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The Waiting Room
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Vegetarian
Licensed vegetarian restaurant and coffee shop. Features a daily changing evening menu. Music and entertainment on Sunday nights. Also runs an organic bakery next door making sourdough, wholemeal and rye breads as well as croissants, bakes, sourdough pizza and pastries some of which are vegan. Dinner reservation is advised. Open Tue-Sun 11:30-14:30, 18:00-23:00.
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9 Station Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton On Tees, England, TS16 0AB
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Last update on 01 Apr 2022 by hack_man
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29 Reviews
First Review by hack_man
JoDandelion
Points +169
Typical old-fashioned vegetarian restaurant - Edit
Huge portion sizes but unfortunately the restaurant is aptly named because we were waiting a long time for food, even though it wasn't particularly busy!
Read moreWeirdly the allergens weren't listed on the menu so we didn't know what was vegan until we asked. A lot of the menu items were able to be veganised, but mostly by removing dairy items and not always with substitutions (e.g. no yoghurt on the biryani).
The food was very wholesome and veg-filled, but sometimes a bit stodgy and lacking in flavour. It reminded me of vegetarian restaurants from a couple of decades ago.
None of the best desserts were vegan - basically only the fruit based ones. It definitely felt like vegans were the second class citizens!
Nice vibes in the main restaurant though. We had sweet potato and lentil Bolognese (would have had goat cheese on it if not vegan) and mushroom biryani (with yoghurt omitted).
Pros: Big portions , Nice atmosphere to eat in
Cons: Slow service , Few substitutions for vegan versions , Stodgy food
Guest
rubycollins
Points +72
Wholesome tasty food and a cosy atmosphere - Edit
Lovely flavourful wholesome food. A little on the pricey side which soon adds up if you’re in a group! Portion sizes are substantial though.
Read moreI did order a gluten free enchilada but they just removed the tortillas so it was just the chilli… so communication from staff wasn’t the best on that one.
Updated from previous review on 2023-09-17
Guest
Rachell26
Points +102
Enjoyed - Edit
Really enjoyed the food and the portions were massive! Food was expensive and vegan options were marked on the menu so was confused on what could be ordered.
Read morePros: Big portions
Cons: Pricey and vegan options not marked
PatriciaMF
It's both astonishing and disappointing that after all these years and all these comments the owners still don't mark which dishes are vegan. I'm now in two minds about whether to go there at the weekend when in the area.
Read moresorcha_A
I’ve just been tonight and the vegan options are marked (with the exception of the puddings on the blackboard but the waitress didn’t think any of those were vegan) the food was great and they’ve got an offer on for August 2 courses for £20 if you sign up to their mailing list!
Read moreGuest
The_Vegan_Snacktivist
Points +181
Great for veggies, not so great for vegans! - Edit
Went with omni family who booked it thinking we'd have loads to choose from.
Read moreTurns out we had very limited vegan options. Seems a shame to have to ask what can be veganised in a veggie restaurant, we didn't feel particularly welcome with our question either. Staff explained that some of the items were pre-prepped so the cheese/butter was already cooked into the food so couldn't be veganised. One boring poached pear dessert and 2 ice cream flavours amongst a whole list of very tasty sounding vegetarian puds - pretty disappointing.
Everyone enjoyed the food we did order though, it all tasted very fresh and was very well cooked.
Pros: food was tasty
Cons: limited vegan options
Guest
lspry
Points +42
Vegetarian, some vegan options. - Edit
Vegetarian restaurant with a few good vegan options. These are not marked as such on the menu but the staff are helpful and able to advise what can be made vegan. The portions are a good size (we shared & got a side dish and that was plenty for us). I was disappointed that there was only 1 vegan pudding option, and the only option to go with it was vegan ice cream. We enjoyed our meal but a few small changes would make it much more vegan friendly.
Read morePros: A few good vegan options, Good selection of beers & wines, Great cocktail bar next door!
Cons: Pricey, Vegan options not marked, Can get busy when events on
Guest
Aurela
Points +24
Enjoyed the food - Edit
We liked the food and the cleanliness. A shame vegan options aren’t specified but a lot of food can be (and was) adapted to us. Very strong food smell inside. Prices were reasonable.
Read morePros: Tasty food, Good size portions, Reasonable prices
Cons: No clear vegan options
Guest
ceharnden
Points +65
Tasty home-cooked style food - Edit
Whilst the menu doesn’t specify any vegan options, plenty of their menu can be adapted. Out of four starters, three could be made vegan/were vegan (pâté, hummus, soup). For mains, two out of three could be vegan (mushroom, spinach and cashew biryani, and a mushroom bourguignon). They also had a puy lentil chilli served with a flat bread or rice. Kids loved it, and the biryani was absolutely delicious!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Great/helpful service and staff, Delicious food, reasonably priced
Cons: Show which menu options can be vegan
Guest
Sctoeop
Points +259
Vegan options to be improved - Edit
Started off good, website had vegan options labelled but the website menu was different to the sit in menu. The sit in menu was not even labelled up with which dishes were vegan and neither was the dessert board so we had to ask every time. For a vegetarian place I would have thought they would be all over the vegan aspect of dietary requirements but this place wasn't and it wasn't as though the menus were unable to be changed it was just paper.
Read moreIn my opinion the food lacked taste, very high end priced and smaller portions than we expected. The pink grapefruit hummus was homemade hummus with two small pieces of bread and a slither of pink grapefruit, although they did offer us butter but we had to ask if they did a vegan version. The hummus needed more salt and lemon and the green pate we had also needed more flavouring.
Onto the mains, to say we were disappointed was an understatement, the vegan variety of enchiladas was a poor attempt to recreate the dish. Although it had slightly more flavour than the starter, it came with grated carrott and the hummus, two wraps toasted with the puy lentil middle.
There was no check-in to see how the meal was from staff either.
£70 for a meal for 2 with drinks and dissassisfaction with the whole experience was not to be expected at all after some reviews and their awards.
Due to all the above I would not recommend a visit here.
All they need to do is have better food and greater attention to detail for vegan substitutions like a vegan cashew cheese and vegan cream along with improving their passion for flavour and this place could be a real hit, the drinks were excellent and the cocktails went down a treat and the atmosphere was great also.
Pros: Cocktails , Atmosphere , Organic vegan beers
Cons: Expensive , Lack of tasty vegan options
kgb73
Visited ten years ago and wasnt inpressed - another try (im recently vegan) for Valentines meal - no effort made for valentines except a full valentines menu (three course meal was offered) was very expensive and forced to eat way more food than would normally! Food was just ok, one vegan and one vegetarian meal..dessert was three or four desserts (each) which was a complete waste! two glasses of wine and meal came to a staggering £98! honestly wasnt blown away by food or service! dirty cutelry not taken away, no side plates for sharing platter, not 100% sure if my food was vegan to be honest ! this place could be so much better!
Read moreGuest
SofiaWells
Points +26
Expensive and not great for Vegans - Edit
No food was labelled as vegan which is surprising for a vegetarian restaurant. No vegan cheese, poor vegan dessert options. Great for vegetarians though 🤣
Read morePros: Nice vibe/interior, Good selection of cocktails/drinks
Cons: Expensive for what is served, Not great vegan options, not even labelled!, Service was slow, had to chase drink orders
Guest
GavinHogg
Points +199
An institution! - Edit
Started coming here in the late 80s and early 90s - and delighted to find it's still going. Not been for 30 years but went last night as I was back in the area and it was still great.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-09-12
Pros: Beautiful food., Atentive and polite staff., Great location.
Cons: A little on the pricey side., A few more vegan options would be good , Not clear on the menu what was or could be vegan
Guest
haleighb
Points +167
Cosy and delicious - Edit
Nice wholesome vegan options and a cosy atmosphere
Read moreGuest
rachypenguins
Points +178
Lovely but not great for vegans - Edit
It's lovely inside and the staff are nice. The food is good but the problem is for a vegetarian restaurant the number of vegan options is tiny. Almost everything contains cheese! They should provide vegan cheese!
Read morePros: Nice interior, Friendly staff, Alcohol is all vegetarian
Cons: Expensive, Not many vegan options
Guest
sarouk
Points +34
Cosy veg restaurant - Edit
Had the festive vegan dinner; lovely, but watch out for the portion size as it proved to be very filling. Simple decor and furnishings but a great atmosphere. Very helpful staff.
Read morePros: Veg and vegan only , Knowledgeable staff, Vegan beers
Cons: Limited menu on Sundays
Guest
hack_man
Points +21615
It sends my future into clearer dimensions - Edit
I've been coming here since the early 2000's and eventually tonight it became a five star Happy Cow dining venue. I've deleted my original review written about 6 years ago and cleaned the slate. Setting, atmosphere, lighting, staff, food, wine and company all excellent. The vegan options are superb. Only two main courses could not be modified as vegan. We started with antipasti and homemade pates and bread. The main courses we chose were both ridiculously delicious. A roasted lemon and aubergine chick pea tagine and a mushroom and spinach curry with cashew instead of feta. The Waiting Room is now a priority dining venue and up there with the best in the North East of England.
Read morePros: lively menu, Inventive meals, great atmosphere
Cons: Could be more vegan focussed
Guest
DonnaC
Points +1442
A vegetarian establishment. - Edit
Fabulous restaurant. Always popular. Love it even more now their cool sister bar next door has opened.
Read morePros: Great atmosphere , Vegan options , Friendly
Cons: Vegan cheese please
Guest
MarkJohnson
Points +26
Wonderful food! - Edit
Tried the goulash and the enchilada, both were delicious and really well cooked. The menu is small but varied, with some lovely desserts too.
Read moreWe had four non-vegetarian guests who were all really impressed with the food and want to come back.
Pros: Great value for money and high quality food
Guest
xtattooredx
Points +50
My favourite restaurant - Edit
The waiting room was one one of the reasons I turned veggie years ago, it was the place where I realised food wasn’t boring (I used to be a very picky eater)
Read moreSince then I’ve turned vegan and the waiting room has still got plenty of options for me.
Taken plenty of my none veggie friends and they’ve also loved the food.
Pros: Great food, Lovely atmosphere , Good drinks
Cons: not open on a Monday (my day off)
Guest
JessicaAliceFirth
Points +43
Bloody Lovely! - Edit
Beautifully quaint restaurant, I went with my vegetarian mum and omni grandad.
Read moreThe staff members were lovely and made it very clear about what was vegan and what could be made vegan.
My mother and I both had a vegan starter and main, whilst my grandad ate vegetarian. He was quite sceptical about not feeling full and he even went as far as saying he would probably be hungry half an hour later - I can assure you this was not the case! We were all stuffed 3 hours later after eating here!
Portion sizes are generous and extremely tasty, if you're ever in Yarm I definitely recommend. But do book in advance - it got very busy so it's best to be safe than sorry!
Pros: Lovely staff, Great tasting food and very filling, Generous portions
Cons: There aren't really any other than -, Book in advance to avoid disappointment!
Guest
tabithagallant
Points +88
Been here once... - Edit
They have a few vegan and gluten free options though it’s mainly a vegetarian place. Was nice food though wish they had more choice as I wasn’t overly enthused about the vegan options available on the day I went.
Read moreGuest
AbigailSearcaigh
Points +95
Nice food, lovely staff. - Edit
Came here for a meal with my family. They're not veggie but enjoyed it anyway!
Read morePros: Cute decor , Friendly Staff, Nice food
Cons: Not exceptionally spacious
Guest
Schulie
Points +131
Korm-a-ing back for more! - Edit
I visited yesterday with my niece, her partner and my husband, on my niece's recommendation.
Read moreFrom the two vegan main meal options on the lunchtime menu I chose a korma with nut koftas and rice - it was absolutely delicious, well presented and a good sized portion. It was a mild curry, as you'd expect from a korma, with great flavour and the odd burst of extra spicyness from a carroty-salady bit on top! My niece chose a vegan loaf with sweet onion gravy, her partner went for a nutty biryani and my husband had an omelette; all were good I'm told. We were given also given a bowl of salad and a bowl of roasted potatoes with sesame seeds for the table, the potatoes were lovely but I can't speak for the salad as I didn't add it to my curry.
There weren't any vegan options marked on the dessert menu but when I enquired, I was told there were 3 options. I went for the summer fruit pudding with vegan icecream, which was great - a good mix of tart berries and sweet vanilla icecream.
A nights I'm told there is sometimes live music and I'm guessing that there's a different menu at night (because of a conversation which I overheard. This place is well worth a visit and if you get an opportunity to try the Korma, go for it!
Pros: Great food
Guest
StevieSurf
Points +1877
Great local venue and restaurant - Edit
This restaurant has been on the scene for ages and it keeps improving. It's getting more and more vegan friendly - still more progress to make there - but it's located in a lovely building with two distinct spaces and a diverse menu. Staff are always attentive and extremely knowledgable and helpful. It's a super venue for large groups too and is popular.
Read morePros: Superb staff, Extensive menu, Lovely setting
Cons: Pricey-ish, Needs more vegan items
Guest
Andrew6666
Points +27
Superb Restaurant - Edit
The Waiting Room is a local restaurant for me serving vegetarian and vegan food and drinks. The menu changes with the seasons so you will always be able to choose something different every time you visit. The restaurant also has live performances on a Sunday evening that can range from music to poetry readings.
Read morePros: Vegan Menu, Many Options, Great Staff
Guest
jennyc32
Points +2868
Lovely! - Edit
When you eat in the Waiting Room, you feel like you're in someone's front room, it's really cosy and familiar - it's a nice place for a casual lunch, but also good for a special occasion in the evening. It's quite a small menu, usually with two or three tempting vegan options. The portion sizes are good, the staff are really accommodating and friendly, and it's generally a really nice place to be.
Read moreGuest
Peter McNeil
Points +18
Loved It. - Edit
Had the spinach curry and it was gorgeous
Read morePros: Good Food , Good Price, Good People
Guest
Dragonfly55
Points +16
Wonderful Food - Edit
We had a delicious lunch here. The vegan red pepper smoked paprika chickpea goulash was amazing. One of us had the spicy chilli enchilada and he found it filling and very tasty. Very friendly service.
Read moreHighly recommend The Waiting Room.
Guest
Cabbey
Points +72
Lovely meal - Edit
Went here planning on having a cup of tea and the food looked so amazing we ended up having something off menu (so it was vegan) and had chick oea and lentil chill with rice, a lovely salad and sesame coated potatoes. Despite being early on in the day the place was still packed. Absolutely lovely food.. We will definitely go back.
Read morePros: Lovely food, Accommodating staff, Nice atmosphere
Cons: none
Guest
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