Pizza, Peruvian food and charitable donations: All up in your business for March 20

Glasshalfull Restaurant

Glasshalfull, a restaurant in Carrboro, began donating 10 percent of nightly sales to UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center every Tuesday and gives 10 percent of nightly sales to one of five rotating local charities every Wednesday. 

The restaurant's Dine for a Cause campaign launched in November 2016 with the Lineberger Care Center, said front house Manager Rita Onufer. In 2017, they donated over $17,000 to Lineberger, she said. 

Onufer said they were really excited to see how much they raised for the Cancer Center and wanted to open up and give to more places, leading them to look into other local charities that could use their help. 

The five charities Glasshalfull supports on Wednesdays are PORCH, Carrboro Community Health Center, Dispute Settlement Center, Orange County Literacy Council and UNC Horizons.

“It’s kind of fun for the community, knowing they can choose to come out on an alternate night to the weekend, in order to support these charities,” Onufer said. “But yeah, I see it gaining traction, and people are really excited to give back.”

Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken

Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken is planning to open its sixth location at Brier Creek Commons in Raleigh in mid-April. 

Alpaca is a “fast-casual restaurant known for its unforgettable Peruvian rotisserie chicken,” according to a press release. The chicken is available in quarter, half and whole portions, and is served with traditional South American sides including rice, beans, fries, steamed yucca and tostones.

“We are excited to bring Alpaca to Brier Creek and know the surrounding community will love our fresh approach to Peruvian chicken," said owner Ranbir Bakshi said in the press release. 

Alpaca Brier Creek will open at 8211 Brier Creek Parkway, in the former Positalia Italian Eatery space. There will be indoor and outdoor seating.

The Pizza Press

The Pizza Press, a 1920s newspaper-themed restaurant, will open a new location in Carolina Square.

Originally founded in Anaheim, California, near Disneyland, the menu consists of pre-designed pizza recipes named after various famous newspapers, such as The Times, The Tribune and The Sun. There is also the option to “publish” your own pizza with whatever ingredients you want. 

Corporate Office Manager Joseph Schumacher said part of the inspiration for the name of the pizza restaurant is based on a pun, since the pizza dough is heated in a press. 

“The main reason though is that our president and CEO used to work at an import and export business, and some of the equipment that he dealt with was actual printing presses, so I think that’s also a part of the reason why we went with that name,” he said.  

The recipes were designed by the executive chef of Disneyland, and have not been changed since they opened five-and-a-half years ago, Schumacher said.

The Pizza Press in Chapel Hill is scheduled to open at the end of May.

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