closed on Wednesdays, but Sunday hours have been restored. As the 10 a.m. opening of the library approached, last Thursday, five adults and two children were waiting, during a driving rainstorm, to enter the library. As the rain eased up, a half-hour later, there were perhaps 100 or more people in the library wandering the stacks. 54

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

Mansir Petrie, Library Experiences Coordinator at Chapel Hill Public Library At main check-out area The Hub Library Experiences Coordinator Mansir Petrie, a recent hire, was helping patrons navigate the new world of browsing. Petrie is among a group of library staff in the Library Experiences Division who are tasked with making the library easier to use, and removing barriers to its use. During the last few years, the library has adopted the “user experience” or “UX” model, an idea that has been embraced in many different fields. “The Library Experiences Division is about hospitality and stewardship of the resources,” says Petrie. “Something really good is happening here.” “I welcome and look forward to opportunities where we can just increase community interaction,” says Petrie, adding that he is intrigued by the “transformative power” of libraries, including the possibilities for cross-cultural education. For his part, Petrie grew up in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and went to Grinnell College in Iowa. He’s a fluent speaker of English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and has done international community development work in numerous countries outside the United States. Most recently he was a program manager for the Peace Corps in Panama. “As a Quaker, growing up in the Religious Society of Friends, [you] really get a sense that there is a God in everyone,” says Petrie, “There was a real sense that no matter where you’re from, or what your perspective is, you’re valued. You have worth. As I started to travel, I enjoyed working in community development—working with these com-

PHOTO BY BRETT VILLENA

munities and voices that were traditionally not as heard— hearing about how they wanted their development project to go, what was important to them in the community.” Moving forward through the recovery and beyond, library director Susan Brown says that the library “will be doubling down, thinking about taking us out to where historically marginalized populations and others are. What COVID really showed us is how many people—even here in Chapel Hill—still can’t get to us.” “The library has been taking The Circulator, which is our mobile library unit, to some of the mobile home parks and some of the public parks near public housing,” says Brown. “The folks that work two or three jobs and can’t get here by 8 p.m.” Petrie says that one of the things that attracted him to his new job is the idea that the library is “a living room to the community.” “I think it is a real social justice thing—people who don’t have access to computers,” Petrie says. “And [this] to me is such a service. It’s very important that people can access what they need and navigate this world that’s so digital.” Pre-COVID, Brown says that about 65 percent of the library’s business was kids and families, both check-outs and programs. Over the last six or so years, the library has been working on building out its adult and community cultural programs. “When a community is grappling with something,” Brown says. “The library should be the place where we can come together and talk about it and grapple with it together.” W

ke up w a W i

h t

s u

INDY DAILY Local news, events and more— in your inbox every weekday morning

BILL BURTON ATTORNEY AT LAW Un c o n t e s t e d Di vo rc e Bu s i n e s s L a w UNCONTESTED In c o r p o r a t i o n / L LC / DIVORCE Pa r t n e r s h i p MUSIC BUSINESS LAW Wi l l s INCORPORATION/LLC WILLS C o l l e c t i o n s SEPARATION AGREEMENTS Mu s i c

967-6159

(919) 967-6159

Visit indyweek.com/newsletter-signup to sign up

bill.burton.lawyer@gmail.com INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

STAGE

KEYNOTE CONVERSATION: KAREN OLIVO AND EDEN ESPINOSA

The National Women’s Theatre Festival | July 19, 7 p.m. (online) | womenstheatrefestival.com

Stage Directions At The National Women Theatre Festival, keynote speakers Karen Olivo and Eden Espinosa take on professional theater’s inequities BY BYRON WOODS arts@indyweek.com

t was June 2020, and Broadway actors Karen Olivo and Eden Espinosa—Monday’s keynote speakers at the National Women’s Theatre Festival, whose sixth year in Raleigh will be totally online—were feeling blindsided and betrayed. Olivo, who originated the lead role of Satine in the musical Moulin Rouge, and Espinosa, her longtime friend who found fame as Elphaba in Wicked, had just learned from Federal Election Commission reports that the heads of the Nederlander Organization had donated $160,000—the most of any candidate they’d contributed to in four presidential campaigns—to elect Donald Trump in 2016. Nederlander is the second largest owner of Broadway theaters in New York City. As one of the largest theater ownership and operating groups in the country, Nederlander also brings touring Broadway productions to Durham Performing Arts Center. For Espinosa, the morals and ethics in the shows she’d been a part of “were in direct opposition of everything that presidency stood for,” while Olivo realized that many in her community had been targeted by “the xenophobia and the lack of humanity” under the Trump regime. Their own unwitting complicity in the donation was even harder to stomach. “We both had brought a sizable amount of money to those houses, and some of it was used to fuel a campaign for someone who was trying to undo our democracy,” Olivo says. “In turn, we felt responsible.” They took action. In a June 7 Instagram video last year, Olivo publicly vowed to withhold her “artistic force and services from any theater, company or persons who 56

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

knowingly fund organizations that perpetuate inequality.” The video closed with Olivo stating, “We work too hard to fund hate. If you want my talent or services, show me your receipts.” When the pair realized how little they actually knew about the economics and industry structures that circumscribed their working conditions and careers as artists, they “started pulling at the threads,” as Espinosa recalls, and in response, formed AFECT, or, Artists for Economic Transparency, a New York-based organization dedicated to researching and exposing the inequities present in professional theater. At the National Women’s Theatre Festival, their keynote speech will focus on their findings to date. “When we look for keynote speakers we ask where the industry’s heading, and who’s leading the field in the direction we want to go,” says NWTF executive director Johannah Maynard Edwards. “Eden and Karen were at the top of the list; in their work with AFECT, Broadway has been called in and called out.” Their Monday night address takes place among eight keynote conversations with industry leaders on issues ranging from women as producers and playwrights to celebrating transgender artists. A fringe festival featuring 14 plays and intensive how-to workshops on constructing home studios, directing, and devising new works round out this year’s offerings. It’s odd to think of organized oppression behind the bright lights of 42nd Street. But consider these dynamics that local and professional actors know by rote: cattle call auditions where hundreds try out for a coveted handful of roles—and if you aren’t sat-

Eden Espinosa and Karen Olivo

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S THEATRE FESTIVAL

isfied with the salary, dozens more will snap up the job in a New York minute. Grueling, pressurized rehearsal room gauntlets where the lucky few work demanding choreography, songs, and blocking eight or more hours per day, and tempers grow shorter as opening night approaches. And should you get a reputation as being “difficult”—by standing up against abuse or harassment in the workplace—you just don’t get cast again. These and other factors form an environment ripe for economic abuse—the maltreatment of a systemically disempowered group. “We are groomed to be grateful and silent,” notes Olivo. The more the two uncovered, the more they had to unlearn. “I trusted these people had my best interests at heart, that we were all in the same boat, and that we believed and wanted the same things for each other. Then you find that [Actors Equity] doesn’t fight for our best interest because they’re interwoven so deeply with the producers and the theater owners,” Espinosa says. “We take for granted that people are making art, and therefore they’re good people,” Olivo says. But a cold fact lurks behind the façade of theatrical camaraderie: many of the developers and producers who fund, manage, and determine the structures and policies of these production companies “don’t have vision, aren’t artists, are not looking for the greater good of humanity, and are mainly driven only toward making a profit.”

As a result, artists’ bodies are routinely “used as vessels to create something for someone to profit off of,” Olivo says. “This last year showed me how disposable we all are to our industry.” AFECT seeks to educate artists in economic and professional self-defense, and teach best business practices so that creatives can construct sustainable professional careers and advocate for themselves. This fall, AFECT will offer artists online classes in tax strategies and contract literacy. According to Edwards, the need for such basic skills among professional artists is dire: “You’d think that at a world-class institution like NYU’s Tisch School for the Arts we’d have been educated in getting paid and how to read a contract. We weren’t.” Espinosa thinks the theater is decades behind other entertainment industries. “In any other industry, there would be an HR department you would go to which we don’t have. Instead we’re supposed to talk to our stage manager, who’s also in our union, which is a conflict of interest.” Both actors say that audiences can significantly influence change in their industry. “As an audience member you have the biggest power of all: purchasing power,” Espinosa says. “When you go to the theater, when you consume media, you have to think about the people who are creating it, and if those people are being treated humanely.” W

INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021

P U Z Z L ES

BEST

IE IND K BOOTION C SELEIN THE E! TRIA

If you just can’t wait, check out the current week’s answer key at www.indyweek.com, and click “puzzle pages” at the bottom of our webpage.

NGL

In-Store Shopping Curbside Pick Up www.regulatorbookshop.com 720 Ninth Street, Durham, NC 27705 In-store and pick up hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10a-6p

su | do | ku

this week’s puzzle level:

There is really only one rule to Sudoku: Fill in the game board so that the numbers 1 through 9 occur exactly once in each row, column, and 3x3 box. The numbers can appear in any order and diagonals are not considered. Your initial game board will consist of several numbers that are already placed. Those numbers cannot be changed. Your goal is to fill in the empty squares following the simple rule above.

If you just can’t wait, check out the current week’s answer key at www.indyweek.com, and click “puzzle pages.” Best of luck, and have fun! www.sudoku.com solution to last week’s puzzle

July 14, 2021

INDYweek.com

7.14.21 INDY CLASSIFIEDS classy@indyweek.com

C L AS S I F I E D S

ur webpage.

EMPLOYMENT

HEALTH & WELL BEING

Lead Data Engineer (Raleigh, N.C.) Envestnet Financial Technologies, Inc., Lead Data Engineer, Raleigh, NC. Responsible for helping clients turn data into knowledge to help them make better decisions, faster. Visit www.envestnet.com/careers for a complete job description, job duties, job requirements, & to apply. Refer to Req #4370. Senior Software Engineer (Durham, N.C.) Sr Software Engineer sought by Laboratory Corp of America Holdings in Durham, NC responsible for technical design planning, solution approach, and managing technical implementation for project. Requires BS in Comp Sci, Electrical or Electronic Eng, or foreign equivalent & 5 yrs’ exp as Software Developer, Software Eng, or Technology Analyst. Submit resume through jobs. labcorp.com, ref. Requisition #21-86698.

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

Biostatistician (Durham, N.C.) Biostatistician sought by Parexel International in Durham, NC to work closely with researchers, data managers, & SAS prgmrs to conduct statistical analysis on clinical trials according to industry standards & government regulations. Reqs Master of Science deg in Biostatistics, Statistics, or a related field, plus 6 mos of work exp in statistical analysis. Must have 6 mos of exp with the following: (1) preparing statistical analysis plans & statistical reports; (2) building & interpreting statistical models using medical or clinical trial data; (3) data cleaning & validation; (4) logistic regression analysis; (5) SAS prgmg; & (6) translating statistical issues for non-statisticians. Position may work from home up to 3 days per week. Interested candidates must send resumes to openings@parexel.com & cite code 00853.

INDY CLASSIFIEDS classy@indyweek.com

919-416-0675

www.harmonygate.com HOUSING Seeking Orange County Rental I am seeking either a furnished bedroom or a furnished studio apartment to rent in a single-family home, along with an adjoining bathroom; use of a kitchen and laundry facilities, in the Hillsborough area (but anywhere in Orange County would be OK), beginning on August 1, 2021, or on September 1, 2021. I am now renting a room in a home in Hillsborough, NC. Our rental agreement ends on July 31, 2021, but can be extended until August 31, 2021. I am a 73 yr old male in excellent physical health. Current homeowner is willing to give written reference. If you are interested in renting a bedroom or a studio apartment in your home to me or would like to communicate further, please contact me, Lee Titus Elliott, at leetituselliott@gmail.com. (919) 332-2629. I can pay up to $900/month (negotiable).

INDY Week Press Club Help keep local journalism free and and accessible.

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY AT bit.ly/INDYWeekPressClub INDYweek.com

July 14, 2021