From sit-down meals to casual food festivals, enjoy the best of North Carolina produce, agriculture, distillers and more with these unique Triangle events.
by Nelie Tahssili
Indulge in fresh food, good company, and good causes at one of these charming spots this summer. Whether you are looking for a casual dinner out in the country or a more formal city meal made exclusively from local products, these farm-to-table experiences celebrate the bounty of North Carolina agriculture.
Mandolin Got to Be NC Dinner
Celebrate peak summer tomatoes, basil, peaches and more at Five Points bistro Mandolin’s Got to Be NC Dinner. Chef de cuisine Dylan Shook has created a family-style, five-course meal exclusively featuring North Carolina ingredients — and all paired with exclusively North Carolina-made wine and spirits.
July 16 | 6 – 8:30 p.m.; From $145; 2519 Fairview Road; mandolinraleigh.com
Fundraising Farm Dinner for the Karen Community Farm
The Karen Community Farm at Oaky Grove is supporting refugees from Burma at this fundraising dinner inside a bamboo house, built to replicate the structures that the Karen people built in Thai refugee camps after decades of persecution. This is the first refugee farm project of this kind in Wake County. They will be serving traditional Karen food made from produce from the farm, including pennywort salad, samosas, khao ma gai and top po dee.
June 16 | 6 – 8:30 p.m.; From $50, Karen Community Farm at Oaky Grove, 5800 Turnipseed Road Wendell; eventbrite.com
Sweet Peas Urban Garden Fundraising Dinner
This Summer Farm to Table Dinner features local and organic products and is promoting eating hyper-locally grown food. Dinner will be made by Chef George Acosta and he will be focusing on vegan cuisine. Pairings will also be included in this dinner with collaboration from Umbrella Dry Bar and Zin Yoga Studios & Wine Lounge.
June 17 | 6:30-10 p.m; From $100, 107 St. Marys Street, Garner, sweetpeasurbangardens.com
Phillips Farms
Phillips Farms is hosting a BBQ Festival & Father’s Day celebration, which includes a farmers market with fresh produce from local farms and other vendors with a huge selection of plants and flowers. Live music and local food trucks will also be featured at this event.
June 17 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; 6720 Good Hope Church Road, Cary; phillipsfarmsofcary.com
Old Mill Farm’s Father’s Day Boil ‘n Brew
A great idea for the dad or father figure in your life, Old Mill Farm, an agritourism farm and event venue, is hosting a low country boil and summer beer fest for Father’s Day weekend. Enjoy live music by Blue Note Dixieland Jazz Band, beer from local NC breweries and food by Chef Christian Thompson, a New Orleans native.
June 18 | 12 – 4 p.m.; From $40, 8913 NC-751, Durham; oldmillfarmdurham.com
Mystic Farm and Distillery Free Tour and Tasting
Mystic Farm and Distillery is offering a free tour of the distillery. Mystic Farm and Distillery focuses on bourbon production, and was the first bourbon distillery in the Triangle since prohibition. All of their spirits are handcrafted including their Mystic Vision Vodka and Heart of Mystic Cacao Nib Finished Bourbon Whiskey. Attendees can learn how the farm processes and distills all their spirits.
June 23 | 6 – 7 p.m; 1212 North Mineral Springs Road, Durham; whatismystic.com
Garden to Table at The Traveling Cafe
This June at The Travelling Cafe, instructor Merill Gates will be highlighting fruits and vegetables that embody the summertime feeling and taste with a vibrant meal. The menu includes foods like shaved beet and apple nut salad and criss cross zucchini with feta pistachio mint sauce. Wine tickets are also available.
June 25 | 4 – 6 p.m; From $85, 200 Sanford Road #9, Pittsboro; thetravellingcafe.com
This story was originally published on waltermagazine.com on June 16, 2023.
