What’s new with Fayetteville restaurants? Here are 20 updates, including what’s coming soon

Here are the latest openings and closings among Fayetteville restaurants, including what’s coming soon.

The Fayetteville-area food scene has experienced a healthy amount of change in July and August, with even more in the works for the fall.

New openings range from breweries to a dessert shop to new locations for longtime favorites.

In addition to the new restaurants and those soon to open, there are at least two chains looking for franchisees in the Fayetteville area.

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Here’s what happened on the food scene in July and August, as well as a look at what’s coming soon.

The bar area at Group Therapy Pub & Playground at 1906 Skibo Road. (USA Today via Reuters)

AzulTequilas, a new Mexican restaurant and bar coming to Gillespie Street. (USA Today via Reuters)

Now open

Ms. Ruthie’s Doing It

Ms. Ruthie’s Doing It, a faith-based bakery and tea shop, opened July 3 at 5474 Trade St. in Hope Mills.

Ohana Express food truck

The owners of Ohana International, a Korean barbecue spot at 4565 Yadkin Road, opened a food truck in the parking lot of the restaurant on July 10. Ohana Express offers some of the same food as the restaurant, including chicken, bento boxes, wings, egg rolls, dumplings, sushi and pork and beef bowls.

Umi

Umi, a sushi and hibachi restaurant, opened in the former Pocky Cafe location at 5548 Yadkin Road on July 10.

Little Heathen’s

Anderson Creek brewery Little Heathen’s — named in honor of the owner’s daughters — opened July 10 at 3266 Ray Road in the Anderson Creek Shopping Center, according to a post on the brewery’s Facebook page. The 4,200-square-foot brewery features four signature brews on tap and food trucks.

Group Therapy

Group Therapy Pub & Playground, billed as an “eatertainment” venue, opened July 12 at 1906 Skibo Road in Fayetteville. Group Therapy offers food, drinks and a mix of entertainment and interactive games.

Aura Lounge and Restaurant

Aura Lounge and Restaurant, located in the former Heart & Soul Soul Food and Lounge at 4808 Ramsey St. in Fayetteville, opened July 14.

Parkton Grill

The Parkton Grill, a breakfast and burger diner, opened its fourth location July 16 in the Bordeaux Center, 1820 Owen Drive in Fayetteville.

Teriyaki Seafood Express

Seafood restaurant Teriyaki Seafood Express opened Aug. 17 in the former Church’s Chicken restaurant at 5775 Yadkin Road in Fayetteville.

Sol’s Arcade + Taproom

A downtown Fayetteville arcade bar held its grand opening July 4 at 421 Maiden Lane. Sol’s Barcade + Taproom, in the works for several years, features arcade games, a self-pour draft system, a sports lounge and a rotating selection of food truck vendors.

Closed

Fried Turkey Sandwich Shop

The Fried Turkey Sandwich Shop closed its 1820 Owen Drive location in June. Another location, at 2318 Paintersmill Drive, Suite 110, in Hope Mills, remains open.

Phat Daddy’s

Phat Daddy’s Sports Bar & Grill, at 3406 Raeford Road in Fayetteville, closed after a final celebration Aug. 2, according to a post on its Facebook page.

Coming soon

Dad Bod District

A popular food truck that expanded into a dive bar is set to open a new venture in downtown Fayetteville later this month in the three-story Kress Building at 229 Hay St. Owner Keith Bowen said Aug. 29 that the opening date will most likely be Sept. 19.

Bounty Farmhouse

Bounty Farmhouse Kitchen & Tap is set to open in September at 4150 Sycamore Dairy Road in Fayetteville, the site of the former Mash House Brewing Company. The farm-to-table restaurant will emphasize sustainable agriculture and whole animal butchery.

AzulTequilas

AzulTequilas Mexican Bar & Grill is set to open sometime this fall at 2309 Gillespie St. in Fayetteville. It will be the second location; the original is in Goldsboro.

Halal Guys

The Halal Guys, a fast-casual restaurant serving “American Halal,” is set to open on Fort Bragg sometime this fall.

Twin Peaks

A sports bar chain similar to Hooters — it features scantily clad servers — is set to open Oct. 20 at 1891 Skibo Road in the former Smokey Bones restaurant.

Dirtbag Plaza

Three new restaurants are set to open in the coming months in the new Dirtbag Plaza across from Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom on Corporation Drive near Hope Mills.

• Jersey Mike’s is expected to open in September.
• Tropical Smoothie is set to open by Thanksgiving.
• The BBQ Lab is set to open this winter.

Yummy Bowl

An Asian restaurant featuring customizable sushi, ramen, Korean fried chicken and Mongolian stir-fry is opening soon at 155 N. McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville. Yummy Bowl Mongolian Stir-Fry & Sushi, which was originally set to open in August, does not yet have an opening day. “We will share (an opening date) as soon as our final details are in place,” the company responded Aug. 28 in a Facebook message.

Just looking for now

Layne’s

A Texas-based fast-casual chain is expanding along the East Coast and hopes to find franchisees in Fayetteville. Layne’s Chicken Fingers, known, unsurprisingly, for its chicken fingers, was founded in College Station, Texas, in 1994.

Corbett’s Burgers & Soda Bar

Corbett’s Burgers & Soda Bar, a Cary burger and soda shop, is also eyeing Fayetteville as part of a planned expansion across the Carolinas. The fast-casual restaurant, known for its more than 250 soda flavors and classic American comfort food, is seeking franchisees in Fayetteville.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: What’s new on the Fayetteville food scene? Here are 20 updates, including what’s coming soon

Reporting by Beth Hutson, Fayetteville Observer / The Fayetteville Observer

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect