Big Dom’s Bagel Shop Brings B’donuts, Biscuits, Bagels to Cary

CARY — Big Dom’s Bagel Shop is now hiring bagel team members, according to its Facebook page. And the website promises a 2018 opening at 203 E. Chatham St. — “sometime.” Customers can expect three primary items: bagels made from malted dough and crisped on the bottom thanks to Crisco, biscuits crafted with three flours, and B’donuts, or baked doughnuts (there’s brown butter involved). Other menu items to expect: breakfast sandwiches and lunch-type sandwiches like egg salad and BLTs, coffees and teas. Formerly a pop-up shop, this brick-and-mortar bagel shop is the brainchild of Pizzeria Faulisi’s owners.

CARY — Cotton House Craft Brewers is set to open this fall at 307 S. Academy St. under Master Brewer Jamie McMillan. The business name traces back to the roots of the creators — their families from the South and Midwest have a history of cultivating cotton. Enter, Southern hospitality. And, of course, craft beer. Expect natural ingredients like hops from the brewers’ farm in Liberty, NC. Beer drinkers can plan to grab food from a rotation of food trucks and local restaurants, as well as from neighboring Mayton Inn. The most endearing part: the taphouse is inhabiting a national historic site built in 1900 called The Pasmore House.

WILMINGTON — The Wine Sampler, a wine bar and retail shop showcasing more than 500 wines and some beers on tap, recently opened a new location at 890-3 S. Kerr Ave. and vacated its former space. The grand opening for the new digs was July 13. Also available for purchase at the shop: the 80 Barnwell product line (borne of a partnership between The Wine Sampler and Apple Annie’s Bake Shop) featuring items like cheese crisps, dark chocolate barks and toast rounds. Don’t miss the weekly free tastings (of wine), either.

ASHEVILLE — BadHappy poutine eatery announced its upcoming Wednesday, July 25 opening with the declaration, “This is it!” on Facebook. Walk into the new space at 354 Merrimon Ave., Suite 50, for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Poutine dishes on the menu include The Quebecer (with curds, gravy and frites) and the Old Smokey (with smoked meat, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, frites, curds and sauce au poivre), while burgers include The Aristocrat (an Angus patty with foie gras mousse, pork belly, a sunny egg, truffle mayo and caviar) and the ​BadHippy (with a housemade roasted veggie burger, avocado relish, queso piquillo, pickled lime aioli and rocket slaw). As for Sunday brunch, The Quebecer poutine is still front and center, aligned with the Poutine Benny (with frites, a poached egg, “foielendaise sauce,” bacon and truffle mayo), chicken and waffles, and more.