When Fenton opened in 2022, it promised an urban-feeling main street on the east edge of Cary: restaurants that punch above their weight, public events on a central lawn, a luxury cinema, and homes and offices stitched together by wide sidewalks. Three years on, the 92-acre district has largely delivered on that vision, and is now poised for a hospitality leap with a just-announced on-site hotel, while one conspicuous gap remains: there’s still no grocery anchor.
What Fenton is today
Fenton feels like you’re entering a tiny walkable city unrelated to the rest of Cary. The development’s core is a tight cluster of destination dining and retail anchored by Paragon Theaters and a steady calendar of public events. If you haven’t been since opening months, the theater setup alone (heated recliners, dine-in service, and a showpiece large-format room) is a notable upgrade over standard multiplexes and is consistently ranked as one of the best theaters in the Triangle.
Fenton’s residential piece, The Allison at Fenton, is stationed smack in the middle of Fenton. You can expect to pay a premium for the privilege of Fenton’s walkability (prices range by size and are subject to change; you can see current prices here).
A number of restaurants located in Fenton have quickly become Cary staples. Colletta, an Italian restaurant, is constantly ranked as one of the best in the Triangle. Doc B’s, Superica, and CRU all offer something different for visitors and residents, and are frequently busy on the weekends.
Fenton, like downtown Cary, also has a social district (meaning you can buy beer/wine to-go and consume it outside) so you can barhop more efficiently. Dram & Draught, The Agency (located inside the movie theater), AVA Rooftop Bar, and Sports & Social are some of the (up-scale) watering holes located inside of Fenton.
There’s plenty of retail as well. Pottery Barn, Nike, Lululemon, Sephora, Vestique, and much more are all located inside of Fenton. The wide range of shopping options make it so there’s a fairly wide-range of guests at Fenton, and even in the middle of the day, you can find many people window shopping.
New names and near-term openings
- Crawford Brothers Steakhouse (opened late 2024): Chef Scott Crawford’s flagship steakhouse cemented Fenton as a special-occasion dining address. It’s been a magnet for out-of-town reservations and business dinners.
- Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café (announced; opening targeted Q1 2026): A French café concept bringing sweet/savory crêpes, espresso drinks, and café seating to 1 Fenton Main Street, Suite 190. This will be Fenton’s first indoor café, a gap that many visitors have noticed.
- Reeds Jewelers (announced; late 2025): A large-format jewelry store slated to open at Fenton by year’s end, broadening the mix beyond restaurants and soft goods.
Events and Seasonal Programming
Fenton has leaned heavily into events to keep the district active throughout the year. The central lawn is home to weekly fitness classes, outdoor concerts, and family movie nights in the warmer months. Seasonal programming transforms the space during the holidays, with the Fenton Holiday Experience bringing light displays, horse-drawn carriage rides, and visits from Santa. Shoppers can also find pop-up artisan markets, summer beer gardens, and cultural festivals. The steady calendar has helped make Fenton a consitent gathering spot for the Cary community.
The headline: a hotel is coming
The biggest pivot in year three is hospitality. The Pagemore Hotel at Fenton, a 186-room boutique property from Mainsail Lodging, has been announced with an opening targeted for fall 2027. Plans include Barouk, an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant, a lobby bar and coffee concept, and a meeting/event space for up to ~200 guests. This will likely drive corporate traffic to the area as well as offer a luxurious sleeping arrangement for visitors.
What’s still missing: a grocery anchor
It’s the question we still hear most, and it’s pretty critical: “Will Fenton ever get a grocery store?”
Early plans pointed that way, but Wegmans canceled its proposed Fenton location in 2021, and no replacement grocer has been announced since. That leaves the district without a full-line market, unusual for a project this size and one of the few gaps residents regularly note.
Cary has plenty of grocery stores, but the entire point of the walkable Fenton is that everything you could possibly need is all in one place. A grocery store is a very glaring omission that will need to be addressed if Fenton should continue to pitch itself as an all-in-one urban district.
How Fenton changed Cary’s weekend math
Cary is many wonderful things, but, while there are exceptions, nightlife is definitely lacking. Fenton does a great job filling in that gap, with Sports & Social and PBR Cowboy Bar (and with PBR Cowboy Bar being the only place in Cary with a mechanical bull, which seems important to note) offering late-night shenanigan energy after the rest of Cary goes to sleep. It makes Fenton a great place to go shopping, get dinner, and go out for drinks all without having to go anywhere else.
When Fenton first opened in 2022, downtown Cary was still in the middle of its revitalization. While there is much more to do in downtown Cary today (including the new Downtown Cary Park), there still is a noticeable lack of retail and late-night offerings that Fenton can help support.
Bottom line
At three years old, Fenton has matured into one of Cary’s most distinctive destinations. It feels like stepping into a self-contained city, with plenty to keep you occupied. The missing grocery store, an issue shared with downtown Cary, will be important to address if Fenton wants to increase its livability. Still, with a steady line of new shops, eateries, and soon a hotel, Fenton stands out as a fun and evolving pocket of Cary.
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