Di Fara Pizza Tavern to add second Triangle-area restaurant within Research Triangle Park’s downtown destination
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (April 15, 2025)—Horseshoe at Hub RTP continues its leasing momentum with the addition of a Brooklyn-based pizzeria often recognized as one of the best in New York City. Di Fara Pizza Tavern has leased a 3,999-square-foot corner retail space on Horseshoe’s first floor overlooking the Horseshoe courtyard.
“White Point and the Research Triangle Foundation of NC are thrilled to have another established culinary brand joining the Horseshoe community. Di Fara Pizza Tavern will be a welcome addition,” said Erik Johnson, co-founder of White Point.
Di Fara Pizza Tavern’s expansive Horseshoe location will include seating for 145 guests inside, including 32 in a private dining area and 90 on the patio. The space will feature a walk-up bar where guests can order cold beer on tap, wine, and cocktails to enjoy in the courtyard and within the pending social district. Italian ice, imported gelato, and spumoni will also be available.
“We are excited for this expansion in the Triangle. Horseshoe at Hub RTP is a prime location for some of our loyal guests, and we look forward to meeting many new guests, including the new residents and workers in the vibrant Hub RTP community,” said Gregory Norton, owner of Di Fara Pizza Tavern’s Cary and Horseshoe locations.
Norton is the nephew of Dominic DeMarco, who established the original Brooklyn Di Fara Pizza location in 1965. Using premium ingredients and recipes perfected over decades, Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn has been labeled the “Best Pizza in New York” several times by many publications, including New York Magazine, Serious Eats, and prominent culinary figures like Anthony Bourdain. Di Fara Pizza earned 9.4 for both its regular and square pies by Dave Portnoy of Barstool. This scores Di Fara among the highest in his “One Bite” pizza reviews.
Building on DeMarco’s legacy, Di Fara Pizza Tavern is known for its round and square pizzas, pizza by the slice, calzones, meatballs, and delectable Italian desserts such as rainbow cookies, cannoli, and Italian ice. Di Fara Pizza Tavern makes its pizza with fresh, imported Italian ingredients, house-made sauce, real bufala mozzarella, drizzled with olive oil and finished with freshly cut basil. The real differentiator might be its New York WaterMaker, a filtration system that makes any water chemically identical to New York’s, which ensures the dough is always the right consistency.
“Horseshoe at Hub RTP is quickly becoming a dynamic destination where top-tier dining, entertainment, and innovation come together. Di Fara Pizza Tavern is a classic addition to our growing community, bringing authentic New York-style pizza and craftsmanship passed down through generations. As we continue shaping a vibrant, walkable downtown for Research Triangle Park, we’re eager to welcome a restaurant that stays true to its roots and remains dedicated to quality,” says Carolyn Coia, vice president of real estate at Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina.
Di Fara Pizza Tavern expects to open in late 2025 at Horseshoe. The owners, Gregory and Valerie Norton, are working with Jason Imhof of Aspire Construction to build out the space. Prime STQ, Cheeni, Nanny Goat, Drift Coffee & Kitchen, as well as Genesys’ office space, are under construction and on track to open between early summer and fall 2025.
Wayne Holt of Reward Real Estate represented Di Fara Pizza Tavern and Tiffany Barrier and Charlie Coyne of CBRE represented Horseshoe. For more information about Horseshoe, visit https://horseshoeatthehub.com and follow @horseshoertp on Instagram. Prospective retail tenants should contact Tiffany Barrier and Charlie Coyne with CBRE.
About Horseshoe at Hub RTP
Horseshoe at Hub RTP is the central gathering place within Hub RTP offering office, restaurant and retail experiences within a trio of buildings totaling 157,500 square feet and wrapped around a central, outdoor courtyard. Horseshoe is built with wellness and recreation in mind, offering pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to the existing RTP trail system. Tenants and visitors will enjoy 16 acres of greenspace with streamside trails and boardwalks, including Horseshoe’s splash fountain and event lawn. Conveniently located at the center of Research Triangle Park (RTP) between Highway 54 and I-40 directly off the Davis Drive exit, Horseshoe is easily accessible from anywhere in the Triangle. To learn more about Horseshoe at Hub RTP, including leasing opportunities, visit https://horseshoeatthehub.com.
About Hub RTP
Hub RTP is the new, vibrant downtown district of Research Triangle Park (RTP), North America’s largest research park. At full build out, Hub RTP will feature up to one million square feet of office and lab space, 279 hotel rooms, 1,200 multifamily residential units, and 50K square feet of restaurant and retail space, all designed to bring people together to work, play and stay in RTP. An impressive 16 acres of parks and greenspace includes the award-winning and eco-friendly Burdens Creek, which connects more than 20 miles of trails in RTP. Centrally located in the heart of the Triangle region, the 100-acre district includes Horseshoe at Hub RTP, the mixed-use town square of the development, Frontier RTP, an innovative startup community, and Boxyard RTP, a unique food, retail and entertainment destination. To learn more about Hub RTP and current leasing opportunities, visit https://hub.rtp.org.
About White Point
White Point is a real estate investment firm that specializes in the acquisition and development of mixed-use, office, retail, and multifamily properties across the Southeastern U.S. The Charlotte, NC-based firm utilizes local market knowledge, an extensive network and entrepreneurial approach to pinpoint unique investment opportunities and in-house expertise to execute across multiple asset classes. Since inception in 2014, White Point has invested in over $1.1 billion of real estate assets, receiving numerous design and historic preservation awards. For more information, visit https://whitepointpartners.com and follow @whitepointpartners on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Media Contact: Laura Graff, media@theplaidpenguin.com