• CLOSED: Gorilla Foods - Richards St

  • (31)
    19

    Closed

  • White Vegan
Vegan
Organic
Western
Juice bar
Delivery
Take-out
Catering
All Raw

Raw food restaurant, expanded in June 2014. Everything on the menu is gluten-free and raw, including raw pizza, lasagna, chocolate fudge, fresh juices. Confirmed closed, Jan 2015.


Venue map for Gorilla Foods - Richards St
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31 Reviews

First Review by powergyoza

nickb

Points +247

Vegan
08 Nov 2014

Great raw vegan food

This is the best raw vegan restaurant I have been to. The menu is very extensive and creative, and the food beautifully prepared & very healthy. We ordered lasagne & a burger, both of which were delicious.. The smoothies we ordered were also delicious, especially the one with cacao. I also liked the ambience & atmosphere in the restaurant, which had a simple but funky design.

Pros: Very healthy & creative food, Cool ambience & atmosphere, 100% raw vegan

Cons: A little pricey

lil.ragdoll.angel

Points +50

Vegan
06 Nov 2014

Best raw pizza I've tried! :D

This was one of my go-to places when I was on a vegan raw food diet. I have tried everything on their menu and I have to say my favourites are definitely the pizzas (the Morrocan? one is my favourite)!
The raw desserts don't impress me too much, I've had better here in Vancouver and it's more pricey here. Yea, it's a bit more expensive than other raw food places, the burgers are very small compared to other raw burgers I had around here, but they are still very delicious!! :)
Beautiful presentation and healthy. I also recommend the juices and smoothies.
I wish they would open up a location around commercial drive! :D

Pros: Excellent raw food, Friendly staff, Atmosphere

Cons: Expensive, Location is a little hard to find & far, Not much seating

VegNYC

Points +48

Vegan
03 Sep 2014

Good potential

A good vegan, raw option. I appreciated the extensive menu options, but the food I got was just okay.

Spats

Points +24

Vegan
22 Mar 2014

Not enough good things to say about this place!

Soooooo Good!! Only wish they would open up more shops outside of the downtown core!

CoeurDeLouve

Points +54

Vegan
18 Mar 2014

Bliss, joy, and satisfaction

Yes, those are the feelings I experience EVERY TIME I come to this establishment.

It starts with the music. A mix of positive, cadent rhythms capable of washing any care away.

Then we have the service: dedicated, happy people that just love working there and want you to have a good experience, never short of suggestions and good wishes for your day.

Now, we have the food. I honestly think that my body actually cheers when the chunks of deliciousness, nutritiousness, quality, and fairtradedness, descend into my gastric tract and get absorbed into my body. A true elixir for wellbeing. I think our bodies were designed to consume THIS FOOD because after, I feel energized, happy, and ready to take on the world!

I have tried everything in the menu, and I conclude that this is one of the few establishments where you could not go wrong with a wild choice even if you mean to.

The drinks are plain happiness antidotes that will not come a stop short of any expectations of fulfillment, nutrition, and a cure for whatever it is that is ailing you.

With deserts, I tread carefully because having just one serving seems impossible, you just have to mentalise yourself that you have got to stop at one.

I come here to get nourished, to get a treat, to take a breather. It is such a magical place with the décor and art as well. A rare gem of well roundedness that is hard to find in cities.

They also have a mini-store that stocks my office drawers for an emergency pick-me up.

Thank you for all the happiness you give me Gorilla, you have a special place in my heart!

Pros: quality, raw, atmosphere

Cons: none

KristinaMarie

Points +20

Vegan
18 Mar 2014

Amazing raw, vegan food in Vancouver

I travel extensively for work and as a strict vegan, it's tough to find food that I can eat anywhere. I always have to search for food and then get days worth of takeout to eat at the office while I stay in the area. As soon as I got into town, i stopped into gorilla food. A raw vegan's dream! Out of this world fresh, organic juice, raw vegan sandwiches and beautiful, exciting salads. I took two days worth of take out and stopped back to buy another day's worth of office food. Great prices and definitely worth every penny. Staff was friendly and the line for lunch was out the door; apparently most people know about the little gem. I highly recommend it.

Pros: Organic and fresh, Extensive menu, Great staff

lovela5

Points +232

Vegan
14 Sep 2013

Good in general

The food was good but very overpriced. $7 for a tiny slice of pizza - crazy

Pros: Good food, healthy food

Cons: way too pricey

BradenPollock

Points +626

Vegan
16 Jun 2013

Don't miss this place.

Gorilla is a small place that's usually crowded because the food is that good. Fresh, raw, organic and all vegan. You can't get much healthier than that. Try the collard green wrap or any of the pizzas.

Pros: quick and friendly service, lots of desserts

Cons: not many tables

VeganFamilyAtlanta

Points +32

Vegan
10 Jun 2013

Crowded

This place has very few seats, and most people take their food to go. It was so crowded, that it was hard to enjoy. Everything on the menu if raw, i.e. prepared via chopping, juicing, dehydrating. It’s surprising how many things they offer. That was our first time eating raw, and it was an interesting experience. Food tasted good, and we really liked juices and smoothies. However, the portions were very small, and we left a bit hungry. Clientele included office workers on lunch break, students, a few hippy-looking folks, and some tourists.

Pros: 100% organic, Food is very fresh

Cons: Very crowded and small place, Small portions, Non-vegan friends won't like it

amarello

Points +200

Vegan
15 Aug 2012

yummy!

I would have eaten here more than once if they didn't have such limited hours (close at 6pm). I wasn't staying nearby, so I only managed to make it here once. But I got a great meal (pizza) and highly recommend it if you're in the area before 6pm.

Pros: good value, healthy cuisine, excellent food

Cons: small, limited hours

CLRtraveller

Points +8091

Vegan
30 Jun 2012

good raw food

Appetizers include wraps, crackers, guacamole. Soup (seasonal greens, topped with salsa, served with raw bread) costs $7.20 + tax. Sandwiches. Salads: you get the Basic for $7.75, then add items from a long list (nori, seeds, crackers, zucchini hummus, etc.). Meals include lasagna, curry bowl, burgers, pizza. Then, there are treats and desserts, smoothies, juices and hot drinks.
Next day I had the Green Curry Nice Bowl: kale, broccoli, mound of alfalfa sprouts atop "ryce" made of veggies and seeds. There may have been wasabi in it; it bordered on being too hot for me. It was a big serving: I had two satisfying meals out of the one large bowl (took leftovers away in the plastic container I always carry).
Not fast food.

Pros: vegan raw food, extensive menu

thesafetyqueen

Points +33

Vegetarian
05 May 2012

Good food, great concept (but could be better)

With the following this place has, Gorilla Foods could definitely add a few more tables. I enjoyed the cafe atmosphere though and had a pleasant vegan surprise (I'm mostly vegetarian) - the dessert pie I had was yummy washed down with warming herbal tea. The Double Delhi Burger was good although I noticed they forgot to put the dark slice of bread that they served the other diners. I look forward to trying the more substantial meals on the menu - the burger I had was smallish.

Pros: healthy & sugar-free desserts, good atmosphere

Cons: small seating capacity, inconsistent service, expensive

kimward8

Points +574

Vegan
24 Mar 2012

Raw Food

I didn't like my sandwich, but that is probably because I like cooked food and regular bread. The smoothie was not sweet at all, so not very tasty. Everything tasted very healthy (like most raw food places), but was not very satisfying for someone not used to raw food. I really liked the decor though, with a jungle theme, and the staff was really friendly, and the food came quickly.

saveur

Points +1168

Vegan
23 Mar 2012

Hit or Miss...

Sadly, this is more of a lunch-only place since they close at 6pm, but I was lucky that my first meal was incredible because it kept me hooked, even though my subsequent meals have been lackluster. My favourite meal has been the Monkey St sandwich with the curry squash flax bread. The bread was nice and soft, not overtly flavoured, but the tapenade worked well against the zucchini hummus and avocado with the overflowing sprouts. I will admit that I was not a fan of the jungle coleslaw (not that flavourful) and thought the peanut selecta pizza was just ok (the peanut sauce does not have a deep peanut flavour, unfortunately, so it wasn't that flavourful - but I loved that it had a crisp pizza crust and I could eat it with my hands!). For smoothies, my favourite has been the strawberry bliss up although the strawberrry flavour was not that pronounced but I liked the hint of maca. For the desserts, I recommend the chocolate hempseed pie (nice and smooth), the carrot cake and the apple pie. I didn't really dig the much-hyped avocado lime pie. For the treats, my favourite was the butterfly bliss although it didn't really taste like caramel to me. Did not really like the chocolate protein orbs, or the jungle peanut butter cups. Not that sweet, but the protein orb was more chalky and the peanut butter orb didn't really taste like peanuts.

TheVeganPeach

Points +9554

Vegan
28 Feb 2012

Yuck

So, I'm not a raw vegan, I don't plan to be but my husband and I decided to try this raw vegan restaurant on a whim. Walking in I get the overwhelming vibe or pretension. It's a very small restaurant with limited seating in a basement building. It felt dark, crowded and unwelcoming. We ordered something that sounded somewhat appetizing. Neither of us were impressed with our dishes nor the service.

Pros: all vegan

Cons: unfriendly staff, crowded, gross food

mcgyver68

Points +81

Vegetarian
29 Nov 2011

Safe and quite good

So let's face it, the Cambie/Hastings neighborhood is not exactly a welcoming scene (unless you happen to deal crack). Then you find this famous place... in a hole... under a building, offering food for gorillas. -- Just, go inside, grab a menu and order anything. The people running the place are young and beautiful and obviously very happy with their job and the product the make. I had some raw food roll ups in a collard wrap with raisin chutney. The chutney really accents the strong flavors in the rolls with a sweet and savory presence that I did not expect. I also had one of their power smoothies which was also quite good. Keep in mind that the serving sizes appear to be very small. This is consistent with all the raw food places I have been. But it doesn't matter because the servings are quite filling, even if they appear too small.

I will return and this place has earned a spot on my list of permanent eateries while on the road. Try it!

Pros: Great food, Great people, Cozy

Cons: Outside looks scary, Parking, Neighborhood zombies

CharYvy

Points +38

Vegan
13 Jun 2011

Delicious.

I just went to Gorilla Food for lunch and I was so impressed! I ordered the Southern Fire Veggie Burger with a side of coleslaw and carrot cake for dessert. The veggie burger was great (just so so so great), the coleslaw was so amazing (I want more!), and the cake was absolutely lovely. So sweet!
I am vegan, and like to eat raw when I can. Everything on Gorilla Food's menu is raw, vegan, gluten free, and sugar free! Which means I finally have my choice of anything on a menu! I can't wait to go back and try more dishes!

Pros: Delicious, MANY options, good service

Cons: pricey, it was sort of full, the restaurant is too small

nenni

Points +62

Vegan
27 Nov 2010

Omnom

Every time I'm in Vancouver, I always make sure I have time to eat here.
I've eaten many things off of their menu, but most importantly, I've eaten their lime avacado "cheesecake", and I felt like crying. It.was.amazing. Their staff is super friendly (gave us a free cookie once!). The only mild problem is it can get a bit cramped, but it's worth it, I think!

Pros: delicious , friendly, vegan

Cons: crowded at times

m@earthville

Points +9240

Vegan
18 Oct 2010

Oh, delight!

Great, place, sweet people, and tasty, creative food.

- The Strawberry Bliss shake lived up to its name.
- The Maui Waui pizza was also quite tasty. Like all raw pizza, it's rather unlike a conventional pizza pie, but a very nice blend of flavors and textures nonetheless.
- Had an avocado pie for dessert that was heavenly...

As with most raw places, due to the cost of quality ingredients, portions aren't huge, so a person with a substantial appetite won't get full for cheap, but i found Gorilla Foods' pricing to be quite fair for the quality. It's easy to recommend to anyone for drinks and desserts (and of course for full meals too if either you're not too hungry or you don't mind spending a bit to fill up).

Will certainly come again next time i'm in Vancouver!

Pros: Creative, tasty raw food, All organic and all vegan (no worries), Very nice staff

Cons: Costs can add up if you're hungry

Stevie

Points +11765

Vegan
12 Aug 2010

Gorilla Foods, Vancouver

I have just been to this restaurant. I think this is the 1st time I have ever been to an all raw food eatery so I was interested in the experience. Anywhere that is all vegan vego catches my attention anyway so I was happy to give it a blast.

There's plenty to choose from on the menu, so much so I couldn't decide what to have (a wonderful luxury when it happens). I asked the helpful girl behind the counter what she recommended and went with that. I ended up having a slice of pesto pizza with a home made coleslaw salad. Added to this was a smoothie that had strawberries in as well as some other things no doubt.

When I seen the size of the pizza slice and the salad I was slightly concerned that it wouldn't fill me but that was a misguided thought on my part. It seemed a little on the pricey to me for what was being dished up (around $18.50 Canadian for the lot) but from now having eaten elsewhere in Vancouver the pricing seems to be par for the course. The vibe of the place was quite vibrant, I can imagine it gets very busy over lunch time.

Centrally located in downtown Vancouver.
Updated from previous review on Wednesday August 11, 2010
Updated from previous review on Wednesday August 11, 2010

Pros: 100% vegan veggie, Central, Nice vibe

julianne

Points +44

Vegan
19 May 2010

yummy food but nowhere to sit!!

I ate in this restaurant a few times while visiting Vancuover last year. If you can go in the afternoon when everyone else is in work it is great as there is room to sit down! But it is quite a small place and I think it has outgrown its size. There deffo needs to be more seating area.

I had pizza and one of the veggie sandwhiches. They were both very yummy.

I also got quite a few cookies and cake to take away which were all very yummy!!

Over all needs to be a bigger place with more seats but the food is yummy the staff are friendly and the atmosphere and ambience is great.

Good value for money for organic food.

Pros: cool place, friendly staff, cakes and cookies

Cons: not enough room

karenmar

Points +45

Vegetarian
06 May 2010

this is good....

I had dinner here three times during my 6 days in Vancouver, based on the reviews I had read on Happy Cow and the fact that I was craving raw food!!! I had the Nice Bowl - ryce made from veggies and seeds with warm marinated curry seasoned veggies, leaves and sprouts and a sweet magenta juice, a lovely coleslaw, one of the seaweed wraps, and the Great Gorilla salad. Highly recommended, quick and friendly service. Not many seats but worth waiting around for one if you don't go the takeaway option.

I wish there was a place like this near where I live!!!

Pros: excellent food, healthy , friendly staff

Cons: not many seats

scocasso

Points +281

Vegan
10 Apr 2010

Rawlicious

If I were a layperson, I would consider the portions to be small and the cost to be great.

I thought that the quality justified the price, at least in this day of quality organic food costing a great deal over their chemical counterparts.

Pros: quality, preperation, tasty

Cons: in the city

Deneige

Points +36

Vegetarian
05 Dec 2009

Funky little window of goodness

I have not had a chance to check out Gorilla Food's new restaurant but have spent plenty of time at the lovely little pick-up window.
My friend worked here in the past and was always impressed with what went on behind the scenes. The quality of products used is one of the best in the city and when it says raw it really is.
I love love love the ginger nori crackers, you have to try them :-)

Pros: Excellent raw foods, Very creative cuisine

Cons: Location, Short Hours

thelink

Points +165

Vegan
20 Sep 2009

WOW!

We had lunch at Gorilla Foods once while on holiday in Vancouver in June.

It was our first time ever in a cafe that serves only raw food and we were very impressed.

We had a couple of different raw food pizzas and some salads and it was all sooo yummy and sooo creative.

I wish I could make raw food treats like that! There are a couple of different raw food cook books on sale at the cafe for those who feel inspired.

The atmosphere and music in this basement cafe was cool and the staff really friendly.

Mighty Vegan

Points +96

Vegan
13 Sep 2009

I was in heaven!

My husband and I were visiting Vancouver for a weekend. We discovered Gorilla foods and we fell in love with the place and the food. We ate there 3 times over our time in Vancouver because we could not get enough of it. The ambience of the place is so inviting, relaxing and transports you to an oasis. We loved the the maui waui, the falafel, and the lettuce wraps. My all time favorite thing that they make is the Choco gorilla shake. It is truly heaven! The fudge dessert is amazing as well. I highly recommend dining at gorilla. You won't be disappointed!

Pros: delicious raw food, pretty reasonable prices, choco gorilla shake

philjdomm

Points +945

Vegan
24 Dec 2008

yum around wifi corner

had the chili leaf taco and choco shake...wow!




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