Triangle Downtowner Magazine

08/14/2025

Congratulations to our friends Corbett and Julie Monica on celebrating their 25th anniversary of Bella Monica Cucina & Vino!

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Bella Monica proudly marks its 25th anniversary as a cherished neighborhood dining destination in Raleigh, NC, celebrating decades of warm hospitality, authentic Italian-American cuisine, and deep community roots.

Since opening its doors in August 2000, Bella Monica has grown from a humble takeout pizza counter in Olde Raleigh Village into one of Raleigh’s most beloved full-service trattorias, adored by locals and visitors alike for its inviting atmosphere and timeless dishes.

Founded by Chef Corbett Monica and his wife Julie, Bella Monica was inspired by the family-owned Italian restaurants they grew up enjoying in New York and New Jersey. Their vision was to create a cozy, unpretentious gathering place offering authentic Italian fare made with genuine hospitality, outstanding service, and the finest ingredients.

Over the last quarter-century, the restaurant has steadily expanded, adding a welcoming bar, comfortable booths, a seasonal outdoor patio, a private dining room for corporate and special occasions, and a full-service, off-premises catering program.

Bella Monica is renowned not only for its comforting cuisine but also for its warm and inviting ambiance. Walls feature artwork from local artists, and the bar proudly showcases an all-Italian wine list that sets the stage for guests to relax and celebrate life’s simple joys.

The menu has remained true to its roots, serving beloved Italian-American dishes from signature pizzas and pastas to regional specialties that reflect the Monica family’s heritage. This approach has made Bella Monica a neighborhood favorite and a go-to spot for both casual dinners and special celebrations within the Raleigh community.

Bella Monica’s story is one of passion, cultivated through community and shared across generations at the dining table. For 25 years, guests have not just dined here, they’ve become part of the family.

Beyond the table, Bella Monica is deeply woven into the fabric of the local community, supporting nonprofits, hosting fundraisers, and serving as a gathering space for celebrations of all sizes. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or spontaneous get-together, Bella Monica has been there to raise a toast with its guests.

As the Monica family looks ahead, the 25th anniversary marks not only a milestone of longevity but also a tribute to the community, culture, and cuisine that continue to grow and evolve. Bella Monica extends heartfelt thanks to its loyal patrons for two and a half decades of support.

Join Bella Monica throughout this anniversary year for special events, exclusive wine dinners, and unforgettable culinary moments as they celebrate 25 years of flavor, friendship, and family.

Bella Monica is located at 3121-103 Edwards Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27612.
919-881-9778
www.bellamonica.com
Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 11am-9pm
Friday & Saturday: 11am-10pm
Reservations accepted via OpenTable

06/04/2025

Love NC brisket paired with smooth champagne? Then you're in luck, as there are still a few tickets left for Bubbles & Brisket #5 in Smoky Hollow this Saturday. Get yours before they're gone at https://www.ncfbpodcast.com/event-details/bubbles-and-brisket-5

Presented by the awesome local folks at NC F&B Podcast

See you there!

All the Brisket and Champagne you can handle. It's the NC F&B Podcast's 5th Bubbles & Brisket at Smoky Hollow in Raleigh, NC!

04/11/2025

The Pig is Back!

Get ready to Get Piggy on Sunday, May 18th at the third annual Gettin’ Piggy With It hosted by Lawrence Barbecue and Trophy Brewing Company! All proceeds go towards celebrating and educating children of all abilities at Frankie Lemmon School & Developmental Center. Join us as we cheer for 60 Years of accessible education at Maywood Hall & Garden.

Pick up your tickets here before they sell out:
https://frankielemmon.ticketspice.com/gettin-piggy-with-it-2025
Event and lineup info:
https://frankielemmonfoundation.org/gettinpiggywithit/

Hosted by: Lawrence Barbecue + Trophy Brewing
In Support of: Frankie Lemmon School
Date: Sunday, May 18th, 1-5 pm
Location: Maywood Hall and Garden

04/06/2025

The Triangle Downtowner LOVES Dreamville!

04/05/2025

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Issue 183 of Triangle Downtowner Magazine is out on the street and online at www.triangledowntowner.com

Spring has sprung, and we've put together an awesome top 10 list of free attractions for you to explore around the Triangle. Inside, you'll find a candid conversation with the fantastic State Representative Maria Cervania, plus the scoop on Roots for Reece's life-changing mission and their mouthwatering Chef's Picnic fundraiser coming up. We've also packed this issue with donated ads highlighting upcoming local nonprofit fundraising events. We hope to see you there!

Be sure and sign up for our e-issue to keep up with current issues: www.bit.ly/issue-signup

Featured in this issue:
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
North Carolina Museum of Art
Historic Yates Mill County Park
Dorothea Dix Park
Town of Cary, NC Downtown Park
NC State University James B. Hunt Jr. Library
City of Raleigh - Pullen Park (http://www.raleighnc.gov/arts/content/PRecRecreation/Articles/PullenPark.html
Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department
North Carolina State Parks and Recreation William B. Umstead Park (https://www.facebook.com/pages/William%20B.%20Umstead%20State%20Park/114192205257473/)
North Carolina State Capitol
JC Raulston Arboretum
visitRaleigh
Localista
Maria Cervania
Frankie Lemmon School & Developmental Center
Oak City Cares
Activate Good
Burning Coal Theatre
Tesoro Hair Design
NoFo
Clyde Cooper's BBQ
Havana Deluxe

Roots For Reece
Under The Oak Catering
Landon Estate
Mandolin Raleigh
Postal Fish Company
Raleigh
Julep Contemporary Kitchen
Native Fine Diner
Dram Yard
Locals Seafood
Buttermilk Boutique, LLC.
Cuya Cocina Latina (The Cortez Seafood + Cocktail)
The Umstead Hotel and Spa
Brodeto
Lawrence Barbecue
Bodega Tapas, Wine and Rum
Glasshouse Kitchen
M Pocha
Got to Be NC Festival
Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie
Trophy Brewing Company
Deep River Brewing Company
Revival 1869 - A Drinkery
William & Company
Groove Wagon Seltzers

03/12/2025

Meridian Waste / Wake Tech Foundation’s Scholarship for Clean Communities

Meridian Waste North Carolina, LLC (Meridian Waste), a non-hazardous, integrated solid waste services company, is pleased to announce the company’s second contribution of $5,000 to Wake Tech Foundation in support of Wake Tech Community College to fund vocational skills scholarships. This gift is the second installment of a $15,000 pledge.

Established in 2024, the Meridian Waste Scholarship for Clean Communities supports students enrolled in Wake Tech’s Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology program. This scholarship will help prepare students with the required industrial educational training needed for today’s workforce, such as diesel mechanics and heavy equipment operators. So far, four students have been the recipients of this unique scholarship, out of an eventual total of six.

“Wake Tech is such an asset to Meridian Waste, Wake County, and the greater Triangle region as a whole,” stated Patrick Messinger, Meridian Waste’s Area President for North Carolina. “In particular, the College’s focus on vocational skills is vital to industries such as ours to help ensure a pool of qualified and ready-to-work individuals are available to keep our solid waste trucks and landfill heavy equipment in safe operating condition to support our overarching goal of maintaining clean communities.”

For students interested in applying for one of the $2,500 scholarships, please visit https://waketech.academicworks.com/donors/meridian-waste-scholarship-for-clean-communities and ensure applications are submitted by Oct. 28, 2025.

02/12/2025

Welcome to Issue 182! Learn more about Janet Cowell and her path to Raleigh's 63rd Mayor, 10 great things to look forward to in downtown Raleigh, and Wake County's 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalists! We hope you enjoy this issue of the Downtowner.

Read the e-issue at www.triangledowntowner.com

12/14/2024

J. Cole’s Dreamville Music Festival is making its highly anticipated return to North Carolina in 2025, but it will also mark the end of an era. The festival will celebrate its fifth and final anniversary during the weekend of April 5-6 at Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Park.

Since its inception, Dreamville has become a vibrant celebration of hip-hop culture, with performances from some of the biggest names in music. Fans will undoubtedly be excited for this final chapter of the festival, which promises to deliver memorable performances. Here's some highlights from 2024...

📸 Robbie Pope Bailey

11/14/2024

A huge thank you to The Willard Rooftop Lounge and AC Marriott for choosing The Women's Center as their recipient of last night's Community and Cocktails event!

We were joined by the Women's Center Executive Director Amy Smith and Volunteer Coordinator Nora Robbins, and Board Members Bo Crouse-Feuerhelm, Joelyn Harrington, and Crash S. Gregg.

The Women's Center provides emergency services to women who are experiencing homelessness, including meals, personal need products, housing, clothing, and much more.

Want to learn more about the Women's Center, host a fundraiser, or volunteer? Visit www.wcwc.org for more info.

11/02/2024

For Raleighites who have not yet voted and want to learn a little more about some of the City Council and Mayoral candidates, please visit our YouTube channel (https://lnkd.in/eKFZwbgz) or click any of the links below to watch our one-on-one 5-question interviews with:

Janet Cowell
https://youtu.be/q59Xd3pWCCU

Mitchell Silver
https://youtu.be/tRyZAttes-E

Jonathan Lambert-Melton
https://youtu.be/CRf9boyGgUw

James Bledsoe
https://youtu.be/0pt7tZ3F_VQ

John Cerqueira
https://youtu.be/C9myyBHTAhA

Tolulope O. Omokaiye
https://youtu.be/Tw0LJF29pM4

Corey Branch
https://youtu.be/hj8KL9hQN_8

Megan Patton
https://youtu.be/vadpWIbzl5U

Jane Harrison
https://youtu.be/fuyKOVSaL_U

Christina Jones
https://youtu.be/GpmlK6QtqKM

Terrance Ruth
https://youtu.be/6MpVib5xsSc

Wake County election information: https://lnkd.in/eYtsFhfA

Any other candidates who did not respond to our email request can message us here or on LinkedIn to set up a last-minute interview time on Sunday or Monday before election day.

Best of luck to all the candidates, and may the most qualified win for each seat

We sent an email to all candidates running for the Raleigh City Council and the Office of the Mayor in 2024. We asked each candidate the same five simple que...

10/25/2024

Celebrating Recovery by Dining in Style

Guests and sponsors were treated to an unforgettable evening as they celebrated addiction recovery with renowned chef and Healing Transitions advocate and board member, Scott Crawford.

The intimate celebration included a sit-down, family-style dinner prepared by Chef Crawford), which held special significance as it marks Scott’s 20th year of recovery. In honor of this milestone, Chef Crawford – known for his unwavering support of the recovery community and various other charitable causes – graciously chose to commemorate his special day with Healing Transitions. A big shoutout to Scott’s restaurant staff and friends, who volunteered their time at the event.

All proceeds from the evening will go directly to Healing Transitions for the life-saving recovery services they provide to the homeless, uninsured, and underserved individuals in our community.

“What I love about Healing Transitions is that they don’t give up on people who need help. There were people in my life who didn’t give up on me, and this is the reason I can celebrate 20 years of recovery. There’s no better way for me to celebrate than to give back to my recovery community.”
– Scott Crawford, Chef/Owner of Crawford Hospitality

“Scott Crawford serves as an inspiration and hope for so many who struggle with addiction and homelessness. The food and fellowship were awesome! Pinnacle was pleased to sponsor the Freedom Harvest event and is a proud sponsor of Healing Transitions and the great work they do. Congrats to Scott on 20 years and for a great evening.”
– Jim Foster, Senior Vice President, Pinnacle Financial Partners

“Scott Crawford was deciding how to celebrate his 20th anniversary of sobriety by taking a big trip or buying a new motorcycle, and he instead decided to host a fundraiser for Healing Transitions. It says a lot about him, and we wanted to be there to celebrate with him. Downtown would be a very different place without Healing Transitions, and we are grateful every day for the work done there.”
– David Meeker, Owner, Elm Partners

🦅
A longtime leader of the Southeast’s culinary scene and the visionary behind the Crawford Hospitality brand, Scott Crawford’s award-winning Raleigh, North Carolina-based restaurant group includes Crawford and Son, Jolie, Brodeto, and Sous Terre – and new projects opening in 2024, including Crawford Brothers Steakhouse, a modern American steakhouse, and Crawford’s Genuine, opening in the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. This five-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist for “Best Chef: Southeast” and “Outstanding Hospitality” finalist nominee (for Crawford & Son) boasts decades of achievement. Scott Crawford is committed to introducing inspired restaurants, cultivating a healthy work-life balance in the culinary industry, and mentoring food and beverage professionals. His leadership also extends beyond the kitchen to advocacy and community service; he serves on the Strategic Planning Committee, Development Committee & Board of Directors of Healing Transitions. He introduced and led the Raleigh Chapter of Ben’s Friends – a support group for food and beverage professionals who struggle with substance use disorders and addiction – until 2020. 🖤

👉 Listen to Healing Transitions Executive Director Chris Budnick’s podcast with Scott Crawford as they talk about the hospitality support group, Ben’s Friends: Voices from the Village Podcast

With heartfelt gratitude, we thank our sponsors who made this event possible:
Pinnacle Financial Partners
ACS | August Construction
Monteith Construction
Elm Partners
UNC Health
Atlas Stark
Maurer Architecture
Grubb Ventures
Lenovo
Your support means everything!