The story behind the Raleigh cafe that earned raves from a national food reviewer
Tucked on a small side street in downtown Raleigh, the exterior of A Place at the Table makes it seem like any other of the city’s casual eateries.
But the warm welcome from smiling volunteers greeting those at the front door of the brightly colored cafe is reminiscent of visiting an old friend — and that’s one of the many reasons the restaurant got a rave review this week from social media star Keith Lee.
When the former MMA fighter turned “food critic” announced he was coming to North Carolina, the restaurant recs poured into the comments of his Instagram and TikTok posts.
Many of his local foodie fans beamed with city pride watching the video of his first stop in Raleigh: A Place at the Table, the city’s first pay-what-you-can cafe.
The nonprofit cafe, run by N.C. State graduate Maggie Kane, opened in the former Cafe de los Muertos spot about seven years ago. But for years before then, it had been a staple of the community with monthly pop-up brunches and outreach events, The News & Observer previously reported.
Inspired by the model working in Boone’s F.A.R.M. Cafe and other similar restaurants across the country, it’s designed to “provide community and good food for all regardless of means” with multiple options to cover your meal:
Paying the suggested price.
Donate a minimum amount for a meal.
Volunteer at least an hour in the restaurant.
Pay using a PLACE Card.
Pay it forward for other diners.
“This is a place that we feel, for people with means, is a great cause,” Kane previously said. “You’re helping support someone who can’t afford it.”
Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, the cafe serves sandwiches, soups, salads and more made with locally sourced ingredients prepared by its in-house culinary crew, with support from volunteers who help greet diners at the door and deliver food to tables.
In its first year in business, A Place at the Table gave away 8,159 meals to diners, among more than 40,000 total meals served, The N&O reported, with $136,000 in donations.
Since 2020, 35,238 meals have been served and $62,000 worth of meals has been donated, according to the cafe’s website.
Surprise food tour stop from Keith Lee
When news dropped that Raleigh would be a stop on the “Familee Food Tour Show” in the Carolinas, the cafe’s team began publicly pleading with the community on social media to get them on Keith Lee’s radar.
Then Tuesday afternoon, May 13, in the middle of a meeting outside the cafe, Kane and her coworker were shocked when they spotted him strolling up to grab a bite.
“We had absolutely no idea…She looked and I kind of looked and she was like, ‘That’s him,’” Emily Weidman, director of partnerships and community engagement, told The News & Observer. “We definitely just jumped out of that meeting and had to move on.”
From there, Lee and his family got a true taste of the cafe with one of its newest menu options: chicken and waffles with hot honey on the side, which he rated 8 out of 10.
“If you gave me this and didn’t tell me where it’s from, I would one thousand percent think you got it from a brunch spot and you paid $30 for it,” he said in his video. “It’s seasoned really well, it’s spicy from the hot honey. The waffle, itself, is sweet and fluffy. This is a really good meal.”
Keith Lee’s kudos for the cafe’s mission
But beyond the bite, Lee seemed most impressed with the cafe’s mission and community impact, saying that “places like this, people like this and cities like this” are why he loves doing what he does with his platform.
“Restaurants like this are the pillar of communities and to be able to support them means everything to me,” Lee said. “So, as always, after this, I pray and hope that they continue to reach their target audience.”
Like during many of his “food tour” visits, he left a donation to A Place at the Table, along with a personal graduation gift of $1,000 for one of its longtime volunteers, 18-year-old Zach Headen, who is heading to Howard University in the fall.
“Zach was instrumental in getting him here. He messaged us on staff over the weekend and was like, ‘Keith Lee’s coming to Raleigh. We’ve got to get him here. This will put Table on the map,’’” Weidman explained. “Our whole community showed up through social media, commenting and DM-ing him and trying to tag us and everything to get him here…It’s just super cool how people show up for this place.”
With previous features on “Today” and “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” A Place at the Table has been in the spotlight before, so Kane is thankful for even more exposure of their mission to serve those in the Triangle.
“Having Keith come and show support is huge for us,” Kane told The News & Observer. “There are tons of people that live in Wake County that do not know about A Place at The Table so I think this just helps us get what we’re doing out even more.”
This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "The story behind the Raleigh cafe that earned raves from a national food reviewer."
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