I am so happy to be “working in the city”. One of my greatest delights is perusing the various and sundry gastronomical venues. Here’s a rundown…
- I have a new favorite today (2/9/2011), it’s called the Spize Cafe. It’s done in the new “fast casual” restaurant style ala PeiWei and Noodles & Company and Baba Ghannouj and Neomonde, where you order at the counter and get a number and they serve it up fast and they sort of expect you to bus your own table, but it’s actually awesome food. :> I had a delish crispy tofu dish with crunchy green cabbage and other veggies in an tasty reduction and garnished with fresh cilantro and jalapenos. Win! Free wifi.
- Everything else on this list just got trumped, I have discovered The Remedy. OK they have non-vegan food… but that just lets you get your unsuspecting friends in the door to find an unbelievable array of vegan delights, including: philly fake-steak, veggie meatball sub, sweet vegan soups made from scratch (every one has kicked it, including an unchicken noodle and a basil-portobella-unchicken soup), vegan chocolate chip cookies, and many many more items I will add to this list as I accumulate knowledge… They also have some funky cocktails, with health boosters like Emergen-C mixed in (you’ll have to assess your inner glass-half-full/empty monologue to decide if that’s bad or good)… Free wifi but the place is small and often crowded so I usually sit at the window when I use it.
- I’m in love with The Pit‘s barbeque tofu and grilled veggies – delicious sauce over “tofu” (more like the gluten-based analogues you get at all-vegetarian asian restaurants), asparagus, sweet potatoes, halved grape tomatoes, onions, all grilled to hickory-smoked perfection. The BBQ atmosphere isn’t the most vegetarian friendly, but if they serve excellent vegan food, I’m going to buy it. :>
- My bud Sam leads me to the newest freshest places, and most recently it was to Bu-ku ‘global street food’, for Lebanesh fattoush and Indian curry, yum on both accounts – still more to explore – the waiter was really helpful with vegan suggestions. Went back for a big greek salad the chef made up to order, pretty good.
- I don’t know if you have a zPizza franchise by you, but it is definitely one of our family’s favorite places to go. All because of the Berkley, an amazing vegan pizza with veggies and sausage and daiya vegan cheese. You can get a small for yourself and stuff your face for not too much dough. This one is right on the Fayetteville Street Mall. If you sit in the back corner you can reach the Raleigh free wifi.
- Sosta cafe – I didn’t expect much from this small European style cafe when I popped in for an early mocha, but I was greeted by a delicious tray of local vegan energy bars and cookies, as well as a friendly owner who was excited to tell me about the three delish-sounding vegan lunch entrees -I must return, it is my duty! :-) …and of course I did, the next day. Awesome, three amazing choices on the menu: Angus (burger), Carolina-sytle vegan BBQ, and vegan soy chicken salad sandwich. The friendly guy behind the counter recommended the Angus. Good call! With two awesome side salads – navy bean with onions and parsley, and a yummy large-pasta couscous. This place rocks! – Returned to get all the vegan items. The unchicken sandwich has chunks of walnut in it, yum. The BBQ sandwich is tangy delish. Free wifi.
- The Manhattan Cafe: they have a yummy veggie panini (ordered without cheese) but it had a bit of a hotdog flavor from the grill; but their piece de resistance is the mix-your-own-salad – you choose baby spinach, romaine or organic mixed greens, then add portabella mushrooms, pasta, red beans, black beans, pita croutons, and all kinds of other great toppings. The mix-your-own pasta also kicks serious butt, with a whole bunch of great mix-ins – try doubling up on the fresh spinach, along with mushrooms and tomatoes, yum. The 1/2-sandwich-salad-soup combo is only $7, the tomato-basil soup was pretty good. Raleigh free wifi is generally reachable from the patio.
- Shish Kebob: right in the Fayetteville Street Mall, next to Krispy Kreme. The veggie platter was great! Hummus and babaganough with a warm pita cut into slices, falafel and tahini, and a small greek salad (“hold the cheese”). Next time I’ll try the falafel in a pita… You’ll have to sit outside but in fall and spring, the Fayetteville Street Mall is a wonderful place to hang out. Raleigh free wifi is all around.
- The Raleigh Times: delicious Boca-like veggie burger with awesome toppings: sauteed mushrooms, tomato lettuce ketchup and an entire half of a delightfully ripe avacado. And you won’t escape the siren call of their Belgian beer list – Simba, it’s to DIE for…
- Benelux Cafe is my secret hideout. I go there more often than anywhere else to get work done. Lots of space, for example to spread out multiple laptops for us obsessed geeks. They have three simple sandwiches named after Cheers characters; the Wanda Sykes hummus and veggies wrap is my mainstay. These guys have great coffee! Raleigh free wifi is usually reachable.
- Roly Poly: this cafe is attached to the IMAX theater. The grilled rollup’s are actually quite interesting, one stuffed full of items with a Mexican theme, another with cornbread and veggies. Hot and tasty. Not much atmosphere, but lots of space and free wifi.
- Tir Na Nog: menu apparently changes a lot; the lentil-based veggie burger I got was OK (and certainly HUGE); second time, had a delicious roasted veggie panini half-sandwich + all-you-care-to-eat vegetable soup + salad
- Sitti Lebanese cuisine: start off with fresh-from-the-oven pitas and the amazing lentil soup – the falafel pita was good. They also have a grilled vegetable pita.
- Subway’s 6-inch veggies sandwich for $3.81 is the best deal in town, and fresh and yummy and fast
- Dos Taquitos: they let me switch up the lunch chimichanga, replacing the meat with spinach, mushroom and onions. With the chips and salsa, it’s a perfect-sized meal. And fried… mmm…
- Sono: higher-end sushi bar, where’s the tofu people? Had a well-presented bowl of veggie noodles
- Vic’s Ristorante Italiano has a great Penne Primavera with broccoli, squash and zuchini.
- The first two weeks of 2010 were spent in all-day meetings with a team from Serbia, which meant free lunches with the team – I explored a lot of places I wouldn’t think to choose. Big Al’s country cooking is tough to navigate but a large salad and double-side of fried okra hit the spot; Woody’s; the Brass Grille had a pretty good tahini veggie wrap; etc.
- To be continued…Helios, Busy Bee, Fai Thai, all the cool stuff on this blog post, etc.
Things change pretty regularly here in Raleigh, here are the places that aren’t around at the moment…
- Right at the end of the Progress Energy street is 101 Lounge Cafe. They have a fab wrap with marinated portabellas. Plus, I started logging in with FourSquare there, I was the first to add it – perhaps I’ll become mayor.
- Wild Ginger: cheap Hibachi Tofu (a staple for me – ask for it with vegetable oil not butter, they are happy to oblige, and steamed rice), also Thai and Chinese selections; fast and reasonable and hot
- Duck and Dumpling: not positive it’s vegan but the edamame and mushroom dumplings are hand-crafted and elegant; the tofu and steamed broccoli is a bit purist for my taste; a pot of green tea will set you back $4.50…
