Slow Money NC is considering organizing a fundraising effort for a downtown Raleigh grocery store near Mordecai and Oakwood neighborhoods.

There will be a meeting 6-8 p.m. Monday at Market restaurant at 938 N. Blount Street in Raleigh for residents to learn how they can engage in this project as investors, supporters and consumers.

Market chef Chad McIntyre and Josh Whiton of Raleigh City Farm are interested in opening a grocery store adjacent to the restaurant's new location in a revitalized building on Franklin Street between N. Person and Blount streets. (Escazu Chocolate, Yellow Dog Bakery and a local leather artisan are planning to move to this building as well, according to the press release.)

Slow Money NC, based in Pittsboro, raises money from local people to offer affordable loans to sustainable farmers and local food business owners. In two years, they have helped loan almost $600,000.
 

Six Triangle restaurants are finalists in this year's Best Dish in North Carolina contest, sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture.

In the casual dining category, those include Mez in Durham, Market in Raleigh and Tribeca Tavern in Raleigh. In the fine dining category, those include Il Palio at the Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill, McCormicks & Schmicks in Raleigh and Zely & Ritz in Raleigh.

The contest is designed to encourage restaurant owners and chefs to use N.C. foods. Judges will visit the finalists over the summer and taste the dishes. The top three winners in each category and in each region will be announced in November.

Congrats to all our finalists.

The complete list of finalists is below:

Eastern Piedmont/Coastal

Casual Dining

• Mez Contemporary Mexican Restaurant, Durham
• Circa 81, Morehead City
• Market, Raleigh
• Tribeca Tavern, Raleigh
• Kornerstone Bistro, Wilmington
• Yancey House Restaurant, Yanceyville

Fine Dining

• Il Palio at The Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill
• 1895 Grille, Pinehurst
• Elliott's on Linden, Pinehurst
• McCormicks & Schmicks Seafood Restaurant, Raleigh
• Zely and Ritz, Raleigh
• Marc's on Market, Wilmington
• Deluxe, Wilmington
• Circa 1922, Wilmington

Western Piedmont/Mountain region

Casual Dining

• Off the Square, Albemarle
• Bistro 42, Asheboro
• Café Azalea, Asheville
• Kitchen Roselli, East Bend

Fine Dining

• Crippen's Country Inn and Restaurant, Blowing Rock
• Table at Crestwood, Boone
• The Gallery Restaurant at the Ballantyne Resort, Charlotte
• Mimosa Grill, Charlotte
• Savannah Red, Charlotte
• Zebra Restaurant, Charlotte
• Knife & Fork, Spruce Pine
• Simplicity at the Mast Farm Inn, Valle Crucis

Apple, Google and Microsoft are arguably the three most influential companies in the tech industry. Take a look at last year's trading roller coaster ride in the market.