Scratch Kitchen & Taproom — Restaurant in Apex

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Scratch Kitchen & Taproom in Apex, NC, and the experience left an indelible mark on my taste buds. My visit coincided with a delightful double date, and it turned out to be an evening of culinary bliss.

For my entrée, I opted for the Cast-Iron Chicken—a beer-brined, lemon-rosemary half chicken seared to perfection in a cast-iron pan, accompanied by a delectable side of butternut squash and caramelized Brussels sprouts. The portion was impressively generous, and the flavors were nothing short of extraordinary. The chicken was moist, flavorful, and expertly cooked, making it a standout dish. The accompanying sides of butternut squash and Brussels sprouts were equally delicious, adding a delightful balance to the meal. The $23 price tag felt like a steal for the quality and quantity of the dish—I even had the pleasure of enjoying some leftovers.

To kick off our meal, we indulged in the Green Tomato Stacks—an appetizer that showcased coconut-coated fried green tomatoes with layers of red pepper jam and coconut-scallion cream. Priced at $13, this appetizer was a symphony of flavors and textures. The crispy exterior of the tomatoes, combined with the sweet and savory notes of the red pepper jam and coconut-scallion cream, created a tantalizing combination that set the tone for the culinary journey that followed.

In addition to the exceptional food, what caught my attention was the restaurant's commitment to providing a memorable dining experience. Scratch Kitchen & Taproom has carved a niche for itself by infusing creativity into traditional dishes, making each visit a gastronomic adventure. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and the attentive service further enhanced our overall satisfaction.

As for the restaurant's history, I discovered that Scratch Kitchen & Taproom takes pride in sourcing high-quality, local ingredients, and the chef's dedication to crafting inventive dishes is evident in every bite. This commitment to excellence adds an extra layer of appreciation for the culinary journey they offer.

Scratch Kitchen & Taproom in Apex, NC, is a culinary gem that I highly recommend. From the flavorful and generously portioned dishes to the creative twists on traditional favorites, the restaurant exceeded my expectations. I am anticipating my next visit to savor more of their innovative offerings and, without a doubt, I wholeheartedly recommend this establishment to fellow food...

Having been a fan of the Apex location, the Cary location needs A LOT of work. Our table was dirty, the hostess was rude, the waiter could not answer questions about the gluten free options, and he completely disappeared (about 20 mins) when we needed our check making us late for our next event. Worst of all though is that they mark food that can be made gluten free with “gluten free available”, but they don’t tell you that the GF option is different than the description on the menu. They also don’t properly train their staff on what the GFA means. For example, I ordered the GFA breakfast skillet. The waiter asked how I’d like my potatoes, and when the food came out the potatoes were swapped with grits. Also, the waiter initially told me that anything with “GFA” on the menu was automatically gluten free - not that it actually meant the item could be made gluten free upon request. That is a BIG difference with dangerous consequences for the customer. I questioned his statement because in my experience, the GFA designation means you have to specifically request the food be prepared GF, otherwise it will not cone out GF. He told me that wasn’t the case, but I asked him to note it anyway on the order, and as described above, I received a different meal than I was expecting based on the waiter’s assertions. If I hadn’t insisted he specify GF on my order I would have received food as written in the menu that apparently that wasn’t safe for me to eat since the item I received was different than the item on the menu (i.e., the potato version listed on the menu was swapped out with grits). I would have eaten it thinking it was safe and gotten very sick. It’s disappointing and dangerous for people with food sensitivities. I appreciate that Scratch has added GFA options to their menu, but they clearly need to train their staff on what that designation actually means if they want to keep their patrons safe. They should also inform customers what the differing items are in the GFA option instead of assuming the customer will like the substitutions (i.e., I wouldn’t have ordered the meal if I knew it came with grits instead of...

My boyfriend and I took my parents out to dinner Saturday for their 42nd wedding anniversary. We arrived at 5:30p and the hostess told us our wait would be 45 minutes... We went to the bar to wait and have a drink or 2, but the bar was overly packed and we didn't want to deal with that. So we went to a bottle shop up the road, to have a beer while we waited. After about 45 minutes, we headed back, still without getting a text that our table was ready... After about another 30 minutes of waiting, I kindly went to the hostess and said, "When we first got here, you advised our wait would be 45 minutes, and it's been an hour 15." She apologized and said, "It should be another 10-15 minutes. People must be hanging out because it's cold outside and they're staying here to keep warm." Had we not waited that long already, we would've left. We finally got seated about 7pm. The server came by and grabbed our drink order, which we didn't receive until 7:20. 7:30 our meal was served. My dad scarfed down his burger because he was so hungry from waiting so long. My mom and I got the tuna salad. Her tuna was fatty and tough. She had to pick it apart to get a couple good bites. My boyfriend ordered the Fish Fry and was disappointed at the size of the fish portion. Did the food taste great though? Absolutely. Was it worth 2 hours of our lives waiting? Absolutely not. We will not be going back. There was an elderly 4-some that were very angry also, that they were told 45 minutes and waited also, an hour and a half. While our server was pleasant, you could see she was frazzled. The overall service, it's lacking. We decided during dinner, that the 4 of us will not be going back and we will not recommend this place to anyone. Sorry Scratch, maybe implementing "Reservations" and having the staff better trained to keep the dining room flowing, would help to give more reasonable wait times. Again, the food was great, but unfortunately, the 45 minute wait turning into a 90 minute wait, was ridiculous, and it's not...