Or as I like to call it “Rachel’s Day of Food… And Drinks.” Yeah, Mostly Drinks.
As I mentioned previously, I really had no friends in town last weekend. I took this in stride, however, and planned to go all the places in Raleigh I’d always wanted to check out on the weekends. I decided to call it “Rachel’s Food Day” (just in my own head of course and maybe in a couple of weird texts to the friends that abandoned me). Think of it like Baby’s Day Out, but with booze.
I had yet to make it to any Second Saturday events because I’ve been out of town so much. And I hadn’t even visited the two new bottle shops on Glenwood that are literally steps from my apartment. Oh, and I just found out that Café Helios does bottomless mimosas on Saturdays. That in itself is a game changer.
As I embarked on Rachel’s Food Day (I had a map and list and everything), I got a text from a former law school comrade who also loves food and lives a few blocks away. Happy that I wasn’t going to spend the whole day awkwardly solo, I swooped by his place and then on to the parking lot of Stanbury where, according to my Second Saturday game plan, there was a “market.”
Second Saturday and Stanbury Market
So actually, before heading to Stanbury, I snuck by Yellow Dog Bread Company because rumor had it there would be poptarts… like homemade poptarts. Well the line of hipsters was just too long and upon a quick glance through the glass cases, I saw no poptarts, so I pretended to be in a hurry and ducked out. I even had to pretend to glance at my watch… that I forgot to put on that morning.
In the Stanbury and Escazú parking lot, there were approximately four vendors and two tents set up… not realllly a market. We hit up Boulted Bread‘s tent to grab a chocolate croissant and ask about what was happening at Stanbury since we saw a lot of people hanging around inside and knew they weren’t open yet – apparently a pulled pork lunch and Bloody Mary bar starting at 11 AM. Um, yes please. A local seafood vendor and a woman selling fresh cut flowers were also in the vicinity plying their wares.
I kinda wanted to stay for the bloodies, because everything Stanbury does is solid gold, but my comrade was hungry for brunch food so we headed onward. While this was a small event, Second Saturday also incorporates a lot of other markets and community and food-centered activities around downtown so I’m sure it will gain traction over time.
Café Helios – Saturday Bottomless Brunch
No, I did not opt for the pumpkin spice
I wasn’t so sure about this idea at first. Bottomless brunch at a coffee shop? Really? Coffee shops are where hipsters act like they’re doing you a favor by just pouring your coffee. I suspected my multiple requests for boozy morning drinks wouldn’t go over well here. And really, if you aren’t getting refills of your bottomless mimosas, are they even really bottomless?
Well, bottomless does work a little different at Helios and I don’t mind it. You order your food and drink(s) at the cash register, take a number and your drink, and choose your seat. You just pop up to the counter for a refill when you want it. It turned out not to be that difficult to catch somebody’s eye. They were popping bottles that morning and making pre-mixed pitchers of mimosas for quick service. I was satisfied.
For my 11AM snack, got a little something called the Line Dog. This is involves cheese grits, topped with sausage gravy, a fried egg, queso fresco, and pico de gallo. My partner in Rachel’s Food Day responded to my order with, “God, you really are country aren’t you?” (And this guy is from Wilson!)
The Stag’s Head
About five-ish rounds of mimosas and a full belly of cheese grits, we struck off down Glenwood. Earlier that morning, I considered heading to the other “market” that was on the Second Saturday map, located somewhere down by Boylan Bridge. Now I was just way too full to walk that far. It was about 80 degrees out and sunny so the possibilities were endless!
Naturally, we ducked into a dark bottle shop with 16 taps.
I’ve passed The Stag’s Head several times walking down Glenwood. It’s toward the end of all the action between Raleigh Wine Shop and The Cupcake Shoppe. The exterior tinted glass walls are dark with writing on them detailing the new beers and specials. It’s got some outside seating and I’d occasionally seen folks smoking cigs and/or having a beer outside. It looks like a tiny craft beer shop.
IT IS NOT. When you walk inside, the place is shockingly large. High ceilings, tons of seating, a long bar- what more could you ask for in a beer place? Oh, leather and wood finishes to make you feel really masculine, cool, and comfortable? It’s got that too! The furniture is a great touch and there’s a couple TV’s in case there happens to be a game on. Plus there are, well, stag’s heads everywhere. Like tons of deer antlers. And I dig it.
There are 16 rotating draft beers, which, had I known this before, maybe I would’ve stopped in. I get all turned around in trendy bottle shops where all the beer with pretty labels isn’t even cold and there’s nowhere to sit. Not the case in this place. There’s lots of cold beer readily available, and they have TONS of glassware, so you’re sure to get the right one for the type of beer you order (which is oh so important to me… ha, yeah right). But the really cool thing is that he has tiny tasting glasses with stems. The owner uses them to let you try any draft beer you want! And I want.
I would like to make this my new spot. Can this be my new spot?
If you must, you can still buy the trendy bottles or beer, chilled or not. For drinking there or taking home.
Okay, so yeah, judging by the amount of pictures above, you can tell I really like this place. I feel like I should be lounging on the leather couch with beers smoking a cigar right now. Also, I would like the photo above in my house one day. Thanks, mom, put that on the Christmas list.
A New Bottle Shop
I’d heard of North Street Beer Station before. I thought it was a bar, and it kind of is, but it’s more of the trendy, hipster-esque bottle shop that I talked about above. There’s artwork, lots of warm beers, and tons of hipsters per square foot. Like, almost too much for me. They do have a few beers on tap, but by far the coolest part about it were the little machines that distributed trail mix for free when you turned a crank. Of course I ate some. I don’t have a picture unfortunately, because I felt like the hipsters would judge and I was kind of ready to get out of there. It’s not really my scene, but it’s pretty typical Raleigh. See for yourself.
Back at The Wine Feed
This is one of my favorite spots in Glenwood South. It has nothing to do with the $4 wine they have on tap or anything. And it’s totally not relevant that they do $9 and $10 wine flights. The Wine Feed is owned by Phillip and Phillip who are incredibly knowledgeable and friendly dudes who occasionally just head off to France to pick up some new wines for all of us stuck in Raleigh.
Their space on Glenwood (next to the Hampton Inn) is clean and modern, with lots of reds and whites. You can even grab some marcona almonds, cheese, or meats to snack on while you have your wine at the bar, or by the window, or outside. Charlie and I are members of the wine club here, which gives us a chance to try one bottle of red and one bottle of white that we haven’t heard of each month. On First Friday, they’ll usually have a wine (or two) that you can stop by and taste for free.
I grabbed two glasses of the $4 usual and we headed outside to sit and watch a storm roll in. The rain unfortunately thankfully ended Rachel’s Day of Food and Drinks. I headed home to nap through the Heels game, eat take-out pho from Sushi O, and go to bed by 10:00. After a full day of exploring my hood, I think I did enough for one day.
Let me know if you come across any cool lesser-known spots around Glenwood South or Downtown Raleigh that I should check out! Or, you know, if you want to come have a Day of Food and Drinks with me! All volunteers welcome.
PS- I'm linking up with Treat Yo'Self Thursday here.
