W H AT WE’RE EATING NEWS FROM OUR RESTAURANT COMMUNITY, PLUS A DISH WE LOVE
NEWS BITES • Tonya Council, founder of Tonya’s Cookies, opened a bakery on Nov. 17 at 400 S. Elliott Rd. featuring an array of grab-andgo sweet and savory options. It features her signature cookies and Southern-style treats such as collards and sausage cinnamon rolls, sweet potato pecan pie and candied bacon donuts.
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SNOOZE 1800 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill snoozeeatery.com
he bold retro decor at Snooze is equal parts nostalgic and intriguing – not unlike the menu, where breakfast classics are reimagined with a creative twist (think eggs Benedict topped with habanero pork belly or pineapple upside-down pancakes). The former Performance Bicycle space at Eastgate Crossing is unrecognizable as hot dishes of eggs zoom through the airy-yetintimate dining room. The welcoming vibes are backed up by an equally feel-good mission: the Denver-based chain prioritizes dishes made with intentionally sourced ingredients, and the owners are committed to making a difference in each town where they set up shop. Opening weekend in November raised $6,789 for PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro. I tried the “Bravocado Toast,” which comes with a healthy spread of smashed avocado, savory red onion jam, roasted tomato and a pair of perfectly sunny eggs. Don’t sleep – pun intended – on the drinks menu. I couldn’t choose just one, so I paired my plate with both a hot cup of Snooze’s signature Guatemalan coffee blend and an iced blackberry mint limeade. The latter was balanced and bright, and not too sweet – next time, I’ll try the boozy version. Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, Snooze’s full coffee and liquor bars can help make any morning feel like a weekend. Those with diverse dietary needs are in luck, too – there are options for paleo, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free diets. Another pro: pups are welcome on their spacious patio, so there’s no need to leave your brunch buddy at home. Bravocado toast, $14.75 – By Morgan Cartier Weston 22
chapelhillmagazine.com
January/February 2024
• La Montaña opened in October at 370 E. Main St., Ste. 170, in Carrboro. Created by Yung Nay, Chuan Tsay and Samantha Garcia, the restaurant name serves as a dedication to each of their fathers who died within a year of one another. “La Montaña,” which translates to “the mountain,” is a nod to the mountains their fathers climbed to give them better lives. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu features a pho rice porridge, seafood diablo and an extensive selection of cocktails. • Big Spoon Roasters has partnered with New Orleans-based French Truck Coffee to create a new limited edition batch of nut butter: Oat Milk Mocha Almond Butter. The nut butter combines fresh-roasted Mission almonds with French Truck’s La Belle Noir espresso blend, TCHO chocolate, organic maple syrup and Jacobsen Salt Co. sea salt. • The Purple Bowl will move from its current location at 306 W. Franklin St. to 505 W. Franklin St., the former location of Top of the Hill’s distillery. The new space will allow for more seating and study space, room for outdoor games and a performance stage. It is expected to open later this summer. • Chef Teddy Diggs’ Coronato Pizza closed on Oct. 14 due to “significant health and safety concerns,” according to a Sept. 18 Instagram post.