Fox & Monocle Cafe

Have had sandwiches and baking during the day before and all was wonderful. The porchetta sandwich was ahmazeballs. Finally got in for dinner tonight. Absolutely top shelf experience. The service was attentive, knowledgeable and subtle. I had the ling cod croquette appetizer: texture super smooth and the pickle sauce was perfect. For a main I had the rolled turkey with rhubarb, fiddle heads and turnip. Beautiful plating and the dish was delicious. The rhubarb was very subtle and tender and turkey was juicy and flavourful. Desert was the brûlée tart with rhubarb sorbet. Again delicious. If only we lived closer this would become a frequent special event restaurant. 100 percent, you should try it. If you are heading to the ferry, try and take the time to sample this hidden gem.

So expensive for so little. We were so hungry and wanted somewhere nice and cozy to eat. This place had wonderful reviews and we thought it would’ve been exactly what we needed. As we entered, we were told to sit at the bar despite many empty tables. As people left, we were still sitting at the bar. A few people came in and were seated directly at a table without a reservation as well. Completely unfair. I had the steak. It was the chewiest steak I have ever had. The potato thing was good but too small to be satisfying. This steak was cut and cooked so bad as well. I asked for medium rare. That steak was practically mooing at me. The presentation was beautiful but for 60 dollars, not worth it. Anyone could do the same. The atmosphere seemed welcoming at first but they were so pushy and rushing us to order. They said there was one steak left and then proceeded to bring out another steak for a table that arrived after us. The staff were clearly uninterested and just wanted your money. Save your money, eat anywhere else.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 3

TERRIBLE SERVICE. MAYBE RACIST.

- No seats available"? Try "No common sense available."
Arrived at 6:50 PM on 02/16, excited for a cozy evening. Walked in to find FOUR EMPTY TABLES… only to be told they were “reserved.” Reserved for whom? Ghosts?

- Their "reservation system" is a sham.
After being turned away, we managed to book a table online on the spot (apparently the ghosts canceled?). Called the store to confirm, and the employee said, “Yeah, sure, come in.”
:They lied.

Save your time, money, and dignity—go literally anywhere else. A vending machine offers better service and ambiance.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

The location is a little hidden but there’s a lot of parking space. The atmosphere is nice and the service is good. The food though I think is not worth the price. Most of us ordered the lamb and none of us were satisfied. The portion was small and the taste was just ok. There’s a lot of beans but not my favorite. And there’s no kids menu.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 2

Service: 5

We love this place. The relaxed atmosphere suits the excellent but unpretentious food, and the service team works smoothly together, with patient, good-humoured attentiveness. The cocktails have thoughtful touches, as does each menu item, from the olive puree on the tomato salad, to the pickled onion rings and delicious broccoli that accompanies the tender pork loin. Fox and Monocle Café is rapidly becoming our go-to when we’re not sure what we want; we know we won’t be disappointed. Be sure to save enough room for at least a shared dessert.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

While we chose it on a whim, this turned out to be an absolutely fabulous meal. Starting with cocktails, which were superlative in being both balanced and delicious, our whole experience was wonderful.

We started with Sourdough and the Chicken Liver Pate, both of which were delicious. My wife is a big brioche fan, and the butter toasted brioche that comes with the pate had her eyes rolling back in her head, to say nothing of the pate itself. Meanwhile, I was sipping on my second extra spicy Cracked Monocle margarita, perhaps the best drink I’ve had in years.

Our mains were the pork tenderloin, and the rockfish. Both came out prepared impeccably, and had great flavor.

We ended our meal with desserts made in house by their very talented pastry chef, the pistachio cake, plum and pecan tart, and the chocolate mousse cake. All the sweet treats were delicious, balanced and sweet without being overly so.

Overall we loved this meal, and cannot recommend this cute little restaurant highly enough.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Sourdough Bread, Rock Fish

Im a fussy eater and was a little apprehensive after reading the menu...however I am so glad we went. Service was excellent. I had the lamb pie which was delicious and so unusual...highly recommend it. We shared the gougere and the beet salad...both were perfect and so different from what I have had before. I am a fan of tablecloths and candles or flowers...think it adds comfort and elegance...I understand linens create extra work but it would transform the space into a dining room rather than a cafe atmosphere. Other than that it was a lovely experience and we will definitely be back.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Lamb Pie, Gougere

Loved it.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich

What a treasure this delightful cafe is! We’ve visited numerous time for breakfast, brunch, and dinner, all of which were exceptional. The breakfast sandwich is the best I’ve ever had with the perfect bun that melts in your mouth with each bite. And the cinnamon buns are not overly sweet which is surprisingly hard to find. Truly, everything on the menu is incredible! I can’t say enough wonderful things about the kind staff that work here too. Gertrude’s warm smile is a lovely greeting in itself, and everyone we’ve met here has been caring, thoughtful, and excellent at their crafts.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich

6 stars out of 5. Food, service, everything was the best. Location, parking. Everything. Will definitely come back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Gougere

Was looking forward to lunch on the patio with a friend today. The view & situation is lovely. However, the bowl of chowder was the worst I’ve ever had. We were both disappointed by the thin broth that was incredibly tasteless. No flavor, no cream, and certainly not very appealing. The young staff seemed very disinterested and lackluster. We didn’t feel welcomed at all. I know the place was busy at lunchtime, but surely the owners recognize the importance of training staff to be friendly and to engage with customers. We did take a few pastries home and they were tasty, but not exceptional. Very disappointing experience.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

We stopped here for a bite mid-morning. When we got there, they were out of one of two specials. So by default, we had the only sandwich left.... and it was amazing. You know those tiny places that have tiny menus, and you just know that everything they make is amazing? This is one of those places. If they make it, it is going to be good. Definitely not in a tourist'y spot, so we looked out of place with our luggage. But well worth the detour on our way to the Ferry station. If I lived nearby, this is definitely the place I'd grab lunch at at least once a week, and not even both asking what it was. Just order their daily special and be surprised because no doubt it would be incredible.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We have ordered many cakes & desserts from Fox & Monocle (including a wedding cake!) and have always been really impressed. We finally made it out for dinner and we couldn’t have chosen a better menu to enjoy. Everything was so perfectly cooked and properly seasoned. We really really enjoyed the entire meal, and I love the setting. Our little island is so lucky to have Tracie. :)

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Top Grass Beef Tartar, Triple Cooked Chips

Definitely not a place to go for breakfast. Hopefully I can come back at a different time of day when they have more options than baked goods.

Not bike-friendly.

We visited with friends on our bikes and parked them by the side of the building, occupying a small portion of a parking spot. Despite plenty of available spaces, a staff member asked us to move our bikes and park in front of a storage building. After we got our food, they asked us to move the bikes again in an annoying way.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 3