The Fiction Kitchen

I dined in on New Years Eve. Because of the holiday, they offered a "special menu" with 4 courses that cost $55 per person. With drinks and tip, we spent $255. The first course was a vegan sashimi, second was mushroom soup, the main course … More

We tried out the Fiction Kitchen tonight at their new location. The new space is absolutely beautiful and the food was outstanding. They have all the old dishes on the menu that we've always enjoyed, plus a few new items that were great too! Tonight we had the vegan meatloaf, an old favorite, and the vegan crabcakes, a new item! Highly recommended! Plus,- the bartenders make great drinks! ;)

To me, Fiction Kitchen is a comfy, safe, relaxing venue with an eclectic, retro feel while keeping a modern edge. First time in, we enjoyed our varied culinary journey from start to finish. We’ll be experiencing this North Carolina Gem in the future. We already thought about and decided what we want to taste there next! We were greeted by Drew and Castle, who made our stay a welcome one. Their witty, professional, courteous service made us feel like we were visiting friends and family. As we bellied up to the bar what was there to do but enjoy a beverage for starters. After some discussion of the wonderful choices, we enjoyed “The Stalker” and a “Rum Punch”. I didn’t try my wife’s Stalker, but the Rum Punch was a wondrous bright infusion garnished with an edible Johnny Jump Up. Very unique flavor with a fruity finish. Later I had a “Flower and Flame” cocktail. A sensory adventure with its deep color, beautiful garnish, with a smoky surprise with each sip. This cocktail had the “finest fizzy” element to it. Loved it. My advice is to open up your mind and let Castle guide you through her magical world of mixology. Starting with the Cornmeal Fried Mushrooms we experienced what I would call plant based fried calamari. Paired with the Old Bay Vegan Mayo this was probably my favorite. Never saw the seafood flavor coming. What a great surprise. Shifting gears we went to the Kale Fritters. Big, bold, beautiful and once you bite in they remind me of Thanksgiving is all I can say. Comfort food score of 10! Chef, these make me want for a side of gravy to dip them. The little crispy chickpeas running through this dish are little tasty treats. Soo gooood. We couldn’t resist ordering the Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread just to have with us, to compliment our meal. This makes a great partner to anything you order. Watch the skillet as its hot out of the oven. Very well done with a finely crisped outside while moist and soft inside. Almost wanted some baked beans to pair with it so we ate half and took the rest home for that experiment. On with the entrees. The Southern Style Plate with popcorn chicken was full of a variety of high notes. I had an expectation the popcorn chicken was going to be lack luster as “popcorn anything” in my opinion always is, but I was wrong. These lil’ poppers were fun and made you feel like a kid with every bite. I say they are best eaten with your fingers and some dipping sauces. Castle innovated her recommendation in, to have us pair it with the BBQ Pulled Pork and it was a home run. It was like a culinary game, mixing and matching the flavors on our forks, getting a magical taste combination every time. My favorite was a scoop of mashed potatoes with a scoop of BBQ Pulled Pork. When I ordered I simply told Castle to bring me a wonderful meal, surprise me, and she came through with flying colors. The Hearts of Palm & Lions Mane Crabcakes were yet another layer of culinary comfort. It was nice to see both entrees have either a fresh salad or sauteed vegetable component. They brought color and balance to each meal. The fried foods weren’t greasy. All the dishes and drinks had several layers of flavor voices. The staff is both friendly as they are efficiently professional. The setting is balanced with a nice park outside for friends and family to spend some time away from the hustle, bustle and trying times we live in. Fiction Kitchen has mastered extracting the multitude of flavors from their source of foods. While others drown foods in sauces and give a monotony of “the same”, Fiction Kitchen somehow mystically brings so much abundance in their flavors while creating layered complexity, so every bite is a sensory journey. I highly recommend you stop in, turn your phone off, and eat with your friends and loved ones. Thank you to everyone at Fiction Kitchen for this Culinary Oasis so close to home. See you soon. Order type Dine in Price per person USD 50–100 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Wait time No wait Seating type Indoor dining area, Bar area Recommendation for vegetarians Highly recommend Vegetarian options Vegan, plant based foods of high quality Dietary restrictions Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut Free, Cruelty Free :) Parking space Plenty of parking Parking options Free parking lot Kid-friendliness i think kids would love the menu and after, the park outside to play in. Wheelchair accessibility Looks to be ADA compliant, accessible to all.

This is the place you’ve got to hit up in Raleigh. Exceptional all-vegan menu, great vibes, and wonderful people. I can’t say enough. Get yourself to FK immediately. Great drinks including lots of inspired non-alc. Lion’s mane rangoons: 11/10 - the reason i came here, did not disappoint, can’t miss these. Great chili sauce. Mozz bites: 8/10 - good in the way that fried things are good. BBQ: 11/10 - the best i’ve had anywhere. Flavors, texture, everything on point. Mac: 7/10 - thick layer on top was like hash browns, then almost a pimento cheese in the mac itself. Probably 8-9 with thinner layer of topping. Smoked potats: 10/10 - ranch or old bayo to dip Meatloaf: 10/10 - didn’t love the setup as much, but main event was excellent. I want this with the smoked potats. Fried chik: 8/10 - good with a sauce to dip Fries: not for me, shoestring, plain Ranch: 9/10 Old bayo: 9/10 Marinara: 8/10 Drink was a castle original with lemon and ginger. Very good. 11/10 Order type Dine in Meal type Dinner Price per person USD 20–30 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Recommended dishes

Love it! If you've been vegetarian / vegan all your life, this place will be a creative delight. If you were non-vegetarian anytime in the past, this might be a bit of a let down. I urge you to see the food here for what it is an not what it tries to mimic. Putting that aside, the food here is pretty great! Very healthy and balanced. Drinks are great and our server Castle was fast and friendly. We came in late and stayed a bit past closing and they still treated us with a smile. A++ service. Interior decor feels like something straight out of Edward Hopper's Nighthawks painting. Dim lighting with mid-century vibes. Perfect spot for a date night! Order type Dine in Meal type Dinner Price per person USD 30–50 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Recommended dishes Sandwich Recommendation for vegetarians Highly recommend Vegetarian offerings Menu is all vegetarian Parking space Plenty of parking Parking options Free parking lot

I stopped here while traveling and can say I love every aspect of it. The place is cute and everyone is a vibe. Both ladies that helped me in the bar were super nice and I didn't feel like I was sitting alone. 😌 The food was amazing. I'm not vegan, but eat vegan with family members who are and didn't miss any of my typical items. Everything had so much flavor. The lions mane ragoon was phenomenal. I feel in love with the chocolate ganache dessert. 😋 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

This is some delicious vegan food. We sampled the fried pimento cheese, lion's mane rangoons, apple and beet chaat, southern fried "chicken", "crabcakes", and mushroom pot pie. Their alcoholic drinks were amazing. You need reservations for … More

FIVE STARS for Fiction Kitchen, Raleigh's Gateway Plaza — Yes, outstanding vegan food that even non-vegans will love! We enjoyed ice-cold house-made root beer, refreshing (and freshly made) cantaloupe soup, plus a double smashburger with … More

Finally had a chance to dine here and we were not disappointed! This restaurant has a nice atmosphere, good service and thoughtfully prepared vegan dishes. The food presentation was very good. The risotto was delicious and tasted very … More

We are always on the lookout for a restaurant that makes both my vegetarian wife and me (an omnivore) happy, and The Fiction Kitchen delivers in a big way. This full vegan restaurant serves up some of the most satisfying comfort food we've ever had. I'm a biscuits and gravy enthusiast, and their vegan version is phenomenal; it has the richness and flavor that could easily fool anyone into thinking they were eating the classic, homemade dish. I highly recommend bringing any guest here and letting the food speak for itself—don't even mention it's vegan. Just sit back and watch them enjoy and be wowed! Order type Takeaway Price per person USD 10–20 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Reservation Reservations not required Noise level Quiet, easy to talk

Amazing Dinner! The NC style sandwich was out of this world. Pumpkin cheesecake is delicious. Service is on point. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and made our experience better. Stop thinking and get to Fiction Kitchen Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Definitely recommend!!! Will return anytime I’m in Raleigh. Sat at the bar with bartender/server Betsy. She’s an absolute doll! Friendly, attentive, knows the menu & made excellent recommendations. It was cold out & she was ready with a hot tea selection before I could even ask! The restaurant (& restrooms) was very clean & comfortable. Ample parking & seating. Lots of little details in the decor. Unfortunately, I was a distracted by conversation & neglected to take a quick food pic, but it was AMAZING! The mushroom melt was perfectly warm & toasted with a melty (vegan) cheesy center. I opted for the creamy poblano soup of the day as my side & it did not disappoint. Just the right amount of spicy to complement the sandwich. Also took a slice of eggnog cheesecake to go, which was a good call. Perfect consistency & not overly sweet. Thank you for one of the best meals I’ve had in a while ☺️ Order type Dine in Price per person USD 20–30 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Recommended dishes Sandwich, Plant Based Noise level Quiet, easy to talk Recommendation for vegetarians Highly recommend Vegetarian offerings Menu is all vegetarian Dietary restrictions Many gluten free options. Parking space Plenty of parking Parking options Free parking lot

The Southern plate was amazing. Pulled bbq pork, tasted just like pork. I was really surprised to get a table. But we were willing to eat at 5pm. We sat at the bar and the mocktails with their unique delicious ingredients were out of this world. Price per person USD 30–50 Noise level Moderate noise Seating type Indoor dining area, Bar area, Outdoor patio / terrace Recommendation for vegetarians Highly recommend

Love this place! Delicious local homemade vegan food and superb service with a great eclectic vibe. I ordered the specials - cashew cream of mushroom soup and Farmers Market pot pie. My husband ordered the Carolina BBQ sandwich and fries. We topped it off with the pumpkin cheesecake and tres leches. Everything was delicious. I can’t recommend this restaurant enough. Don’t miss out on the specials! Order type Dine in Price per person USD 20–30 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Noise level Moderate noise Seating type Indoor dining area Recommendation for vegetarians Highly recommend Vegetarian offerings Menu is all vegetarian

We ordered the peanut noodles and the risotto, and we actually enjoyed the flavors of both dishes. The taste was good overall. However, the wait time for our main courses was quite long — about 45 minutes from the time we ordered. We had already finished our appetizers (which we intentionally ate slowly), emptied our drinks, and still waited another 15–20 minutes for our entrées to arrive. It may have been a busy night, but the delay was noticeable. Unfortunately, my peanut noodles were overcooked. They were so soft that they would almost fall apart when I picked them up with my chopsticks. I just didn't have the heart to complain since I just really wanted to go home. The grilled tofu, though, was very good — it almost tasted like grilled chicken! Our server was attentive for the most part. The chef (or possibly the owner) also came to greet us, which we appreciated. I would just gently suggest being mindful about physical contact with young children. She hugged our toddler, and while it may have been well-intentioned, not all parents are comfortable with that, especially with someone they just met. We were seated near the door, and it was quite cold. If you're visiting during colder weather, you may want to request a table farther inside. Overall, we enjoyed parts of our experience, but there are a few areas that could be improved. Order type Dine in Price per person USD 100+ Food: 4 Service: 3 Atmosphere: 3 Noise level Moderate noise Group size 3-4 people