A pair of restaurants debuted in Chapel Hill and Carrboro over the weekend.

Autostrada Pizza & Panini welcomed its first customers on Friday at Carr Mill Mall. The restaurant, modeled after an auto grill one would find along an Italian highway, is in the mall space previously occupied by Pizza Factory. The menu features a variety of made-fresh paninis, salads and pizzas, which can be ordered in either 10-inch or 16-inch pies. It also opened a gelato and coffee shop across the hall were a candy shop used to operate.

The venture is owned and operated by Chef Drew Moore, who acquired Pizza Factory earlier this year and pivoted to the new concept. Moore said he and his partner took a road trip through Northern Italy and Southern France in recent years, and their frequent stops into Autostrada helped inspire the idea to do his own twist in Carrboro.

“For those unfamiliar, much of the food available when exiting the highway in Italy is prepared by the same company, and it’s consistently amazing,” he told Chapelboro. “They offer fresh and wholesome options like paninis, coffee, gelato, and chocolate.”

Moore is also behind two other businesses in the Carrboro mall, Venable and the B-Side Lounge, with the new venture furthering his investment into the site.

“Carr Mill Mall is a truly unique and beautiful space,” he said, “filled with great businesses and plenty of natural light. All the small business owners are great people who are very welcoming and friendly. It’s a very collaborative business community, and it’s also very convenient for foot traffic in Carrboro.”

While a grand opening event is in the works for August, the Autostrada restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and stay open an extra hour until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Autostrada Gelato & Coffee shop, meanwhile, will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Over in Chapel Hill, another business offering pizza options held its grand opening on Saturday. One40 Social is a new sports bar at 140 West Franklin Street in Suite 190 — a space long left vacant since Old Chicago Pizza permanently closed in 2017. After an extensive renovation, the space is redecorated with vibrant murals and a dozen televisions.

The business held soft opening events earlier this summer, including a limited window service during Chapel Hill and Carrboro’s Pride Promenade. Ownership is marketing it as a place to hang out for sports games, private events and beyond, with foosball, ping-pong and shuffleboard tables, offering bar favorites like pizza, burgers and sandwiches alongside some select Ukrainian street food.

Beyond its wide drink selection of more than 40 draft beers and craft cocktails, a unique feature of One40 Social is its milkshake stand called the Dead Milkman. Serving both classic and spiked milkshakes in five flavors, the booth sits in the middle of the space for people to directly order from.

Presently, One40 Social’s hours are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. On Fridays, it is open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturdays it is open from 12 p.m. to midnight.

 

Featured photo via Autostrada/The Splinter Group.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Photos: A First Look at Chapel Hill's Cook Out Location
After weeks of preparation and changes to the site, a Cook Out franchise opened on South Elliott Road in Chapel Hill on Friday. The North Carolina-based fast food chain had its latest of 300+ locations open its doors to the public Friday afternoon, drawing a crowd late into the evening. The restaurant is one of […]
Chapel Hill Cook Out Franchise Targeting Sep. 9 Opening
Cook Out fans don’t have much longer to wait before they have their first franchise of the popular chain open within Chapel Hill town limits. The fast food restaurant on 450 South Elliott Road in Chapel Hill is targeting an opening date of late next week, with Regional Manager Claudia Farr telling Chapelboro the goal […]
Chapel Hill Completes Elliott Road Extension, Opens to All Traffic
A long-standing project to improve traffic and connectivity in Chapel Hill is now finished, according to the town government. A release from Chapel Hill on Thursday said the extension of Elliott Road was set to officially open on Friday at 8 a.m., and saw vehicles drive down it as soon as traffic cones were moved. […]
Giorgios Group Announces New Restaurant in Chapel Hill
A popular restaurant group in the Chapel Hill and Durham community has announced its latest venture. The Giorgios Hospitality & Lifestyle Group shared on its Facebook page Thursday it will open a new restaurant into space at 201 South Elliott Road in Chapel Hill. Named Osteria Georgi, which translates to George’s Tavern, the ownership group […]
Chapel Hill: Reflecting 1 Month After Floods, Welcoming Town Manager and Preparing for UNC's Return
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson joins 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell on Thursday, August 7 for "Conversations with the Mayors."
Recovery Efforts Underway on Chapel Hill Trails Damaged by Chantal's Floodwaters
Walking his bike through the mess along Bolin Creek Trail, 33-year Chapel Hill resident Loren Hintz said he has never seen a flood this bad. “This is more than Hurricane Fran, and in terms of businesses, I think every business that I’ve talked to the water is three or four feet higher than […]
A New Bar, 'Extension' of Al's Burger Shack, Is Now Open in Downtown Chapel Hill
Al's Burger Shack at 516 West Franklin Street added another business to its operations, with the official opening of Puddin's Beer Shack.
Chapel Hill Closing Homestead Skatepark for Renovations; Estimated to Last 3-4 Months
The Homestead Park Skatepark in Chapel Hill will close Monday, August 4 to undergo a renovation and redesign. The work is expected to last 3-4 months, with the refurbished skatepark opening in late fall. Included in the redesign will be new steel-reinforced concrete ramps, replacing the old wooden frames. Much of the original layout will […]
EPA Advisor, Former Professor Louie Rivers III Announces Bid for Chapel Hill Town Council
Louie Rivers III, a social science advisor for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and former professor, announced his bid for the Chapel Hill Town Council this week. Rivers is one of six candidates who have announced bids for the four available seats on the council this fall. “Since the last presidential election, I have become […]
New Pizza Restaurant Opens in Carrboro; Sports Bar Holds Grand Opening in Chapel Hill
A pair of restaurants debuted in Chapel Hill and Carrboro over the weekend. Autostrada Pizza & Panini welcomed its first customers on Friday at Carr Mill Mall. The restaurant, modeled after an auto grill one would find along an Italian highway, is in the mall space previously occupied by Pizza Factory. The menu features a […]
›