"Delightful vegan restaurant on Crabtree Blvd in Raleigh"…read more I'd heard of this for years and was happy to finally give it a try on a Saturday for lunch ~1:30pm. The restaurant is a bit set off from a strip mall, and has a small outdoor seating area. The inside has high ceilings and is airy, and is nicely decorated (I also enjoyed the "sci-fi themed" wallpaper in one restroom stall). We were greeted quickly and given a table right away. The specials on the wall sounded amazing-- it was hard to believe they were all vegan with burgers, bbq, "chicken", and more on there. We opted for simple-- the special cantaloupe soup for an appetizer and burgers (impossible) for lunch. Mine came with chips, and my girlfriend's came with mac and cheese. Food came out in maybe 15 minutes. The cantaloupe soup was AMAZING... perfect for a summer day... super refreshing and tasty. The cheeseburgers were good too-- well dressed with an aioli, if I remember right, as well as fresh lettuce, tomatoes, etc. I appreciated that I didn't have to pop a lactase, too, since all vegan! The chips I think were store-made and were absolutely tasty-- we got a lot too and snacked off them for the next few days. And my girlfriend liked the mac and cheese. Service was friendly throughout, and cups were refilled. And I felt the prices were reasonable for what we got. Overall, I'd DEFINITELY come back and am eager to try some of their fake meat dishes like the BBQ.

Great ambience, friendly staff, variety of options and some unique cocktails. Apps and drinks came…read moreout fast but a long gap before our main dishes came out and we had to ask for them. Cornmeal battered mushrooms- good portion size, delicious and a hit. Mess of collards- large portion, didnt see any bacon at all and the apple cider vinegar element was strong. Onions could have been chopped smaller. Meatloaf plate- very flavorful, the smoked local potatoes were a star too. It came with more collards Southern plate- this plate was a disappointing flop. Popcorn chkn (fried seitan) lacked salt and any flavor in the batter but the vessel had potential. Mashed potatoes were a little cold and also no flavor or salt. Coleslaw needed any flavor. Sauteed vegetables were plenty but again, zero salt or seasoning coming through. The hushpuppies had potential just needed to be a little smaller or a different shape to be balanced. Drinks: Flower and Flame- just a tad heavy handed on the smoke spritz G and Tea- this was delicious and I switched to this after tasting my wife's. Cardamom, mint and lemon make this refreshing!

The food and service were good. The ramen is delicious the tea eggs are some of the best I've had…read moreand our server was really nice

The have tough figures of Godzilla…read more Me and the boys are a crap ton and it was amazing Eat the dumpling

Great little spot. Ordered four individual tacos, and they were all great. The Churiqueso was also…read morephenomenal. Quick service and friendly workers, highly recommend this spot!

I want to preface this by saying I have been going to Chido Taco for years it is one of my favorite…read moreplaces to bring people to try quesabirria for the first time or just a nice spot. It's a very cute restaurant. However, my best friend and I went to Chido Taco earlier and the food was not nearly as good as it used to be and tasted a lot less flavorful. Also I know I am maybe the last person to be talking about a restaurants music because I don't have amazing music taste but everytime before when I used to go the music was amazing and introduced me to so many different hispanic artists but when we went today it was all songs that you'd hear in a club. The restaurant is great I recommend going but I'm wondering if maybe Chido went under new management?

Lunch with Mom at @elementgastropub Downtown Raleigh, NC…read more My mom supporting me, means everything to me!!! We ordered the Sweet Chili Sauce wings with house ranch for our appetizer! Mom loved those! I ordered the Carolina BBQ Sandwich which was smoked vegan BBQ tossed in hybrid eastern- Western style sauce (whatever that means lol), creamy coleslaw on a Brioche bun with a side Kale Caesar Salad. Mom ordered the Philly Cheese steak which was chopped seitan "steak", marinated mushrooms, house made cheese, peppers, onions served on a soft hoagie roll. It also came with my favorite chips by Caroline Kettle chips @carolinakettle! So, glad they support local! Mom didn't really care for the cheese steak. I tried it as well & it wasn't my favorite. But, we had an amazing time for lunch on this beautiful day! oh, & I also had a Carolina Mule! Which was I want to try their brunch the next time I go back home to visit! #VeganLunch #LunchWithMom #Element #Gastropub #RaleighNC

"Vegan faux meat dishes near the Raleigh Convention Center"…read more Stopped here on the Saturday of GalaxyCon in July at 5pm. There are a lot of outdoor tables with umbrellas, but we opted for the interior. The interior was a bit dark but still comfortable, especially near the windows. We got to pick our table and were given menus promptly. I went for the faux Philly cheesesteak and a side salad with Bleu cheese. My girlfriend got the western nodeo burger and a side salad with ranch. Service was good- there was a little confusion about our order and what table we were at, but they were apologetic about it. And we still got our food within 20 minutes and regularly were offered drink refills. My food was fine. The vegan Bleu cheese dressing was quite runny and tasted ok but not nearly as good as the real thing. Honestly, I felt the same about the cheesesteak. The faux meat was oddly rubbery, and the cheese was just ok. It also wasn't very large. In contrast, my girlfriend's dishes were excellent- the ranch dressing was epic and the burger was super tasty. Warning- it was hot, especially the jalapeños. But delicious. If I went back, I'd get her order for sure. Price was pretty good especially for the burger- most entrees were in the $15-20 range, but did not come with sides. Overall, a good vegan option near the convention center and Marriott hotel.

Great spot for anyone with Allergies! They have a new…read moreselection of small plates that are incredibly delicious and inexpensive! Service was attentive and quick! Quirky atmosphere with live music!! We will definitely be back!

I love this place, and met friends for Sunday brunch. It's a popular spot, always busy on weekends,…read morebut we were able to make a reservation. I love that they have live music! The food was delicious and arrived quickly. The service was a little "off" this time, couldn't get our server's attention for coffee or water refills, had to ask repeatedly for coffee, then couldn't get their attention for condiments. Once our food was dropped off, no check in other than to bring the check. It's also frustrating that all parking is now paid, 24/7. At a time when everything is so expensive, this is just piling on. The City of Raleigh needs to get it together! I do appreciate that they have a parking guide online. I'll definitely be back, but this visit was not ideal.

Bida Manda mean "father and mother" in Sanskrit. This restaurant was started by siblings (a…read morebrother and a sister), and they named their restaurant to honor their parents. What a great idea! I like to come here for one dish: the squash curry or the pumpkin curry. It's either vegetarian or vegan, so yeah, it's pretty much the highlight of the menu as far as I'm concerned. It's called the Manda Curry or Mom's Curry: Slow-cooked house coconut curry with fresh root vegetables, jasmine rice, and pumpkin. It reminds me of Vientiane Palace's Squash Curry. Upscale ambience!

I have not been to Bida Manda in years. It is a classic in downtown Raleigh and highly regarded as…read morethe predecessor to Brewery Bhavana. We came in with some friends on a Monday to celebrate a birthday. My friend has a gluten and dairy allergy, which was actually no problem here. So if that is a dietary concern for you or a loved one - this is a great spot to bring them! We were all able to enjoy a majority of the food. My partner and I both enjoyed a mocktail version of the roselle freezy - it was amazing! Either as a mocktail or a cocktail, you should try this drink. For starters, we had the crispy chicken wings, spring rolls with veggies, and the lettuce wraps. We all enjoyed the chicken wings so much that we got a second order of them. I enjoyed the spring rolls much more than the lettuce wraps as they had more flavor to them. For dinner, we shared an order of the Manda Amphone's Curry and the chicken pad thai. I originally did not expect to be blown away by the pad thai - boy, was I wrong. This is hands down the best pad thai I have ever had. If you love pad thai, you need to try theirs. I also thoroughly enjoyed the curry. Both dishes were rich and flavorful and came with enough to share between 4 adults. Overall, not having been to Bida Manda in 10+ years, I was impressed and will definitely return.

Tamasha is a top-notch Indian restaurant with beautiful decor, attentive service, and absolutely…read moredelicious food! I've had the pleasure of both dining in and stopping by for a quick drink at the bar, and both were great experiences. I tried a few different dishes, and while everything was delicious, the butter chicken with garlic naan was definitely a standout. Definitely add Tamasha to your list!

Truly one of the BEST meals I've had in the Triangle! I'm generally more critical of Indian food,…read morebeing Indian myself, and I had very little say about Tamasha. What I appreciated the most was that everything was reminiscent of their original dishes, but with innovative and delicious twists- fusion perfection. We got the: - Four Cheese Truffle Kulcha (sharp cheddar, brie, asiago, chilli, black truffle dust, truffle butter, shishito pepper): Love a good bread moment- this one was cheesy, savory, and buttery; appreciated the contrast from the shishito. Added the roasted garlic and chilli dip upon the servor's rec for an extra cost; it was good, but not necessary- I'd probably skip this next time. - Chaat Mate (purple sweet potato & crunchy kale chaat, crispy okra & tuk aloo chat): Loved this! Such cool takes on chaat, which happens to be one of my favorite Indian dishes. Really appreciated all the elements, such good diversity of flavors and textures- crispy, sweet, tangy, earthy. - Nadru Malai Kofta (lotus stem dumplings, nut based sauce, plain butter naan or steam rice): First off, such a pretty dish! The gravy was rich and creamy; the dumplings were so interesting (strong spice essence). - Nigellaseeds Chilly Olive Naan: Got this because I thought the ingredients for this naan sounded unique- it was decent naan, but nothing mind blowing, would probably skip next time. - North Meets South (elaneer payasam, ghewar, rose, hibiscus, coconut jelly, young coconut): Maybe my favorite part of the whole meal! Loved every aspect of this dessert, which seemed so separate but all came together beautifully. Not too sweet, which was great too. I've never had anything like this before. Service was great. We mentioned to our server that we were rushing to catch a show in an hour, and he was so amenable! Ambiance is really nice, definitely one of the prettiest restaurants around. There's free valet parking in the adjacent deck. 10/10 would recommend!

Great appetizers, entrees and drinks! The patio overlooking the skyline has a beautiful ambiance…read moreand offers ample seating. Our waiter, Hogan, was very attentive and friendly as well! We had a party of 6 with some out of towners/ first timers and they loved trying some southern shrimp and grits!

Great food, service, and beverages as usual. I particularly liked the new pilsners. Many of the…read moreteam members stopped by our table to say hello. We had a new server, Tobin, who did a great job. She knew the food and beer menu well. With our many visits to Wye Hill I am always pleased with the consistency of the training the servers receive.

My first visit was on a very hot day for this food truck. The Ouster Mushroom Po' Boy was…read moredefinitely worth the ride for me! They were lightly fried and the roll was overflowing just like my first "Shrimp Po' Boy" in New Orleans, years ago. This was definitely a hit, for me, with a side of Mac n cheese! My 2nd visit, I tried the "Smakin Mac Bowl"! A very nice helping of their Mac & cheese, topped with Carolina BarbeQ, underneath a portion of lightly fried onions! It did not disappoint! The owners are very friendly and make sure you are satisfied with their offerings! The ambience is "the food", due to it being a food truck! I check their schedule for local locations and make it my business to drop in to please my palate! If you are looking for a tasty vegan meal, find their truck and drop in! Tell them Reggie sent you!

I haven't tried a lot of vegan food in my life, but I was really impressed by Soul's Kitchen! They…read morehave a beautiful food truck (which is actually a bus) and they put out a cute table with menus and examples of some of their food. I tried their Oyster Shroom Po'Boy and it was really good! I don't particularly like mushrooms, but it didn't taste like mushrooms at all. The mushrooms were seasoned and fried to perfection. My box was packed full of food, I couldn't even see the bun they put so many fried mushrooms on top of it! The fries were okay.

Wow, I was so surprised after trying Brewery Bhavana when we first moved here. When you arrive…read moreparking can be difficult in this area as the restaurant backs up to Moore Square. I'd recommend parking a few blocks away and walking if you are unable to find parking nearby. Walking into the restaurant you'll be transported to a modern brewery, bookstore, and flower shop. It feels chic, Belgian inspired, and upscale. To start I ordered a Vase IPA which was excellent. I then switched to cocktails and ordered the Black Sesame Old Fashioned (bourbon, black sesame, black walnut bitters), the Dionysus (pinot noir, raspberry lemon shrub, chambord, amaretto, lemon, rhubarb bitters), and an aviation (hendricks, luxardo, creme de violette, lemon). By far the Black Sesame Old Fashioned was my favorite and what a nice touch with cracker on top of the dish. For food we ordered the Gai Lan (Stir-fried Chinese broccoli with garlic and oyster sauce), the Peking Duck (Whole, barbecued, free-range duck served with steamed bao buns, cucumber, scallions, and hoisin-honey sauce), Sweet Soy Chicken (Scallions, bell peppers, and caramelized in our ginger soy sauce. Served with jasmine rice), the Lo Mein Noodles (Stir-fried noodles with julienned shiitake mushrooms, choy sum greens, soy sauce, and shrimp), seafood dumplings (Lobster, shrimp, and scallop dumplings served in garlic and black mushroom sauce with fried Youtiao doughnuts), Chicken Curry Bao (Steamed buns filled with spicy yellow chicken and vegetable curry), the Beef with Longhorn Peopers (Sautéed beef, ginger, and longhorn peppers with Shaoxing wine sauce. Served with jasmine rice), the Xiao Long Bao (Steamed crab and ground pork soup dumplings), Nasi Goreng Crab Fried Rice (Traditional Indonesian Chinese fried rice with blue crab meat, Nam Pla fish sauce, house made Nasi Goreng sauce, served in an egg crêpe), and the General Tso's Chicken (Crunchy, sweet, and tangy, Bhavana's General Tso comes with your choice of chicken or tofu tossed in our house-made General sauce and topped with sesame seeds. Served with jasmine rice). By far our favorite food items were the seafood dumplings (excellent flavor, Chinese donuts were so good, along with the flavor from the broth), and the shrimp lo mein noodles (cooked perfectly and the sauce was perfectly distributed). Definitely check out brewery bhavana if you are looking for excellent Chinese food in the Raleigh area. This is by far one of my favorite restaurants in the area.

Wow! This was one of the best meals I've ever had! My husband dined here several years ago, and…read moreevery time Raleigh comes up in conversation, he hyped this local gem up to me and said it was a must-visit whenever we had the chance. Well, I finally got to try Brewery Bhavana and it was indeed incredible. Definitely worth the hype. We met my coworker and her partner here for dinner, and I was grateful we had a reservation because this spot was poppin' on a Monday night! The dining room is huge, but the decor breaks things up a bit and makes your meal feel intimate. Everything is shareable, so I highly recommend visiting with fellow foodies who want to try a little bit of everything. Honestly the entire menu sounded amazing, and it was hard to choose! Thankfully our servers provided some excellent recommendations. The Pork Bao was probably my favorite bite of the night, and may very well have been the best Bao I've ever had. The Lap Cheung Fried Rice was also delicious, and I'm usually not a fried rice person! Also worth mentioning is the Lo Mein, which we ordered with chicken. We didn't stay for dessert, but all of their sweet offerings sounded incredible as well. I did try one of the beers they brew on-site, the Sow. It was light and sippable, and I appreciate their diverse beer and cocktail offerings. I can't wait to visit Raleigh again because this will be my first stop!