Whole World Natural Restaurant

Getting Viggy - I mean Veggie: Whole World Natural Restaurant & Bakery

I am not a vegetarian. I did try once in high school, and I succeeded for a few months. In the end though, chicken and fish (sushi, really) proved too tempting and I decided to just go with my carnivorous ways. That said, I can appreciate and enjoy a vegetarian meal - especially when it's well prepared!

Location: 3269 North High Street

Columbus, OH 43202

Service: Pretty spot on. You go in and seat yourself and pay at the front when you're done. There was one waitress for the restaurant, but it's not a huge place so she managed it well. My water was always full, she came at exactly the right time to take our order, and the food was brought out hot and timely. It wasn't super busy when we went, but it was over half full. I was a little bit surprised that they didn't give me a discount when my pizza "fell apart" in the oven (so I had to wait a little longer) but they were very apologetic.

Environment: It's a very homey environment. Don't come with a big group, because there are few booths that could realistically (much less comfortably) seat more than four. Everything is wooden and comfortable enough. There is a pretty epic mural painted above the kitchen...you'll know when you see it. Whole World very much has the "small cafe" feel to it, perfect for dates and catch up sessions with a friend.

This is the mural. Epic, right?

Menu and Food: They offer daily specials, which would be great if you're a regular. The menu itself is pretty extensive, and there were a couple things that really caught my eye! I eventually narrowed it down to the Eggplant Meatball Sub, the Broccoli Burger (one of the sandwiches they're known for) and the Southwest Pizza. I ordered the Southwest Pizza, and was very glad I did. I will say however, that the table next to me ordered the Eggplant Meatball Sub and I had to make a conscious effort not to drool. That's what I'll be ordering next time around. My sister ordered the Foccacia Melt, which looked good.

The whole wheat crust on my pizza was delicious. It was filling, soft, and didn't have too much of a wheat flavor that overpowered the rest of the pizza. They put just a dab of sauce on, and I really appreciated that. There was just enough to notice without confusing my mouth when combined with the avocado, black beans, and corn that topped the pizza. And of course, the cheese tied everything together. The pie was served with salsa, and I gladly topped a few slices with a spoonful.


The menu also has soups, salads, and a plethora of other sandwiches and pizzas. You can create your own pizza, selecting toppings from their roughly 15 item list. In terms of beverages, your standard soda, coffee, and teas are available. As you would expect from a vegetarian restaurant, there are plenty of fruit juices to choose from. Prices for all menu items are very reasonable as well, ranging from $6 for some sandwiches to $12 for a specialty personal pizza.

Decisions....

It is called Whole World Natural Restaurant and Bakery, so let's talk baked goods. The glass display cases were well stocked with everything from fruit bars to brownies to cookies, some of which are vegan. They serve traditional tastes with just plain chocolate chip, but serve those more daring - for example, the hot chocolate earthquake cookie, which has cayenne pepper in it! I was drawn to the peppermint brownie, but was far too full from my pizza to get one. I instead chose a chocolate white chocolate chip cookie. To be honest, I wasn't impressed. The cookie was dry and a little harder than I would have expected. The cocoa flavor I had been expecting was a little bit weak, and it could have used a few more white chocolate chips. Now, it was a pretty decent sized cookie (3" maybe?) and was only $1, so I feel I got what I paid for.

Do you SEE those brownies??

Final Verdict: The next time you're in the mood for a meatless meal (Meatless Monday, anyone?), go to Whole World Natural Restaurant and Bakery. The menu is diverse enough to satisfy all tastes and you'll pay a price you love. The restaurant portion was way better than the bakery, but for how cheap the baked goods are I'm willing to give a few other items a try. Happy eating!