After 48 years in business, Mama Dip’s Kitchen in Chapel Hill is closing

A popular restaurant that has been a staple of the Chapel Hill area dining scene for 48 years is closing its doors.

Owners of Mama Dip’s Kitchen announced Monday that they would be closing the restaurant on Aug. 17.

In a post on Facebook, owners said the closure was to prepare for the next phase of the business and that “this is not a goodbye.”

“We cannot wait to see you in our next adventure,” owners wrote.

Mama Dip was the nickname of Mildred Council, who passed away in 2018 at age 89. The Chatham County native opened the restaurant in November 1976 and gained a following, even selling cookbooks on QVC. Her three daughters also played a role in the restaurant’s success.

Since opening, Mama Dip’s has been named to numerous “best of” lists including The Daily Meal’s “Best Fried Chicken Places in America” and The Culture Trip’s list of “The Top 12 Places for Great Soul Food In The Southern States.” The restaurant also served some famous faces including Michael Jordan, former UNC basketball coach Dean Smith and tennis star Venus Williams.

In April 2023, WRAL learned that owners were looking to sell the restaurant. Council’s daughter and co-owner Spring Council told at the time that the challenges of the restaurant industry and all three owners being at retirement age caused them to reassess plans. The space had been listed for sale for $3.6 million on a commercial real estate website. The current spot on Rosemary Street was built in 1998 and opened in 1999. Spring said the growing amount of redevelopment around the restaurant is not part of the decision.

Spring said their goal was to reopen somewhere else in Chapel Hill as more of a fast casual or takeout restaurant and franchise the Mama Dips brand to open more locations