“Bếp” in Vietnamese means “kitchen,” which made it the perfect word for Adam Gilpatrick and his wife to use when naming their first restaurant, Bếp Vietnamese Kitchen, in downtown Holly Springs, North Carolina, a suburb of the state’s bustling capital of Raleigh. The locally-owned restaurant offers a lively dining atmosphere serving authentic Vietnamese Street Delights, including familiar Phở selections, Bánh Mì, a variety of snacks and an enormous selection of Boba Tea.
“Food has always been a way of life for our family — bringing us together to share meals and enjoy each other’s company,” Gilpatrick says. “I married into a Vietnamese family, and my mother-in-law often cooks big family-style meals, so Friday at my house may consist of 15 to 20 family members. It’s an open, informal, warm and welcoming atmosphere, and we wanted to bring a lot of what’s at home — the familial feeling, comfort and the food — to the restaurant.”