5 Coming Soon Wake County Restaurants [March 2026]

Business Debut recently interviewed five upcoming restaurant owners in Wake County. Here is a quick overview of the news. You can read our full reports by clinking the links in the titles.

For more news throughout North Carolina, go here.

Duke’s Kitchen and Taphouse — Fuquay-Varina

Address: 132 S Fuquay Ave, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Status: Targeting the second week of March, pending final permit approvals.

What to expect: A refreshed, 300-seat restaurant with a big dining room and patio, opening in the former Vicious Fishes space. Weekends will lean hard into brunch, with lunch and dinner served during the week.

Menu highlights: “Upscale bar food” that stays approachable—wings, entrees, salads, and house-made soups. Seasonal Carolina-coast oysters and bread from local suppliers are part of the plan.

Drinks: Full bar plus a broader craft beer lineup (not limited to one brewery), alongside domestics and seltzers.

Who’s behind it: Owner Paul Miller; named for head chef Duke Elliott, Miller’s longtime collaborator.

Pizzeria Toro — Raleigh

Address: 807 Halifax St, Raleigh, NC 27604

Status: Targeting a fall 2026 opening. Plans are going in for review, and the team is finalizing a general contractor.

What to expect: A Raleigh dining room currently drawn for mid-70s seating, designed to closely mirror the Durham original. The two locations won’t be identical, but they’ll share core staples while rotating other items.

Menu highlights: Wood-fired red and white pizzas plus seasonal small plates and salads. Based on the current Toro menu, examples include Orange County baby lettuces, Tuscan kale, ricotta dumplings, buffalo mozzarella with San Marzano tomato and basil, and an “old school pepperoni” pizza.

Who’s behind it: Chef/owner Gray Brooks.

Anjappar Chettinad Indian Restaurant — Raleigh

Address: 4112 Pleasant Valley Rd #124, Raleigh, NC 27612

Status: Targeting an April opening; currently under construction.

What to expect: A smaller, mostly takeout version of Anjappar in a roughly 1,500-square-foot space. This one is positioned as fast-casual, compared to the brand’s full-service locations.

Menu highlights: South Indian fare with an emphasis on in-house masalas ground in-store to franchise standards. Expect curries, breads, appetizers, and chicken and fish dishes.

Hours: Planned six days a week for lunch and dinner, with one weekday closure (day not specified).

Who’s behind it: Franchisee Prekash Sambath.

Sabatino’s Italian Ristorante — Wake Forest

Address: 131 Crenshaw Cors Dr, Wake Forest, NC 27587

Status: Opening very soon.

What to expect: Full-service Italian dining with a full bar, about 140 seats, plus a covered patio. The team is also considering occasional live entertainment, like local bands during the week.

Menu highlights: Scratch-focused Italian, expected to mirror the Apex location. Fresh pasta dishes mentioned include spaghetti carbonara, rigatoni vodka, cacio e pepe, pappardelle bolognese, fettuccine Alfredo, and lasagna, plus classic parmigiana-style entrees.

Hours: Closed Mondays; expected 11 a.m.–9 p.m. most days, with weekends at least until 10 p.m. (possibly later depending on bar traffic).

Who’s behind it: Co-owner Phil Seigman and partner James Ripple.

Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken — Raleigh

Address: 5011 Falls of Neuse Rd Suite E, Raleigh, NC 27609

Status: Lease signed; building and health permits submitted. Timing depends on permitting, then build-out.

What to expect: A fast-casual Nashville hot chicken spot in a second-gen restaurant space (formerly I Love Mac and Cheese), with plans to reuse much of the existing setup. The location is projected at about 2,100 square feet, with a dining room likely landing around 10–15 tables.

Menu highlights: Made-to-order hot chicken across multiple spice levels, including an “Angry Hot” level that requires a signed waiver (per the brand’s FAQ). Core items include a chicken sandwich, fingers, wings, chicken & waffles, wraps, loaded fries, chicken salad, and loaded mac & cheese.

Who’s behind it: Harsh Kandakur and Varsha Kandakur.