My husband and I came here for brunch when we were first visiting Raleigh house-hunting. We decided…read moreto revisit for Mother's Day brunch this year. We showed up early with our 1.5 year old daughter and they were able to seat us immediately. The area felt spacious, although that could be due to the fact that it wasn't super packed inside. I ordered the short rib benedict, my husband got the chicken & waffle sandwich, and we ordered my daughter a side of the mac & cheese. What a delicious meal! The short rib was tender and flavorful, and sat on top of a biscuit (what's not to love here?!) - horseradish hollandaise was the perfect touch as the horseradish pairs nicely with the beef. The chicken & waffle sandwich was the best guilty pleasure! Waffle crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, chicken breaded and fried with a nice crunch, and a nice hot honey syrup to go alongside -- wish this had a little more heat. To our surprise, the mac & cheese side was a highlight too! It's hard to get a good mac n cheese, but this had such a rich, white cheese, slight funk flavor - delicious. Brunch at Parkside is delicious. Looking forward to trying dinner here soon.

Came to Parkside for brunch. We got the jalapeño deviled eggs which were good. Unfortunately, the…read morebreakfast burrito and steak bowl looked incredible but were just meh. Not a lot of flavor to either. The chipotle honey biscuit was solid. The overall vibe of the place was great and service was good, but the food fell a little short. I'd go back but with tempered expectations.

The Pit Authentic Barbecue was a great experience for our group of 4 adults and 3 kids. They were…read morevery accommodating and had something for everyone on the menu. We started with the pimento cheese balls, which were super cheesy and delicious. They also brought out biscuits and hush puppies, and those were perfect to start the meal. For the kids, we ordered a hot dog with fries, mac and cheese with fries, and a cheeseburger with fries. All of the kids loved their meals. The fries were really good (even I enjoyed them!), and the mac and cheese was definitely the favorite. The adults ordered a double combo with pulled pork and brisket, and it was big enough to easily split between two people. My husband and I both got the Pit bacon cheeseburger, and it was so good and huge. I ended up taking half home for later. My husband also got mac and cheese and shared it with the kids, while I ordered the Brussels sprouts, which were amazing. The staff was really friendly, and everything came out nicely. Overall, it was a great meal and a great experience, especially for our family !

Food was yummy providing a large serving. The service was okay. We had to ask for drinks to be…read morefilled and our check. It wasn't horrible service but I have had better for it to be our first time there. Will I return.......... definitely!

Why is this model not in my city of Greensboro, NC? In Greensboro, the city council makes homeless…read morehostel architecture so the homeless can not lay down, etc. A place at the Table is doing God's work. I've never seen anything like this and feel like this model needs to spread everywhere. Breakfast was GREAT: eggs, bacon, toast and coffee. Great volunteers and a wonderful idea to boost humanity among us all. Had no idea it was a mission based restaurant until I arrived and put 2 and 2 together. Just a beautiful thing they are doing there in DT Raleigh.

It was an excellent experience we enjoyed the food the service from the staff was great and all In…read moreall it was excellent

My oh my, this may be one of my new favorite restaurants in Raleigh! All of the food was excellent!…read more When you arrive there is parking available on the street or in the paid lot next to the restaurant. Walking in you'll feel like you've walked into a retro-chic, high energy, and upscale diner. Even the waiting area was nice to sit in as we waited for our table. For drinks I ordered the Hurricane (Rum, Pasionfruit, Grenadine, Orange, Lime), Scorpion (Amaro Nonino, Montenegro, Sweet Vermouth, Hot Honey, Mint), the 1806 (Orange Infused Bourbon, Brulee'd Orange Syrup, Bitters), and an espresso martini. I'd say it was a tie for favorite drink between the Hurricane and the 1806. Both were well balanced and tasted great. The scorpion was a bit spicy for my liking and the espresso martini was good just wasn't as good as the hurricane/the 1806. For appetizers we ordered the Maine Lobster Doughnuts, Heirloom Tomato Pie (with Tennessee Buttermilk Cheddar & Sherry-Sherry Vinaigrette), and the Watermelon Vinaigrette (with Avocado, Goat Lady Dairy Chevre, & White Balsamic Vinaigrette). The Maine Lobster Doughnuts and Watermelon Vinaigrette were excellent. The watermelon was sliced, goat cheese wasn't too strong and had the perfect blend of flavors. The Maine Lobster Doughnuts were also perfectly cooked and were so good. The Heirloom Tomato Pie was okay, just had a really strong mustard after taste which wasn't my favorite. For my entree I ordered the 10 oz Hanger Steak (Creamed Greens, Oil-Cured Olive Butter, & Red Wine Shallot Jus) which was cooked perfectly was so good. Even the baguette and butter were excellent!! Lastly for dessert we split the Peach Shortcake (Vanilla Bean Mascarpone and Cinnamon Crunch Biscuit). It tasted like a croissant and peach biscuit and was excellent. If you are in downtown Raleigh definitely check out Poole's.

As a vegetarian, I was happy to find enough options at Poole's Diner to put together a full meal…read more The pimento cheese had good flavor, and the fried saltines were everything you'd want fried saltines to be. Just a heads-up: the pimento cheese is served cold. I was expecting it to be warm, but I probably should have asked. The heirloom tomato pie was good, not great. Think chicken pot pie, but filled with tomatoes and cheese. The flavors were pretty straightforward, but the crust was really good. The ricotta gnocchi was a hit. The gnocchi was very soft and pillowy, and it came in an almost pesto-like broth. I'm a huge pesto fan, so I really enjoyed the combination. The sweet corn with oyster mushrooms was also good, but there was a lot of sherry cream. The corn was practically swimming in it, and the mushrooms became so soft that they mostly tasted like the cream. Surprisingly, the sautéed broccolini may have been my favorite dish. It had a smoky grilled char while still keeping the firmness you want from broccolini. Simple, but really well done. We finished with the soft-serve sundae with braised blueberries, coconut graham crumble, and coconut cream. The blueberries were a little sweeter than I normally prefer, but the soft serve was delicious, the crumble added a nice texture, and the coconut cream was a subtle touch. Overall, it was a very good meal. Not every dish was a standout, but the gnocchi, broccolini, and sundae were the clear highlights.

The most delicious chicken and waffles on earth! i've been here a couple times, the dining room…read moreroom is small and cozy, service is great and the food is excellent

I went back to Beasley's Chicken & Honey one last time as they close January 25th. Even on a cold,…read morerainy morning, there was a line outside before opening. I understand as if you aren't seated when they open, you can expect a 90-minute to two-hour wait. I was hoping to get the Chicken Pot Pie this time and thought my prior visit was just off. I was thrilled that most of the menu was available. They were just out of the banana pudding. So I got to try the pecan wings I read about with the white sauce. It was so good. Then I got the chicken pot pie and biscuits. The pot pie had old biscuits for the topping, but the creamy mixture with large chunks of chicken was delicious. My biscuits came with honey and were served warm. I left with a slice of the chocolate-caramel-coconut cake, a side salad without onions, and a fried boneless thigh. The salad was made correctly, and the dressing was included. The salad was full of veggies, and the cake was rich and moist. Service was friendly and as soon as I finished my iced tea, another appeared. My wings were brought out first and it was a while for the rest of the meal as the restaurant was full. But they didn't rush me at all. I actually liked the space between the dishes, as I might not have been able to eat it all otherwise. I couldn't finish both biscuits and was even provided a container for the honey. I am going to miss Beasley's, but I'm glad I got a positive experience to remember the restaurant.

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.

"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!

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.

We found this place online while looking for a lunch spot in the area and are so glad we did!…read more Cool old building, quick, helpful service and really great sandwiches. My friend and I decided to split two sandwiches so we could each try the Italian and the grilled ham and cheese. I can't tell you which I liked better but I can say, we both really liked the broccoli salad side - great option that you can't get everywhere. Perfect casual lunch spot across from Raleigh Iron Works

Good spot if you're looking for a quick meal, but not a place I'll be running back to. The service…read morewas friendly and the food came out quick, but the burger and chicken sandwich were both just okay. The house made cherry cola, on the other hand, I loved! You can validate your parking once you get inside the restaurant so you don't have to pay, but would obviously prefer not to have to do this extra step of registering my car.

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.