The Garden Strathcona

“The Garden is around the corner from my office and I've loved the venue for events or a coffee and short work session, so I was super excited to check out their new dinner offering. The cocktails were outstanding. I ordered the La Reverie and it was dangerously good. Bright, smooth, balanced, and just 100% summer vibes. Honestly, I didn't even attempt to try another cocktail. I did try my friend's "Dusk Negroni" and it was such a fun coffee-flavoured spin! The food was equally impressive. The charcuterie board was generous and thoughtfully curated, with everything from truffle salumi and aged prosciutto to Danish blue, aged Irish cheddar, fresh focaccia, and onion marmalade that tied everything together beautifully. The Chop Chop Salad was my favourite thing ever. Fresh, crunchy, and packed with texture, while the Wagyu Carpaccio was delicate, rich, and unexpectedly playful with the smoked eggplant aioli, quails' eggs, and nori crostini. What really elevated the evening was the service. The staff were knowledgeable, warm, and proud of what they were serving. They struck that perfect balance of being available when you needed them while giving you the space to enjoy your company. Chef Ryan even came out to check on our table and surprised us with a few desserts they were testing. And those desserts. The dark chocolate mousse with mascarpone whipped cream, cacao nibs, and flaky sea salt was sinful. Rich and velvety without being overly sweet. The fresh baked chocolate chip cookie with vanilla bean ice cream and miso caramel was pure magic. Sweet, salty, warm, cold, crisp, and soft all at once. One of those bites where you want the flavour to linger forever. The atmosphere deserves its own mention. The space transforms at night into something completely different. Dark, intimate, and a little bit sexy, while still feeling welcoming. Surrounded by their signature plants, it feels like you've stumbled into a secret garden after dark. We'll absolutely be back.”

“The Garden Cafe that we loved has recently reopened with an evening selection of beautiful dishes and fabulous wine and cocktails. I specifically enjoyed the non alcoholic selection - the range was incredible for those who aren’t drinking alcohol. The food was presented so wonderfully with obvious nods to what’s in season. There seems to be something for everyone. There was also vinyls playing which added to the experience perfectly. A great spot to catch up with friends!”

“What a wonderful little cafe to eat, drink and relax! We had the Vegan Scramble, vegan Caesar salad, Mumgry Shake and Salted Chocolate chip cookie. Everything was delicious! The Caesar salad was a new interesting interpretation of a vegan Caesar and it was very good. The cookie was absolutely to die for! I’m being super picky but maybe the scramble had a bit too much sauce to it. If you are vegan, vegetarian or really whatever, you need to try this!”

“Lovely space for a coffee shop. A true garden of sorts with carefully placed plants to elevate the atmosphere, it's easy to lose track of time and enjoy sitting there for some time. Food is reasonably tasty and appropriately priced for the area. Even though there is a small alcove in the back for those working on an electronic device or reading, and a row of seats looking out the window; I found the number of seats in the atrium underwhelming. Perhaps more center seating will detract from its anesthetics?”

“First time customer. Atmosphere is amazing, the space is bright with lots of natural light and filled with REAL plants. This was wonderful. Was greeted immediately by a staff member, which was nice. Yet, the food disappointed me. A LOT. I got a tiny takeaway container and a single piece of toast for $25. That is an outrageous price for such a small amount of food, and especially a tofu scramble. I had also specifically asked in advance for the largest item I could order for lunch. Showed this to my colleagues and they were astounded at the price. Taste wasn't to my liking at all, but that's more my personal preference. Soy curls were meh. I imagine it would have been plated better if it wasn't takeaway. Overall, really disappointed for the serving size vs. taste and value. Won't be back again. Happy to change my review pending a response from the owner.”