The Complete Fenton Guide

Fenton is the most ambitious thing to happen to Cary in decades. The 92 acre mixed use development at the intersection of I 40 and Cary Towne Boulevard opened in April 2022 after a $1 billion investment by developers Hines and Columbia Development Group, and what was once a largely undeveloped corner of northwest Cary is now the Triangle's most talked about destination for dining, shopping, and entertainment. The concept was always experiential, not a mall, but a walkable district with real restaurants, real retail, and real reasons to spend an afternoon. Three years in, it is delivering on that promise more than most people expected.

This guide covers every current tenant, what's opening next, and the full long term vision for what Fenton is still becoming.

Restaurants and Dining

The dining lineup is what draws most people to Fenton, and it has only gotten stronger since the 2022 opening. Crawford Brothers Steakhouse brought James Beard Award winning chef Scott Crawford to the mix in late 2024, and Brewery Bhavana's second location, the beloved Raleigh restaurant known for Belgian inspired beer, dim sum, and flowers, opened in April 2025. Here is the full current lineup.

Crawford Brothers Steakhouse

The newest and most high profile addition to Fenton, Crawford Brothers Steakhouse opened on December 20, 2024 at 401 Fenton Gateway Drive. Chef Scott Crawford, the James Beard Award winning chef behind Crawford & Son in Raleigh, runs a modern American steakhouse focused on house dry aged beef, an extensive wine program, a full cocktail bar, and two private dining rooms. The 120 seat restaurant is immediately one of the best fine dining options in the entire Triangle, not just at Fenton. This is the reservation to make if you are doing a special occasion dinner in Cary.

Brewery Bhavana

Brewery Bhavana opened its second location at Fenton in April 2025 (850 Lower Garden Lane), and if you have been to the original downtown Raleigh location, you know what a milestone that is. The Fenton version brings the same formula that made the original a James Beard semifinalist: Belgian inspired craft beer brewed on site, an exceptional dim sum menu, an extensive outdoor patio, a bookstore, and a floral shop, all under one roof. It is one of the most distinctive hospitality concepts in North Carolina and a genuine destination at Fenton.

M Sushi

M Sushi was one of Fenton's launch day tenants and remains one of its best. Chef Michael Lee, a James Beard nominated chef, runs a Japanese restaurant that offers both specialty omakase style experiences and classic sushi in a setting that is a significant cut above typical Triangle sushi restaurants. If you are a sushi enthusiast or want to take visitors somewhere genuinely impressive, M Sushi at Fenton is the answer.

M Sushi Test Kitchen

The M Sushi Test Kitchen is a sister concept to M Sushi, sharing the same kitchen pedigree but operating as a distinct, more adventurous menu. The focus is Asian inspired tapas drawing across Japanese, Korean, and Chinese culinary traditions, a broader and more experimental format than the flagship sushi restaurant next door. Open nightly from 5pm, it is a great option if you want the quality of M Sushi with something less traditional.

Colletta

Colletta is Fenton's wood fired Italian bistro, open since day one. The menu covers pastas, pizzas, and Italian inspired dishes with a casual but elevated approach, this is the kind of place where the house made pastas are legitimately excellent and the wood fired oven gives everything a character you cannot replicate at home. Good for date nights, family dinners, or anyone who wants reliable Italian that punches above its weight. Consistently one of Fenton's most popular spots.

Superica

Superica is Fenton's Tex Mex option and it does the format well. Open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch with a full cocktail and margarita program, it is a reliable crowd pleaser with the kind of energy that makes it a natural pregame for a Paragon Theaters movie or a post shopping dinner. Fajitas, enchiladas, and frozen drinks in a space that is always buzzing on weekends.

AVA Rooftop Bar

AVA is Fenton's seasonal rooftop bar experience, open Wednesday through Sunday from 5pm with craft cocktails, wine, and Mediterranean small plates. On evenings with DJ programming, it becomes one of the more lively spots in Cary. The rooftop setting gives it a vibe that the ground level spots cannot match, and the Mediterranean menu is well executed for a bar concept. Worth planning your Fenton visit around if you are coming for an evening out.

Sports & Social

Sports & Social at 301 Fenton Gateway Drive is Fenton's sports and entertainment bar, anchored by a 30 foot HD LED TV screen and a game room with skee ball, table tennis, air hockey, and a golf simulator. Open seven days a week, it is the most activity dense spot at Fenton and a natural stop for game days or groups who want food and drinks alongside something to do. The menu is full bar food, wings, burgers, shareables, which hits the spot for the format.

Dram & Draught

Dram & Draught is Fenton's locally owned whiskey bar and craft cocktail lounge. The focus is on the drinks, a serious whiskey selection, thoughtfully made cocktails, in a setting that is more intimate than Sports & Social or AVA. A good option for a quieter evening or for anyone who wants to geek out on bourbon or Scotch with a knowledgeable bartender.

CRÚ Food & Wine Bar

CRÚ Food & Wine Bar is Fenton's dedicated wine focused concept, offering an extensive by the glass and bottle selection alongside a food menu designed to pair with it. If your priority is wine over cocktails or beer, CRÚ is the destination, it is a more intimate, beverage forward alternative to the busier bars at Fenton.

The Agency Bar & Social

The Agency Bar & Social is attached to Paragon Theaters at 21 Fenton Main Street and functions as both the movie going bar experience and a standalone restaurant and cocktail bar. You do not need a movie ticket to come here, the full menu and bar program is open to walk ins. The proximity to the cinema makes it a natural before or after destination, and the space itself is well designed for lingering.

My Tartine

My Tartine is Fenton's artisan sandwich and salad cafe, open since launch day and a reliable option for a lighter meal. The menu is built around high quality ingredients with a French inspired approach, pressed sandwiches, seasonal salads, a family friendly setup that works for lunch or an early dinner when the heavier restaurants feel like too much. Good for a quick but quality bite between shopping.

Honeysuckle Gelato

Honeysuckle Gelato is a Triangle grown chain with its fifth location at Fenton. The gelato is made with quality ingredients and the rotating seasonal flavors are genuinely interesting, this is not a scoop shop that coasts on being gelato rather than ice cream. Sorbets and milkshakes round out the menu. The obvious dessert stop at Fenton, and a perfect ending to a Colletta or Crawford Brothers dinner.

Carriage House Coffee

Carriage House Coffee handles mornings at Fenton with signature lattes and espresso drinks alongside baked goods from La Farm Bakery. Located at 3200 Fenton Main Street and open daily, it is the natural starting point for anyone spending a morning or full day at the district. The coffee quality is solid and the La Farm pastry case gives it a proper breakfast option rather than just a caffeine stop.

Entertainment

Paragon Theaters Fenton + Axis15 Extreme

Paragon Theaters is one of the best cinema experiences in the Triangle. Located at 21 Fenton Main Street, it features reclining leather seats with reserved seating, in theater food and drink service, a bar lounge, and the Axis15 Extreme large format screen for a premium movie experience. Open since July 2, 2022, it has quickly become one of the main anchors for Fenton evening traffic. If you are going to see a movie, this is where to see it in Cary. Note: the parent company operates under partial EVO Entertainment branding in some listings, but the Fenton location operates as Paragon.

Shopping

Fenton's retail mix skews toward mid to premium brands with a clear emphasis on lifestyle, fashion, and home. Here is the full current lineup organized by category.

Apparel & Accessories

Home & Lifestyle

Jewelry

Specialty Retail

Beauty, Eyewear & Personal Care

Fitness, Wellness & Services

What's Coming to Fenton

Fenton is not finished. Several new tenants are in various stages of opening, and the long term vision for the district extends well beyond what exists today.

Opening Soon

The Salty Donut, The Miami based artisan donut shop known for elevated, creative donut flavors and a strong coffee program is coming to Fenton in a 2,572 sq ft space. This will be their second North Carolina location. Announced December 2024 with a late 2025/early 2026 target opening.

Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café, The Houston based creperie chain is bringing its first North Carolina location to Fenton at 1 Fenton Main St, Suite 190. Sweet Paris is known for both sweet and savory crepes with high quality ingredients and a European café atmosphere. Targeted Q1 2026 opening.

YogaSix, A yoga studio offering six signature class formats including hot yoga is coming to 301 Fenton Gateway Drive. Targeted for late 2025 or early 2026 opening.

The Pagemore Hotel at Fenton

The most significant upcoming addition to Fenton is The Pagemore Hotel, a 186 room, 7 story Tribute Portfolio property by Marriott Bonvoy. Developed by Mainsail Lodging & Development and Ross Hotel Partners, groundbreaking happened in early 2025 at 465 Fenton Gateway Drive with an expected fall 2027 opening. The Pagemore will include:

• Barouk, an Eastern Mediterranean signature restaurant with an outdoor terrace, open to the public on the second floor
• A lobby bar and coffee concept
• A rooftop pool terrace
• Over 6,000 sq ft of event and meeting space across six rooms
• A full ballroom accommodating up to 300 guests
• A 1,500 sq ft Culinary Theatre for chef led experiences and ticketed events
• Curated art installations and live music programming throughout

The Pagemore will be the first hotel inside Fenton and will function as a significant anchor for the district's evening and weekend programming going forward.

Future Phases

The Town of Cary has approved a full build out of Fenton that dwarfs what currently exists. The approved maximums include up to 1.2 million square feet of office space, up to 575,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, up to 920 dwelling units (357 already delivered in The Allison apartments), and up to 450 hotel rooms (186 underway in The Pagemore). The development is planned to be completed in five phases over approximately seven years from the 2022 opening, meaning meaningful construction and new openings should continue through the late 2020s.

One notable gap: Wegmans was originally marketed as the anchor grocery tenant for Fenton. The supermarket chain pulled out in March 2021, before construction completed, citing the dramatic growth of online grocery ordering during COVID 19, which expanded the serviceable radius from their existing stores. No replacement grocery anchor has been announced as of 2026, though the original pad remains a known future opportunity in the development's plans.

Frequently Asked Questions