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After nine years of business, Café Root Cellar located at 35 Suttles Road in Pittsboro, took to Facebook on Sunday, Aug. 30 to announce its upcoming closing on Saturday, Sept. 19.
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The American comfort food restaurant is the second location to The Root Cellar Café & Catering in Chapel Hill, which will remain opening after Café Root Cellar’s closing. The similarly named restaurants operate independently of one another and maintain different menus, Susan White, a co-owner said in a message to The News & Observer.
“My wife Chef Sera Cuni made the Pittsboro restaurant her own and changes the menus weekly, serving elevated dishes for dinner and brunch,” White told The N&O.
“When we opened our Pittsboro café in 2017, we wanted to create a place where people could gather around good food, celebrate life’s milestones, and feel a genuine sense of connection,” the restaurant said on Facebook. “You helped us bring this vision to life, and we are incredibly grateful for the community that grew around our tables over the last decade.”
In 2023, the café’s owners, Chef Sera Cuni and Susan White, launched a nonprofit through the business’ kitchen. Feed-Well Fridges has rescued and redistributed more than 350,000 pounds of food and prepared 91,000 meals since its creation according to the Feed-Well Fridges’ website.
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Refrigerators are placed in high-need areas where residents lack access to fresh food options. Feed-Well Fridges shoppers are free to take any food they want and leave what they don’t. The program is largely run by volunteers who work with restaurants, grocery stores and other commercial food businesses to collect unsold food and pre-packaged meals that will be delivered to the branded refrigerators.
The organization is Chatham County’s first free community fridge program. Currently, the Feed-Well Fridges are located in Siler City, Pittsboro, Chapel Hill and Goldston. Closing Café Root Cellar allows Cuni and White to dedicate more time to the nonprofit. The couple plans to expand food production and find a permanent kitchen for the organization.
Café Root Cellar hosted its final lunch service on Friday, Aug. 28 but will continue serving dinner until the closing date, the social media post says. Sunday brunch will continue until Sept. 13.
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