As a fan of many local restaurants, and someone with many friends in the industry, I’ve watched the swift and merciless destruction of this industry — employing 360,000 North Carolinians — with mounting horror.
Here are several Raleigh establishments’ Instagram notifications before and after Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order closing down sit-down restaurants and bars. These selections are not based in anything to do with politics; they’re establishments I like and follow. Nothing here is to be taken as either endorsement or criticism; I’m offering these solely as a picture of the very difficult choices being faced by restaurant owners everywhere.
Their communications to patrons and friends offer a snapshot of an extraordinary time, which I would like to record now so that we always remember.
Linus & Pepper’s Sandwich Shop
Linus the cat wishes everyone a Happy Caturday!? …well tbh he doesn’t care ???? BUT he absolutely does care about food and is dedicated to keeping a vigilant eye over the shop to ensure every sammie comes out damn good, every damn time! .
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!!
2w
My heart breaks in pieces today. One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life is commit to the decisions that we had to make today. Decisions we had to make within a swift few hours so that we could get folks to the front of the assistance line as quickly as possible. Like almost all of our friends in the industry, we were forced to shutter our doors and inform our work family that we wouldn’t be able to employ them for the foreseeable future. That’s a very hard thing to swallow when each one of those people’s livelihood literally depends on day to day operations. Living paycheck to paycheck is not always a choice but, unfortunately, is 100% a reality. As a leadership team, we are hustling to double and triple down our efforts to spin on some other revenue streams to press forward. Like many, we will provide curbside to-go food, delivery for catering/large orders, and beer/wine pick up and delivery. While we are completely unable to keep all of our work family employed, we will hopefully be able to pivot enough to provide them with the necessities of food and other comforts. We are currently planning daily “family” meals and looking for ways to participate in the ongoing fundraisers for industry employees. We are doing our best to help everyone navigate through the unemployment process and will dig for other ways to find them support. This is the real deal y’all. Your support is needed and it will be welcomed with gracious open arms. Our people are unemployed and our businesses are in dire straights. Please keep everyone in the industry in your thoughts and prayers. The only way to the other side is through. Onward we go….Jon
1w
Sending love and positive thoughts to our community as we all deal with COVID19. Hats off to everyone as we go through this shift in our day to day lives. We will continue to stay updated and roll with the punches to provide service to the best of our ability. Although North Carolina has prohibited all in-restaurant service we will still offer pickup and delivery.
Check out our online menu for wine, beer, and food offering, call (919) 833-3866 for pickup orders. We are available on Doordash, Grubhub, and Postmates for delivery. We will continue to practice an increased sanitation protocol, keeping staff and patron safety at the top of our priority list. Please keep up with our social channels for further announcements!
This is a temporary change of business that we must adapt and overcome in order to provide our guests a safe environment. We are so grateful to have such an awesome team and be involved in a community that cares so much for eachother. We can’t thank our patrons enough for the continued support!
We look forward to hosting you soon. Please stay safe and be responsible!
1w
Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana
As it has been for all of you, the past couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster for us here at Bida Manda and at Brewery Bhavana. The world seems to spin so fast that it feels impossible to stand rooted and still. Yet, with all the unknowns I still believe that the practice of being centered is fundamental to our ability to be proactive in our choices and to be clear headed in our decision making; our ability to be creative in our solution finding, and our ability to be thoughtful and kind in the face of this great storm.
Together with our friends in the industry we have gathered to reflect on our procedures and looked for ways to ensure that our restaurants are safe in the midst of this challenging season. As hourly employees, our staff are particularly vulnerable to disruptions in their wages. As a team we continue to monitor and update our standard of operation as more information becomes available. I am grateful to our teams for welcoming and taking seriously these additional protocols. I am grateful for our guests who have been gracious and supportive during this process. Despite the economic impact on our survival as a small business that depends on our guests socializing and dining, I ask all of our guests who are unwell to please stay at home and heal. For those who are well, we are grateful that we get to serve you, our livelihood depends on it.
In thinking about what it means to be centered during this moment, I have come to realize that mindfully identifying what we can control in the storm of what we cannot is how we are able to be proactive. What we know for sure is that it is more important than ever to take care of ourselves and of one another. We all must depend on each other to overcome this current storm.
2w
[Photo of many Raleigh restauranteurs and staff] This is what hope looks like during this difficult time. This morning, thought leaders in our service community got together (and called in) to creatively and productively think about ways to care for our service industry employees. Keep holding on to hope, everyone. It can be the most powerful force for creativity, productivity, and love. And yes, we came up with few tangible, time sensitive, and meaningful action items. Friends in the industry and guests, stay tuned on how you can be a part of the campaign! We need each other.
2w
Dear community,
These past few weeks has brought truly unprecedented challenges for our immediate and global community, our country, our city, and our industry. As we try to move thoughtfully through the current state of this situation, I wanted to take a moment to share with you where we are. Starting today, March 17th, both Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana will temporary close their dining rooms.
As an organization whose core mission is to create and cultivate gathering spaces that nurture togetherness and build community, we are mindful of this privilege and also the responsibilities that come along with it. At this critical moment, the safety of our most central community: our staff, their families, and our guests is our highest priority.
The journey to this decision has been complex and nuanced, but we know that we must do our part to slow the spread of this virus and to protect one another however we can.
Please know that we will be caring for staff as best we can right now, through family meals, team check-ins, and access to basic provisions, most importantly, working diligently with state and local leaders to advocate for service industry workers. We need immediate structural and financial support for our service employees.
We are also working to create an online platform for takeaway and delivery from both of our restaurants. We will do our best to keep gathering information, thoughtfully reacting, and planning for the future. And we will keep you updated as things evolve.
In the meantime, take care of one another.
We are all in this together: all learning, processing, reacting, and navigating this together, even when it feels like we are alone. Let us tread thoughtfully through the next weeks and months with empathy and optimism, resilience and creativity. We cannot wait to welcome you to our home again and hear your voices fill our dining room.
With love and hope. ~ Your Bida family
1w
Friends, here’s how you can help our industry workers. Link to contribute in our profile. Thank you ??
So many of you have reached out to ask us how to help our industry. There will be many asks but here is an immediate one: DONATE NOW to the Triangle Restaurant Workers Relief Fund, which will award immediate grants to Triangle-area hospitality workers that have experienced income loss due to restaurant closures because of COVID-19. We’re so grateful to The Frankie Lemmon Foundation for hosting this relief fund, and grateful to this community for its outpouring of support.
1w
Introducing At Home with Brewery Bhavana!
Starting tomorrow, Friday, March 20th, from 11 am to 8 pm Brewery Bhavana will offer contact-free curbside takeaway and delivery of beer, food, and wine. As we navigate this new experience, we have repurposed our management team as dispatchers and delivery drivers. Chef Lon, Chef Chun, Tony, and Henry are so excited to be back in the kitchen to cook for you and your loved ones. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your dining room and thank you for your support; our survival depends on it.
Here’s how to order:
For curbside takeaway or home delivery, visit our website. We will begin by offering free delivery for orders over $60 and within 10 miles of our home on Moore Square Park. If you live outside of that 10 mile radius, please give us a call, and we will see if our drivers are able to get to you.
For walk-up to-go orders, for your convenience and safety, please also visit the website.
Friday and Saturday will act as a learning season, and we will announce more formal operating hours after those two days.
We hope these offerings bring a familiar sense of joy and help to build small moments of human connection in the midst of this uncertainty.
With gratitude, optimism, and courage,
Vanvisa, Patrick, Van, and your Bhavana family
1w
Dear guests, how do we say thank you and we are sorry all at once? The love you showed us today was awe-inspiring. Our dinner shift was so busy that we simply could not keep up. Please accept our apology for all our missteps today. It felt like our first soft opening, three years ago this same week.
We made mistakes, we learned, we adapted, and we did our best to keep moving forward, buoyed by the joy of caring for each of you.
Thank you to everyone who placed an order today. Thank you for being patient and kind. Thank you for understanding. Our team is gathering together after this busy shift to edit and evaluate. Tomorrow will be better. And every day afterward.
We are heartened by your generosity and driven ever onward by your strong support.
See you tomorrow! 11-8.
1w
To our guests,
We know this will come as a shock, especially in light of yesterday’s busy launch for online ordering, but after a therapeutic and vulnerable conversation with our staff last night, we have decided to pause all restaurant operations for the foreseeable future. Our production brewery will continue to operate for the time being.
It is difficult to express the conflict in our hearts, but here is our best attempt.
The rapid progression of these last few days has made it increasingly evident that our natural yearning to care for you all — through food, beer, community, and connection — is antithetical to public health and safety. Brewery Bhavana’s vision, mission, and greatest strength are to bring people together, and right now, it is clear that togetherness is neither safe nor ethical for ourselves, our families, or our guests.
As we navigate this difficult storm, we asked ourselves to define our true north. We have sought a compass that may guide us on this journey. That compass is to care for one another. This moment depends on our ability and willingness to make bold decisions that are guided by the purpose of caring for one another, and although it feels unnatural to us, taking care of you right now does not mean cooking, serving, and continuing forward. It means encouraging you to stay home and to shelter. It means allowing our staff to do the same.
Thank you for supporting us in all the meaningful ways that you have reached out and been present. There are many uncertainties ahead on this shared journey, but our hope, confidence, and optimism will continue, and that hope is only possible because we know we have each other. We are deeply grateful for your care and encouragement, and we cannot wait to host you again as soon as we are able.
With hope and gratitude,
Vanvisa, Patrick, Vansana
1w
Second Empire
Since 1997 when we opened, Second Empire has always valued the health and safety of our guests and the cleanliness of the restaurant space. We feel a great responsibility for the role we play in the lives of our guests and even more importantly how we engage with the world during this difficult time. We are filled with gratitude for the continued support we have received from our guests. We are carefully monitoring the recommendations of governmental health agencies and local health organizations, and have further elevated our already meticulous cleaning regiments. These measures include:
Increased hand washing, changing of gloves regularly, sanitizing all surfaces, phones, chairs, POS screens, and door handles multiple times throughout the day, and seating guests as far as possible from others to make them feel more comfortable. We also have a professional cleaning crew that comes in everyday to clean and sanitize the restaurant after we close for business. We appreciate your support during this time and we will keep you updated as news is shared.
2w
Due to COVID-19, the Governor has ordered all restaurants & bars be closed. We will re-open once this ban is lifted. Thank you for your support and we will see you soon
1w
TO GO INSTUCTIONS : (All food will be handled, prepared and packed safely)
*Calls for to go food will be taken Tuesday thru Saturday from 2pm-8pm, starting this Thursday, March 26th
*Pick up for to go food will be from 4pm-8pm
*Payment will be taken at time of the order
*At this time, phone calls only accepted for to go orders call 919.829.3663
*TO GO Menu available on our website, Facebook, and Instagram page
*When order is placed, must give an approximate time of pick up, please come to pick food up at the Edenton Street entrance
*Stop in front of the white table and someone will be with you to collect the name of the order and to give you, the to go food.
5d
Thank you to everyone in the community for the years of support, we are so grateful. We miss everyone, especially our amazing staff. As you know, these are difficult and trying times. Since the Governor made the decision to close all restaurants and bars, we made the heartfelt decision to lay off our staff. We all look forward to the day when we can open our doors to you again. Over the past week, we have had numerous inquiries about Second Empire to go meals, so we put together some menu options that will feed your stomach and warm your soul; after all, that’s what we do best. While it is normal for all of us to feel some fear and uncertainty, right now it is important to remember that our restaurant community is uniquely positioned to help our city heal once the worst of this crisis subsides. Sincerely, Management Team
5d
Jolie and Crawford & Son
A message from Scott Crawford
Dear Friends, in this challenging time, we wanted to speak to you directly. Please take a look at Chef/Owner Scott Crawford’s message to you here.
Above all, it is of paramount importance to us to take the best possible care of our team and guests. Please know that we are taking many extra precautions – including following suit of our peers in other parts of the country and pre-emptively removing tables from our restaurants to create more space between diners. We are also now using Durham Distillery’s 70% ethanol solution which kills 100% of germs. These measures, in addition to increased handwashing, changing of gloves, and top-to-bottom sanitizing of our restaurants, are just a few of the ways that we are going above and beyond to create a safe, healthy and happy space for us all.
We look forward to caring for you now as we always have! We welcome you to dine with us nightly in our dining rooms, and on our open-air rooftop patio at Jolie. We are in this together and we’ll get through it together!
2w
Dear Friends,
First, thank you for your outpouring of support. One thing is certain in this uncertain time—there is no more loving and kind community than ours.
Given the latest information regarding the Coronavirus, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close both Crawford & Son and Jolie in order to care for our staff and community.
But rest assured, we will continue to serve you! Beginning Wednesday, March 18th, we will offer curbside pick up for you to enjoy at home with your family. Each day we’ll post an evolving menu of comfort food on social media and our website www.crawfordandsonrestaurant.com.
Orders may be placed by calling 919-307-4647, beginning at 2pm. Curb-side pick-up from Crawford & Son will be available between 4pm and 9pm Tuesday through Saturday. (Note: orders placed between 4pm and 9pm will be ready in 15 minutes!) Expect the same attention to quality in our comfort food that we are known for in our restaurants!
Please also consider purchasing a gift certificate to Crawford & Son and Jolie to use once our restaurants re-open. To show our gratitude, we are pleased to extend a 20% discount on all gift cards during this timeframe. Purchase now, and plan to enjoy a meal with us in the future valued at $100 – for just $80!
As always, we look forward to nourishing you and your families,
–Chef/Owner Scott Crawford
1w
Whiskey Kitchen
We at Whiskey Kitchen understand that everyone is concerned about their health and that of their loved ones. So are we. You are the reason that we love what we do and we care deeply about your safety.
Though our cleanliness standards have always been high, extra measures are being taken during this uncertain time.
You can rely on us to stay open for your lunch break, after work relief, dinner plans and drinks with your crew. We’ll be here to give you the usual good time and do all we can to keep you safe. However, we do ask that if you aren’t feeling well, please take the time to heal yourself at home.
Our guests, staff and community are in our hearts, now as always. We hope to see you all soon.2w
To our loyal customers that we consider family,
We thank you tremendously for your continued support in these uncertain times. We have been tuned in closely to the advice of medical professionals and have enacted increased sanitation protocols for the past 2 weeks. Unfortunately, as you all are aware, the situation has progressed and we must take further measures. In an effort to keep our employees and customers safe and healthy, we will be closing our dining room tonight at 5pm and will remain closed for the foreseeable future. Our kitchen will remain open from 11am-11pm to provide food available for pickup and delivery. We are also able to provide beer & wine for pickup and delivery. You can order online via the link in our bio.
Our hearts go out to all service industry workers who currently find their livelihoods threatened. We are extremely grateful to be a part of this supportive community and thank you for ordering food for pickup and delivery. It is tremendously helpful in allowing us to provide for our Whiskey Kitchen family.
1w
We are open from 11am-11pm today for pickup and delivery. We have a slightly modified menu with some family sized take-n-bake options available. Don’t forget that you can add on beer and bottles of wine to your order. Thanks for supporting!
1w
Royale Raleigh
Status Updates!
Hey everyone, just a quick update from Chef on the precautions we are taking currently and what’s to come here at Royale! Hope to see you soon and all are well. Thank you for tuning in. [Attached is a video message from the Chef Jeff Seizer discussing adding such measures as using disposable menus, extensive sanitizing and hand washing, keeping staff home if they’re not feeling well, requesting guests who aren’t feeling well to stay home, cutting menus, and moving to local vendors to support them.]
2w
ANNOUNCEMENT It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to temporarily close the restaurant while the country is in its current state. We are saddened by this, however we find that it is the right decision to make for everyone. We cannot wait to re-open better than ever and serve you again. Keep supporting local businesses during these times, while keeping your and other’s health a priority. Thank you all of your love and support, we love you so much.
1w
Already looking forward to re-opening our doors. Thank you for all of comments on our last post!! ??? We truly appreciate the love. We are still selling gift cards at this time. To purchase a GC and show your support please e-mail us and we will give you a call! [email protected] STAY SAFE & we will see you soon. ( PS we can send you an e-certificate) 1w
We hope during these dark times that everyone is taking care of themselves and their loved ones. This is certainly a good time to focus on personal health and reform. It’s time to focus on recovery plans and respectfully keep your distance from the ones you love to ensure success and not failure. Restaurants are in threat of shutting down and there is no way to know what’s to come. We love our space, our community and our guests. Each of us has chosen to work in this space and support one another in continuous growth and happiness. We will fight everyday in efforts to help all restaurants through this tough time.
4d
Heirloom Brewshop
Solace. Generosity. Perseverance. These are words we’ve always used in conversations about Heirloom and our community. At a time when we’re all at our most vulnerable, our priorities are on protecting the health and comprehensive well-being of everyone in Heirloom’s space and beyond. Besides all the usual precautions, we’ve been thinking about all the minor details as well, to stay ahead of what the near future may possibly hold.
Our new operating hours are 7am-9pm Monday-Friday and 8am-9pm Saturday-Sunday. You can now purchase online gift cards for later use at https://squareup.com/gift/8KJJTMB5BX59Q/order (link in bio). As a small independent business that doesn’t prioritize commercial gain, this will allow us to continue nurturing our community in Downtown Raleigh in many ways.
Thank you all for continuing to show up for us! Your support and friendship feel stronger than ever and go a long way in preserving Raleigh’s way of life and culture, but also the well-being of our staff and others. We’ll persevere together.
2w
Decisions like this are excruciating for independently-owned small businesses to make–balancing social and medical with fiduciary responsibility for a team that depends on us to continue living. With no government guidance thus far, we must find responsible balance. Heirloom was always meant as a platform for others to grow and we will never be ready to leave anyone behind.
Effective immediately, the space that we’ve come to know and love will no longer be available for seating. We’ll be open fully for take-out and curbside pickup, reducing interaction to a distance. Please call us to place your order: 919-297-8299
We’ve also partnered with @cloosiv, a like-minded company based in North Carolina, for mobile orders. Please download the Cloosiv app, where you’ll find Heirloom. For the time being, if you’d like curbside delivery, please place your vehicle description in the order name field and feel free to call us when you’re here.
If you do come into Heirloom, you’ll find our contactless payment system at our counter. By all means, if you are not feeling well, please stay in the comfort of your own home and utilize a delivery service which will contact us. In the coming days, our website will be fully updated with online ordering as well.
Yes, our existence and the existence of small businesses that make up Raleigh’s rich culture depend on you. But it also depends on responsibility when it comes to distance and discipline when it comes to isolation while ill. When this is all over, we’ll meet again in our sanctuary.
2w
There have been many broken hearts this week. But our industry and our communities are known for going to the ends of the world for each other. The outpouring of support from friends near and far is bigger than anything we’ve ever seen.
We will continue protecting everyone who has ever believed in Heirloom, balancing the care of staff and guests, while we work towards rebuilding and recovery.
For everyone hurting, please remember that the sun will always rise again tomorrow. We’ll watch it together when this is all over.
1w
Poole’s Diner et al.
Like all restaurants and bars in the state, we are closed for in house dining right now. Though we believe this is the right decision (and we thank @roycoopernc for mandating it for the safety of our staffs and our community), it has forced us to make so many difficult decisions. Many of our beloved and dedicated employees were laid off yesterday, and those who weren’t are here, making some delicious food to keep @poolesdiner going.
We are moving forward with a limited and very delicious take out menu! Takeout and curbside pick up is available from 4 to 8 pm starting tonight; all tips from take out orders will be earmarked for supporting our laid off employees. Link in bio to see the menu; we start accepting orders at 4.
1w
From all of us at Poole’s, we appreciate your constant love and support. Thank you for your patience as we navigate our brand new adventure into takeout. We apologize for any delays yesterday and are so incredibly overwhelmed by your support. We’ll be open today from 4-8pm ready to serve you all the Macaroni Au Gratin. See you soon and don’t forget kindness!
1w
We have made the decision that @poolesidepies and @poolesdiner will be closed for service for the foreseeable future. The last day of service at these two shops was on Sunday. We will have one more day of takeout service today, at @beasleys_raleigh, today from 12 to 8pm. @deathandtaxesnc, @chucks_raleigh, and @foxliquorbar have been closed since last week.
Our team worked so hard this past week to make takeout and curbside work, and we were overwhelmed by the support of our community—you all came by in record numbers to enjoy pizza, fried chicken sandwiches, and mac au gratin to go. But ultimately, we were increasingly concerned about the safety and feasibility of this as a long term plan. Rather than continue, we are shifting gears. Our goal, always, is to be responsible, proactive members of our community.
We are still offering our ClubHouse dinner kits out of our commissary kitchen, and feel that we can minimize the risk much more through this model, with scheduled pick ups and deliveries—for our staff and our guests.
We are still working hard with elected leadership at every level in the hopes of some aid for our industry.
And we are still in constant communication with our laid off teammates, and offering weekly grocery pick ups and as many other resources as we can find while we’re in this incredibly difficult period.
Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you on the other side of all of this.
6d
Seaboard Cafe
Well…We’re still here serving You this delicious homemade food! Can’t do dine in but we have Curbside Pickup and To-go orders!You can enjoy our food just by calling at 919-8217553, 919-349-1464, 919-539-9583 We’re taking credit card payments over the phone or if You prefer to pay cash You can come in and take it to-go!
1w
[Photo] Seaboard Cafe, with a Sad Heart, would like to announce we are temporarily closing today due to the order of Stay at Home. We will have more information tomorrow! Remember, we are returning. Love, Rick and the Seaboard Cafe Staff!!
3d
