Serves meat, vegan options available. Craft kombucha and beer brewery + restaurant opened at this spot in 2020. Serves vegan food and drinks including choices like phish n' chips, patty melt and seitan reuben sandwiches, peach bourbon bbq pulled jackfruit, buffalo cauliflower tacos, weekend brunch, cocktails, beers and kombucha on tap. Hosts live music weekends. Brunch is served Sunday until 3pm. Serving meat from March 2024. Open Wed-Sun 11:00am-8:00pm. Closed Tue.
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4107 Oleander Dr Ste H, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA, 28403
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Last update on 21 Mar 2024 by ThomasBrock
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104 Reviews
First Review by KelseyGarnerArchamb
Mimi08
Points +16
Delicious! - Edit
I’ve been coming here for about two years, now. I’m vegan and loved all their delicious options. Now that they offer omni AND plant based is amazing because my favorite vegan choices can now be had by omnivores. It makes it easier to go out with friends who might prefer an omni choice. Thank you, Panacea, for continuing to give vegans such wonderful choices. 💖
Read morePros: Many vegan choices , Food and beverages are delicious
Cons: I wish they were closer to my home, Not allowed to give a 5 star review
Guest
BeverlyHanapole
Points +13
Fantastic! We wish there were more restaurants like this! - Edit
We love this restaurant! We loved it all Vegan and still love It now that they have integrated non plant based. What a concept, offering your entire menu in both options, satisfying everyone!
Read moreWe happen to have a large amount of plant based eaters in our family and the ones that aren’t can easily eat vegan, however it is nice to have choices.
Thanks for making what we are sure was a difficult choice. We are committed to supporting you and hope others will follow suit. No one should judge this business for making this difficult choice. We’d rather have them here, offering non vegan options, rather than losing them completely and not have the opportunity to enjoy the many super delicious vegan options they continue to prepare!
Guest
NathanRoxie
Points +31
Went down hill - Edit
They started serving meat- which I’m guessing it was a business standpoint to be more inclusive but I think with a concentration on that their vegan food started to fail- I came here every time we visited the beach and it was always my favorite- one of the best parts of going to the beach was this place and this last time I went everything went down hill- everything was greasy more than usual- the fries lost their [censored] l and they didn’t have that usual tangy sauce with it- they used to have an seitan chicken nugget that my son would get that was really good and looks like we got served some type of morning star nugget now- my dinner was lacking in flavor as well- fell like I’ve made better- overall disappointing to see this place fall so hard
Read morePros: Had vegan options, Relaxed atmosphere
Cons: No longer fully vegan, No longer as flavorful (changed recipes?), Feels more lazy than usual
Guest
WHA
Points +1571
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Edit
We ate here for dinner and again the next day for brunch. It exceeded the expectations I had of bar food. My boyfriend really enjoyed his gyro with impossible meat, and I really enjoyed the cheesy grits at brunch. The fried pickles were also very good. The tacos I had were just okay for me but I could see other people enjoying them. I didn’t order any of the chicken dishes because I think Beyond Chicken is currently one of the worst vegan meats—it has a weird chalky texture. It would be amazing if they switched to a different product such as Delight Soy.
Read moreUpdate: I would summarize my experience as 3.5. I previously rounded up because I do appreciate being able to order anything on the menu. I enjoy going to a restaurant and being able to share anything that’s ordered. Now that is no longer the case so I have adjusted my 3.5 rating to round down. I haven’t eaten here since the change but I am already feeling less enthusiastic about it tbh. The owners are entitled to make their choices but I’m not going to pretend that those choices don’t impact customer experience. Obviously, it has a stronger impact on many other vegans, but personally, I don’t eat exclusively at vegan restaurants. So it’s disappointing, but I’ll still stop by when I’m in town and reevaluate my rating then if needed based on the food and overall dining experience.
Update May 2024: Dinner experience was closer to 2.5/3. If I give this restaurant another try it would probably be brunch only because the lunch/dinner menu is not doing much for me currently.
June 2024: breakfast platter with mushroom based chicken was v good; cheesesteak meh. Prob only come back for brunch breakfast platter.
Updated from previous review on 2024-05-13
whitneyellen
I really enjoyed this place when I went, and that it's right next to Cape fear games
Read moreseankennedy222
This place is no longer vegan. Feel free to update your rating if you'd like.
Read moreTMcD
As to the above COMMENT... nearly everything on the menu has a plant-based option! While Panacea is no longer entirely vegan, it is still one of the best options for plant-based dining in Wilmington.
Read moreGuest
VeganYall
Points +47
ZERO STARS!!! GREASY, BLAND OFTEN UNDERCOOKED MESS - Edit
HAPPY COW FORCES AT LEAST 2 STARS!!! BS BS BS!!!
Read moreTHIS IS A ZERO STAR ESTABLISHMENT
Been here several times. The food is awful. I don't know what culinary school this chef went to, but he must have graduated at the bottom of his class. Food is often greasy, over salted, or under seasoned and under cooked. Never enjoyed a single thing I've ordered and always regret trying them again.
Never going back. PS. No longer Vegan. Owners never were
Updated from previous review on 2024-03-15
Pros: No one's making me go back
Cons: NO LONGER VEGAN, Greasy food, Uses Canola Oil in everything
Guest
gatajanmani
Points +16
Zero stars: a slap in the face to the people who made their business possible in the first place. - Edit
I'm baffled as to how any ethical vegan could be ok with this place after their recent decision to serve meat. That they are presenting the change as a way to be "inclusive" is simply disgusting and proves that they were never in it for the animals in the first place.
Read moreThis is not merely disappointing. It's a betrayal of the customers who made their business possible at all, many of whom supported them for years despite the food being mid at best. So why go at all, you ask? There just aren't many fully vegan restaurants in the area, so it seemed important to support them even though the food I make at home is generally much better. Restaurants are a luxury and not a necessity, so I don't eat at non-vegan establishments at all.
It's clear they don't have good business sense so it's probably just a matter of time until the inevitable happens and they close for good anyway, but in the meantime, this info is for anyone who takes veganism seriously as an ethical stance, and not merely as a diet.
Pros: Absolutely nothing, as of March 2024.
Cons: Everything, at this point. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
Guest
TMcD
Points +16
Good food, folks. - Edit
The food at Panacea is comforting and delicious. The vibe is relaxed and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. I recommend it. As a vegan, I was a frequent customer when they were entirely plant-based and still patronize them since they added animal products to the menu. Nearly every item on the menu is offered as plant-based or with meat. Do I wish, for the sake of the animals, that they were still a fully plant-based restaurant? Of course. But I feel that any venue, that offers one a thoughtful choice (as Panacea is doing) ought to be supported. Every little bit helps the animals and the planet. I understand that people are upset about the change. And will say that the addition of meat makes it a wash. However, the choice is there for a non-vegan, a vegan-to-be, the opportunity to see how delicious plant-based food can be. I am dismayed at the venom directed at the owners who are just trying to keep their business alive. They made a choice. It might not be the one we want, but we need not be hateful about it. Let's be better. Let's try to be kind.
Read moreGuest
Sheriwelsh
Points +13
Always Amazing - Edit
This restaurant continues to an all time favorite. The recent changes to the menu have made it possible to bring our whole family regardless of eating preferences. There is something for everyone. My vegan option hasn’t changed and remains amazing!
Read morePros: Great food, Wonderful service, Cute atmosphere
Cons: They took hummus off the menu
Guest
KRobSto
Points +305
"...hard to believe, but EVERYTHING is vegan!" - Edit
8/8/21 - Yet another local place that I'd want to be a regular at. GREAT menu (I want to try it all), friendly staff, kombucha, live music, etc; cool, casual, retro 60s hippie atmosphere. Am not sure if I've ever thought 'wow that was the best burger' before! 6/4/24 UPDATE - Terrible, they are no longer a vegan place and claim never to be, animal products on the menu, I will never go back! Extremely disappointing!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-06-04
Pros: Completely vegan, Menu options, Kombucha
TMcD
I never said anything about the restaurant being vegan, but the owner's themselves have never claimed to be vegan. You have right to your opinion yes, but I wonder, and this is a serious question, not a criticism or jibe; do you frequent other establishments that are not 100% vegan that offer vegan food?
Read moreKRobSto
Wrong @TMcD you did say that on a now-deleted comment, and Panacea used the line "...everything is vegan" on their menu etc so uhh yeah I think that pretty much means the place is (was) VEGAN. As I explained to the owner, I do not dine with people eating animals and it's not often I get/trust food from a place that isn't fully vegan; and, when I do, it's usually take-out. But that's not the point. It's just far worse when an "everything vegan" place starts selling animal products; serious slap in the face to the vegans that helped support them. Flip the situation around, how would omnivores feel if a beloved seafood place they'd been going to for years all of a sudden became completely vegan; yeah, they wouldn't like it AND would surely voice their views about it. Look, nobody would want their business to fail but, if they were so revenue-strapped to do such a radical change, given they'll likely lose as much as they'll gain from it, chances and statistics are that they'll be closed a year from now regardless.
Read moreckad79
It's disappointing to hear that this vegan restaurant has started including animal products on their menu. I visited Wilmington last summer and was really impressed by their vegan options, even buying several T-shirts and memorabilia. It's unfortunate that they've had to make this change.
Read moreI was going to go back to Wilmington and get a hotel room, simply as an excuse to visit this restaurant again. I'm having second thoughts after reading this.
I'm not entirely surprised, though. Running a vegan brewery is quite the niche and can limit the customer base. However, adding animal products might not be the solution. A former vegan restaurant near me did the same thing, and it didn't seem to improve their business.
Basically, they became just another restaurant with animal products. They became another option in a saturated market. I kind of see the same thing happening with this companies decision.
Appealing to vegans can be challenging, as they often be difficult with allergies and can be extremely budget-conscious. I wonder if the brewery would have done better by embracing fun, mock foods like an applewood smoked bacun vegan cheeseburgers with products like Impossible Foods. There seems to be a divide in the vegan community: some prefer clean, plant-based foods like dry bean burgers, while others enjoy indulgent comfort junk food. It's difficult to please everyone, but especially since this is a brewery, not a health food restaurant, I'd probably air on this side of indulgence.
I recently visited a vegan restaurant outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, that was thriving. They offered vegan pizza with seitan pepperoni, Impossible sliders, a mock crab cake, etc. They did have less processed options too, for those wholly food people, like chickpea tuna or lentil tacos. Yet they knew what type of food most people wanted when they go to a bar and down brews. They had a great selection of draft beer and paired that with greasy salt meaty fun junky foods.
Charlottesville also isn't known for a huge vegan population, but the restaurant's success shows that embracing the fun, comfort-food side of vegan cuisine can work in the right environment. There are so many excellent vegan products available for restaurants to use too.
People who are hesitant about trying vegan chickun wings made with Beyond or Delight Soy with vegan ranch aren't likely to be swayed to go now that you swapped that out for fried cauliflower wings.
Embracing the fun and indulgent side of vegan food might have been a better strategy.
Going for something is better than nothing. It is disappointing to hear.
I also would've expected more of Wilmington. I figured they would've done more to support this restaurant. At this point, it just feels more like any other breweryp. It feels less special. I wish they would've re-thought their menu rather than give up on being 100% vegan entirely.
KRobSto
Thanks for the great reply @ckad79😄Meant to reply much sooner, sorry! I thought Wilmington was really vegan-friendly when I went in 2019, so much more than I was used to, and I left thinking that might be a place for me to relocate. Some of the options there have changed, of course, but (for not being a major urban area) it's still pretty good. As for Panacea, well... If they'd been omnivore from the beginning but legit vegan-friendly (might seem weird but) that's just so much better than claiming "everything is vegan" and building on the vegan community, then starting to serve animal products again. Being a business-minded person myself, and having seen this same situation (excuse, reason) happen many times, I just doubt this was ncessary and/or the best solution.
Read moreGuest
Doomherald
Points +18
Changed their minds and hearts. - Edit
Apparently they flipped to carnist.
Read moreCons: No longer Vegan.
Doomherald
TMcD just keeps spamming the exact same message on everyone's reply.
Read moreGuest
Nickell
Points +31
Prior to the change - Edit
Prior to the change, I stopped in once a week and would recommend it to anyone. But they have went backwards and added animals.
Read moreGuest
creditfigaro
Points +44
Abandoned their principles - Edit
Added dead animals to the menu. They don't deserve your business.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-05-04
Pros: The kombucha used to be great, Loved the delicious vegan food they used to have
Cons: Decided animal abuse is ok now
panaceabrewingcompany
Principles have not changed. We have never been vegan, however, Panacea has always been a business, and staying in business is our goal. Every item on our new menu can be made vegan or omni. Unlike the majority of restaurants in our city, we have a huge plant based menu that caters to vegans. We get it. You're sad. And mad. We are too. No one wants to change their whole business plan. It was this, or close, and take everything off the table. Wishing you the best and happy to refer you to SeaLevel and Greenhouse the only 2 vegan restaurant's in our city.
Read moreKRobSto
That's BS @PanaceaBrewingCompany... Your tagline or motto, which I had copied for my review, was "...hard to believe, but everything is vegan!" just a few years ago. So, in other words, you never had "principles" to begin with.
Read morecreditfigaro
I'm not sad, I'm pissed that you think animal abuse is ok.
Read moreI noticed you didn't bother to respond to that concept.
Guest
ShyCatsu
Points +18
Morally Abhorent - Edit
Imagine going against your principals to support raping and murdering child animals.
Read morepanaceabrewingcompany
Imagine not ever being a vegan, taking your entire life's savings and all of your brewery profits for 4 years to invest in opening a vegan restaurant in a city that had none, 2 months later to be throttled by a worldwide pandemic, and not being able to recover. We failed. And we get it: you'd rather see a family business close, fire all of their employees, and join the ranks of the unemployed in Wilmington than try to make things work a different way. There are over 720,000 more non vegan restaurants in the US for you to leave reviews for, best wishes.
Read moreShyCatsu
So you never had any principals, got it 👍
Read moreGuest
NoahZenger
Points +18
No Longer Vegan - Edit
I used to love this place and my wife and I went pretty regularly. I don’t see myself ever going back now that they serve animal products.
Read moreI’d rather support a non vegan restaurant that has vegan options than a (formerly) “vegan” restaurant that now has non-vegan options.
Cons: No longer a vegan restaurant.
panaceabrewingcompany
We'll miss you, Noah. We certainly don't understand how spending your money at restaurants who don't truly cater to vegans because they have a few "options" rather than a huge plant based menu designed for vegans and mirrored for omnis helps your cause, but understand why you might feel that way. Peace.
Read moreNoahZenger
I would rather support non vegan restaurants that are branching out and beginning to have vegan options because this is a step in the right direction and I want to encourage them to move in this direction.
Read moreI will not support a vegan restaurant that decides to throw that out the window and begin offering meat options because the movement that you are making is in the opposite direction of my principles. I support progress—not regression.
panaceabrewingcompany
Understood, thanks for your response. We thought keeping all the vegan items on the table was a better choice than closing and taking them all off, or becoming like most restaurants that offer a few, at most. We'll miss you! All the best!
Read moreKRobSto
Okay @PanaceaBrewingCompany... Now that you've disrespectul, angered, and/or turned off most of your vegan customers... How's your bottomline now ??? If you're no longer in the red, props, you sold-out for financial benefit, it's the American way... Meh, who needs ethics and principles anyway, right... Yuck, lost a lot of loyal customers!
Read moreGuest
Hilld
Points +135
Was good, but no longer vegan - Edit
Panacea had a few items I liked a lot (like the vegan chicken sandwich), but service/management was never very friendly in my experience. Now that they’re no longer going to be a vegan restaurant, they don’t really have anything to stand out from the crowded Wilmington dining scene.
Read morepanaceabrewingcompany
...except that we still feed vegans every day because we offer plant based versions of all our dishes. Have you found another restaurant here or anywhere willing to do that?
Read moreWe'd love to serve you sometime in the future. I think you'll notice a welcome and needed change in management and service since the change.
Guest
AlessiaChristina
Points +47
Regular, normal food - Edit
I guess I’m not “regular” or “normal” enough to eat here.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-03-21
seankennedy222
This place is no longer vegan. Feel free to update your rating if you'd like.
Read morepanaceabrewingcompany
Hey Alessia,
Read moreI'm assuming that this reference to "regular" is in response to the wording on the first printing of our new menu which descibed our offering as R/P, Regular and Plant-based. Since then, we changed the wording in the first few days to read O/P, thanks to some feedback from helpful vegans in our community. We've chosen to use the words "omni" and "plant-based" now to refer to our two types of offerings. It's certainly confusing to the 98% of folks who are not vegan and don't have to have specific, non-triggering language to describe the food they eat, but we're doing our best to navigate a change that isn't comfortable for everyone, including us. It's ironic, and quite confusing to us, that for 4 years we tried to tell potential customers who would walk in and preview our "all vegan" menu that vegan food is regular food made from plants and there was no convincing them to stay, that now we're in this position. It sounds like your issue with our business may run a little deeper than our choice of words our first few days in operation of the new menu though, and we totally understand if we're not a good fit for you anymore.
Guest
SaletteAndrews
Points +123
Greasy Fried Food - Edit
If greasy fried food is your thing, this place has you covered. I only supported this place because they were an all-vegan restaurant. No more.
Read moreThe non-vegan owners decided to be more "authentic" by offering a more "inclusive" menu. Would it feel super-inclusive to offer dog meat? They say they're going to have a vegan menu and a "normal" menu, which is like saying they're going to have a non-alcoholic beverage menu and a "normal" beverage menu.
Please consider Sealevel City Vegan Diner or The Greenhouse instead, both of which are 100% vegan.
Updated from previous review on 2024-03-18
Pros: They used to be all vegan.
Cons: They will now sell animal remains, They will now food containing mammary secretions, They will now sell food containing bird eggs.
panaceabrewingcompany
Salette,
Read moreThank you for clarifying your position of support for our small business in Wilmington. During our many talks about the struggles of the economy, staffing, and patronage of vegan businesses in Wilmington over the past several years, we thought we had a shared understanding about the real issues our restaurant was facing. We also discussed that WFPB vegans are a tiny minority within a minority, and we explained to you why our menu is lacking in this area...because no one buys these items at a brewery. For us, keeping our business open, retaining jobs, and continuing to serve the public was the right choice.
We enjoyed getting to know you over the years and hosting your political events while you were campainging in Wilmington for City Council. We're sad that we won't be seeing you again, unless we happen to run into you at Sealevel or Greenhouse.
Guest
DanteH
Points +68
Course Correction - Edit
Can recommend but Panacea no longer a safe space for vegans. They added meat items to the menu in Spring 2024. I appreciate the owners' honesty and decisions but unfortunately I can't support the slaughter of animals. Especially in a place like SE NC where there is so much economic, environmental, and racial injustice in the meat industry. That's what you can get reminded of when you visit.
Read moreGuest
kgiovacco
Points +203
No longer all vegan - Edit
Ridiculous! The owners posted this week on Instagram that since they are not vegan and wish to be their authentic selves, they will be serving meat. I understood that half the menu will be meat and half vegan.
Read morecreditfigaro
Why four stars still?
Read moreGuest
Deutschchen
Points +26
We’ll never go back - Edit
No longer vegan. Formerly our favorite restaurant in town.
Read moreZero stars, just like the amount of our cash they will ever see again.
Guest
TonyaRenee
Points +50
Edited: No longer vegan Excellent food and atmosphere! - Edit
Every visit has exceeded my expectations! Love the Bucha choices!
Read moreSad to say that starting March 2024 they will no longer be a vegan restaurant. I can’t change to a lower star because they still have the “vegan” status.
Updated from previous review on 2022-04-14
TonyaRenee
They are adding animal products to their menu starting March 20,24 so they will no longer be a truly vegan restaurant. Disappointing
Read moreGuest
seankennedy222
Points +32
Panacea is no longer vegan - Edit
They are no longer vegan and are instead choosing to sell the carcasses of tortured, dead animals. Everyone I know and I will not step foot in this business again.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-03-15
Cons: Blocks anyone who asks them to not kill animals, Gets their customer base then does bait/switch, Chooses violence over compassion
Guest
Alisha35
Points +153
No longer all vegan! - Edit
Edit: no longer all vegan as of 3/2024. I’ll no longer support them. Owners were never vegan themselves.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-03-15
Guest
VeganVarna
Points +32
WARNING- NO LONGER VEGAN - Edit
This place used to be great, until they announced they'll be adding animal products to their menu, to profit off violence. No longer a plant-based or vegan restaurant!
Read moreCons: Not vegan
Deutschchen
Agreed. Was great. Now just another omni place among many.
Read moreOllieVeeee
Really disappointing! Glad I found out before going back and seeing dead animals on the menu. 😤 They are blocking people who complain on their social media pages, no matter how polite the message. For that reason, I’m going to wait till HC changes their listing from “vegan” to “omnivore” so that I can give them a 1-star rating (2 is the default lowest rating for a vegan restaurant).
Read moreGuest
cuttersfs
Points +13
Funky Fun - Edit
This is a great place for people who think they don’t like vegan. Great food, amazing taste and outstanding hard kombucha !
Read moreseankennedy222
This place is no longer vegan. Feel free to update your rating if you'd like.
Read moreGuest
JillBelsanPoston
Points +539
We'll be back - Edit
Daily special Thai Peanut noodles with dumplings was very flavorful and a large serving so I get to take some home to enjoy again. This was our first visit but we will be back our next time through town.
Read morePros: Flavorful food , Good service, Nice atmosphere
seankennedy222
This place is no longer vegan. Feel free to update your rating if you'd like.
Read moreGuest
Vixen85
Points +229
Great food and relaxed atmosphere - Edit
As tourists, it was great to have some local style vegan food and it all tasted amazing! We loved having lots of kombucha flavours to choose from and we bought a few cans to take home with us too.
Read morePros: Delicious buffalo wings, Lots of kombucha flavours to choose from, Friendly service
seankennedy222
This place is no longer vegan. Feel free to update your rating if you'd like.
Read moreGuest
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