The Convergence: Big Cat’s Big Ambitions

Helmed by a collective of Raleigh food and beverage pros, Big Cat aims to serve as a tavern, market and date-night destination for its diverse neighborhood
by Catherine Currin | photography by Forrest Mason

At the corner of Brookside Drive and Glascock Street, tomato-red letters announce Big Cat — and in marigold, declare it “For the neighborhood. By the neighborhood.” The name is both a nod to beloved pets and bodega cats around the world, but it’s also a play on Lions Park, which is just a few blocks away. Chefs and co-owners Cheetie Kumar and Angela Salamanca live nearby and regularly walk at the park, an anchor of this area sandwiched between Mordecai and Oakwood. “I think all cats think they’re big, and this is a small little market that has big, big ambitions,” says Kumar. “So many neighborhoods converge here. There’s such a diversity of age and demographic.”

Big Cat also offers a convergence of talent in its conception: along with Kumar and Salamanca are partners Paul Siler, Marshall Davis and Justin Pasfield. Together, these bold names have brought Raleigh some of its most unique and beloved hospitality concepts, including Ajja, Mala Pata and Locals Seafood. “Having this crew of people that we trust made it even more exciting,” says Kumar. “We really trust their aesthetics, we trust their work ethic, we trust their experience and their opinions.”

The space, which was formerly home to Brookside Bodega and Otomi, has been transformed. The red-and-yellow scheme continues inside, offset by a cactus green and some blonde wood.
And then there are the cats.

Along the walls and shelves you’ll find them in portraits and paintings, grade-school ceramic projects and porcelain figurines. There are fat cats and lean ones, tiny ones and two giant cat heads, custom crafted by Paperhand Puppet Project. “They watch over our guests as they eat dinner,” says Davis, Big Cat’s beverage director. “The rest of the cat tchotchkes were donated by our neighbors.”

“Neighbors” is a word that comes up a lot. “ When we were approached about the space, we just kept thinking about how the location is so perfect — it truly is a neighborhood spot,” says Kumar. “We kind of fell in love with that idea after opening Ajja, of being a part of people’s lives in a way that’s a little bit different than when you’re downtown.”

The menu, developed with Kumar at the helm, is as eclectic as the space itself. “We wanted this to be somebody’s watering hole or their tavern,” she says. “That idea opened a lot of doors in my mind. Everything feels a little bit familiar, but when you get it, it’s just got a little bit of a twist on it.” There are plenty of items to share: a mezze trio with warm olives and housemade bread, a decadent seven-layer dip topped with corn flakes, coconut curry roasted oysters. Mains include a Joyce Farms half chicken (Kumar’s favorite) and melt-in-your-mouth pork belly with chiles and herbs.

To wash it down, Davis and team worked to develop a varied bar menu to suit their clientele. “There’s something for everyone, from $4 bottles of High Life to curated, special-order mezcals,” he says. “We put more of an emphasis on quality sourcing and efficiency — ideally folks are able to get a drink within the first couple minutes of their visit, and hopefully you can’t go wrong with whatever you pick.”

Soon, Kumar says, you’ll be able to take that roast chicken and High Life to-go. The restaurant side of Big Cat opened for dinner service in March, and the market side of the space opens this summer with separate hours and different offerings. There, guests can grab items to go like local beers, wine, snacks and select pre-made foods (like the chicken, party dips and more) plus pantry staples like olive oil, dry pasta, citrus and candy bars. There will also be lunchtime counter service anchored by a small sandwich menu. The offerings were chosen, in part, based on a survey sent to nearby residents while they renovated the space.

Davis hopes the market solidifies Big Cat as an all-day go-to. “We have high hopes for the market and the early-to-mid-day programming here,” he says. “We will have essentials for the fridge, prepared foods for game night with friends, lunch for folks on the go and the full razzle-dazzle of the restaurant in the evenings.”

And so far, the neighbors have embraced Big Cat. On a given night, the patio is buzzing and reservations are stacked. Diners run into friends as they stroll along the sidewalk. “We really hope that Big Cat becomes a weekly walk-in spot for our neighbors here, as well as a destination for folks that are interested in our internationally influenced American tavern,” says Davis. “It’s a funky little space, but I love how it all came together.”