Neon Fig — Restaurant in Aiken County

We ate at Neon Fig for brunch this past Sunday and had a great experience. There were seven in our party. Each ordered a different menu item. I'll give you a brief rundown of what we each ordered and how it was enjoyed (or not). I ordered the yogurt bowl with a side of scrambled eggs and toast. The yogurt bowl had three of my favorite things on it - pistachios, blackberries, and honey. It was a delicious combination. The eggs were light and fluffy. They needed salt and pepper, but that's easily done at the table. The toast was, well, just toast. My hubby had the waffle and fried chicken, and really liked it. The chicken has a spicy buffalo coating that is well tempered by the honey dipping sauce. My son had the strawberry shortcake pancakes. He deemed them the best pancakes he's ever had. They were huge. He probably ate less than half and was full. You could probably easily share. My DIL had the turkey sandwich. She said it was good but she would probably order something else next time. My g-son ordered the Captain Crunch French toast. He loved it. It did look delicious. The challah bread is cut thick the coating is crispy/crunchy and topped with berries. Our daughter ordered the Monte Cristo. She loved it (and so did I). I tasted her's and I will definitely order it next time. My SIL ordered the avocado toast. It was probably the least favorite dish ordered. It looked lovely but he felt the toast needed to be toasted darker or be more substantial to hold up under the avacado and not get soggy. He also wished the avacado had been dressed with a little more kick. He thought it a little bland. Several people ordered bacon and while it wasn't the Benton's bacon, thick cut, peppered edge, maple coated experience, it was cooked to a perfect crispness. We didn't ordered cocktails, but the grapefruit mimosa, cappuccino, and coffee were all fine. Our waiter was attentive, and the staff were great at clearing plates and refilling drinks in a timely manner. The vibe is great with a somewhat upscale feel, but where you could still feel comfortable wearing jeans. We will go back for brunch and probably again in the evening to try the dinner menu. It's definitely a great addition to the downtown Aiken...

this used to be my favorite brunch place in aiken. i tried to come here this past sunday with five of my friends who were all in town for a special occasion. i specifically called that morning to book a reservation since we had a party of 6. the lady on the line told me dont worry about it and to just walk in. i was surprised by that since ive seen how the place fills up in the past but said ok and later arrived with my group.

the lady at the front tells us that its going to be a 20 minute wait. well... is that not why i called to try to book a reservation? ok fine. so we waited 30 minutes walking around downtown and returned. we waited 20 more minutes inside. there were still no inside seats available, so the lady offered us outdoor seats. if we were willing to split up our party into 2 separate tables. the lady says there were a lot of 6 person parties that came in post-church. ...you serious? this is the exact reason why people book reservations, and why i tried to book a reservation that got rebuffed. and thats specifically what i told her. we walked out promptly after.

i honestly dont believe ive ever seen such gross incompetence up front at a restaurant. if youre looking to get food in downtown or in aiken period, dont bother here. try a place thats more reliable. if you do end up there, well. go at your own discretion. and get the salmon bagel. ...

Southern-American fusion with fresh and mostly locally-sourced ingredients, vegan entrée options

Located in the heart of downtown Aiken, South Carolina, Neon Fig boasts big city flavor steeped in small town charm.

I’m a big fan of their brunch and late lunch menu. Sunday, Monday, or Wednesday is always a great time to pop in for a delicious meal with great service. Neon Fig also serves dinner Thursday, Friday and Saturday, though I’ve never ordered from that menu.

I can tell you about my favorite brunch items!

My usual vegetarian/ vegan go-to is the Farro Bowl with sautéed mushrooms and more atop locally sourced farro, a type of whole grain with a flavor very different from rice. It’s a hot dish perfect any time of year but especially during fall and winter.

On today’s visit I opted for the Quinoa Power Bowl, and holy smokes was it delicious. Chick peas, roasted corn, house-made pickled cabbage and green vegan dressing made this a culinary highlight of the week.

Best part: both of these entrees are just $12–incredibly budget friendly and health conscious options.

Their brunch menu also includes entrees with meat. Patrons often speak highly of the extra crispy Chicken Biscuit and Chicken and Waffles.

They have beer, wine and craft cocktails, too, though I’m most partial to their lavender...