Last week, downtown Mebane received another positive boost as a local husband and wife team announced the planned opening of Fratelli Italian Kitchen on Clay Street in the space formerly occupied by Crafted. The social media post touted a menu that will feature “chef-inspired Italian dishes, house-made pastas, fresh steaks, delicious desserts, craft cocktails and an exceptional wine list.”
Although not set in stone, the planned opening for the restaurant is early September. And while the restaurant owners will bring a new establishment to Mebane, they themselves are familiar faces. Tory Williams had been for more than seven years, the general manager at Bright Penny Brewing, and was a key component of the company’s success and growth. His wife, Corey, owns and operates Bloom Beauty, which she opened in 2023.
Tory said that while it was unfortunate Crafted closed, the available space presented a chance he and his wife couldn’t pass up.
“I’ve always been in the restaurant industry and I’ve had a very good run with Bright Penny,” Tory said. “This just seemed like the right time for my family to reap the benefit and hop on this opportunity.”
He said Fratelli Italian Kitchen will fill a void in Mebane for “slightly” higher-end Italian offerings.
“Personally, I love Italian food,” Tory continued. “I feel like my strong suit is European food, French Italian cuisine. Selfishly, it’s what my wife and I like to eat. But a lot of times we find ourselves headed to Durham or Greensboro. There’s a need for that in Mebane.”
Although his background technically is in restaurant management, Cory got his start in the kitchen, and even attended Johnson & Wales culinary school. He’s already secured the kitchen staff, bringing back Johnny Mooneyham, who was the head chef for Crafted.
“He’s awesome,” Tory said. “He’ll be running the kitchen side of things. I will be hands on back there and making sure that we’re kind of getting where we want it to be. But my goal is to be more so in the front of house and running things up there and being more of the face.”
Tory said that even though Fratelli Italian Kitchen is a joint venture for he and his wife, Corey will continue to operate Bloom Beauty while he manages the restaurant.
The restaurant space, which is still owned by the Roby Family, is in the midst of a face lift and some renovation. The interior and exterior have been repainted. The front of the bar has been retiled and the mirrors behind the bar have been replaced with tile. Two walls have been added to create other work space. Booth seating is being added along with couches for waiting areas.
“I do feel like we’re kind of creating an atmosphere here that is has a significantly higher-end feel, but it’s still going to be approachable for families,” Tory said. “We’re not going to price it to the point of being, as people call it, ‘Raleigh prices.’ It’s going to be priced accordingly for the products we’re purchasing, and the preparation that it takes to do it.”
He said that means entrees that generally are in the $20 range.
“Yeah, but you’re gonna get your money’s worth,” Tory said.
During his seven and a half years with Bright Penny Brewing, Tory helped guide the business through the pandemic restrictions, the opening of the outdoor seating areas, and additional covered areas around the main building. But he’s quick to point out that there are differences between opening a restaurant and managing Bright Penny.
“Bright Penny is its own beast,” he said. “It’s got a really great location and atmosphere. It’s a brewery, which automatically pulls people in, and has good food. It’s just got a lot of things going for it now. We are obviously going to be significantly different. Setup is different, and all the things. But I’ve always felt like in the restaurant industry, if you put out a good product and you can have the customer service that everyone’s really looking for, and you’re attentive, you can pretty much make it. I really feel like that’s where we’re going to thrive. We’re going to have a really good product. Johnny is awesome. We’re going to put out some really killer food. We’re gonna have really good cocktails, and location-wise, I feel like it is really good.”
Fratelli Italian Kitchen is at 119 W. Clay St. in downtown Mebane.
