Element Gastropub: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

If you want a fully vegan meal in downtown Raleigh, Element Gastropub is the answer. The restaurant is 100% plant-based, meaning every dish, cocktail, and beer pairing on the menu arrives without animal products of any kind, including honey. It’s been running that way since 2018, and it’s pulled in over 1,800 Google reviews with a 4.7 average to prove the concept works.

What’s vegan and vegetarian at Element Gastropub

Everything. This isn’t a restaurant with a vegan section tucked at the bottom of the menu. Element is a fully vegan establishment, so you don’t have to cross-reference ingredient lists or ask the server to hold the cheese. The whole menu is yours. That includes pub staples like nachos, wings, and burgers, plus weekend brunch options like Chik’n and Waffles and breakfast burritos. They also run a 20-tap NC craft beer wall and a full cocktail menu, both of which fit the plant-based model.

Signature dishes to order

The Elemental Burger shows up in almost every review and earns the attention. If you’re visiting for brunch, the Chik’n and Waffles is the move. The Buffalo Wings and loaded nachos are crowd-pleasers for groups. On the lighter side, the Kale Caesar Salad hits well. The menu rotates seasonally, so a Fall 2025 update added plant-based steak, shrimp, and waffles options. Worth checking the current menu before you go, since the lineup shifts.

How to order

You can dine in, pick up, or get delivery through DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub. The restaurant also takes reservations via OpenTable, which is worth booking on weekends since downtown Raleigh gets busy. Online ordering is available directly at order.elementgastropub.com if you want to skip the third-party apps. They handle catering and private events too, so it’s a solid choice for groups.

What to watch out for

Hours here are not what you’d expect from a restaurant that describes itself as serving breakfast. The visitraleigh.com listing and OSM data show Tuesday through Saturday service with a lunch break in the middle (roughly 11am-2pm, then 4-9pm or 10pm), and limited Sunday hours around brunch. Monday is closed. Hours have shifted over time across different listings, so confirm directly with the restaurant before making a trip. Gluten-free options are available and labeled on the menu, though the restaurant hasn’t published a specific cross-contamination policy, so if you have celiac disease, it’s worth a quick call to confirm kitchen protocols.

Is Element Gastropub worth it?

Yes, especially if you want a fully vegan meal in a pub setting rather than a health-food context. Element leans into comfort food and craft drinks, not smoothie bowls and grain bowls. That makes it an easy recommendation for mixed groups where one person is vegetarian or vegan and the rest aren’t, since the menu reads like a normal gastropub menu. With a 4.7 Google rating across 1,800-plus reviews and a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice award, it’s earned its reputation. It’s the most reviewed fully vegan restaurant in the Raleigh area by a wide margin.