Raleigh

Unhurried Café and Gathering Space to Debut in Raleigh

Biddy Thomas' food menu will draw on New Orleans inspiration.

Image Credit: Josh Wallace

RALEIGH, NC — Biddy Thomas, a café and community gathering space from owner Margaret Soler, is targeting a spring opening at 2409 Crabtree Blvd Suite 100 A, Raleigh, NC 27604. Soler told Business Debut the concept is designed as a modern social club and “third place” where guests can relax, play games, share food, and connect across generations and cultures.

The space will take over a former restaurant, allowing the team to focus primarily on cosmetic updates such as paint and décor while keeping the existing kitchen in place.

What to Expect

Biddy Thomas is designed to function as a flexible social space where guests can dine, play games, listen to music, or simply spend time together. Soler described the idea as creating a welcoming environment where people feel comfortable staying awhile.

“What I really wanted was a place where people could sit down and play cards and feel at home and not feel rushed,” Soler told Business Debut.

The layout will feature a large horseshoe-shaped bar that can also function as a lunch counter, along with tables throughout the dining room where guests can eat or play games. A lounge-style seating area will offer comfortable chairs for casual conversation, and a small retail section in the back will carry curated goods.

A piano near the entrance will serve as both a host stand and a place for local performers, with opportunities for students and community musicians to play.

The menu will focus on simple café-style food with influences from New Orleans, where Soler has family ties and attended college. Guests can expect soups, salads, sandwiches, and po’ boys, along with rotating daily specials.

Dishes such as red beans and rice, jambalaya, gumbo, and fried fish on Fridays will highlight the New Orleans inspiration. Additional items like pralines, snowball-style shaved ice, and more may be added over time.

Beyond the food, Soler said the broader goal is creating a space that encourages connection across cultures and generations.

“We are wired for connection, and we’ve lost a lot of the places where people naturally interact across generations,” Soler told Business Debut. “I want this to be a place where people can build friendships with folks who don’t look like them or come from the same background.”

Soler said Biddy Thomas is meant to encourage meaningful connections between people of different ages and backgrounds. Through games, events, and shared spaces, she hopes to create opportunities for guests to meet and form friendships beyond their usual social circles.

Center image of Biddy Thomas, Soler's grandmother and the namesake of the business. Soler described her as representing “character, courage, and grace." | Image Credit: Josh Wallace

Opening Timeline

The team is currently completing cosmetic updates inside the existing restaurant space. Soler said they are targeting a spring opening.

Hours

Planned hours are still being finalized, but the current plan includes Tuesday through Friday service beginning around 10 a.m., with lunch starting around 11 a.m. Evening hours will likely extend until around 10 p.m. or later on weekends.

Sunday service is expected to focus on brunch from approximately 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., while Monday hours are still under consideration.