The Wooden Monkey
The Wooden Monkey is a privately held farm-to-table restaurant operating two locations in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, serving locally sourced, sustainable cuisine and a 100% Nova Scotia craft beverage program to health-conscious local diners since 2004.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersHalifax, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Wooden Monkey does
The Wooden Monkey is a privately held, farm-to-table restaurant business operating two physical locations in Halifax (1707 Grafton St.) and Dartmouth (40 Alderney Dr., Alderney Ferry Terminal), Nova Scotia, Canada. Founded in 2004 by Lil MacPherson (President & Co-Owner) and Christine Bower (VP/Operations & Co-Owner) in the aftermath of Hurricane Juan in 2003, the restaurant is built around a 'restaurant with a conscience' positioning emphasizing local, sustainable, organic, and free-range ingredients sourced from a curated network of 40+ Nova Scotia farms, breweries, wineries, distilleries, and fisheries. The core menu spans lunch and dinner entrees, a fully gluten-free or gluten-free-adaptable entree selection, scratch-made in-house desserts, a kids' menu, and a beverage program built around a 100% Nova Scotia craft beer, cider, wine, and spirits lineup with happy hour pricing Monday–Friday. Operations are run without microwaves or deep fryers.
The business monetizes through dine-in service at both locations, banquet and stand-up reception menus for private functions, phone and Uber Eats takeout/delivery, and physical and online (Toast Tab e-gift card) gift certificates. Customer segments include health-conscious local diners, private event hosts, and craft beverage enthusiasts. Distribution is omnichannel at a regional scale: two retail storefronts supplemented by ResDiary online reservations, Toast Tab e-commerce, and Uber Eats delivery. The company has approximately 30 employees, no external funding or parent company, and is bootstrapped and founder-owned. Leadership includes Lil MacPherson, Christine Bower, and General Manager Adam Savelle.
The Wooden Monkey firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Wooden Monkey
- Legal name
- The Wooden Monkey
- Website
- https://thewoodenmonkey.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Wooden Monkey is a privately held farm-to-table restaurant operating two locations in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, serving locally sourced, sustainable cuisine and a 100% Nova Scotia craft beverage program to health-conscious local diners since 2004.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where The Wooden Monkey is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Halifax
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Wooden Monkey business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Dine-in Restaurant Service: Revenue from food and beverage sales at two restaurant locations. Menu includes lunch/dinner entrees, desserts, kids' menu, and full beverage service with craft beer, wine, and spirits. Happy hour specials offered Monday-Friday 3-5pm.
- Gift Certificates: Sale of gift certificates for restaurant credit, available for in-person purchase at both locations or online as e-gift cards via Toast Tab platform.
- Special Events & Private Functions: Revenue from banquet menu, stand-up reception menu, and private function bookings for special occasions.
- Third-party Delivery: Menu available for delivery via Uber Eats platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Regular menu pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour pricing |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Private event/cake cutting fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Wooden Monkey product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Wooden Monkey operates two farm-to-table restaurant locations in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, serving locally sourced, organic, sustainable, and free-range lunch and dinner fare complemented by a 100% Nova Scotia craft beer, cider, wine, and spirits beverage program. The restaurants also offer banquet and reception menus for private functions, physical and electronic gift certificates, online reservations, and a seasonal Beer Garden patio at the Dartmouth location.
Product overview
The Wooden Monkey is a farm-to-table restaurant with two locations in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The core offering includes a main lunch/dinner menu featuring locally sourced, organic, and sustainable foods, complemented by separate beverage, dessert, and children's menus. Special occasion dining is supported through banquet and reception menus, while gift certificates and an online reservation system enable customer engagement. The Dartmouth location also features a seasonal outdoor beer garden. The restaurant positions itself as 'A RESTAURANT WITH A CONSCIENCE,' emphasizing environmental awareness and support for local producers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Main Menu (Lunch & Dinner) Lunch and dinner menu featuring locally sourced, organic entrees including seafood, burgers, pastas, pizza, and vegetarian-friendly dishes, designed for dine-in and takeout customers at both Halifax and Dartmouth locations.
- Beverage Menu (Craft Beer, Cider, Wine, Spirits) Full bar offerings including a 100% Nova Scotia craft beer and cider lineup, spirits menu, and wines from local Nova Scotia wineries, with happy hour specials available Monday-Friday 3-5 PM.
- Dessert & Kids' Menus Desserts made from scratch in-house plus a dedicated children's menu, served at both Halifax and Dartmouth locations.
- Special Menus & Functions (Banquet & Reception) Banquet menu, stand-up reception menu, and 3-course dinner options for private functions and special occasions; entire entrée menu is gluten-free or can be made gluten-free.
- Gift Certificates Physical gift certificates available for in-person purchase with mail-out or pickup options, plus electronic gift cards sold online through the Toast Tab platform for both Halifax and Dartmouth locations.
- Online Reservations Online reservation system powered by ResDiary for parties of 1-20 at Halifax and 2-20 at Dartmouth, with larger groups handled by email request; patio seating is first-come, first-served.
- Beer Garden (Seasonal Outdoor Patio) Outdoor patio at the Dartmouth Alderney Ferry Terminal location serving a small menu of items such as nachos, pulled pork sliders, dips, and poutine, with operation dependent on weather and season.
Companies that use The Wooden Monkey
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Wooden Monkey technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
The Wooden Monkey partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Propeller Brewing CompanycoreLocal Nova Scotia brewery featured since day one. Supplies craft beer for the restaurant's 100% NS craft beer/cider lineup.
- Garrison Brewing CompanycoreLocal Nova Scotia brewery, long-term partner in the restaurant's craft beer program.
- Horton Ridge Malt & GrainminorProduces Nova Scotia organic floor malts for local brewers, supporting the local craft beer industry featured at the restaurant.
- Local Farms (40+ suppliers)coreExtensive network of local Nova Scotia farms supplying produce, meats, dairy, and artisanal products. Includes Getaway Farm, Hutton Family Farm, Four Seasons Farm, and many others.
- Local Craft Breweriescore100% NS craft beer/cider lineup including Propeller, Garrison, North Brewing, Big Spruce, Tatamagouche, 9 Locks, Lake City Cider, Annapolis Cider, and others.
- Local Wineries & DistilleriesminorNova Scotia wine and spirits including Jost Vineyards, Gaspereau Vineyards, Bishop's Cellar, Nova Scotia Spirit Co., Steinhart Distillery, Compass Distillers, Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards, Ironworks Distillery, Glenora Distillery.
- Uber EatsminorThird-party delivery partner enabling menu delivery to customers.
- Toast Tab (E-Gift Cards)minorPlatform provider for online e-gift card sales.
- Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia (RANS)minorListed as a 'Friend' of the restaurant, industry association for restaurants in Nova Scotia.
- Restaurants CanadaminorListed as a 'Friend' of the restaurant, national industry association.
- Halifax Seaport Farmers' MarketminorListed as a 'Friend' of the restaurant, local farmers market venue.
- Alderney Landing Farmers' MarketminorListed as a 'Friend' of the restaurant, located at the Dartmouth restaurant location.
- Local Source MarketminorListed as a 'Friend' of the restaurant, local food market.
- Halifax Media Co-opminorListed as a 'Friend' of the restaurant, local media organization.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Wooden Monkey competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tender Greens: California-based farm-to-table restaurant chain with a chef-driven, locally-sourced menu. Comparable at the category level as a multi-unit farm-to-table concept, though operating in a different geography and price tier.
- Sweetgreen: National farm-to-table fast-casual chain built around local sourcing and transparency. Comparable as a scaled operator in the broader farm-to-table category, though serving a faster, lower-AUV segment.
- True Food Kitchen: Multi-location health-focused restaurant concept emphasizing seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. Comparable as a broader farm-to-table incumbent with dietary-accommodation (gluten-free, vegan) positioning similar to The Wooden Monkey.
Direct peers
- The Bicycle Thief: Upscale Halifax Italian restaurant with strong emphasis on local Nova Scotia sourcing and craft beverage pairings. Comparable in full-service dining format, local-sourcing philosophy, and HRM location.
- 5 Fishermen Restaurant: Iconic Halifax seafood restaurant. Comparable as an established independent full-service restaurant in HRM with private-event capabilities and a Nova Scotia-sourcing identity.
- Stubborn Goat Gastropub: Halifax gastropub offering elevated pub fare with local ingredient focus. Comparable as a Halifax full-service restaurant with craft beverage program targeting a similar dine-in customer base.
- Brooklyn Warehouse: Halifax-based restaurant known for local sourcing and seasonal menus. Comparable to The Wooden Monkey as an independent farm-to-table operator serving HRM diners seeking sustainable, locally-sourced cuisine.
- Edna's Restaurant: Halifax restaurant with a long-standing local-sourcing ethos, serving comfort food with Nova Scotia ingredients. Directly comparable as another HRM independent emphasizing regional producers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Wooden Monkey social profiles
Digital presenceThe Wooden Monkey financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Wooden Monkey leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The Wooden Monkey funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Wooden Monkey M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Wooden Monkey
What does The Wooden Monkey do?
The Wooden Monkey operates two farm-to-table restaurant locations in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, serving locally sourced, organic, sustainable, and free-range lunch and dinner fare complemented by a 100% Nova Scotia craft beer, cider, wine, and spirits beverage program. The restaurants also offer banquet and reception menus for private functions, physical and electronic gift certificates, online reservations, and a seasonal Beer Garden patio at the Dartmouth location.
Is The Wooden Monkey a public or private company?
The Wooden Monkey is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Wooden Monkey founded?
The Wooden Monkey was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Wooden Monkey based?
The Wooden Monkey is headquartered in Halifax, Canada, in the North America region.
How does The Wooden Monkey make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Restaurant Service is the primary driver. The others are gift Certificates, special Events & Private Functions and third-party Delivery.
Who are The Wooden Monkey's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tender Greens, Sweetgreen and True Food Kitchen. Direct peers are The Bicycle Thief, 5 Fishermen Restaurant, Stubborn Goat Gastropub, Brooklyn Warehouse and Edna's Restaurant.
Does The Wooden Monkey have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Wooden Monkey.