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Fiction Kitchen to Close Permanently Nov. 14

The Raleigh vegan restaurant will serve its final Sunday brunch on Nov. 8 before closing for good.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Dining Out

Empty restaurant dining room with upturned chairs on bare wooden tables, warm afternoon light through tall windows and a potted plant on the sill.
Fiction Kitchen, a Raleigh all-vegan restaurant open since 2013, will close permanently on Nov. 14 after its final Sunday brunch on Nov. 8. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Fiction Kitchen, an all-vegan restaurant in Raleigh, will close its doors for good on Saturday, Nov. 14. Its owners announced the closure in an Instagram post, and the restaurant will serve its final Sunday brunch on Nov. 8.

Why it matters

The closure ends a 13-year run for one of Raleigh's known vegan dining spots and follows a series of relocations and a September crowdfunding effort to avoid layoffs. The owners said the move to Gateway Plaza did not restore business after a lingering COVID-era downturn, and cited health concerns in deciding to close.

Fiction Kitchen opened in 2013 and has operated for 13 years, with its final Sunday brunch on Nov. 8 and closing on Nov. 14. A crowdfunding campaign in September collected more than $25,000 to avoid layoffs, though the source does not say how many jobs were at stake.

The players

Fiction Kitchen

An all-vegan restaurant that has operated in Raleigh since 2013 and is the subject of the closure announcement.

Caroline Morris

Co-owner of Fiction Kitchen who, with Siobhan Southern, announced the restaurant's closure.

Siobhan Southern

Co-owner of Fiction Kitchen who, with Caroline Morris, announced the restaurant's closure.

The details

Fiction Kitchen opened on Davie Street in Downtown Raleigh in 2013, closed that location in 2024, and relocated to Gateway Plaza as a pop-up before opening a permanent space there in 2025. The owners, Caroline Morris and Siobhan Southern, announced the closure in an Instagram post on Tuesday, and have encouraged customers to use gift cards before Nov. 14.

Timeline

  1. 2013: Fiction Kitchen opens on Davie Street in Downtown Raleigh.

  2. 2024: The original location closes and the restaurant relocates to Gateway Plaza as a pop-up.

  3. 2025: A permanent space opens at Gateway Plaza.

  4. Nov. 8: The restaurant serves its final Sunday brunch.

  5. Nov. 14: Fiction Kitchen closes permanently.

Culture Shift

The owners attributed the closure in part to a COVID-era downturn that persisted after their move to Gateway Plaza, meaning relocation alone did not restore business. The case shows how independent restaurants with niche menus can struggle to rebuild patronage years after the pandemic.

Diners who hold Fiction Kitchen gift cards should use them before Nov. 14, when the restaurant closes permanently. Raleigh residents who favored the vegan menu will need to find another option for plant-based dining in Gateway Plaza.

The takeaway

Customers who want to support a closing restaurant can redeem gift cards promptly and visit during the final brunch on Nov. 8, which is the last chance to dine there before the Nov. 14 closure.

What happens next

Fiction Kitchen's final Sunday brunch is scheduled for Nov. 8, and the restaurant closes for good on Nov. 14.

Further reading

Explore more local restaurant news in Dining Out.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Durham Herald Sun.

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