- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Gorilla Food
Categories: Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Live/Raw Food Vegan, Live/Raw Food [Edit]
436 Richards StreetSuite 101
Vancouver, BC V6B 2Z4
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 684-3663
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 6 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
67 reviews for Gorilla Food
Review Highlights
-
"The tamarind sauce for the Thai Wraps is addictive." In 4 reviews -
"I paired this item with the Strawberry Almond Shake." In 4 reviews -
"Atmosphere: Amazon jungle meets underground cafe." In 11 reviews
Loading...
- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
67 reviews in English
-
Review from Purdy J.
5/10/2012
Yummy raw food restaurant with a variety of meals from salads, burgers, pizzas, soups and sandwiches.... All raw, no cooking required. They also have a huge menu of delicious drinks including smoothies, mylkshakes and juices. I love that you can get a tasty, healthy drink that tastes good without all the added sugar and additives in most beverages.
Their apple nut granola is yummy but I warn you that the flavour is an acquired taste. I think this is the case with many of the raw food items.
Small restaurant in the basement of a building but i see it as a nice "hide-away from the busy world" atmosphere and you can even see your food being prepared in their open kitchen.
Lots of desserts and other food you can take home such as granola, seeds and dried fruit. May seem a little pricey but if you consider the quality of the ingredients and time required to prepare the food, it is well worth it!
Great for those who are Gluten free, dairy free, and of course vegan and raw loving foodies. -
Review from Dee B.
4/23/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Sold!
I am gluten/dairy/soy free so this place is awesome for me.
I munched on the lasagne and the Blue Green hempseed shake. For dessert, I tried one of their walnut chocolate tarts.
I would have never thought that raw/vegan food could be so good. While I realize it's not raw or vegan, I hate the Naam because everything tastes like dirt and the restaurant itself smells really bad. I sort of expected the same for Gorilla Food. Well holy rawproteinballs did they prove me wrong!
The lasagne doesn't taste like your Italian grandmothers lasagne by any means, but it's flavourful, well textured and FULL of veggies. The "raw"cotta made of walnuts and I don't know what else is such a pleasant surprise. My shake was amazing and I'd drink it every day if I could. The dessert was to die for. You'd never know you're eating something raw or vegan.
I give 4 stars because, yes it's pricey. BUT, you need to keep in mind the quality of the whole food you are eating. Everyone knows that organic whole food is not cheap and it's definitely not cheap when the restaurant has overhead to pay.
I will definitely be back to sample some more awesome food! -
Review from Isabelle G.
Vancouver, BC
4/22/2012
Although I do not subscribe to the whole Raw Food diet, I am gluten and sugar free, therefore, there are menu choices that are right for me. I stumbled upon this place by taking the long way to the Fan Expo this weekend and appreciated that it is was a healthier option that fast food fries.
I had a semi bad experience at Indigo Raw Foods (I've concluded that it was the Raw Food pizza), however, upon examination of their menu, I realize that I already use 95% of the ingredients in my own diet.
I can actually eat the dessert here as it is sweetened with dates.
The prices bothered me a bit, it is really expensive. A part of me understands since the cost of produce, especially avocados is expensive, however, at the same time, something small like a raw cocoa date truffle for $4 was a bit bothersome.
It's not a meal type place, however, good for a snack to keep you going while you're checking out the rest of the comic con.
The lady at the til was friendly and was patient enough with my culinary inquiries, especially since I am knew to the knowledge of the whole raw food diet. She was triple tasking which was a little annoying 'cause service was slower than it should've been. I get it that it is a small place so I can't really fault her completely, however, she didn't seem to have her priorities in order.
I ordered a slice of avocado lemon cake. After taking payment, she should've taken 2 minutes to put my cake on a plate and send me on my way. There was no information that needed to be taken to the kitchen, however, she actively chose to make me wait 10 minutes for a pie. The pie itself was good, an acquired taste.
Having not been on the Raw Food diet, I can't say if it was good or not, however, it was defiantly a taste bud challenge for me. The green soup I ordered had to be cold since you can't cook anything above a certain temperature. It was bland tasting, however, lived through it.
I didn't tip 'cause there was no real waiter service and the prices are unreasonably high as is, therefore, I am sure that the establishment is covered enough.Listed in: Favorite Gluten Free spots
-
Review from Karen G.
Vancouver, BC
5/21/2012
Yummy, interesting food. Smoothies and sandwiches are great. Love it.
-
Review from Jayna B.
Coquitlam, BC
The menu is exciting for someone who's trying to enjoy a vegan/raw diet....and its super yummy too! I love their assortment of sweets although they did seem quite pricey. ($2.50 for a tiny cookie the size of a quarter?!) I understand the ingredients are super high quality and some dishes quite labor intensive so I get it. I ordered the green curry bowl and was so shocked and impressed with how much flavor there was. Delicious!!!
Two pseudo-complaints:
1) not much seating
2) indifferent/ careless person at front counter. She left me standing there, waiting like a dumb-ass for a long time before even greeting me. When she finally
Got to me, she said "hi. I did a transaction while I was waiting for you. We do things fast here." hmmmm....alright....
I'm going back- next time, I'll be sure to tell the girl at the front that the place would feel a whole lot warmer if she'd only smile a little. ;) (maybe they're trying to keep it cold so as not to over-heat the vegetables? Hahaha man I'm corny!)
...enjoy! -
Review from John R.
Winnipeg, MB
Updated - 5/1/2012
Trying to eat better while on trips especially and having eaten at raw restaurants before this appealed to me. Made it by here twice on this trip enjoyed the burger, and the pizza they make but the smoothie was the high lite. Compared to some other similar places in other cities their prices are reasonable. Yes on some future trip I can see myself here for a meal.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/19/2011
Made it by here on a just after work one day, and I was pleased, the service was great, and the food… Read more »
-
-
Review from Nelson D.
Vancouver, BC
12/9/2011
Food is great!
Flavor is great!
Variety great!
The Price . . . Way to expensive for the size "amount of food"
In order to fill full you end paying around $20 for lunch..
Not a good option if your are hungry. -
Review from lucinda k.
Vancouver, BC
12/17/2011
Man oh man, was I hoping gorilla lived up to my expectations... Having had the pleasure to experience Live! Organic Food Bar in Toronto for 5 years, I know what a raw restaurant can (and should) be- and it's not Gorilla:( (on that note, go to Live! if you're inT.O. :) )
The Good:
Ok food
Friendly service
Ok atmosphere
The Not-So-Good:
Table waiting prices for pretty much self- serve style. Really is overpriced: very small portions (I had the tiny GO burger and a Green Juice)- and was not satisfied after the almost $20 meal (including tip)! Ended up completing my meal at Whole Foods...
The quest for a great vegan resto in Vancouver continues... -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
9/25/2011 1 photo
I am by no means the target market for Gorilla Food's vegan, raw, gluten-free, sugar-free menu. But the atmosphere of the place is hard to resist - kind of jungle-meets-basement - and cheerful, even on a dank Vancouver day.
The menu is surprisingly long for a cafe with what could be seen as a limiting cuisine - no heat, no meat, no wheat - and all organic too. It includes soups, pizza (on sprouted seed crusts - kind of like a giant cracker with toppings), sandwiches, and salads. The mains, from which I chose Rawmein, are also basically salads with their "zucchini 'new'dles" i.e., shredded zucchini.
My favourite part of the meal was the almond shake, Strawberry Bliss variety. It was so sweet and creamy, you would not believe it was based on pureed almonds. On my way out (still a little hungry) I grabbed a little chocolate truffle - made from cocoa sweetened with dates, I'm told. I tried not to blanch at paying almost $4 for the tiny thing, but it was pretty good as well.
It's kind of expensive for raw veggies, seeds and nuts, creatively prepared and presented, but Gorilla Food is oddly lovable, for one and all.Listed in: One on the town
-
Review from Amy T.
9/23/2011
This place is tough for me. It could be that I just don't enjoy raw food. I mean, the quality ingredients were there, the service was friendly, (although super slow) and even though I feel healthy, I feel the need to chow down on something in the junk food category.
I tried the green curry wrap, the dreamy avocado carrot and ginger soup and the gorilla salad.
The soup was drinkable as I love avocado. Since it's a raw food place, it cannot be cooked over a certain temperature so it was just a bit over room temperature. The gorilla salad was a mixture of mineral rich leafy greens, chili almonds, pate, olives, sprouts, avocado, almond, hempseed. It was uh... interesting. After 5 bites, you really do feel like you're chewing on monkey food. My jaw was tired from chewing so much and if I were in eating in front of a mirror, I'd look like a cow grazing grass.
Now keep in mind that I'm not a fan of this taste, but others might be.
Also the wait was ridiculously long. We waited 40mins for our food. It doesn't even require cooking!Listed in: No thank you, ma'am!!!
-
Review from Megan S.
12/13/2011
This place keeps me drifting back every once in a while when my body is craving the healthiest of all possible health food. This place is also nowhere near my office, so when I pick up lunch here I'm also getting in a good 45-minute brisk walk, too!
I'm not a raw foodist, a vegan or a vegetarian (I sometimes jokingly refer to myself as a meat-eating-vegan because I don't eat dairy, which is a quick way to piss off a real vegan, but I digress...) I've sampled quite a bit of their menu and there are definitely some amazing standouts - things that could be served in any restaurant and appeal to even the most carnivorous among us. The jungle coleslaw is nothing short of phenomenal and the hempstar smoothie is like a rich, creamy iced chai latte that's actually good for you. I don't really get the whole burger on a lettuce leaf thing, but I think it would be better than ordering it with the flax bun...I did that once, and had no idea how to eat the damn thing. Finally ended up smashing it with my fork and eating it sort of like a f*%$ed up taco salad. It was pretty yummy though.
Sadly, the menu has a lot of disappointing items too...definitely too many, overall, to get a solid 4 star rating from me. Not too impressed with their alfredo - although I adore the zucchini noodles, I got a little sick of the thick cashew cream sauce after about 3 bites. The "raw"men is really delicious, but so ridiculously spicy that it brought tears to my eyes. Maybe they accidentally over-spiced it, maybe you can ask for it milder, but I think I'll pass on ordering that again. The tapenade and veggie wraps are nothing short of offensive - I love olives, but this tapenade is like...crazy strong and super super bitter. The accompanying raisin chutney is too cloyingly sweet and doesn't actually balance the tapenade, it just turns the wrap into a bitter-sweet clusterf*%& of unpleasant flavours...avoid that one!
The staff here are lovely, but generally really really laid back...as in, super slow. In order to have a great experience here, don't come if you're in a rush or a bad mood, and uh...stick with the slaw and smoothies! -
Review from Nikki W.
Vancouver, BC
I was already running late to meet up with friends, so ordering an almond shake to go wasn't the smartest idea because my order took 25 MINUTES! Can you imagine!? 25 minutes to blend up some almonds and fruit.
I love that Gorilla Food is all natural and totally hippie, but that also means they move at their own speed, which is SLOW. Lesson of the day: hippies do not rush. Only come here if you have time to spare to be mellow.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/5/2011
3.5 STARS
Gorilla Food was my first raw food experience. I tagged along with some coworkers who… Read more »
-
-
Review from Stephanie F.
Vancouver, BC
10/22/2011
I was a raw vegan for quite a bit of time before I had to succumb to trying all the vegan delights the city had to offer. During that time I decided to try Gorilla Food to get my raw outing fix.
The place has a unique tree-hugger look to it which was great and original. It isn't really packed in the morning so I suggest going then. Otherwise it takes forever to get your food.
The food overall is pretty good. The juices are great, and they have a raw dessert section to die for. Their Goji-Berry Cookies are what really have me going back, but their raw apple pie is nothing compared to that of Eternal Abundance.
The other food I ordered was good, but rather pricey. I usually don't mind prices when I know I'm going to get a lot, but you really don't here. I ordered the pizza, which was insanely expensive for one semi-flavorful piece, and as someone who makes raw chips/ bread at home, GF's are way overpriced for the amount you actually get.
All in all, it's not bad for the cookies, but I've had better raw food, even in the city. -
Review from Sophie C.
Gatineau, QC
8/21/2011 2 photos
One day a friend of mine suggested Gorilla Food. I was intrigued; she described it as a jungle of great food. I wasn't vegan yet, so the idea of raw foods seemed a little unappetizing to me. After going vegan and getting a better understanding of raw foods, I decided to try this place out.
I'll start off with the (one) negative aspect I found with this place: The hospitality. When you first walk inside, it's fun, relaxed and cozy. There's an open-concept kitchen where you can see the cooks prepping food. Cool. As soon as I head to the counter and grab a menu though, I am faced with woman sporting an unfriendly face who's tapping her feet and rolling her eyes while she waits for my order. No one wants to be pressured to order food, especially food that's new to them. It's like as if she was upset she had to wait for me to pick out what food I wanted to order. That, in general, makes me feel uncomfortable and usually gets me out the door for good. If the food sucked slightly, I would not have been back, solely based on the staff's friendliness.
I got over the unfriendly face, and have since visited Gorilla Food a handful of times, and each time the food was very good. Sometimes it was excellent. I know I'll be back to try other items on the menu like the salads, mains and pizzas. Oh! And more desserts. Mmm... So yeah, let's just say the food made up for that downer of a face.
S'weed as Green Curry Veggie Maki:
I was in dire need of fresh veg when I ordered this. I chose this item mainly for flavour of the coconut curry taste, which wasn't as pronounced as I wanted it to be. :( The wrap made my house smell like freshly cut grass, mixed in with seaweed. It tasted and smelled odd at first, but after letting go of that, I soon started feeling very refreshed and recharged. The taste grew on me a little, too. Score! I paired this item with the Strawberry Almond Shake. Would I order this wrap again? Maybe, if I felt like eating grass. ;)
Main St. Monkey:
This is my favourite sandwich. I've had it several times already and I love it. My omnivore roommate Max really liked it, too. He was reluctant to try it at first because of the mountain of sprouts, but after tasting his first bite, he loved it. I think the olive tapenade and avocado mashup helped a lot. This is a refreshing sandwich packed full of flavour and texture. Try it.
Dreamy Cream Avocado Carrot Basil Soup:
If I'm going to be honest, I'll have to say that this soup didn't cut it for me. I got it to-go, which I think was a horrible idea. Maybe I'm just not accustomed enough to raw soups, but this one really tasted bland and wasn't very creamy like I expected. Also, it was overpriced for it's size. I understand organic veggies can get pricey, but $6.50 for a tiny bowl of soup? Non merci.
GO Veggie Burger:
I got this burger at the restaurant one day and got the chef to serve it on a lettuce leaf bun. Oh boy, was it ever hard to eat! Don't get me wrong: it tasted ah-mazing, super vibrant and fresh, but the lettuce leaf was a challenge. Thank god I was in there by myself or else I would have been the sloppy eater on a date. Would I order this item again? Yes.
Strawberry Cloud Almond Shake:
I ordered this shake to-go, which might have made it taste a little less like how it should. It wasn't refreshing because it wasn't really cold; it was more like lukewarm. I'm not sure what the idea is with serving their drinks lukewarm, but I don't like it. On the bright side, since the shake was made from excellent ingredients, I felt really good after finishing it. It didn't give me a sugar crash and helped me get my daily quota of fruits. Would I order this item again? Only in the restaurant, where I could make sure it is served cold or at least chilled.
Fresh Juices; Our Daily Juice:
The day I visited Gorilla Food and got my Main St. Monkey sandwich, I got the daily juice. It contained carrots, beets, ginger and possibly something else. I can't remember. I wasn't a fan, but I drank it anyway because I knew how good it was for me. Beets and ginger do wonders to an exhausted body.
Carrot Cake:
Heaven. I don't know much else to say about this item besides 'Try it now'. TRY IT NOW! :)
Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone, especially vegans. (Duh). Also, I'm sure most omnivores with a decent palate can appreciate this place. A lot of people don't enjoy the taste of raw foods, mostly because they lack the oil and salt found in most foods they typically eat. If you're willing to give something new a try (knowing that it won't be like anything you've ever had), then yes... you'll like this place. For a skeptic newcomer I would probably recommend a salad, since it'll be a dish you're already familiar with. If you're feeling a little "daring", then try a sandwich. ;)
Enjoy the food you crazy gorillas! -
Review from Irena L.
9/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Green Taco! Delicious!
I also tried Rawmein and it was pretty good too!
Honestly, I think I'll be going back there until I try most of their menu. Seriously, everything sounds good, I never know what to get!
I also love love their green glory juice! It has a nice kick to it!
The only bad thing is that it's so freakin' warm inside, it is definitely like in a jungle...I guess it will be nice during the winter!
The place is pretty small, and gets filled fast.
Service is super cool, but a bit on the slower side. -
Review from Shae B.
5/13/2011
Their smoothy type drinks are super filling and delicious! And it's enough for 2 people.
The pizza is so flavourful it's just like wow in your mouth.
Love their chocolate "cake" or whatever it's called. It's rich and creamy.
It's so healthy and I love that it's guilt free.
I just wish they were open later since I can hardly ever go there because of their short hours. Some of the staff are super friendly but some are just ok.
Edit: Their hours changed and it looks like they are open longer! And their website has some new menu items so I'm going to have to go check it out.Listed in: Gluten Free Joints
-
Review from Ellie I.
Vancouver, BC
3/1/2012
Fresh, healthy food that tastes great. I'm so glad this place exists in downtown. Yes the service could be quicker but this isn't "fast food". I figure I'm 20% hippie so this place satisfies that side of me.
-
Review from Jon S.
Vancouver, BC
11/13/2010
Raw or Rude?
I just came here today with my vegan disabled mom. After negotiating the stairs, we entered the small restaurant. It was a bit busy and the only seats available were at the bar. We stood around hoping that we would receive direction from the staff or that a couple of the young hipsters at a table might relocate to the bar seats (several we're recently seated and could have done this easily). No luck.
Ever the stoic, my mom somehow managed to get herself onto a seat by the bar (this took painful minutes). We sat there for five more minutes without a menu being completely ignored. It wasn't so busy that staff didn't look our way, but they didn't look apologetic or bothered at all. I finally managed to convince my mom to leave fifteen minutes after we arrived...still never having been talked to by the staff.
Don't bother coming to this place looking for service. And don't expect any accommodation AT ALL for the disabled. I managed to get my mom across the street to the Caffe Buongiorno where the owner made my mom a fresh vegan panini and fawned over her. -
Review from Scott H.
6/19/2011
I like solutions. Here's the problem: wife roped me into a cleanse. Result: anything sweet has left the building. It sucks...royally.
Look, I'm not an earthy kinda guy. And the Gorilla wouldn't normally be my thing, but I honestly can't say enough good things about it, especially the owner. He knew exactly the cleanse we were on, he knew what we could and couldn't have (pretty much everything) and he worked out solutions and took the time to explain what we could get and where we should be looking. And this was at closing time. GREAT great guy. Similar to the guys at Steed Cycles...you know, except for the bikes.
IF you ever do the cleanse (first, don't) but if you do, you'll be craving something sweet. I can't say what we had was good (but it wasn't bad), but the effort was outstanding. He knew what we were looking for and offered ideas to work with at home. That's tops in my book.
We'll be going back once this madness is over and definitely looking forward to it. The food there looks like it rocks, and the service is some of the best I've ever had. Plus I want one of their t-shirts
Can't say enough good things. Nice work. -
Review from Whitney L.
Vancouver, BC
5/18/2011
Gorilla Foods is about as crunchy vegan as you can get. The restaurant looks like a tree house and offers only raw, organic, vegan, live foods.
The atmosphere is absolutely charming (even for non-vegetarians!) and if you actually wait long enough in line to get food, it is absolutely delicious and you won't be disappointed!! Try the Creamy Almond Shakes, Rawmein "New"dles and the Jungle Coleslaw- all surprisingly filling.
The only negative with the place is the wait times- and I suppose ONLY negative is a bit misleading bc that ONLY is pretty massive. I would eat here every day if it were not such an ordeal. However, if you know what to expect going into the restaurant it probably won't be so bad.
Lunch is pretty unrealistic if you only have an hour- best time to try is mid afternoon. -
Review from Steph H.
Vancouver, BC
11/9/2010
As someone who eats rather unrestrictedly, I viewed the much-hyped Gorilla Food as somewhere I might check out 'when I'm dieting' or just 'later' - it was never at the top of my list when I was hungry and in the area.
Well, 'later' finally arrived last week and I ventured in, moderately hungry and giving into curiosity. Definitely a rather bohemian vibe going on, both in the general style of the interior and the staff working. It all works quite well together.
I only had a bit of cash on me so I ordered the Thai Wraps and headed home. You get three rather small wraps but for $6.50 I figured it wasn't so bad. It was nice to not worry about it getting cold or soggy on the way back!!
Well. The Thai Wraps are collard leaves with a YUMMY vegetable and sunflower seed spread, stuffed with sesame coleslaw. A bit of raisin chutney on the side. I took small bites and really savoured these things... crunchy, super tasty and I swear, I instantly felt just a little bit healthier. I think my body needed it. I think yours does too.
Now I'm definitely intrigued and will be back for more, after I get some poutine in me to balance things out ;) -
Review from Sara M.
11/2/2010
Happy people + happy food = happy me. Organic, vegan, raw, aaaand tasty? Look out universe!
We tried the maui waui pizza and the international maki...... and they were delightful! We wanted to try everything on the menu but received some helpful assistance at the counter to narrow it down. Then for dessert we tried the carrot cashew cream cake and the avocado lemon pie. What?! Both were delicious in the mouth and on the eyes.
You order at the counter and then your meals are brought out to you when ready. Be aware this joint is cash only! I am lazy when it comes to cash so thankfully my dinner companion came prepared. Love the vibe in here and they do take out and delivery too!
Fill your belly and feel good about it. Awesome. -
Review from Kat T.
11/3/2010
Argh! After reading all the reviews, I was so pumped to get away from the pre-made sandwich lunch and get something new and fresh. I was astounded that so many rave reviews were written for a raw food restaurant, so I had to give it a try. Vancouver is full of granolas anyway, so this is like a local experience, right?
I ordered the international roll and the berries-green smoothie. I choked it all down, but I guess I'm not cut out to eliminate heated food. Vegan I can do, vegetarian I did for years, add some fish to that roll and I'm golden. Raw was at war with my tastebuds. -
Review from Winnie M.
Renfrew-Collingwood, Vancouver, BC
12/19/2011
I intend to give 1 star based on my only one time experience there... but because it wouldn't be fair judging based on an one time experience, I will give out a 3.
I just came back from Toronto so a bunch of us wanted something healthy and light for lunch. Having being a regular at Live organic food in Toronto, I suggested us to try gorilla food.
as we walked in, we immediately noticed how small the dining area was. We were a group of 4 people and I believe there was only one table that was large enough to accommodate 4 (and it was taken). We didn't want to stand around just waiting for that person to finish (plus, it would be rude, wouldn't it?) so we decided to take our orders to go. The server seemed indifferent, if not rude, but definitely not anywhere near friendly. While we were waiting for our orders to be ready, we noticed that the person sitting at the large table has finished, so we sat down and decided to have lunch in the restaurant instead. When the server brought our food to our table, she seemed almost angry at the fact that we decided to have our meal in store. (yes, weird; and I am still confused to this day as to why such a fuss, anyway...)
for the food, my raw-men newdles were quite disgusting. There was just way too much dressing and not enough zing to cut through that nutty grease. Despite it being a vegan version of coleslaw, it felt really heavy and I couldn't finish my tiny box of salads!
my boyfriend had a bonobo sandwich and it was surprisingly good with the velvety cashew cream coating all the veggies. It was a decent size and at $6.50, I find it to be reasonably priced compared to the other items on the menu. (the wraps)
over all, I just couldn't justify why I should pay them another visit, when I can get most of the items at local super markets (whole foods) -
Review from Kristin H.
Vancouver, BC
9/30/2011
Would have been a four, but the service was terrible! The woman taking my order didn't say a single word to me except to tell me how much I owe her. As a first time customer, it was not the welcome I was expecting. I was one of only 3 customers at the time... so it's not like she was too busy!
The food was good! I had the GO Veggie Burger & a cookie. The burger was delish. The cookie was okay - let's be realistic, raw baking is kinda an oxymoron. But I would 100% recommend the burger... even if you don't normally eat raw (I don't). It was super filling too. I wasn't hungry again for hours!
Will I be back? Yes! It's kinda out of the way for me to get to though, so I definitely have to make a special trip, but as a vegan, I definitely want to take advantage of any vegan options available in VanCity.
I just hope the staff are a little friendlier next time... -
Review from Earl W.
2/18/2011
The food was mega-healthy and very tasty. We loved the dried olives on our Gorilla Salad!
We ate this before a wild night out on the town, and it was only temporarily filling. We ended up going home later and making grilled cheese.
The staff was sweet and gave great recommendations.
It would be a great option if you're not too hungry and in the mood for something delicious!
Sincerely,
Janet and Earl -
Review from Marie M.
10/10/2010
For a city that's supposedly filled with health nuts, vegan/ vegetarian restaurants are rare in the downtown core. (They're mostly on Commercial Drive.) So I was pleasantly surprised when I found Gorilla Food when walking home from the grocery store in my neighborhood.
The restaurant is small and dark but its decor reflects its vegan values: lots of green, wood, and even a tree. Gorilla features a raw food menu, meaning none of the items are cooked. Everything on their menu sounds so good, but I finally decided on the GO Veggie Burger ($8) -to go! (I was rushing home to watch my fave tv show!) While waiting for my veggie burger, the waitress/ cashier convinced me to try their raw vegan desserts. Since I wasn't too familiar with RAW vegan desserts, I gave in and ordered the Cinnamon Almond Goji Crunch ($3) too.
The GO Veggie Burger was a light tasting burger wrapped in lettuce, instead of a bun. It was pretty small, but the patty was full of flavor and soft in texture, but not too soft. The Cinnamon Almond Goji Crunch was hard, sweet, nutty, and delightful -the perfect end to a healthy (vegan) meal.
I plan to try the other items on their menu the next time I'm in Vancouver. It's a tad pricey, but it's not too bad, considering it's organic and good for you!Listed in: Vancouver Love
-
Review from Cristian W.
Vancouver, BC
5/12/2011
I am a regular, so I admit bias.
The restaurant has a welcoming atmosphere. The service is terrific and the staff are a lot of fun.
The food is "healthy" but it just tastes great. In other words it doesn't "taste healthy".
The pizzas and burgers are terrific. The tamarind sauce for the Thai Wraps is addictive. The deserts are amazing.
It's very good value. My wife and I eat for approx. $20.
It can be crowded sometimes, but I find the tables turn quickly and we almost always get a table. -
Review from Jenna L.
8/6/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I happened to park nearby so I thought "why not?". If it weren't for Yelp, I would have walked passed by not even glancing over.
Saturday afternoon was not too busy. Just a couple of occupied tables and one more person waiting in line. After giving some thought, I ordered Choco Gorilla shake (almond, chocolate, etc etc) and coleslaw to go. The service was ok. Only one person who took the order acknowledged me and that's when she was well done after the previous patron. Hem.. I don't feel I am cool enough to be here anymore. . . . . .
I waited for my order to come and it took at least 15 minutes. Ok... given there was only one order in front of me and 5 people in the prep area, it could not have taken that long? Isn't the coleslaw usually pre-made in some way or a another? (although I can be wrong here) The shake can not that 15mins to blend? I can imagine how long of a wait it can be during lunch rush hours. You will not get your shake in 45min!
However, I gotta say the choco Gorilla was amazing and even though the take out container isn't that big (looks like a recycled paper soup bowl with a straw) but it is very filling. I didn't eat anything until 1:30PM and boy I was pretty full! The coleslaw was so-so. It tasted very healthy, I can taste all kinds of things like ginger, avocado, sesame seeds.. but I think I will pass this next time.
I would come here again for the shake and their other signature items only on a non-busy times!! (can I time this...?) -
Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
7/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
Given my fierce love of gravy, cheese and fish (not together....although?) one might not expect me to crave raw, gluten free food - but I am also a yogi and kind of a hippie at heart, and I love it here!
I often go on mini-cleanses (and one big month-long one a year) to detox my body from the absolute gluttony that I subject it to, and Gorilla Food is a lurvely place to get full of raw, vegan deliciousness!
I am consistently amazed at what they are able to do without cooking their food, and I love the extremely friendly staff - they introduce themselves, and remember me! That's service.
I love the "Rawmein" - spicy and fresh with a great texture (a little avocado or something might be nice as a topper, though) and I am addicted to the Veggie and Tapenade Wraps, served in collard leaf wrappers. A huge surprise - in a good way - are the pizzas! I love the Ital Veggie option, and even though I loathe buckwheat (an ingredient in the crust) I can barely taste it in this.
Grab some raw, sugar free, vegan, gluten free (that is a mouthful) cookies on your way out! They have a slightly strange aftertaste, but in a weird way I kind of like it. Chocolate Almond Pecan with a hint of coconut - mmmm!
*They are cash only. -
Review from Vincci L.
10/4/2010 2 photos
Highly enjoyable healthy food. Tucked underground, this restaurant is hidden but once inside it feels cozy.
Paintings and warm decor, with several seats by the bar, and 2 small tables create this place.
Their menu is all organic food, so it's as healthy as it gets. Menu: Leaf wraps, sea wraps, sandwiches, soups, pizza, and desserts too!
You order up front at the counter, and then they bring the food to you.
We tried the Green Taco -A taco-style romaine lettuce leaf filled with a spiced chili-walnut ground, fresh guacamole and salsa. This was good, but the ground walnut part tasted a little weird with the guacamole.
Also got the International Maki -Rolled nori seaweed with a savory-sweet sprouted sunflower ginger pate, cut veggies, mango-concoct and fresh sliced avocado. This was delicious!! The ginger pate was the perfect amount of sweetness, and the avocado and mango, all rolled up into the seaweed tasted so fresh!!
They also have different drinks, smoothies, fresh juices, almond shakes...We got the Choco-Gorilla -almonds, cacao, banana, hempseeds, date, coconut oil, and the fresh juice: Sweet Magenta: carrot, apple and beet. The Choco-Gorilla was super thick, but good. The banana and chocolate flavour was strong. The juice was also good, a large glass of nutritious goodness.
They also have a take out window 20 steps from this restaurant. Enjoyed this place and its whole concept, and I will come back to try more of their 'sea wraps!' -
Review from Mercedes G.
Vancouver, BC
11/18/2008 1 photo
The free-spirited staff in the den-like Gorilla Food restaurant, claim that they have been open for six months but they have only just put up a sign to show where they are: that being, down a few steps, below the antique stores in Antique Mall along Richards Street. Thankfully, it is much easier to find now!
I am a huge fan of the name because it doesn't shy away from what they really serve here, which is live/raw food, a concept many have shied away from due to its uber-healthy nature and that fact that you don't cook ANYTHING. I had the pleasure of eating raw food for a month while living in Mexico and while it wasn't all to my liking, the good majority of the raw cuisine was fantastic!
The menu here is as it would be elsewhere but with substitutions made with raw food ingredients. Pizza with various raw toppings on a sprouted sunflower, buckwheat, flax and carrot crust and Cashew Alfredo Zucchini linguine made with zucchini "noodles" (long, narrow strips of transparent zucchini) smothered in a rich, white cashew cream, are examples of some of the cuisine. Along with savoury items and snacks, Gorilla Food does up fantastic sweet, tasty and (gasp!) nutritious raw cookies and such, should you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. The atmosphere of the Gorilla Food is all low ceilings, low lighting and very, well, jungle-like! I could see myself whiling away afternoons here drinking fresh juices and almond shakes, yum! -
Review from Larry L.
10/31/2009 3 photos
I wanted to introduce a friend to Raw Food and thought this would be a good start for an introduction. Normally I don't eat Fancy rawfoods like the Pizza's and Veggie Pasta's (noodles made from Zucchinni). The latter of which yes, was bland, but healthy. I would have liked something more tomatoey if it were my dish but now I've got ideas to go home with.
The Pizza's are great. If you understand that there are no salami, no meat sauce and no baking required. I guess it's called a Pizza in a sense because of the shape it is served in. You wouldn't want to call it a pie now would you? Of course she loved the Pizza (and I feel sorry the other writer wasn't able to get the fab pizza's).
The drinks are all pretty good. Now when you think of RAW food, understand that this is very healthy for you. But if you plan to go this route, take it in stages if you are not used to eating this style, especially coming from a meat loving Pizza guy (like I used to be.)
Staff is friendly and I love the atmosphere of the place.
Yeah. some people would think it's overprices, but you really get organic, quality ingredients and they aren't cheap.
I plan to introduce more people to this lifestyle of eating. Especially people with Diabetic issues which this can really help in controlling their blood sugars to a point where they don't have to take meds.
I'm glad there are places like Gorilla Foods which can showcase what this is all about. Not just a fad or something for Vegans only. It's a new introduction to what could be a way of life. A healthier life. -
Review from Erin P.
Vancouver, BC
11/9/2011
Great atmosphere, loved the jungle decor! We ordered the veggie burger, sandwich (can't remember the name) and two shakes. It was all delicious and the shakes were so creamy and fruity.
I would definitely go back and really want to try some of their desserts next time. -
Review from Eryne O.
Vancouver, BC
11/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
Had the pesto pizza. Everything in the entire joint is GLUTEN FREE!!
Which was amazing, very filling, and I'm amazed and what they can do with walnuts....curious go in! The Choco shake is also d'lish. -
Review from John F.
2/8/2012
Delicious, healthy, and decently priced raw food. The people who work here are really hospitable and do a good job with the food presentation as well. If you like healthy/raw, check it out.
-
Review from Claudia L.
Burnaby, BC
12/4/2008
Hoppin' joint, hippie staff and naked food. Great for lunch or afterschool snack.
Food: Raw and vegan food bar. Besides their famous shakes, Gorilla also has a good assortment of appies, entrees and sweet bites.
i.Heart: Falafel. Gorilla Biscuit.
Atmosphere: Amazon jungle meets underground cafe.
Service: Fun and friendly but is also a sufferer of the hippie-service syndrome (or maybe I'm just impatient).Listed in: Hippie Service Syndrome
-
Review from Allison j.
North Vancouver, BC
8/19/2011
My first raw food experience and I loved it! Who knew it could be so healthy? Felt great afterwards, too!
-
Review from April N.
8/18/2010
I was visiting Vancouver for a week and found this place online - easy to find, super cute jungle-style atmosphere, about six or seven energetic, laid-back staff behind the counter all making food or doing something.
I was directed to the menu and to order at the counter, and then sit wherever I wanted and they would bring my order to me. I had the pesto "new"dles with a side of olive tapenade - five stars for the food. Cash only - the only reason I didn't go back every day that week. Hate fronting my company cash. -
Review from Dani B.
5/29/2009
Went here for lunch on a beautiful day, and the food lifted me off my feet. It's the only raw food place I know of in this city, so I was anxious to give it a try. It's so healthy and fresh I literally floated back to work.
I got the Thai wraps which were fresh and delish but my wheat grass juice was a bit "too healthy" for my taste. However, if you are looking for an appetite suppresent, this juice will do the trick. The service is also pretty fast and friendly.
I'm excited to go back and try all the other items.
