Vegan-friendly
Organic
Western
Beer/Wine
Canadian
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Offers a selection of vegan choices, marked as such on the menu, which includes kale salad, seitan donair, nachos, vegetable stir fry, and a chocolate tofu pie. Uses mostly organic, local produce. Open Mon-Thu 11:30am-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-10:00pm, Sun 11:30am-9:00pm.
52 Reviews
First Review by KelseyApple
MelissaEverhart
Points +64
Vegan cheesecake - Edit
I love the seitan sandwich. I order it every time. You need to ask for vegan cheese. They also have a chickpea curry. And a vegan cheesecake that is to die for.
Read moreGuest
lamarks
Points +364
Really nice atmosphere, decent selection of vegan food - Edit
I had the rice bowl. It was very tasty. I was a little disappointed that the cheese they had for pizza was daiya but the other vegan options looked pretty good !
Read moreGuest
srf
Points +327
Many great vegan options - Edit
What a great find in Halifax! Many vegan options on the menu. Both the seitan sandwich and the tacos were excellent!
Read moreGuest
lmr1996
Points +51
Parfait! - Edit
Tout nous a plus, j’aurais d’ailleurs donné 5 étoiles si c’était possible! La bouffe était excellente et le service était amical et chaleureux. J’y retournerai sans hésiter!
Read morePros: Option véganes délicieuses!, Serveur très amical
Guest
rmacbriar@yahoo.com
Points +31
Wonderful Dinner - Edit
We happened to find this restaurant close to the hotel we were staying in. There were several vegan choices or things that could be made vegan. We had the beet salad, the veggie pizza, the lentil burger and shared the chocolate tofu pie. All was delicious. The service was friendly and timely. Hope to be back.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options Environmentally conscious
Cons: none
Guest
VegNat
Points +82
Loved it! - Edit
I tried the vegetable curry and it was amazing! Staff was very nice ! I recommend it!
Read morePros: All organic
Guest
Fyrwrks
Points +21
Good options local fare - Edit
Staff was very friendly and helpful! Food options were good, not a fully vegan menu, but lots of vegan items to choose from! Owners have also taken a good approach on environmental changes that I appreciated, including their policy on not offering water unless it is requested.
Read morePros: Vegan friendly restaurant, Friendly staff, Variety of options
Guest
itmustbebunnies
Points +166
Good food, nice atmosphere, friendly staff - Edit
We went for dinner and tried several of their vegan options. They are not labelled as vegan on the menu but the server pointed them out on request. Vegan pizza had a bit too much vegan cheese on it for my taste, but was still very good. Also tried the taco appetizers and salad, equally good. Very pleasant atmosphere.
Read morePros: Good food, Friendly staff, Central location
Cons: Vegan options not marked vegan on the menu
Guest
Peach89
Points +36
great for eating with omnivores! - Edit
Great vegan options. One of the few places in Halifax that also has seafood options for friends that still eat fish. Highly recommend the vegan Philly cheese! Chocolate pie was very rich and delicious. Great service too!
Read moreGuest
Yellowfern
Points +34
great food - Edit
love the food. and as it is one of the only vegan places in dartmouth I end up there once every few months, would be more often if it weren't for the priceyness. the owner is a proud activist for organics and local products so I always do love to support her.
Read moreGuest
maritov
Points +90
Decent Choice - Edit
This is a decent restaurant with options to meet pretty much any dietary need. We had a good lunch, though the service was a bit slow despite the restaurant being almost empty (we came on the late side). They offer a seitan sandwich, truly excellent raw tacos (don't miss them!) and a vegan chocolate pie.
Read morePros: location, raw tacos
Cons: slow service
Guest
Ryecatcher
Points +2218
For almost all occasions - Edit
Being more a pub than a restaurant as far as I am concerned, The Wooden Monkey is a well-patronized venue providing a varied menu. In being aware of environmental issues, using local produce where possible and creating a fireplace-room-like atmosphere, they seem to be a vivid hub for the Halifax community.
Read moreThe waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable, I felt very well advised. I had a vegan pizza which took some time to be ready, but I had been forewarned.
Their range of beers was quite amazing, really great! The pizza turned out fine, however, for some reason the dough was almost as hard as stone. It wasn't easy to cut even with a pizza knife.
All in all I enjoyed my visit there. Would definitely go again since there where several other dishes (and beers) on the menu which I would love to try.
Can easily be crowded, so call in advance to reserve a table if you want to be sure to get one without having to wait.
Pros: plenty of (clearly marked) vegan options, very knowledgeable staff, great vibes
Cons: pizza dough hard as stone, crowded, rather expensive
Guest
Nicholas.r
Points +22
awsome place - Edit
i really loved the lentil burger (with no honey mustard on it ofcourse) and the waiter was very animated! worth coming too. i will likely come back next time im in town
Read moreGuest
HalifaxGardener
Points +16
Great place to eat - Edit
I enjoy eating at this restaurant because they are many vegan options, but I can also eat with my non-vegan friends and everyone is happy. Nice selection and understanding staff.
Read moreThey fully support the idea of organic and local sustainability. Businesses like this are doing a great job in the face of all the corporate chains out there.
Guest
Friendlyjj
Points +43
awesome restaurant. - Edit
Flew in from calgary and was fortunate enough to find this gem. What a great place to eat. We were served by charlie. His service incredible. The food was amazing. The atmosphere was really fantastic.
Read moreGuest
trematode
Points +149
No complaints - Edit
I've been going to The Wooden Monkey on and off since about 2006. Although I have heard some negative things about the restaurant, I have not had any negative experiences so far.
Read moreThere are many options that are vegan or can be made vegan. There are gluten-free options as well, including a vegan gluten-free pizza crust.
Before going gluten-free, I loved their seitan donair. It satisfied my cravings for donair sauce. Since going gluten-free, I prefer their dinner menu because there are a few more options that are vegan as well. Last time I went for dinner, I had the curry. The portion was big and it was delicious. I also recommend the salads and the chocolate tofu pie.
Service can be a little slow but they warn you of that ahead of time. Staff seem to be very knowledgable about dietary requirements and allergies.
I've taken friends and family of mine, who eat meat, and they enjoy The Wooden Monkey as much as I do.
Pros: many vegan options, delicious food
Cons: expensive
Guest
Richard Myers
Points +765
Always good - Edit
Whenever I have been in Halifax I have usually eaten here. Over the years the location of the restaurant has changed and the menu has evolved but the food has remained consistently good. It is not always easy to find a vegan meal when I travel but this place has been a constant. This time around, I had the veggie curry and it was excellent with just the right amount of spice.
Read morePros: Always some vegan choice, Pleasant atmosphere, Central location
Guest
TheVeganPeach
Points +9853
Vegan Food Yums! - Edit
The Wooden Monkey may not be a fully vegan restaurant but they offer a large assortment of vegan options. The restaurant itself is absolutely adorable. I love the old architecture and warm decor. The seitan donair is a new favourite of mine. It's absolutely amazing and the first time I can say I really liked seitan. The servers were very friendly and accommodating.
Read morePros: Great vegan options, Delicious, Fast
Cons: Expensive
Guest
RobinJewers
Points +24
Favorite place when in Halifax - Edit
YOU HAVE TO GO!!!!
Read moreoh man, I can't even tell you the things i love on the menu, as i love it all, but the seitan sandwich and lentil burger are among my top 10 for sure. This place really caters to everyone in your group (especially us who always substitute something) very friendly staff, and just amazing!!! LOVE IT HERE, go every time Im back in Halifax.
Pros: Amazing fresh food, friendly staff, cater to everyone
Cons: lineups when busy
Guest
jenly
Points +241
Wooden Monkey offered welcome veg options - Edit
My family ate here twice during a four day vacation stay in Halifax. I had planned to eat here more often, but after two trips we exhausted most of the veg options on the menu. During our visits we sampled the roasted chickpea salad, blackened tofu, seitan pita, children's spaghetti and children's pizza, chocolate tofu pie, blueberry pie and a couple of other things I am forgetting. The salads were quite nice and all the vegetables fresh. My husband requested the soy cheese on the seitan pita and he enjoyed it. I found the blackened tofu to be bitter and was a bit disappointed. The chocolate tofu pie was good and the blueberry pie could have been better. The menu also offered the possibility of soy creme brulee, which sounded intriguing, but both times the flavors of the day didn't sound that appealing.
Read moreWe did not try the soy cheese pizza, but that no doubt a welcome option for vegans. My children hated the tomato sauce that came with their pasta, which was quite annoying because they could have eaten plain spaghetti with margarine anywhere. Even though there was a separate children's menu, it was a generic menu that didn't offer more to vegetarian children than most restaurants.
The food was good, but as other reviewers have noted, it was nothing to write home about. It seems to have a loyal fan base because it was quite busy both times we were there, but most people seemed to be ordering fish dishes. It is a bright and airy restaurant, but also a bit loud, and the prices are definitely upscale. If I were to find myself in Halifax again, I would return, but I wouldn't trip over myself racing to go back.
Pros: veg options, quality produce, friendly staff
Cons: could use more veg options, loud, pricey
Guest
Tabitha Grimalkin
Points +21
Amazing Place - Edit
We're in Halifax for a few days and I'd heard all about the Wooden Monkey. It was even better than I'd expected! I had a delicious vegan pizza and a soy brulée for dessert. It is so great to find a place that is so willing to provide vegan options. It is a cozy, funky place -- comfortable, not at all pretentious.
Read morePros: Great food, Great atmosphere, Friendly Staff
Guest
DalVeg
Points +32
Sadly ...the veg meals were bad. - Edit
I am not impressed with the Wooden Monkey in terms of vegetarian/vegan dishes. I have eaten at the restaurant twice (I went a second time hoping my first bad experience was a fluke).
Read moreThe first time I split the vegan nachos and had the lentil burger. The nachos were nothing to rave about. The vegan cheese was ok, but too expensive (we had to pay way more to get it). For a restaurant that claims to be so accommodating to vegans, they sure don't make veganizing meals easy or affordable! The lentil burger was pretty tasteless (I could only taste the bread surrounding it) and the accompanying potatoes were just okay.
The second time I had the rice bowl and the chocolate tofu pie. The rice bowl was terrible. What a weird combination: seaweed, almonds, and cucumbers topping rice. The worst part was that it included tofu... plain tofu. Not cooked, not seasoned! Everyone knows that plain tofu is gross! The dessert, however, was phenomenal. So rice and smooth, with a unique nut-based crust; I was in chocolate heaven.
I like everything about the Wooden Monkey (the owner is cool, their mission is great, the staff are so nice, the furniture is re-used, they use local) ...BUT I hate their vegan/vegetarian dishes. I think they need a veg chef to join their staff in order to improve in the veg department.
Pros: Local products used, Cozy, "recycled" atmosphere, Non-veg options
Cons: Expensive, Won't take reservations, Small serving sizes for the steep prices
Guest
Ken4057
Points +1200
Meh - Edit
I had the seitan sandwich with vegan soy cheese as did so many of the reviewers. Meh. The seitan was bland, the sandwich was small, and it fell apart quickly. My lady friend had a pasta dish that was very unmemorable.
Read moreAt least the staff were very aware of veganism and what ingredients were in each dish. Rare for an omni restaurant on the east coast.
The decor rocks.
Wouldn't go back even if I lived there.
Pros: great location and interior, knowledgeable about ingredients
Cons: bland, expensive
Guest
marturey
Points +199
Decent food yet a bit pricey - Edit
The Wooden Monkey recently moved from Argyle to Grafton Street and the new location is quite nice. For lunch two of us shared a seitan sandwich served with fries ($13) and a chickpea and nori salad ($11). There wasn't too much of the thinly shaven seitan in the sandwich. Since we are vegan we ordered the sandwich without cheese and it was a little bit bland. The salad was tasty albeit small. The ambiance in the restaurant is quite friendly and the service was attentive. The restaurant was quite busy during lunch hour. In terms of value I found the portions small for the price but this is a decent choice and quite a popular restaurant in Halifax.
Read morePros: Decor/Ambiance, Service
Cons: Expensive, Portions
Guest
KelseyApple
Points +89
not impressed - Edit
The decor (wood brought down in hurricane Juan makes up the entire interior of this restaurant) is about the only thing of interest here. The portions, especially desserts, were tiny and the price was steep. My seitan sandwich was alright but nothing special and for the price, I would prefer to have gone to Heartwood where I would have gotten a full plate of tasty food for around the same.
Read moreGuest
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