Raleigh restaurant vets dropping dining concepts at Gateway Plaza
Gateway Plaza is getting a serious foodie upgrade (!). Two restaurants are joining the up-and-coming shopping center just north of downtown: farm-to-fork vegan restaurant Fiction Kitchen (currently located in Downtown) and Mala Pata/Peyote, a twofer Latin American bar and restaurant collaboration between Locals Seafood’s Eric Montagne and Zack Gragg, Ex-Voto’s Marshall Davis, and Centro’s Angela Salamanca (talk about a star-studded team!).
Mala Pata’s menu will feature a variety of Latin American dishes showcasing the use of fresh masa, aka ground in-house from heirloom Mexican corn. Peyote, opening in tandem with the restaurant, will be a late-night ghost bar and market stall in the communal alleyway serving up to-go drinks, desserts, and bulk items from Mala Pata like fresh tortillas and tamales (!).
“We are excited to join the Gateway community alongside our friends at Fiction Kitchen,” says Salamanca. “We live in this neighborhood, and we are excited to see our corner turn into something vibrant.”
Meanwhile, Fiction Kitchen’s Carolina Morrison views the upcoming move to the plaza as a great opportunity to diversify and grow while still adhering to its sustainable and green approach (look out for new vegan menu items!). The new space will also allow Morrison to increase takeout capabilities.
“We plan to bring over the style that everyone knows as Fiction Kitchen. Our atmosphere has always been creative, playful and lively, just like our plates,” says Morrison. “We want to continue investing in the arts of our community members and employees, inside and outside the kitchen.”
Fiction Kitchen will remain open until the new space is complete. All three concepts are anticipated to open this summer. Stay tuned for updates!
