Vegan
American
International
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Fusion

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.


142 Reviews

First Review by Tracilyn

untemperedhope

Points +99

Vegan
08 Jun 2013

Amazing Experience!

We had heard great things about FK and tried to call ahead for a reservation. We were told that it was first come, first served. We made the journey to Raleigh and were not disappointed! It seemed like everyone got the memo about how great it was too- the place was full up and we saw a couple of groups have to wait a bit for a table. They also had sold out of a few of their specials! When the food came, it was very apparent why. From the appetizer (the tasting plate- wow tempeh pate and cashew cheese? yes!) to the main courses (I had the pulled "pork" and it was succulent and well spiced) to the dessert (all three choices were vegan- blueberry donuts, chocolate ganache pie, cheesecake with oreo crust and strawberry sauce), everything was WONDERFUL. After we ate, we all planned our next trip back asap.

The main drawback is it is fairly loud in the restaurant and the seating is pretty limited. Don't let that hold you back from having some of the greatest vegan food in the area!

Pros: Spectacular Food, Excellent Service, Unique Selections

Cons: Loud, Limited Seating

DaveRouse

Points +25

Vegan
28 Apr 2013

Interesting and good vegan fare.

I've been to FK a few times now. Each time was pretty crowded due to limited seating, not good for serious conversations since you're pretty much sitting on top of each other and parking can be difficult.
Those negatives being said, i love this place!
Very good combinations and pairings. If you ask for a substitute they all do a good job of accommodating you.
Friendly staff. I like that they try to buy all locally and can't wait for the spring and summer menu.

Pros: Excellent food choices, Very fair value, Great staff

Cons: Crowded, Noisy, Parking

restamper

Points +45

Vegan
29 Mar 2013

New Favorite Place

I am in love with Fiction Kitchen. They have excellent vegan food at mostly reasonable prices. I took my non-vegan family and they were all very pleased with their dishes and want to return. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. I look forward to eating there as much as possible.

trippinvegan

Points +211

Vegan
26 Mar 2013

Vegan Haven in Raleigh

As other reviewers have mentioned, the menu at Fiction Kitchen is vegan by default, with some dairy items optional. It's nice to not have to be the one to ask for substitutes for a change!

The food is awesome - haven't had a single "dud" menu item there, and I've tried a large percentage of the items available. My favorite is still the soy chicken and waffles; I get cravings for it pretty often now!

They also source as much as they can locally, so you can feel good about supporting a local business that supports local businesses. For example, they have a daily "Farmers' Plate" special that is made of items they find at the Raleigh Farmers' Market. It usually changes once or twice a week, so you know they're getting everything fresh from the market.

The owners are very sweet and the staff is very nice and attentive (maybe a skosh overly so, but maybe I'm just a curmudgeon -- that's highly possible).

Couldn't recommend this place enough! Just keep in mind that it's a small restaurant with limited seating, and can get very busy during peak times (6-8pm or so Friday and Saturday), and they don't accept reservations, so you should be ready to wait or go early or later than the dinner rush.

They are also a tiny bit pricey - not overly so, but the portions are smaller (read: reasonable) and the bill can add up very quickly if you're on a budget. Even so, I understand why they charge what they do, since they are so careful about their ingredients and are a small, local-oriented place. Very worth the price, just something to keep in mind so you don't get caught off guard.

Pros: amazing food, community-oriented, "default" vegan

Cons: long waits during dinner rush, a wee bit pricey

KelliKel

Points +69

Mostly Veg
24 Mar 2013

Impressed!

The food was great! I was pleasantly surprised.

Pros: good food

Cons: too small

soy_decaf_latte

Points +247

Vegan
20 Mar 2013

Vegan oasis

Although labeled "vegetarian", FK is really a great vegan restaurant (with a full vegan menu) that allows lacto-ovo vegetarians to add or substitute ingredients in a few instances.

My teen age daughter and I enjoyed all vegan fare, including jalapeno cornbread apetizer (delicious; not too spicy), waffles (a first for us at a restarurant) with fried soy chik'n fillets (tastier than store bought), and N.C. style pulled soy bbq (which was just amazing) and chocolage ganache dessert with salted caramel sauce (a great combination of flavors).

The food, atmosphere, and service were all flawless, and the prices were very reasonable. I look forward to coming back next time I'm in town.

My only negative about FK is that there is the possibility of cross-contamination in the kitchen from the dairy. I hope to see the place go all vegan once it is established longer and word gets around how great it is.

Pros: excellent food at a resaonable price, comfortable ambience, friendly service

Cons: dairy products

Tracilyn

Points +855

Vegan
24 Feb 2013

Great food that happens to be vegan!

One word. A.MA.ZING. I went with a Meetup group (Triangle Vegan Social Club), and I think another reviewer (on Yelp) was spot on when she said that this is great food that happens to be vegan/vegetarian.

The good thing about going with a group is having the opportunity to taste a variety of dishes. For appetizers, we had the spring rolls and the cornbread. Both were incredible. The rolls were served with a terrific spicy peanut sauce, and the cornbread had a nice kick from the fresh jalapenos. The spread for the cornbread was slightly sweet, providing a nice contrast to the spice of the peppers.

As far as entrees, I had the pulled "pork," and it was better than the Lexington barbecue that I ate as a child. The dish had a lovely smoky flavor, and just the right amount of spice. The "chicken" and waffles were tasty - a beautiful combination of sweet and savory. The sweet potato sushi and tofu sashimi - fabulous. And surprising...I didn't expect to like it as much as I did! The tofu sashimi was the star of the dish. Whatever the tofu is marinated in is absolutely divine. The Tinga tacos were also delish - the flavors of chipotle and cumin were discernible, and the crunch from the cabbage was lovely.

For dessert, I tried a couple of bites of the chocolate ganache pie with salted caramel sauce. It made me weak in the knees. Really.

MUST GO BACK AND TRY EVERYTHING ON THE MENU. Seriously. LOVE this place!
Updated from previous review on Saturday February 23, 2013

Pros: Amazing flavors, Great variety on the menu, Cool, funky atmosphere

Cons: They don't take reservations.




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