Pop-up turned 50-seat full service restaurant in 2013. Colorful space, focus is on local produce. Reservations are strongly encouraged, and walk-up seating availability may be quite limited. Parties cannot exceed 8 people. Takeout may be possible for scheduled curb-side pick up between 4:30-9:00pm. Walk-up orders are also taken between 4:30-8:45pm Wed-Sat outside of peak business times. Reported fully vegan September 2021. Relocated from 428 S Dawson St. Open Wed-Sat 4:30pm-9:00pm, Sun 3:00pm-8:00pm.
-
2409 Crabtree Blvd, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
-
Loading...
-
-
Last update on 18 Nov 2024 by smk
Update business info -
Added by turtleveg on 10 Jun 2011
-
-
142 Reviews
First Review by Tracilyn
smk
Points +626
Hit or miss flavors - Edit
The portion sizes were just right, making for a satisfying meal. The risotto, however, was underwhelming, lacking the flavor I had anticipated and differed from the menu description (mine had potato & eggplant on top w/ pea shoots). The Southern Style plate with fried chicken was solid, but the real highlight was the cornbread—perfectly baked and full of flavor. While some dishes could use improvement, the overall experience was pleasant, the staff were very friendly and the menu offers enough tempting options to make a return visit worthwhile.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-11-19
Pros: Portion size , Friendly staff
Cons: Hit or miss flavors
Guest
iaf186!
Points +68
Phenomenal - Edit
Absolutely amazing. We ordered 5 apps to split and everything was unique and fantastic in its own way. Nothing basic about this restaurant!
Read moreGuest
Meganimals
Points +248
Top Notch Meal! - Edit
Great menu & high quality food that did not disappoint!
Read morePros: Lion's Mane Rangoon, Mozzarella sticks! (Potato starch), BBQ Plate
Guest
Mokey
Points +98
Great food and friendly staff - Edit
I wanted to rate this lower because this trip had a table behind us that was letting their 2 kids run around but that wouldn’t be totally fair to FK for a job they do so well. This was rare and never seen here before on our many visits. On a Thursday at 5 pm, not busy at all but was a lil aggravating. Food and staff was great, as usual!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-08-02
Pros: Always great food, Very friendly staff and accommodating
Cons: Inconsistent portion sizes on a couple of items
Guest
kaylab21c
Points +133
Incredible - Edit
Exceeded my expectations, friendly service & great quality food
Read moreGuest
sashha24
Points +16
Vegan perfection! - Edit
I love this place! It has a great atmosphere and fun vibe, and of course the food is fantastic! I’ve taken carnivore friends here who simply cannot believe they are eating plant-based food. The prices are fair for the quality of what you get. I wish I could eat here all the time!
Read morePros: The food
Cons: Can be hard to get a table
Guest
CandaceS
Points +122
Amazing food - Edit
So delicious! We had the bbq platter, Mac and cheese, meatloaf, fried mozzarella, and lion’s main Rangoon. For dessert, we had the peanut butter cheesecake. Each of us were blown away by how delicious this meal was.
Read morePros: Everything is vegan , My 2 carnivore people were impressed , Amazing staff
Guest
Stairwaytoveggin
Points +19
Incredible food - Edit
Everything from this place is amazing. Our obsessions are the PB cheesecake, BBQ, chick'n and waffles, and crab rangoon. Love the atmosphere, drinks, and service too!
Read moreGuest
static175
Points +637
Starters are the stars here - Edit
I would actually give it 4.5 stars but happy cow doesn't allow half stars. It had enough good to round up to 5. The starters are amazing we got the charcuterie board, mot stix, and fried mushrooms, all of which were amazing. The kid got the chicken and waffles, and we got the bbq plate which was just ok(a little bland). The place definitely requires reservations, the staff was super nice, place was clean, but it is very pricey for sure. All in all I would highly recommend a trip here.
Read morePros: Super friendly staff, Kids friendly, Starters
Cons: Pricey, Requires reservations
RavishingRavenous
Looks delicious!
Read moreGuest
LJVegan
Points +2422
Five stars isn't enough. - Edit
Every bite is delectable. The menu is thoughtful. I would drive three hours to Raleigh for the weekend just to visit this place. We didn't make reservations far enough in advance, so we had to get takeout. Even so, the presentation was beautiful and the food was exceptional. I can't wait to come back.
Read moreGuest
KarinaLynch
Points +534
Amazingly Good! - Edit
This place is fantastic!! The foods are so delicious!! We need to come back to taste the whole menu.
Read moreGuest
xWolfxpak
Points +263
Great Food - Edit
Been eating here a while and the menu continues to change and find great new options.
Read moreGuest
marsual17
Points +32
One of the best I’ve tried worldwide! - Edit
Simply delicious, with a friendly staff in a really cozy location.
Read moreWe were very lucky to try it during our stay in Raleigh, it seems it has been recently re open or re located.
Absolutely love it!!!
Updated from previous review on 2023-12-23
Guest
Terrie10
Points +24
Something for everyone - Edit
What a great experience. The presentation, quality, and flavor profile of the food was exceptional. While I am a GF vegan my family is not and they loved the cornbread mushrooms, and the barbecue pulled pork plate. We are looking forward to our next visit. The sides are small and pricey, however, worth it if you share with the table as an addition to your meal.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-12-23
Pros: Presentation , Quality , GF vegan options
Cons: Sides are small and pricey , Limited operating hours, Small venue
Guest
MarioPowell
Points +80
Made our anniversary special - Edit
This was our first time at fiction kitchen and I can’t wait to go back. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was on point! Me and wifey loved every minute of it.
Read morePros: Chick and waffles, House salad, Drinks
Guest
greenbluegray
Points +1505
Wish this was in my town - Edit
FK will be moving soon from the Warehouse District, closer to the capitol, I think. The current atmosphere is like a funky artsy diner. We loved it and wish we could eat our way through the menu which has international and of course southern specialties. I would call the food affordable upscale comfort local sustainable, lol. Sweet service from everyone, especially our server Veronica. OMG you must get the squash fritters with Indian spices and a delicious mint sauce! We took the pan fried cornbread for the road as well as the BBQ platter with cabbage and mashed potatoes. Nice to see locals relaxing at the bar. This is probably a popular gathering spot. We are not used to being able to get drinks at vegan restaurants and loved this and southern food!
Read moreGuest
asmadis0n
Points +13
Awesome vegan food - Edit
Friendly, courteous service from staff and chefs who cam cook some very good vegan food. I ordered the fried oyster mushrooms with buffalo sauce, grilled tofu, and mashed potatoes. My favorite was the fried oyster mushrooms. Breading is seasoned so well and the oyster mushrooms doesn't even taste like mushrooms. Also my first time eating oyster mushrooms. I'm not much of a mushroom fan but this plate has changed my mind.
Read moreThe entire order was great! This was my first time eating at Fiction Kitchen and it definitely won't be my last.
Also, it's best to order online or make a reservation. As other reviewers have said, walk-in orders aren't ideal for this place. Also there isn't an online option for delivery so if you can, pick up your order. They make your food fresh so driving down there is definitely worth it.
Updated from previous review on 2023-10-25
Pros: Friendly, courteous staff, All vegan menu, Love the atmosphere
Cons: Only open 4 days/week so plan ahead
Guest
MarkPayne
Points +179
Reservations recommended - Edit
Definitely make a reservation if you’re interested in eating here. We watched multiple people try to come in without one and they were told to sit at the bar or they wouldn’t be able to dine in. The menu has an interesting array of options from southern comfort staples to Chinese and Indian foods. The staff were friendly and the food came out surprisingly fast. From what I heard staff saying they’re moving locations soon, hopefully to a larger spot to accommodate more people. Definitely save room for dessert, you won’t be disappointed. The apple streusel cheesecake was the best part of the whole meal.
Read morePros: Southern comfort food, Friendly staff, Amazing desserts
Cons: Small location, reservations highly encouraged, Limited parking nearby
Guest
DeirdreF
Points +372
Excellent vegan food restaurant! - Edit
Excellent choice and quality of vegan food. Funky restaurant, friendly waitress, good value for the size and quality of portion sizes.
Read morePros: Good portion size, Not too expensive , Friendly staff
Cons: Front desk not that helpful
Guest
Chelsea75
Points +187
Still thinking about this meal 3 years later - Edit
Visited Raleigh during the pandemic so I got basically the entire menu to go. Every dish was absolutely perfect. Well developed flavors and flawless execution. I believe the restaurant is relocating and doing some expansion and I am excited to see how they grow!
Read moreGuest
goodtofu
Points +69
best vegan menu - Edit
There's always something new, and it's always good
Read morePros: whatever is new, the drinks, the deserts
Guest
WHA
Points +1602
Make a reservation - Edit
UPDATE: C’mon, Happy Cow, let us rate half stars! Until then, I’m bringing my review down from 4 to 3 stars. I’m sorry but I just have not had 4 star experiences during my most recent visits. Once upon a time, I could take someone non-vegan to Fiction Kitchen knowing they’d leave impressed by vegan food. Lately I can’t say this is the case. During our last visit the ragoon had hardly any filling, the BBQ was far too vinegary and lacked its usual smoky flavor, and the tres leches was possibly the driest cake I’ve had in a restaurant. I know how good the food here *can* be so I change my rating with a heavy heart, but how are you gonna serve dry tres leches cake?
Read morePREV REVIEW:
I recommend the chicken & waffles and the BBQ plate. Make a reservation. The seating is very limited and you are likely to have a bad time waiting if you just walk in.
I don’t come here often anymore and I don’t find myself excited about coming here lately because as an overall dining experience, the atmosphere kills it for me. It’s too crowded and loud. I usually cannot hear the person sitting next to me because the restaurant is small and just a cacophony of voices. I feel rushed to finish my food—not by staff, but because I know the space I’m taking is needed by someone else. I mostly come here because my partner feels nostalgic. We came here a lot when we first started dating and I wanted to show off what vegan food can be: When it’s at its best, the food here is amazing. I do find myself occasionally bothered by small inconsistencies in quality but I’m the first to admit that I can be very particular and that at Fiction Kitchen’s price point, I have very high expectations/standards.
Updated from previous review on 2022-09-18
Pros: Fully vegan menu
Cons: Atmosphere: Crowded, limited seating, loud, Expensive , Sometimes inconsistent quality
Guest
KW818
Points +32
Great Food if Y - Edit
I love their food and I love the ambiance. They’ve got a bunch of different styles that run the gamut from NC BBQ to Asian fusion and comfort food. The only problem is that it’s next to impossible to get a reservation, though hopefully that changes as they’re moving to a bigger location soon.
Read moreGuest
mschlater
Points +1209
Great - Edit
Food was excellent! We got the vegan charcuterie, the chicken and waffles, and the risotto. The charcuterie board had house made cheese and meat, highly recommend.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-06-17
Guest
MamaBearAvis
Points +105
Delicious vegan food - Edit
Visiting Raleigh for the first time and ate here with friends. I ordered the farmer’s market special, “crab” cakes, dirty beetz cocktail. All dishes were expertly crafted and presented. Especially enjoyed the gochujang crispy tofu on the FM bowl. Crab cakes were balanced and crispy with a tasty romulade sauce and the vodka cocktail was delicious as well.
Read moreGuest
BarryY
Points +152
The pioneer - Edit
Before anyone else locally, there was Fiction Kitchen. Every meal I've eaten there has been terrific -- for years. If you're coming for the first time, I suggest starting with the cornmeal-fried mushrooms, and moving on to the farmer's plate if it's available. One seasonal favorite, in the fall, is the Thanksgiving dinner. Tastes like childhood, only vegan. The restaurant is popular, so expect a wait.
Read moreGuest
sapientia
Points +1187
Comfort food in a comfortable setting - Edit
Service was good, but the food was better. The chef clearly prepares each order. The soup of the day was tomatillo and great. Enjoyed the tres leches dessert, but didn't try a beverage.
Read morePros: Parking garage, Spacious
Cons: Cost
Guest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business
See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 44971 times.