by Elana Etten

Valentine's Day is 9 days away, and if you're still scrambling for reservations or you're actively avoiding the prix-fixe menu trap, we've got you covered. But here's the thing: the best restaurants in Chapel Hill and Carrboro aren't just Valentine's Day destinations. They're the spots where residents eat year-round, the places we recommend to visiting friends, and the tables we fight over on random Tuesday nights.

Consider this your insider's guide to where we actually eat, whether you're planning a romantic dinner, celebrating an anti-Valentine's night out with friends, or just looking for your next favorite spot.

CHECK OUT THE GUIDE—→

(Check venues for weather updates!)

THURSDAY, FEB. 5 🎵 Bad Bad Hats + Smut – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com 🎶 Fancy Gap + Lua Flora – Cat's Cradle, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

🍷 Triangle Wine & Food Experience — Feb 5-7 Over 30 years of incredible food, wine, and charity. Community wine dinners, curated tastings, and a grand auction — all benefiting the Frankie Lemmon School & Development Center, which serves children with special needs at no cost to families. 🔗 frankielemmonfoundation.org/twfe

FRIDAY, FEB. 6 🎸 Tobacco Road + Fudge – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

🔭 Sensory-Friendly Science Night — Fri, Feb 6, 6-8 PM, Morehead Planetarium A welcoming evening designed for visitors who benefit from a quieter, more accessible museum experience. 🔗 moreheadplanetarium.org/calendar

⭐ Star Families: "Celebrate the Night" — Sat, Feb 7, Noon-1 PM, Morehead Planetarium Perfect for families with little ones. 🔗 moreheadplanetarium.org/calendar

SATURDAY, FEB. 7 🏀 UNC vs. DUKE – Dean Smith Center, 6:30 PM LED wristbands for fans + Stripe Out (blue or white shirt on every seat)! ⚠️ TRAFFIC WARNING: This is THE rivalry game—expect MAJOR traffic and parking delays throughout Chapel Hill, especially on Manning Drive, South Road, and MLK Jr. Blvd. Downtown parking fills up fast. Arrive at least 2 hours early or consider Park & Ride options. Post-game traffic will be intense. Tickets: goheels.com 🎤 Jonah Kagen – Cat's Cradle, 8 PM (SOLD OUT) 🎷 No Cocker: Mad Dogs & Englishmen Tribute – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

🎭 "Primary Trust" by Eboni Booth — Now through Feb 15, PlayMakers Repertory Company The 2024 Pulitzer Prize winner is on stage at the Paul Green Theatre. When Kenneth's quiet life of bookstore shifts and happy hour mai tais gets upended, he's confronted by an unfamiliar world of possibility. Wed–Sat at 7:30 PM, Sun at 2 PM. Open captions and a post-show discussion on Feb 8. 🔗 playmakersrep.org/show/primary-trust

THE FOLLOWING WEEK (Feb 9 – 11)

Tue, Feb 10 — Electric Guest at Cat's Cradle, 8 pm — Tickets

Wed, Feb 11 — Langhorne Slim at Cat's Cradle, 8 pm — Tickets

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: COMING UP

💕 Valentine's with Goats — Feb 4-15, Spring Haven Farm Baby goats + snuggles + photo ops. Whether you're celebrating years of marriage or just want a unique, stress-free outing, the farm even offers a Valentine's "faux wedding" experience. 🔗 visitchapelhill.org Valentine's Love List

🔭 Carolina Skies: Valentine Edition — Fri, Feb 13, Morehead Planetarium A romantic twist on the planetarium's stargazing show. 🔗 moreheadplanetarium.org/calendar

Fri, Feb 13 — The Connells at Cat's Cradle, 8 pm — Tickets

Fri, Feb 13 — Margo Price at Haw River Ballroom, 8 pm — Tickets

Sat, Feb 14 — 26th Annual Bob Marley Bash at Cat's Cradle, 8:30 pm — Tickets

🌸 Sunshine Lavender Farm Valentine's Winter Gathering — Feb 14 For the first time in 25 years, the farm opens for a special Valentine's gathering. Lavender Love Shop plus a special plant care workshop. 🔗 visitchapelhill.org Valentine's Love List

🐶 Valentine's Day at Morehead: Meet Spot the Robot Dog! — Sat, Feb 14, multiple sessions starting 10:30 AM (FREE) Experience puppy love with UNC's very own robot dog! Sessions run throughout the day. 🔗 moreheadplanetarium.org/calendar

🍽️ Botanist & Barrel Igloo/Greenhouse Date Night — Book Now Cozy igloo and greenhouse seating for 2 (up to 6) with cider/wine flights, hot mulled cider, cheese boards, and sweet treats. Valentine's Weekend slots going fast! 🔗 visitchapelhill.org Valentine's Love List

Feb 27 – Mar 1 — Carrboro Film Fest (rescheduled), Drakeford Library Complex — carrbororfilmfestival.com

LAST CHANCE🏛️ "Community" Exhibition – Hillsborough Gallery of Arts (through Jan 25) Work from 16 local artists celebrating what binds us together 🏛️ Homes for the Holidays Gingerbread Displays – Downtown Hillsborough (through Feb 5)

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

Rose & Roses Soiree: The Power of Five | Graduate by Hilton, 311 W. Franklin St. | 5–8 PM | $50/one, $85/two | Cocktail attire | Benefiting Monet Richardson Community Foundation | secure.qgiv.com/event/mrcfa

UNC-Chapel Hill has officially kicked off its most significant expansion since the foundation of Old East in 1793. The Carolina North project will transform the 230-acre Horace Williams Airport site into a "learn-live-work-play" hub. We’re talking interdisciplinary research buildings for AI and health, mixed-use housing to tackle the local shortage, and cultural performing arts spaces. Request for Qualifications (RFQs) for master planning and infrastructure design are going out this spring (2026), with the official groundbreaking targeted for summer 2027. This isn't just an extension; it's a total reimagining of the MLK Jr. Blvd corridor.

The Haw River Assembly’s latest watershed report is a wake-up call. Executive Director Emily Sutton noted that while PFAS and 1,4-dioxane levels have finally started to dip thanks to recent legal wins, physical pollution is rampant. Volunteers pulled 15,000 pieces of trash from the watershed last year—and a staggering 12,000 of those were styrofoam. The Assembly is ramping up pressure on Durham and surrounding towns to ban styrofoam and is lobbying hard against the federal REINS Act, which threatens to strip the EPA's power to regulate emerging water contaminants.

The local food scene is in a state of high-gear evolution:

La Vita Dolce: Owner Annie Johnston is moving the cafe from its original spot into the much larger former Market & Moss space (which sadly closed in June 2025). This move triples their capacity for community events and expands their bar program.

Kabab and Curry: The popular NC State and Duke staple is finally moving into the 153 East Franklin space (the former Hibachi & Co.).

Fine Dining Indian: The owners of Lime & Lemon are officially partnering with Michelin-starred Chef Sujan Sarkar (of Indienne) to bring a high-end Indian concept to town this year.

H&H Bagels: If you missed it, the NYC legend opened at University Place on January 15th, 2026 (National Bagel Day). Yes, the lines are still long.

Due to a sharp spike in respiratory illnesses—specifically the Subclade K (H3N2) flu variant—UNC Health has reinstated temporary visitor restrictions. As of early January, visitors aged 11 and younger are prohibited from inpatient and waiting areas. If you are over 11 and have so much as a sniffle, you’ll be asked to skip the visit to keep patients safe.

The need in our community has hit a 20-year high as federal support continues to wane. Local organizations like PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro are seeing record numbers at their community hubs. If you can help, PORCH is currently prioritizing 1lb bags of rice, pasta sauce (plastic jars!), and tuna pouches. Check your neighborhood’s specific "porch" pickup date for February to join the effort.

Chapel Hill Insider is your weekly guide to the people, places, and stories that make our community special. Know someone we should feature? Have a story tip? Reply to this email.

Big news: Ed King's beloved hand-drawn Chapel Hill Cartoon Map is now available digitally! In partnership with the original artist, we've brought this charming map—capturing every quirky corner and beloved business in our town—into the digital age.

Until next time,

Be in the know!