Maggiano's and Millie's Expand into Raleigh as Triangle Dining Grows

Maggiano's Little Italy and Millie's Homemade Ice Cream are bringing new concepts to the Raleigh market this fall. The chain expansion coincides with fresh honors from the Michelin Guide for three Triangle establishments. The growth signals a busy period for the region's food scene.

Maggiano's will occupy the space at Crabtree Valley Mall previously held by Brio Italian Grille. This will be the second Maggiano's location in the Triangle, following the existing restaurant at Streets at Southpoint in Durham. The chain serves large, family-style meals, though no specific opening date has been announced yet.

Millie's Homemade Ice Cream, a franchise based in Pittsburgh, plans to open its first North Carolina store at 325 Blake St. in City Market. The location will sit next to Blackbird Books and Coffee. The Triangle Business Journal reported that the shop aims to open before the end of the year.

At the 2026 Michelin Guide American South ceremony in Nashville, three Triangle restaurants received Bib Gourmand designations. Ajja in Raleigh, Ideal's in Durham, and Tesoro in Carrboro earned the new honors. Tesoro is an 18-seat restaurant focused on pasta. Prime Barbecue, Mala Pata, and Sam Jones BBQ retained their status from the previous year.

Sixteen other Triangle restaurants kept their Michelin recommended listings. These include Brewery Bhavana, Poole's, Stanbury, and The Fearrington House Restaurant. The recognition adds to the region's growing culinary reputation.

South Block, a Charlotte-based brand known for acai bowls and smoothies, is entering the Raleigh market. The new location will open at 4121 Main at North Hills St. next to bartaco. No opening date has been set for this third Charlotte-area expansion.

Other new openings include Grain & Berry at 2017 Creekside Landing Drive in Apex, which is the brand's second North Carolina location. In Durham, M Kikkei, formerly M Pocha, will hold a soft opening on October 24 and a grand opening on October 29. The restaurant serves Nikkei cuisine, blending Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients. It is the seventh concept in the Mpire group.

Community events are also filling the calendar. The inaugural Chapel Hill Biscuit Festival takes place on October 25 at American Legion Post 6. Proceeds will benefit SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals. On November 5, the Chefs for Change Gala will support Families Moving Forward. The third Rawleigh Oyster Fest is scheduled for November 7 at Raleigh Iron Works, featuring a new $60 ticket option to improve accessibility.

Local organizations are also active. The Food Bank is marking Tackling Hunger Month, noting that more than 600,000 neighbors face food insecurity. The organization states that every $25 donation provides 75 meals. The Trophy Trot 5K returns for its 10th year on November 26 at Dix Park, benefiting Healing Transitions. Last year's race had nearly 3,000 participants and raised about $60,000.