The Waiting Room in Stockton-on-Tees

Having read great reviews & the various accolades I was expecting to be bowled over, but sadly I was disappointed. Being vegan I was interested to see what delights this restaurant could offer. I ordered the roast celeriac which I knew came with an enormous slap of goats cheese on top, but was told they could make it vegan. This meant them just taking off the slab of cheese so I had a much smaller meal which was bland & just barely warm. My companion had the summer curry which she felt she could have made, but better, at home. Perhaps the chef was having a bad day, but this was not a good experience & was vastly overpriced. I would not recommend.

Was early for train to London, noticed here by chance, had a fantastic lunch l. Lovely layout and atmosphere and superb vegetable based food. Had the beetroot and brie salad.

Food was good but considering there is no meat involved the prices were very high. £48 for two mains and 2 drinks plus a £5 tip added on to the final bill. Just too expensive for me, will not be going back.

Thank goodness that this place opened for takeaways during the pandemic lockdowns. The food is just excellent, great value and a real treat.

Although a fervent Omnivore, if I could consistently cook my own food to this standard I’d be a vegetarian! Had a New Years Eve take-out (having only eaten in the restaurant a couple of times previously) and was hugely impressed. Mushroom Bourguinon was rich and savoury; Aubergine and Cashew plait was exquisite and sides (roasted root vegetables; hummus) and deserts just perfect. I really cannot recommend this place highly enough. Can’t wait for it to re-open properly!

Lovely atmosphere, room well lit and spacious with quality wooden tables and mis-matched chairs. A great selection of drinks, including organic, draft beers, locally sourced. Matched by a seasonal menu of starters, mains and desserts with at least six choices of each, interesting recipes including curry and salads. Often hard to choose! A great place for a special meal or a quiet evening. The WR also have regular live music and comedy events. It is conveniently situated near the station and with free on street parking. 'The Other Room' next door is their bar, of similar high quality. The WR is definitely our restaurant of choice, even though we live out of the area, it's always worth the trip.

Great to be back in the restaurant setting. Social distancing was good with plenty of space between tables. All three courses were spot on as always, very tasty. Warm, fresh and didn’t have to wait long for the food. Good service too - can’t wait for the next visit.

We love vegetarian restaurants so were keen to try out The Waiting Room. After trying to get a table and a number of occasions, which finally managed to get one for one evening. We tried a number of starters including salad and vegetarian pâté. We both ordered a vegetable curry. The food was very nice, the tables were well spaced so we felt safe visiting even on a busy evening.

Visited here during the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.Felt safe. Tables spread apart.The staff didn't wear masks but I felt very safe here; disposable menus, hand sanitiser, we took drinks from tray placed on table ourselves, lots of space and take was ours all night.Lovely food. Good service. Would recommend.

After having visited this great restaurant several times in the past, I was pleased to hear that they were doing take away food during lockdown. The enchiladas were amazing as were the two starters and the superb sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Excellent value for money. Ordering from the website was super easy. I was later called to be offered a collection time. There was a slight delay as the restaurant was having a busy night. The food was well packed for transit. Thanks so much Waiting Room staff.

Been having a takeout of various quality since lockdown but decided on waiting room for this weekend. Been a few times never disappointed but did worry what the food would be like as a takeout. We were hugely impressed with the service and quality. Love love love the enchiladas and the lasagne was damn fine too. Highly recommend in these time’s, support local! Can’t wait to visit again in person!

Myself my husband and Son, have just had a take-out meal ,all three meals were delicious, so pleased you are doing this service whilst we all have to stay at home, well done Waiting Room. Thank-you.

Throughly enjoyed our meal at the waiting room, my wife is a vegetarian and I eat some dishes at home but these were different class. I think personally a little bit pricey, but a full restaurant tells you something different. Would recommend giving it a go, you’ll be pleasantly surprised

Went here on a Saturday night. Very busy and loud but the staff were polite, unlike some of the fellow customers! Food is good as is the wine which is from a local winery. Would recommend trying anything!

I had lunch here today with my daughter. I am not a veggie, but have given more thought to that recently. The Waiting Room will help with the thought process. It was spot on, we shared bread and hummus. I had jack fruit biriyani, amazing. My daughter had enchiladas, brilliant. Very filling but we managed to share a ginger lime and cardamon cheesecake, I am a huge cheesecake fan and it was up there with the best. I saw a review saying they thought it was expensive ???? really ? our bill was £38 which was good value and worth every penny.

The food is OK but expensive. Large portions of the same dish mean that every mouthful is the same. Potatoes expensive and used to come with the meal. For these prices that could continue!

Went along as one of our friends was vegetarian. We checked out the menu before we set off so we had a good idea of what we would choose. Arrived and ordered our drinks. We asked for a menu but were told the menu was on the blackboard. None of the things we had seen on line that we wanted were on the blackboard ! We had a trio of pate to start and asked for a bread basket. £4 for 4 small pieces of bread! I chose veggie haggis, neeps and tatties in a whisky sauce for mains. When it arrived there was haggis and tatties but no neeps. Very tasty none the less and pleasant staff. Desserts choices were normal pub fayre so I declined but 2 of our party had and said they were very good. I would visit again .

Fabulous vegan and gluten free nut kofta and korma sauce with rice and a carrot and coriander salad. Great sized portion no room for pudding. Thank you

Went today with friends, loved the Curry Dish that we had although i thought it was a little on the small side for £10.50 , The potatoes were gorgeous sesame coated, I dont eat Dairy mostly so ws nice not to have potatoes coated in Butter, Salad had dressing on again i dont like dressings but would ask for it without next time.The Food tasted gorgeous just wished there was more of it , the Fresh Coriander on top set the dish off. Waitress was lovely too , we will all return

Took my nephew and partner ,both vegans for Sunday lunch. My wife and are not vegetarian.The starters were ok ,my soup being very tasty and my wife’s pate lacking a bit of taste .Our main courses seemed to go down ok with the two vegans but my wife and I were underwhelmed.I had a bean dish and she had a sort of lentil parmo .My pudding ,a lime and lemon cheesecake was nice.We had a bottle of organic wine at about £18 which I thought expensive.

Went for first time to veggie restaurant with friend from work. Lovely tasty nut roast Xmas Dinner followed by gorgeous sticky toffe pudding. Staff very good and good value.

Great atmosphere with amazing food. We both ordered enchiladas (1 extra spicy, 1 extra mild) and it was a lovely touch the chef paying us a visit to make sure we were happy. Love this place.

First visit for a couple of years but OMG the food is amazing and hasn’t changed in quality. We shared a pate between two of us - it was plenty for us both as a starter. Homemade bread to go with which was delicious. Friend had the spinach curry which I had a taste of and immediately wished I’d ordered it. However that was until mine arrived. I had the waiting room xmas dinner which was unbelievable. Carrot, cashew and apple loaf with the sesame potatoes, roots veg etc. Couldn’t get enough of it. Generous portions not cheap but so well worth it. This is a real treat even for meat eaters like me. £49 for one starter, 2 mains, 2 pints and 2 soft drinks. Try it, you won’t regret it. The only minor point is if you go on a Sunday the menu is limited so don’t trust the menu on the website check in advance. And book - even on a cold Sunday December night this place was busy but not packed.

I went back to The Waiting Room, and once again had the Enchillada. It really was very good ... there is a but ... last time, and the time before it was absolutely sensational! Also last time and the time before it was much bigger. It’s folded now, fine, but half the filling compared to before.

As the wife and I drift evermore to a plant based diet my sister wanted to take us somewhere that showcases how good vegetarian food can be. We were not disappointed, from our initial very cordial greeting to the quality of the menu items and the fabulous home baked gluten free breads, everything here is fresh, wholesome and good value. The trio of pates was delicious with the standout being the beetroot for me to the Smoked fetta curry all dishes were substantial, well presented and full of flavour. Its a long way to come from our home town of Perth in Western Australia but The waiting room will definitley be on our radar when we visit again.

Went out for a family meal and we were not disappointed. Fantastic food with amazing flavours and some interesting twists on typical dishes. Our waitress was lovely throughout the evening and the whole place has a lovely relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

Vegetarian restaurant that specifically does not state vegan options, neither on website nor on the actual menu, claiming that many of the options can be made vegan. Not the case. We were offered 2 options, wondering why we bothered going there. Weatherspoons have more vegan options. Service wasnt great. They sat us on the walkway, despite having only 1 customer, they have forgotten about the side dish and were not particularly welcoming. The food was ok, albeit somewhat bland, tabuleh served with the dish was cold. It was the second time we went there, not impressed both times. Wanted to give it a second chance, now thinking the last one. Wouldn't really recommend, especially if you are vegan.

My wife and I visited the Waiting room for Sunday lunch. We are both vegetarians and it was so nice to have such a big selection we could eat on the menu. The starters and mains we had were absolutely delicious and of generous size. The place has a nice quirky feel to it. With some interesting artefacts to keep you interested while waiting for your food. The staff are also very nice. I would recommend the waiting room.

What a lovely find. A wonderful choice of food on the menu, quirky items to look at and enjoy while waiting for our delicious food. Lovely Sunday lunch.

First visit to the cafe and will definately return. Arrived early to meet a friend for afternoon tea. Parking was easy and free for two hours. Noticed immediately how spotless everything was inside which is a huge tick! Seated by friendly waitress and very good latte arrived just as friend did. Presented with a gorgous afternoon tea, friend had thoughtfully ordered vegetarian options for me. Lots of variety with the sandwiches, cheese and fruit scones and three different desserts (each).. wow! Everything was fresh and clearly homemade, its becoming rare to find good cheese scones and these were really good. Feeling full and lots of chatting, we suddenly realised shop was due to close so asked for remaining food to be boxed up. Friendly place, fabulous food, everything looked good on the counter too. Rather than struggle with parking on Yarm High Street, drive a little further and visit this gem instead.

A fantastic rustic ambience a fresh menu of the night. Extremely creative dishes created to please not only by vision but taste. Tonight was an incredible relaxed experience with great company and fabulous service from charming polite staff I certainly will recommend this establishment again.

Had a fantastic evening last Saturday! My friend hadnt eaten at the Waiting Room before and a she is a lasagne fan I recommended the lasagne which I also had myself! Absolutely delicious - we both loved it! We then both shared the ice cream and butternut sauce - sublime. Can understand why it was so busy with such a great buzz in the air.! Thanks - your staff were also lovely

We have been here a few times and always been impressed by the food. The menu is varied and very well thought out; would recommend coming here to meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. It is not the cheapest but the portions are very generous and you never feel undersold. The enchiladas are always great, and on our most recent visit loved the cauliflower and coconut curry. Dahl starter also fab. They also have a lovely selection of drinks (fruit beers and wines particularly).

I ate here with some friends and was worried about the chilli being too spicy. The waitress spoke to the chef who sent me a sample to try before I committed to the chilli. He then offered to make a fresh batch with less spice! All the staff were so accommodating and friendly, they were really absolutely brilliant. The food itself was SO GOOD - I'll definitely be going back!

I’m not a veggie but my wife is and we both agreed that the lunch we had there today was beyond delicious! There’s a selection from Vegan to Vegetarian that should suit everyone. Staff very welcoming and friendly. Will return when next in the area.

First time here, wont be the last. Quirky and welcoming interior (smell was devine) and a warm greeting by the lady who served us.

Lunchtime here was with a varied choice of 5 starters and 5 main courses which when asked were more clearly explained. Also a range of 5 sweet (suite) courses. The four of us all took the safe option and chose the vegetarian lasagne which came with a shared bowl of roast potatoes and another small bowl of green salad leaves, onions and tomatoes. The lasagne was superb and there was a choice of a local micro-brewery beer and a limited but sufficient choice of (organic) wines - unusually and sensibly in a choice of 4 glass sizes.

Tried the waiting room after reading the reviews, we had guests at our table .. ant, ants and more ants ! Starter was hummus, plain and boring - no flavour, no option of oil drizzle to help . Served with 2 huge chunks of dry bread ! I had the aubergine and prune dish for my main - the prune stones were not only off putting but dangerous. I left these in view of the staff member that collected my plate .. they chose to no even acknowledge this .

This was a first time visit to a vegetarian restaurant and what a treat it was. Lovely place and helpful staff. My friend and I really enjoyed our meal, would go back other than trying to get parked was a bit of a nightmare.

My wife took me to this restaurant after going on about how bad meat is for the environment. I was convinced you couldn't have a nice meal without meat in it. Let me tell you I was so wrong. This food was some of the nicest I've had in the whole area and I will definitely be revitisiting and trying to cook less meat at home now i know how tasty a dish without it can be!

Wow ! This place gets better and better, love it here. Great atmosphere, very polite, courteus staff, efficient, relaxed atmosphere, the food......amazing !! 5 Star all the way.

Great place to eat away vegan or vegetarian. Shame about the manu that doesn't cahnge. It would also be great to offer a wider range of non alcoholic drinks such as alcohol free gin or beer. The alcohol free beer is been out of stock the last two times visited.

Ate here for the second time. The food is beautiful, well presented and tasty. I am not a vegetarian and after eating here I have realised you just do not need meat.

This was our first visit to a vegetarian restaurant and we weren’t disappointed wonderful choice of starters and main courses amazing homemade bread and humus to start with then BUTTERNUT SQUASH, GOATS CHEESE AND SUN BLUSHED TOMATO LASAGNE really really good can’t recommend it highly enough plus fantastic friendly service definitely be back

The restaurant is absolutely unique and has won many awards. It is surprisingly a vegetarian restaurant, serving cuisine, which I believe bears impressions from many dishes across the world. It is difficult to attach a name to the type of food they serve, but delicious and endearing are the words that come to me. They claim to create unique recipes and believe in slow cooking of organic food.

First an admission - we are not vegetarians and tried this restaurant as we were staying overnight in the area....albeit with some trepidation

We visit a few times a year, this was our first for 2019 and as good as ever. Too many choices on the menu that were tempting - we did consider asking for a ‘taster plate’ with a bit of everything to help our indecision. But choice was made, giving an excuse to come back soon to explore more of the menu.

Visit this restaurant with my wife whenever we're in the area. The menu changes seasonally, but there's always a lot of choice.

When mainstream restaurants are expected to provide vegetarian options I would expect the same gesture to apply in a vegetarian restaurant but I was forewarned there is no meat so take heed all you non- vege readers.

The dinner was too satisfying. The staff was extremely good. Nice, cozy and friendly place. The word of caution- Portions are too big so order carefully

We are not veggies, and can never understand why prices are so high given the low priced ingredients. Had a very tasty lentil quesadilla for lunch, only to be very dry later in the afternoon as the tastiness seems to be derived from salt rather than the umami of the normal meaty equivalent. Suitably earnest staff and assorted recycled furniture sets the scene. Next door is the strangely named "salon du beer" which defeats my schoolboy French!

We are regular visitors to the Waiting Room. The food is absolutely delicious and we can't praise it enough. However, the decor is very shabby and neglected, and the seats and cutlery are cheap and uncomfortable. It's great to re-cycle or upcycle, but uncomfortable chairs and cheap cutlery degrades this fine establishment beyond belief. People tolerate the tatty surroundings as the food is fabulous, but we are contemplating bringing our own cutlery as the available cutlery is so cheap and poor. Please invest in the infrastrucure - the food deserves better surroundings!

We had a lovely meal but unfortunately you would have thought we had cooked the food by the smell of our clothes afterwards Won't be in a hurry to go back.

Always enjoy coming here music always enjoyable beer cheaper than anywhere else brilliant atmosphere and staff always friendly

Ate here with my 10 year old granddaughter early evening. As she is vegetarian I thought she would have a good choice in the menu.

A group of 11 of us had a booked table for lunch and we were seated in the Conservatory part of the restaurant.

Lots of healthy vegetarian options, but no sacrifice on the taste, the Mexican dishes in particular are amazing, the enchilada is highly recommended. The restaurant is very creative, and they have great live music.

Excellent range of tasty vegetarian food. Very good wine. The portions were a bit large but that is not a bad problem. Very friendly staff. Highly recommended.

Dined here for our daughters birthday and she was the only vegetarian. There were 5 of us and we were all delighted with the food we ordered (ratatouille, trio of pates, spinach and feta curry, Thai green curry, enchilada). A veggie, carnivore, fussy eaters, and ex chef and foodie all agreed it was the best meal they’d had in ages..... Definitely going back to try the autumn menu....

I came here with my mum after hearing about it from a friend and WOW did not disappoint. We shared the trio (pate, guacamole and hummus) and it was gorgeous. I got the enchilada which was so filling and delicious then we shared a wonderful ginger pavlova and dark chocolate mess - amazing! Wine was also lovely and the service was brilliant. Couldn’t recommend anymore! We drove from Richmond so 40 minutes and 100% worth it.

We called in on an off chance on Thursday evening and there were a couple of tables free.

A beautiful restaurant with stunning tasty delicious food! My husband is not a vegetarian and even he loves it and it’s delicious beers. The spinach, feta & mushroom curry & homemade flatbread was the best food I’ve ever tasted! Lovely and friendly staff. Would absolutely recommend.

Me and my significant other visited twice early evening whilst on a weekend away.

Absolutely delicious food, fragrant spices and beautifully balanced. Our favourite is the spinach, mushroom and cashew biryani. So lovely you never want to finish the plate. There is always vegan options although perhaps a few more dessert choices for vegans would be nice.

We visited the Waiting Room regularly when we lived in Stockton because you were guaranteed great vegetarian food in a welcoming, relaxed environment.

We visited early evening on a Thursday.

Brought my dad to the waiting room for Father’s Day as it is one of his favourite restaurants. There was a choice of about 5 meals for each course and all dishes sounded gorgeous! We had the houmous and bread for starters and then the enchilada for mains; we were too full for dessert even though it was tempting! We all enjoyed the meal, especially the enchilada and the portions were very generous. A lovely restaurant with friendly staff and tasty food!

Buzzing atmosphere with great service and food. Very helpful and polite waiting staff. Will be returning very soon

Service was excellent and staff were very friendly - we arrived early (before they opened) but were allowed to sit in and wait.

I travelled up from cornwall with work and Found the waiting room on trip advisor.

Been to waiting room on previous occasions I am vegetarian my partner is not

I went to The waiting room with friends, I admit I was a little nervous as I wasn’t sure what to expect and I am not a vegetarian.. what a surprise the restaurant is lovely and quirky, staff were welcoming and attentive. The first thing that struck me was as the amazing smell of lovely food. I ordered the spinach, mushroom and feta curry with basmati rice and homemade bread, it was amazing, one friend had an enchilada and the other a stew with potato cakes, both were equally amazing. I finished with the vegan ice cream and butterscotch sauce which was gorgeous. The vegan wine was gorgeous and not expensive. I will certainly be visiting again soon and will investigate vegetarian food a bit more . Great evening.

We visited early evening on a Friday.

Popped in for lunch, it was really quiet for a Friday. Soup was tasty with home baked bread. Service was fine.

Booked a table for Saturday evening, the ambiance of the restaurant and the smell as you walk in is delicious. We were eager to sit and enjoy our dinner.

I've been several times to the Waiting Room and it almost never fails to impress with its excellent vegetarian food and innovative recipes. The sticky toffee pudding is to die for - no other restaurant can compare on this one. Highly recommended.

Having had an excellent meal on my only previous visit to the Waiting Room I was looking forward to dinner with my wife and mother in law to celebrate my birthday and our wedding anniversary. We booked a table for three at 7.30pm on a Thursday evening and arrived at about 5 minutes before our reservation. The aroma on entering the restaurant was delightful and all three of us commented on the fact that the food smelt delicious and how much we were looking forward to dinner.

I had dinner here recently with a friend, I'd never been before so I wasn't sure what to expect.

Had lunch here. The restaurant was very busy, with people leaving and others arriving during our lunch. The meals themselves were very good, but we were sat with our finished plates in front of us for over 20 minutes, as priority was given to new arrivals and clearing tables. We asked for coffee, but none arrived, so we requested the bill and went to a cafe a few doors away for a cup of coffee. Totally different atmosphere.

I have visited this place on many occasions, and not once have I been disappointed. I went with a friend, who had never been before, think she was a tad overwhelmed by the Spinach Curry...delicious to say the least.

My previous visits were back in 2015 where I was told there was no dairy free cheese to have with the quesadilla. I even asked if I could bring my own and was told this would not be possible. No explanation was offered for the aversion to dairy free cheese. Back then I went for a curry which was quite nice but not great.

It’s brilliant to eat out as a vegetarian and have the choice of the whole menu! Especially as the food is so tasty and consistent each time. One of my favourite restaurants.

Another lovely meal at The Waiting Room. I had the enchiladas and they were really nice. It was very large but they always accommodate me when I ask for a doggie bag. My friend thoroughly enjoyed her biryani too.

Gorgeous, imaginative tasty food and great staff. Go in here a lot as well as the new Other Room bar next door. Just a fantastic night out. Thank you

Having read the reviews, I already had high expectations for the restaurant however I was even more impressed than expected. The ambience is chilled out, relaxing and with the right mixture of attention and letting you enjoy your meal at leisure. It is refreshing to go out for a meal and find that the vegetarian option is not just a gesture for those people (if they exist) that go out for meals when they are dieting! The waiting room is filled with traditional dishes as well as creative dishes that whatever your mood or desires you can eat exactly what you fancy. My husband and I both started with the courgette and sage soup with homemade bread, which was decadent, creamy and delicious and we then shared the roasted red pepper and spinach lasagne which was bubbling, cheesy and tasty and the mushroom, spinach and cashew nut biryani which was layered with flavour and very warming. These were served with crispy sesame potatoes and a beautifully dressed salad. The portions are a great size and luckily we were hungry as I finished with their very indulgent dark chocolate, fruit and nut fudge cake which was to die for, served with ice cream (or custard or cream). There were at least 4 or 5 starters, mains and desserts on offer, and all were made to order, everyone looked happy with their experience and the atmosphere and experience was fantastic. It is a shame that this restaurant is not nearer as I would be there all the time! Highly recommend to all, vegetarian or not!

Visit quite often and felt as though I needed to write a little review as it’s always so delicious! We are always welcomed so warmly and my little girl (nearly 2years old) always loves visiting as she likes the food so much. This visit she had the roasted pepper and paprika goulash! She cleared her plate as usual. The food is always so tasty and the staff always so welcoming. Will continue to be one of our fave places to visit.

Visited last year, returning with different folks, this time I’m the only vegetarian.

Visited for the first time on a Sunday lunch time with my partner. We ordered parsnip and cider soup, beetroot pate, blue cheese and cauliflower crumble and mushroom and cashew curry. It was all really nice and they served a small selection of real ales too. The only negative point was they were quite busy and didn't seem to have enough staff on so service was quite slow. We can't wait to go back.

Nydelig mat og rikelige porsjoner servert av hyggelig personale med mye kunnskap om maten på menyen. Med en vegetarianer i familien er det ikke alltid så lett å finne en restaurant hvor alle blir fornøyde. Men the Waiting Room skuffer aldri!

Called in for lunch on Friday - nice and busy but prompt service. Had a delicious sandwich and a nut roast. Always some vegan options available. Great very tasty food and nice relaxed vibe.

We happened upon this place yesterday.

In the seventeen years we've been visiting The Waiting Room weekly, we have never had a bad meal, but a recent lunch was outstanding: Chestnut and Cauliflower soup - a savoury caramel. Yum. The service is charming. We always look forward to eating here. We are not vegetarian, but with food as good as this, maybe time to consider the option.

Finally visited The Waiting Room at Christmas and after being vegetarian for 4 years I can say this was the first time I have been excited after reading a menu and seeing the choice that was available.

I am not a vegetarian however I could be converted after eating here.

I have to admit I went out to the waiting room with friends but I really wanted meat. Been before but this visit was excellent. We shared trio of pates - all delicious - and I chose the enchiladas. Omg. Totally delicious, huge portion very tasty with plenty of cheese. Good friendly service + lovely food = no meat needed. Well worth a visit.

Another delicious meal. We've never been disappointed, the food, the drink, the staff, the atmosphere... all wonderful! Always the first place we recommend to people. Thank you to all for another wonderful evening. See you next time!

Such tasty mains and dessert. Everything you could wish for but without meat. Simply delicious. Free wifi too. The lime and ginger mess for dessert for so tasty and the ambience and warmth was great in the restaurant . We went for lunch and it was so wonderful .

Four of us visited for a regular monthly lunch, we meet somewhere different for lunch every month.

Holy moly ... what a great meal.

Another excellent meal. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending the waiting room. The food is always fantastic