The savory aroma of Chef Andrew Gravens frying catfish to crispy perfection greets diners waiting to order from A Place at the Table in Raleigh. Catfish, jambalaya, and shrimp and grits are often part of the restaurant’s hotly anticipated Friday specials — inspired by the years that Gravens spent living in Louisiana.
Besides the Cajun-inflected entrées, customers sitting inside or at tables on the colorfully painted sidewalk outside can enjoy house-made biscuits, cinnamon rolls, and sandwiches — the turkey-bacon-avocado club is so popular that it’s always on the menu.
People experiencing food insecurity find a supportive environment at A Place at the Table. Many of the café’s workers volunteer their labor in exchange for a meal. photograph by Alex Boerner
Maggie Kane opened A Place at the Table in 2018. photograph by Alex Boerner
A Place at the Table looks like other Raleigh cafés, serving simple dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. The difference? It’s the city’s first pay-what-you-can café. “We want everyone to feel welcome to come in and have a meal that’s made to order with fresh ingredients and served with a bit of normalcy and caring,” says Maggie Kane, who opened the restaurant in 2018.
There are several options for customers to choose from when they step up to order a meal: pay full price, pay less, or volunteer in lieu of payment. Diners can also donate meals by purchasing PLACE Cards. The cards allow those who may be experiencing food insecurity to present them at the cash register without embarrassment. About 50 percent of diners pay full price or more, and the rest pay less or volunteer for their meals.
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Kane became involved with people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity while she was a student at North Carolina State University. After graduating in 2013, she wanted to open a café modeled on one of the state’s first pay-what-you-can restaurants, F.A.R.M. Cafe in Boone.
“There’s nothing wrong at all with soup kitchens,” Kane says. “They’re important. But I wanted to do something different, to offer people a choice, and let them know that this is a place where they can make connections. Besides food insecurity, there can be community insecurity.”
Liz Summers has volunteered at the café since it opened. photograph by Alex Boerner
Kane and her staff realize that for people in vulnerable situations, support can take many forms. That’s why “community” comes first in the nonprofit restaurant’s mission statement: Providing community and good food for all, regardless of means. “We use food to build community,” says Sophia Woo, the restaurant’s director of operations and finance. “And it applies to anybody and everybody. We all need food, and we all need community.”
Woo has seen connections of all kinds form at the restaurant. She’s seen people experiencing homelessness who volunteer to receive a meal and continue to come back to work because they’ve gained a sense of purpose and belonging. And finding community isn’t limited to those who are experiencing food insecurity: Retirees who can pay for their food but crave connection may volunteer at the café. New residents of the high-end apartment tower located above the restaurant may come in to get to know the city and find a friendly space. No one has to justify their reasons for being there or for needing a meal. “I don’t ask questions,” Kane says.
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As a nonprofit, A Place at the Table operates with a 15-member board of directors that assists with fundraising and strategy. The café’s paid staff of 20 includes kitchen workers, baristas, and Chef Gravens. Nearly 200 volunteers do the rest of the work each week, from cleaning and mopping to running plates out to tables. If someone wants to work for a meal, they’re trained on the spot.
Of course, a café is all about food, and Kane doesn’t want A Place at the Table to be good for a pay-what-you-can café. She wants it to be a good place to eat. Period. This café, however, will always serve more than what’s on the menu.
“When food insecurity and community insecurity needs are met, then you’re able to pick your head up and think about the future,” Woo says. “It’s the start of having hope for tomorrow.”
A Place at the Table
300 West Hargett Street, #50
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 307-8914
tableraleigh.org
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