Kitchen fire reported at Brewery Bhavana in downtown Raleigh
A fire was reported Thursday at downtown Raleigh restaurant Brewery Bhavana.
Firefighters responded to the call at 218 S. Blount St. A WRAL News crew observed a lot of smoke coming from the restaurant.
According to the Raleigh Fire Department, the fire was contained to a cooking device in the kitchen.
The health department will inspect the restaurant before it can reopen to the public.
A spokesperson told WRAL News the fire produced a lot of smoke but was contained to the kitchen area.
Since opening in March 2017, Bhavana has received numerous awards including being named one of the 10 Coolest Places to Eat in the World in 2018 by Forbes and one of Bon Appetit's 10 Best New Restaurants in America. The restaurant was also named a semi-finalist for a James Beard Award in 2018.
During the COVID pandemic in 2020, the restaurant became the focus of allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate workplace conduct. Former employees came forward to WRAL, describing an environment that involved the objectification of male and female employees, allegations of sexual assault and a culture of silence.
