The trash burger is STILL my favorite, as are the buffalo cauliflower wings. The specials also tend to be good. I'm not a fan of the brunch items but the desserts are ALSO yummy! My favs are the brownies and peanut butter cookies. read more

Panacea Brewing - Cauliflower wings - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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They no longer serve food, and are only operating the tap room now. I really liked the options of hard kombucha, beer, and non alcoholic kombucha. All of the drinks are great, and I love the mix up of flavors. Service was incredible, and I liked that they had designated parking spaces for customers. Will for sure be returning! read more

Panacea Brewing - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Group of eight of us showed up and we were immediately sat. One would think that a group of eight would have to wait a long time and the food might not be good. Just the opposite. I'm not a vegan, but they have a good selection plant based items. Even though I am an omnivore, I tried the plant burger. It was good. When I compare this plant based burger to the impossible Whopper at Burger King, I would rather have the impossible whopper. The fries were excellent and the house made beet ketchup was tasty . I would come back again and try the Omni burger. read more

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I guess I wasn't paying attention when I came here because I didn't realize it was 100% vegan so it was a bit of a surprise to me. lol I ordered the Trash Burger. Again, not realizing it was vegan until I took a bite and knew immediately that it wasn't a carnivore's burger. While it was very different, it was still pretty solid and it was impressive what they were able to do and be completely vegan. The kombuchas were also a solid standout- both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. These far outshined the beers and they had so many amazing options. The beers were decent but much more limited in variety. read more

What a really cool place.. we came because I wanted my son to try real kombucha not store bought stuff!! I met up with this place few years back at a farmers market and had to come see what this place was all about.. very cute with murals on walls .. very laid back vibe!! Our waiter was Trevor and he was super helpful and friendly!! I did not know what they had! We ended up with flights of kombucha both tea and alcoholic and fried pickles to start! Very lightly dusted and very good! I had a salad my don had the trash burger with fries! He said it was good! I was happy with my choice too.. what I liked most is I saw parents bring their kids to grab a drink and healthy snack .. staff says the kombucha is a favorite because it's fuzzy like soda but a much healthier option!! I'd definitely come again!! read more

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YES!!! Positive changes! Fried Cauliflower is 100x better (smaller pieces, thin & crispy coating & not greasy......) SUPER-YUM!!! The Brunch Good Ol Country Breakfast was DELISH... gravy phenomenal & the HOMEFRIES are OMG good! Delighted they seem to either read reviews & adjust or at least listen to feedback. Just makes me excited to keep coming back & feel good inside about supporting a local vegan business. THANK YOU!!! read more

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A girlfriend of mine had never tried vegan food so I knew I had to take her to Panacea for dinner! It was a freezing cold night outside so when our server suggestions hot chocolate with marshmallows, we immediately ordered that along with the spinach dip. While those were both warming us up, we decided on the trash burger for me (my FAV!) and the pimento cheese sandwich for her. We got lucky and discovered that one of my good friends was also enjoying dinner here too so we got to chat with her while waiting for our food. The food was, as always, so good!!! My girlfriend can't wait to go back and bring more of her friends to try it. The extra hot chocolate definitely helped ;) read more

They have gotten better over the years! The first couple times I tried a few years ago, I wasn't a fan and thought "meh, overrated." Recently, I decided to give them another try and wow, was I blown away (so much so, that I went back again the next day)! The atmosphere is fun and laid back. They even had live music in there one of the days I went to grab takeout. Sadly, there hasn't been much of a crowd on any of the most recent days I've visited (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, which I would expect to be busy). The vegan southern chicken sandwich I tried was great! Their house vegan ranch is so good I want to buy a jar of it to keep in my fridge! I love that their vegan protein options aren't just faux meats that taste like chemicals. You can get an expertly prepared, fried oyster mushroom on a sandwich here! I haven't been to another place in Wilmington that offers the same! Their vegan pasta salad has such a mild, refreshingly light flavor. They really managed to make it just right to pair with so many different dishes without clashing. I also love that they have vegan dessert options like cookies, cupcakes, and brownies that actually taste good and can be easily purchased to-go when I'm craving something sweet. This is me giving Panacea a rave review. If you haven't been since they added omni options, I recommend giving them another try. Despite feeling sad that they aren't totally vegan anymore, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste of the food and I think you will be too! read more

Me and a friend stopped in today for lunch. I had the mushroom soup and pimento burger I enjoyed the mushroom soup very much. It almost tasted like a French onion soup. The burger was great but I really didn't taste the pimento cheese. My friend had the melt and soup. Also had a Bloody Mary and it average. Very cool spot with great reggae music! Our server was very helpful and nice, too. read more

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First visit was amazing. Service was polite and very knowledgeable. I quit eating pork (not by choice) about 5 years ago and went planted based about a year ago. Usually my choices are very limited but I was almost overwhelmed with my option on their menu. With help from waitress I got the pulled pork sandwich. WOW everything I've missed from bbq sandwich is back in my hands! Even if you don't have plant based diet, try it. read more

Panacea Brewing - Pulled Pork Sandwich - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

On a road trip to Wilmington, we meant to stop here and get lunch before heading to the beach. Instead, we were trapped by a major traffic jam on I-40 for two hours and reached Panacea at 3pm. I was so hungry I probably could've eaten literally anything regardless of quality, but luckily the food here is absolutely delicious. Panacea brews their own kombucha, so I tried multiple flavors - blackberry sage, watermelon mint, and wildflower. They were all amazing, but the wildflower was definitely my favorite, and I bought a 32oz bottle to take home with me. Now for the food - everything is vegan (yay!) and I ordered the pimento burger with a side of a cup of their black bean and lime soup. I wouldn't say the nondairy pimento tasted exactly like regular cheese, but it was insanely delicious and very filling. The soup was by far the best thing I ordered; the cashew cream from Kind Cultures was perfect and the soup was so flavorful. I would give it a 10/5 if I could. This place will for sure be a return stop whenever I come back to Wilmington! read more

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4/24 update ...Just my opinion... These guys are Sell outs!! My hard earned $ helped this place expand to triple their size in the past 4 years . And those same vegans who helped the place grow now become simply an alternate menu option. Disappointing! Sad for Wilmington , and Panacea has become a place that doesn't really deserve my $ anymore read more

This was my first opportunity to visit since the menu changed (5/11) I was so happy to see some of my favorite items were still on the menu!! Everything was still fabulously delicous!! The new menu is clear as to options that are plant based and what is omni based. My friend had the salad with chicken (omni) and said it was great. The service was on point and I look forward to trying the new items on the menu and will continue to support this local business! read more

Panacea Brewing - Salad with chicken and green goddess dressing - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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A vegan brewery and kombucha spot, what a pleasant surprise in Wilmington. Family friendly, open space. We went for brunch and everyone loved the food. Vegans and non in the same. Fried pickles and Buffalo cauliflower were on the appetizer menu. Kind, quick service! Maybe check for reservations ahead (not sure if they do) or prepare to wait a little during certain times. Looking forward to trying the beer menu soon. read more

Panacea Brewing - Buffalo and fried pickles - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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A vegan dream come true come! And not just for vegans, the options and array of delights on the menu are mouth watering and keep you coming back for more! Pair your food with the wide variety of hard kombuchas prices enjoy the full bar. Great place to meet for brunch, to have a study session, or hang with your pooch on the patio. Panacea is a Wilmington staple for good grub, good service, and good laughs. read more

Panacea Brewing - Cauliflower burger is BANGIN - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

This is by far a highly recommended 5 star place that I beg you to check out. If you're looking for great vegan food, drinks and even acoustics. This is the place. Our hostess by far was above and beyond with her friendly joyful attitude and extensive knowledge of the menu. I pigged out at this place so I tried a hard kombucha, tried their brownies, the cauliflower wings and a burger with a side of fries. Everything was beyond my expectations of amazing. High recommend for anyone! I'm not a vegan by the way but this place will change your opinion. Best dine in experience. I'll go out and say best place in Wilmington (possibly the state of North Carolina) read more

Came for brunch. Does not disappoint. Booch mimosa for $5 - yes please. Great savory and sweet options for brunch and the regular menu is available. Kelsey was our server and is great. Attentive but not overbearing. Cauliflower wings split order with the Buffalo and raspberry sauces. Yum. But the buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy and fried chicken are amazing. I am still wary about eating out with the current Covid surge and joked that the gravy was worth risking getting Covid because it's so good. read more

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Arrived at their new location on Oleander, which is in the same strip mall as Pizzetta's. It's a bigger location with cute hippie decor. In the waiting area there is a cool front part of a vintage Volkswagen van. If you're only ordering kombucha and alcohol, go straight to the cashier/counter. If you want to eat, they have table service, so sit at one of the tables and someone will come and take your order. There is also bar and outdoor seating. Kombucha is what they are known for and this is the first time they are providing food. Their menu is the most creative vegetarian/vegan in Wilmington/New Hanover County. They use Beyond, Impossible, tempeh, seitan, prepared tofu, and Chick'n (from NC), but eventually, they want to make their own vegan meats. Impressively, they make their own focaccia bread, bread rolls, tortillas, and pita bread. Starters: My friend ordered the House hummus starter ($9), which came with three different kinds of hummus, carrot and celery sticks, and either toasted pita bread or tortilla chips. The types of hummus were original, red pepper, and white bean. The original one was the best tasting. The red pepper tasted like sweet potato, slightly sweet. The white bean is its name, tastes just like white beans. Also tried the Pierogies with sauerkraut, and local cultured cashew cream ($9). The Pierogies potato filling was good. They were pan-fried and dry, not doused in oil or butter. The cashew cream was surprisingly good, tasted just like sour cream. Really wanted to try the Swedish Veggie Balls starter, but they didn't receive the shipment for the ingredients, so these were not available. It's supposed to be made with Impossible and quinoa. Entrees/Handhelds: For entrees, I tried the peach Bourbon BBQ pulled Jackfruit ($13) sandwich. It was okay, wouldn't order again. Skytown Beer Company has a better jackfruit sandwich. I did enjoy the bread roll that was used for the sandwich, a fluffy yeast roll made with egg, almond milk, and flaxseed. My friend ordered the Corned Seitan Reuban ($12) and that tasted better than the jackfruit sandwich. It had grilled corned Seitan, red cabbage sauerkraut, microgreens, vegan swiss cheese, Russian dressing on a house-made Caraway focaccia bread. Sides: All of the handhelds come with a side. I chose the fermented fries with beetroot ketchup. The potatoes are fermented in a lacto salt brine overnight. The fries didn't taste anything different then your usual fries. They were salted well but were limp. The beetroot ketchup has a strong beet taste. If you don't mind that, then you might like it. My friend had the cucumber tomato herb rice salad. It tasted good, flavored with lemon and fresh mint. Didn't see any dessert offerings on the menu so hopefully they can add some in the future. Alcohol/kombucha: Beers offered are from local breweries. They also have 6 oz wines available and bottles of Prosecco. You can order flights of kombucha. Kombucha flavors were Goddess, Wild oats, Peach Ginger turmeric, Blueberry, knockout, triple berry Ginger, strawberry goji, and hemp. They didn't have written descriptions of what's in each kombucha, which would have been nice to have. Knockout is similar to blueberry lavender purple tea and has passionflower, which is supposed to be good for anxiety. Wild oats has lavender purple tea and Goddess has hisbiscus, mango. I sampled Goddess, Wild oats, Peach Ginger turmeric, and Blueberry kombucha. Out of the four I sampled, Goddess was my favorite. If you buy a lot of kombucha, download the "Clover - Earn perks nearby" app and check into Panacea with the cashier. When you buy 10 kombucha, you can get 1 free pint of kombucha with the Clover app. Even though it was very busy, our waitresses took notice when late party members arrived and came by to take their orders. Our food took a long time to arrive, but it was their first day of opening. We received great customer service overall. Can't wait to come back and try their other foods. read more

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Wonderful vegan food; especially Mother's Day brunch! I like the cauliflower tacos on their regular menu. Tasty house-made kombucha, too! read more

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Just moved to the area and went in here quick to get veg snack after getting my hair done... I got the raspberry sauced cauli wings which were amazingggg. The places vibe was really nice. I'll definitely be back for some more food and drinks :) read more

Unfortunately the food was not up to par. I got the arugula salad which was super small and lacked flavor. The trash burger was also not great....but it's also possible that the plant based option was the way to go! The service was also slow and the vibes weren't really there. read more

My wife is gluten free and have been looking for a solid gluten free place to eat at. We highly recommend Panacea especially for gluten free people. The price can get high but it's definitely worth it our waiter Shaun was very nice and talked us through all the gluten free options. It's a super chill place to eat great music and love the murals. read more

Panacea Brewing - Grandpas Cheesesteak with a gluten green bun, Greens, and Plant Based Queso - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Doesn't matter if you are vegan or not this place is great! Came in for an early bite to eat on a Thursday. We grabbed two seats at the bar and was taken care of by the bartender Nathan. His service was kind and appreciated which is hard to come by. Both of the house drafts we got were okay. Definitely not the highlight of this spot but is a great additive. The food on the other hand though is amazing. My significant other got the gyro which she loved and I got the tofu tacos. I'm not vegan and I honestly loved them..all of their food is that way! The atmosphere is relaxed, food is great, drinks are okay and service is stellar! Not a bad combo. read more

Panacea Brewing - House brewed drafts - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

This place is AMAZING. The staff is so nice, the food is so fresh and delicious, there are endless vegan options, they have solid wifi, and play amazing music inside. If you are vegan, this is the place to go in Wilmington area. they have indoor and outdoor seating and the vibe is just really laidback and chill. The staff even gave us recommendations for fun things to do in the area and other healthy vegan restaurants or farm to table restaurants to try while in town. We will be coming back to try the brunch here as will which the menu looks amazing for that. I added a picture of the brunch menu in the attachments! Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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The raspberry citrus tossed cauliflower wings are the best new dish I've had in a long time! As someone who had never had cauliflower before, I was pleasantly delighted! Our server was very kind and knowledgeable about the menu, including drinks. I am new to vegan dishes, but I am happy that my first experience was so delicious and reassuring that you're still getting flavor and healthier choices. This will definitely be my go-to vegan restaurant, and also the spot I recommend to friends looking for healthy and delicious meals. read more

So many options for vegetarians! And everything was delicious! We ordered take out, so didn't go in to the restaurant, but the process was smooth. Would definitely go back again to get the full extra. read more

I miss their gluten free options, very limited now. They have also gotten really expensive.

When my husband and I travel, we are always on the lookout for local breweries. If we see one, we will just stop and check it out. Much to my delight, when we sat down at the bar at Panacea, I discovered that they are a kombucha brewery! I can't drink beer due to allergies, but love breweries, so I am always excited when we run across a brewery that has other house brewed options for me. Also delightful is their menu, which I would be best described as vegan bar food. Not vegan? Based on what we snacked on, you won't know the difference, or won't care. The pimiento cheese dip with celery and pita was spicy, delicious and filling. I wish we'd known ahead of time, as we had dinner plans later, but I will happily return to try out more of the menu. They also had a selection of beers on tap, so if you're not a kombucha fan, they've got you covered. Also have a long list of non alcoholic kombucha choices. read more

I cannot give enough stars to the 100% vegan restaurant but don't tell your meat friends they'll never know the difference. The daily menu has lots of burgers, salads, tacos, sandwiches, wraps all delicious food, and then they have Sunday brunch which will blow your mind! The service is so good and attentive even with indoor outdoor seating and you HAVE to try their dessert. They make kombucha in house which is very popular but kombucha isn't my thing. They recently opened an extra side of the restaurant to expanse and it looks so beautiful just like the rest of the restaurant. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! My favorite in wilmington. read more

visited Panacea in between convention slots at UNCW, vegan food was delicious! very kind staff and welcoming atmosphere. would defintely come back next time i'm in wilmington. read more

Panacea Brewing - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I came seeking not kombucha, which may be perfectly good but which I've never gotten into, but instead looking for brunch. Their menu is entirely vegan, and they have indoor and outdoor seating and a bar. I wanted to try something that tasted local, and found they had grits (North Carolina is about the line for where eating grits for breakfast is a normal thing; maybe they do in parts of Virginia, but we certainly do not in DC or Maryland). The grits tasted cheesy, though presumably they were not, and came with a variety of sauteed mushrooms and fake meat. I'm not a big fake meat person, but the whole ensemble worked pretty well. Rather than try to sell myself on kombucha, I got a lemonade, which was large and tasty. It's a weird niche that this place lives in; it sort of feels like a Southern place, it sort of feels hippie. It sort of feels like a bar, sort of like a juice bar. I'm not one of those vegetarians who ate meat and then stopped for some ethical reason; I never wanted it to begin with. Likewise, I was never a drinker. So the bar atmosphere doesn't quite sit with me; something in my brain just intuitively says it's not a place for me, even though it is. I've been around the block with these things and I can't recall a vegetarian restaurant in the U.S. that's shooting for this sort of vibe (I can think of some in Australia). The place was full - inasmuch as a place can be with current restrictions - and with plenty of satisfied customers. As was I, I suppose, having received beautifully presented, interesting food. I'd definitely return to try dinner some time, and maybe give a chance to their signature beverage. read more

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Yay vegan bar food, and executed well to boot! Lovely draft selection of "booch" and beer, and the atmosphere was phantastic. read more

Panacea Brewing - the interior of the restaurant - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

**Now a standard restaurant with lots of vegan options** Since my original review I have some updates. Back in March of 2023 I ordered a takeout order and it included some buffalo cauliflower that was literally raw - the batter was gooey. I DMd them and they were very responsive and refunded me for that portion of the order. Mistakes happen and I get it and I'm glad I didn't get sick from raw flour (I reheated in my oven and they were great). Their food has always been "okay" so I went back a few times with friends. However, more recently, they announced that they were no longer going to be vegan because it was "inauthentic" to the owners own lives. I can get that - I understand wanting a business that reflects ones own values. However: 1) Why was it okay to be "inauthentic" for 4 years? 2) I saw a random Facebook comment from the owner saying, "If accolades and appreciation paid the bills, we wouldn't have had to make this pivot." So which is it? Was business not good enough for their liking or did they not like being "inauthentic" as people that don't keep a vegan diet? 3) They were vegan one day and serving meat the next. I can't imagine that there weren't practice runs with meat to train their staff before their go-live date, which means that Panacea stopped being vegan sometime before they made their announcement. That was duping their customers and potentially compromising the vegan community's own values. I DMd them to ask when they started having meat in the kitchen and have not received a response. The other two times I've DMd them I've heard back almost immediately so that's telling. None of this is a surprise. While I don't know the owners personally, this is a business that encouraged people to dine at their restaurant during peak Covid and publicly tore down another local restaurant owner because she was too big-time to meet their expectations of "local". Since they made the announcement about changing to a regular old omnivore restaurant they've trashed the vegan community pretty badly as though the vegan community has no right to be upset. I sometimes ignore the saying "If someone shows you who they are, believe them" but third or fourth time is the charm and I won't be going back to Panacea. The way they treat people doesn't sit well with me. Going with two stars instead of one because their kombucha is good and food has, thus far, been okay. Note: I'm not a vegan. read more

Letter from a carnivore, I came here on a whim for lunch with a friend and was blown away about how good everything this is here. We started with the loaded chili fries and holy cow. I don't k is what I expected but this stuff is fantastic and you can't tell it's a meatless dish! For an entree I had the daily special Greek Gyro and just like the fries is was indistinguishable from a meat based option. They also offer a rotation selection of kombucha on tap that pair well the entree's. There are too many options to choose just one so they offer flights of 4 that helps for us indecisive folks. They have plenty of outside seating on their patio and all the staff have masks so you definitely feel comfortable here. This an overall amazing place the food is fantastic the staff is extremely pleasant and happy. You definitely feel welcome here. I will be back many many more times read more

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Cauliflower wings are my new favorite food!!!! Sauces also delicious will definitely be on my list of places to go !!!!

If I could give 10 stars I would! This place is seriously amazing. There is no risk for cross contamination because everything here is vegan. And if you're a non-vegan I guarantee you will still love this food. This restaurant shows you that eating vegan doesn't have to be boring. The pimento cheese platter was the bomb. The smokehouse burger was so good. The regular cheeseburger was so good. The Carolina burger.....so good. The Thai noodle salad and the fries with beet ketchup were equally amazing. We could easily try every single thing on this menu and I'm confident that we would love it all. I cannot rave enough about this place. My husband had a beer- sticky icky I think- and he really enjoyed it. We rolled in an hour before closing and the staff were all incredibly nice and helpful. Do not pass this place up! read more

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As soon as I heard about Wilmington having a kombucha brewery, I knew a stop was in order for my visit to the city. It did not disappoint! This is the kind of place made for people like me. All the hippy vibes. There is plenty of comfortable seating and the overall ambiance just makes you want to say awhile, whether to do some work or hang out with friends. They had a large selection of beverages to include hard kombucha, beer from other local breweries, and regular kombucha in fun flavors such as hemp, peach mango, blueberry basil, and more. I loved that I could try as many flavors as I wanted without receiving any annoyed responses. I got my drink in a bottle to bring home. It's a great deal to refill whichever one you buy, when you return! They informed us that the kitchen was closed but they do offer some delicious sounding food. I will definitely add this spot into my rotation of must-stops when I'm in town. Check them out! read more

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The owners aren't just brewers, this is their craft and their love for brewing can be tasted in every swallow. Stay and talk to them for a minute and they'll share their story or tell you all about Kombucha and the brewing process. This hole in the wall brewery has a constantly changing menu of exotic flavors, often made with local ingredients the owners harvest or hunt for themselves. The quality and taste of the Kombucha drinks themselves are far beyond anything else I've ever tasted. These don't have the sour, "bad" taste of many Kombucha's. They taste fantastic, truly refreshing. If you haven't researched the health benefits of Kombucha and it's probiotics you should. I've become a regular customer and my insides are thanking me. Their prices are extremely reasonable, and even better if you buy one of their refillable bottles. My family buys a weeks worth at a time and we now look forward to our Saturday trips to taste test the weeks new flavors and get refills. read more

Panacea Brewing - Kombucha Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Super cute! I love all the bedazzled wall art and their decked out van parked in front. They have some cute shirts and merchandise for sale. We came in to try their kombucha (a first time for my friend). She got the pineapple hard cider per our server Stephanie's recommendation and I got the tropical punch nonalcoholic kombucha. We both loved our drinks!! The pineapple was smooth and easy to drink. The tropical had a stronger taste. It's what you would expect from a kombucha (a bit of a tangy sour flavor). She also gave us some menus and I was happy to find out everything was vegan. We weren't starving so we gave the tacos a try. We got one of each. We're not ranch fans so our server was kind enough to swap out our sauces. We got the agave Dijon (hands down my fav!) and the cilantro lime vinaigrette. The vinaigrette was good too, it had a nice sour kick. There was a banana flower taco, cauliflower taco, and a tofu taco. I didn't have a favorite since they were all good. The tofu taco we were gonna order without coleslaw. We're not huge coleslaw fans, but Stephanie talked us into it and I was pleasantly surprised. So glad I listened to her! She was so helpful throughout our dine in experience. She let me sample most of the nonalcoholic kombuchas before purchasing some bottles to take home. You can get a 16, 32, or 64 ounce bottle. The 16 ounce is $8. Highly recommend stopping in and giving them a try! read more

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So disappointed :( My boyfriend & I ate at this place while visiting Wilmington & being vegan, I was so excited to come across this place but wow we definitely had a bad experience. We waited 10-15 minutes before we were even greeted. We ordered the spinach & artichoke dip which wasn't bad. I ordered the Carolina Burger- which came out wrong (side & all). It was remade pretty quickly but it was honestly not even good. The "chilli" didn't even taste like chilli but the side of greens were good. My boyfriend ordered the Trash Burger which he did enjoy but it came out without the fried onions. Overall, food was ok, service was not good (our server was nice tho). read more