GEORGE TOWN, March 5 — You can have a burger, pizza, cakes or even biryani when you eat at the latest vegan cafe in the city: Wholey Wonder.

Yes, you read right. Burgers and pizzas at a cafe that specialises in plant-based food.

This new hipster cafe, located next to the Hin Bus Depot Art Centre, opened last November and is already gaining a name for its delicious healthy desserts and unique menu of vegan food.

Tammy Tingting and Jonathan Behan promote a healthy lifestyle through nourishing vegan cuisine and yoga at the Wholey Wonder.
Tammy Tingting and Jonathan Behan promote a healthy lifestyle through nourishing vegan cuisine and yoga at the Wholey Wonder.

“There is a misconception that vegan food is boring so we want to introduce delicious vegan food that is healthy and nourishing for the body,” said the cafe’s main chef and co-owner Tammy Tingting.

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Among the interesting items on the menu is the Superfood Smoothie Bowl: a medley of flavours and textures made from bananas, kale, hemp seed, coconut water, barley grass and wheat grass served in a papaya.

Wholey Wonder opened in November last year and it’s quite a hit amongst locals for its unique vegan fare and healthy desserts.
Wholey Wonder opened in November last year and it’s quite a hit amongst locals for its unique vegan fare and healthy desserts.

This is one dish where you can enjoy scoopfuls of rich creamy goodness before eating the “container” of sweet papaya. It is the only raw main dish on the menu but it can also be eaten as a dessert instead.

Nourish your life with wonder at Wholey Wonder.
Nourish your life with wonder at Wholey Wonder.

So, what about the burgers, pizzas and biryani? They have a Naked Burger which is a chickpea and quinoa patty served with portobello mushrooms which act as the bun.

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Then there is the Wholey Pizza for those who can’t do without pizzas. Using Yin’s Sourdough Bakery’s thin crust as the pizza base, they serve their pizza either with a tomato or pesto spread and topped with zucchini, mushrooms, sprouts and tomatoes.

Behind the scenes...the making of the Briyani Quinoa.
Behind the scenes...the making of the Briyani Quinoa.

If you must have rice, they have the Briyani Quinoa where quinoa is used to replace rice. The dish is imbued with the natural flavours of spices and served with cauliflower, carrots and mushrooms. A dollop of cashew cream rounds up the whole dish perfectly.

Other than the fixed items on the menu, they also have a Wonder Dish Of The Day, their way of offering something new every other week and on weekends.

“We change our menu every couple of weeks and on most days, we have three to five mains available and sometimes, four to six mains, depending on the ingredients we are able to get,” said the other co-owner Jonathan Behan.

Tammy is the main chef at the Wholey Wonder where she develops the recipes for the menu.
Tammy is the main chef at the Wholey Wonder where she develops the recipes for the menu.

Most ingredients are sourced locally except for imported items like hemp seeds, chia seeds and quinoa. Most of the items on the menu are also gluten free except for the pizza.

“We believe that eating is not just to fill the belly but also to nourish our bodies so we use fresh, healthy ingredients,” said Tammy.

Tammy also conducts yoga classes in the yoga studio above the Wholey Wonder cafe.
Tammy also conducts yoga classes in the yoga studio above the Wholey Wonder cafe.

The cafe also has a yoga studio upstairs with about 10 classes a week conducted by Tammy and two other instructors.

“We want to offer a healthy lifestyle with nourishing food and yoga, all in one space,” she said.

Though Tammy is Malaysian, she had only been to Penang twice before this but she was struck by the creative vibes in George Town. This was what drew the couple to Penang to start up a cafe and yoga studio.

The couple do not have previous experience in running a cafe and have never worked in the food and beverage industry but decided to open this cafe in Penang to introduce healthy, plant-based food that is tasty and different.

Delectable healthy desserts that are gluten-free, dairy-free and made from fresh, raw ingredients. Clockwise from left: Tiramisu, Snickers Bar, Peanut Butter Cheesecake and Raspberry White Chocolate Slice.
Delectable healthy desserts that are gluten-free, dairy-free and made from fresh, raw ingredients. Clockwise from left: Tiramisu, Snickers Bar, Peanut Butter Cheesecake and Raspberry White Chocolate Slice.

As for dessert, they usually have a selection available on the counter: their own version of a Snickers Bar, Tiramisu, Peanut Butter Cheesecake and a Rainbow Cheesecake.

The Rainbow Cheesecake is a multi-coloured layer of spirulina, mango, blueberries and dragonfruit with a crunchy base made from chia seeds, almonds, dates and cocoa powder.

Healthy raw Rainbow Cheesecake made from fruits with a chia and hemp seed base.
Healthy raw Rainbow Cheesecake made from fruits with a chia and hemp seed base.

“All our desserts, except for the brownies, are raw but they are also made with natural ingredients and sweetened with bananas, dates and sometimes maple syrup,” Tammy said.

She is always experimenting with new recipes so new desserts are regularly introduced.

The Penang Passion, a dreamy smoothie made from dragon fruit, passion fruit, mango and coconut water (left). The Wholey Pizza is served either with a tomato or pesto spread and topped with zucchini, mushrooms, sprouts and tomatoes (right).
The Penang Passion, a dreamy smoothie made from dragon fruit, passion fruit, mango and coconut water (left). The Wholey Pizza is served either with a tomato or pesto spread and topped with zucchini, mushrooms, sprouts and tomatoes (right).

For drinks, other than the usual coffee, tea and cold-pressed juices, they have coconut water-based thick smoothies and “wonder mylkshake” made with freshly pressed almond milk.

Behan was a carpenter before they came to Penang so he was the one behind the unique decor for the cafe.

The woodwork and decor were all done by Jonathan and Tammy.
The woodwork and decor were all done by Jonathan and Tammy.

Instead of regular stools at the bar counter top, he made swings to give a whimsical touch to the place while the walls were stripped and the red bricks underneath left bare, adding a homey touch to the space.

The cafe is small so there is limited seating for large groups as most tables can only sit between two to three people. The cafe can be accessed from Jalan Gurdwara or from its back entrance that opens up to the inner courtyard of the Hin Bus Depot Art Centre.

Wholey Wonder
61, Gurdwara Road, George Town
Time: 11am - 8pm (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Tel: 04-2189006
Email: [email protected]