3 Triangle Restaurants Join Michelin's Bib Gourmand List at 2026 Ceremony
Ajja, Ideal's and Tesoro earned the designation Wednesday as the region's restaurant roster continues to expand.
By Alexander Novak ·
The Michelin Guide recognizes restaurants for cooking quality and value, and the Triangle picked up three new nods at the 2026 ceremony for the American South.
Ajja in Raleigh, the Durham sandwich counter Ideal's and Carrboro's Tesoro, an 18-seat pasta restaurant, received Bib Gourmand designations Wednesday at the event in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Prime Barbecue, Mala Pata and Sam Jones BBQ kept the status they held last year. Sixteen other area restaurants, among them Brewery Bhavana, Poole's, Stanbury and The Fearrington House Restaurant, remained on the guide's recommended list.
New kitchens are on the way. Maggiano's Little Italy will move into the Crabtree Valley Mall space vacated by Brio Italian Grille, giving the Triangle its second location after Streets at Southpoint in Durham. No opening date has been announced. Millie's Homemade Ice Cream, a Pittsburgh franchise, plans its first North Carolina shop at 325 Blake St. in City Market, next to Blackbird Books and Coffee, targeting a launch before the year ends, the Triangle Business Journal reported. South Block, which sells acai bowls and smoothies from three Charlotte-area stores, is preparing a spot at 4121 Main at North Hills St., beside bartaco, RALtoday reported. Grain & Berry opened at 2017 Creekside Landing Drive in Beaver Creek Crossings in Apex, its second store in the state after Holly Springs.
Winston's Grille in Raleigh is turning 40. Wil O'Neal and Charles Winston Jr. opened it in 1986.
In Durham, M Kikkei, formerly M Pocha, holds an invitation-only soft opening October 24 and a grand opening October 29 at 101 E. Chapel Hill St. The menu mixes Japanese technique with Peruvian ingredients. It is the seventh concept in the Mpire group. A Tavolo Italian Eatery opened in MOSAIC at Chatham Park in Pittsboro, and Gandy Coffee House is expected in early 2027 inside the historic Captain J. F. Alston House at 14 N. Small St. Sushioki in Research Triangle Park closed for good after eight years.
The Chapel Hill Biscuit Festival runs Sunday, October 25, at American Legion Post 6, with VIP entry at 2 p.m. and general admission at 3 p.m.; proceeds support SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals. A Yellowstone Dinner at Holl & Stone Farm in Garner follows on October 29 with chefs including Sera Cuni of The Root Cellar. Preeti Waas runs a Super Spooky Sandwich popup October 31 from noon to 4 p.m., with the menu due Saturday, October 24, for pickup at 202 N. Corcoran St. in Durham.
The Chefs for Change Gala & Auction at The Cookery on November 5 benefits Families Moving Forward, and Botiwalla hosts a Diwali party at Iron Works on November 6. The third Rawleigh Oyster Fest, themed Smoke & Shuck, is set for November 7 at Raleigh Iron Works and will bring in North Carolina pitmasters for the first time. Organizers added a $60 Half Shell ticket with nine oysters, two bites and one drink after hearing from people who felt priced out. The prior two editions sold out and raised about $12,500 together.
The Trophy Trot 5K returns for its 10th year at Dix Park on Thanksgiving morning, November 26, benefiting Healing Transitions. Nearly 3,000 people signed up last year, and the race donated about $60,000, up from $42,000 the year before. The North Carolina State Fair continues through Sunday.
The Food Bank is marking Tackling Hunger Month and reports that more than 600,000 people in the region are not always sure where their next meal will come from. Every $25 given provides 75 meals.
Source: WRAL
