Many new eateries made their way to Franklin Street this spring, featuring a variety of offerings for college students and Triangle residents alike.
The new restaurants include Hops Burger Bar and Frutta Bowls, opened next to each other on West Franklin Street.
Hops Burger Bar
Hops Burger Bar, originally opened in Greensboro, expanded onto Franklin Street in April. The restaurant filled the space left by the previous leaseholder, Lime Fresh Mexican Grill.
The addition of Hops at 140 West Franklin Street came after the closing of Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom last July in the same area.
Hops’ Greensboro location was ranked number one on TripAdvisor’s list of America’s 10 Most Delectable Burger Joints. The menu showcases a wide selection of burgers and beers, along with many sides and salads.
Frutta Bowls
Created by Brooke Gagliano after being inspired by Açai bowls, the Frutta Bowls franchise first opened with two locations in Gagliano’s hometown of Freehold, New Jersey, in 2016. A new Frutta Bowls space was added to Franklin Street April 14, in the same complex as Hops Burger Bar.
Frutta Bowls, a smoothie franchise committed to promoting health and wellness, currently has four corporate stores and 84 franchises awarded, with locations in 14 states.
Cha House
Cha House opened at 318 West Franklin Street in April, bringing Taiwanese tea and snacks to Chapel Hill.
Sisters Ya Huei and Ya Wen opened their Asian-style tea house on Franklin Street after visiting Chapel Hill and realizing it was “the perfect community in which to introduce our love for the many unique presentations of tea,” according to the Cha House website.
Major staples of the Cha House drink menu include bubble tea, matcha tea and craft drinks. Many snacks are also offered at the tea house, like Taiwanese popcorn chicken, tea stew pork and several other dishes.
Hibachi & Company
Japanese cuisine also arrived on Franklin Street February 26 with the addition of Hibachi & Company. Owner David Huang opened the franchise, which has three other locations in North Carolina, after growing up in the restaurant industry. Huang’s parents operated a Japanese steakhouse.
Hibachi & Company’s menu features vegetarian, gluten-free and low-carb options. According to Huang in an interview with The Daily Tar Heel, with the new location near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he hopes to “cater to students and [work with] people in a hurry.”
