We really enjoy going to Whole Foods Market and stopping in for a quick bite to eat at the cafe and coffee bar that they have. While it used to be referred to as "Penguins", I'm not certain if Whole Foods still markets the restaurant separately anymore. They still have the big penguin figures around, but the name "Penguins" has been removed from the outside, front area of the store. Nevertheless, the food is great, and they still offer the best variety of vegetarian, vegan, and organic food options that we have seen. There are several hot bars, a granola bar, pizza and deli area, and a coffee bar. Not to mention the fact that you have the bakery, and the entire rest of the store to choose items from if you want to. You will not leave hungry, and the staff at Whole Foods are always very friendly and laid back. This is a very relaxed place to eat. They have communal seating available, and also private booths, tables, and bar style seating along the windows. There is also outdoor seating available. Whole Foods is big on recycling, so there are recycling stations available where you can deposit your leftover paper and plastics, etc. when you have finished eating. One of the biggest conveniences with this particular restaurant with Whole Foods is that it is fast. You can go in and grab something quick to eat, and also pick up a few things to go. The one caveat to Whole Foods restaurant and market is the prices. Everything is incredibly expensive. This is not the place to dine or shop if you are on a strict budget. Be prepared to pay for a party of two, just around 30 dollars or more, depending on how much food you get while you are filling up your plate. We dine rather sparingly, and still have not been able to keep our bill under 25 dollars for a meal together, complete with something to drink. If you go in for simply the coffee bar, you will pay a little less than Starbucks, but it is still pricey for coffee and/or tea. That being said, you get what you pay for. The food is very good, and nutritionally, it is made with high quality ingredients, so it is worth it to a certain extent.
(4)
Bernard G.
I'm only rating the quality of the cooking, and that. of course, is subjective. However, in fairness, the whole place has been dramatically expanded in size and scope in the last few months, so that you could easily take a small group of up to 7 and be comfortable. I think it's pretty kid-friendly, and I'm no fan of kids in eating establishments. What I do object to is paying their prices for essentially no service whatsoever. You select your food, go to the weigh-and-pay cashier, and you are on your own. Get your own utensils, condiments, napkins. By the time you've done the whole self-serve dance, there is a good chance you'll need to go to one of the microwaves to reheat your food. Then you eat. And the next dance begins as you redistribute everything into the various ecologically appropriate receptacles ("Green Glass With Silk-screened White Logos Only, Please") (OK, slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean) which can take about as long as it took to eat. I mean, I'm no fan of sending anything to the land-fill that doesn't belong there, but surely at their prices they could pay someone who needs a job to clear tables and sort the refuse. A final note regarding price. I'm generally tempted to eat too much in full-service restaurants. Prices at Penguins actually make portion-control attractive. Despite the price rating I gave, I can easily get out of there for $5-$7 if I remember not to buy one of their $3 soft drinks in the green glass bottle with the white silk-screened logo. :-)
(3)
William J.
Penguins is a cafe that's more than just attached to Whole Foods. Rather, it is part of Whole Foods in much the way that a male angler fish is part of the female (you heard me, look it up). The food is actually really good for the most part. They had a great variety, everything from sushi to sweet beets, and drinks from coffee to milkshakes are available. Most of the food is really high quality, although the sushi isn't the best I've had locally. You're going to want to come here any time that you feel the need to eat normal things in combinations you've never heard of. Unfortunately it suffers the pricing crunch that Whole Foods itself does, especially for the surprisingly small portions that you get.
(3)
Jake S.
Admittedly much of what is offered at Whole Foods is well out of my price range. Though tantalizing, I'm not yet in the tax bracket where I can grocery shop there. However, I wandered over to Penguin's Cafe on one trip in hopes that I might be able to at least afford a quick lunch. Much the same as the rest of the store, what I found was priced at much more than I'd hoped to spend. Penguin's offers a very nice variety of food from around the world, and even traditional favorites with fun spins. And if there's anything I'll splurge on, it's food. However, I've found everything that I've tried there to be average at best, and very overpriced. This spot is convenient for hungry shoppers, and it does provide the same yuppie/hippie sort of atmosphere that I know draws many to the enclosed grocery. For me the cafe lacks the punch of the rest of the store, and hurts the wallet a bit more than it helps the stomach.
(3)
Sam T.
Penguins is the restaurant/cafe/buffet that is attached (in) Whole Foods and still goes with the whole environmental flair. The food is usually decent if it is hot - lots of worldy choices, tons of stuff for vegetarians, good soup, lots of vegetables. The cafe eating area is pretty minimal, metal tables and some artwork. Eating outside is nice but the tables are small. Penguins would get 4 stars if not for their outrageous pricing. The serve yourself buffet is a flat $7 a pound I think, or something in that range. It makes you not want to get the (quite good) mac and cheese or mashed potatoes because you know it is simply not worth $7 a pound. Usually a full plate with soup will end up to $12-$14, which I think is much too high.
(3)
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Address :81 S Elliot Rd,Whole Foods
Chapel Hill, NC, 27514
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No
Michelle J.
We really enjoy going to Whole Foods Market and stopping in for a quick bite to eat at the cafe and coffee bar that they have. While it used to be referred to as "Penguins", I'm not certain if Whole Foods still markets the restaurant separately anymore. They still have the big penguin figures around, but the name "Penguins" has been removed from the outside, front area of the store. Nevertheless, the food is great, and they still offer the best variety of vegetarian, vegan, and organic food options that we have seen. There are several hot bars, a granola bar, pizza and deli area, and a coffee bar. Not to mention the fact that you have the bakery, and the entire rest of the store to choose items from if you want to. You will not leave hungry, and the staff at Whole Foods are always very friendly and laid back. This is a very relaxed place to eat. They have communal seating available, and also private booths, tables, and bar style seating along the windows. There is also outdoor seating available. Whole Foods is big on recycling, so there are recycling stations available where you can deposit your leftover paper and plastics, etc. when you have finished eating. One of the biggest conveniences with this particular restaurant with Whole Foods is that it is fast. You can go in and grab something quick to eat, and also pick up a few things to go. The one caveat to Whole Foods restaurant and market is the prices. Everything is incredibly expensive. This is not the place to dine or shop if you are on a strict budget. Be prepared to pay for a party of two, just around 30 dollars or more, depending on how much food you get while you are filling up your plate. We dine rather sparingly, and still have not been able to keep our bill under 25 dollars for a meal together, complete with something to drink. If you go in for simply the coffee bar, you will pay a little less than Starbucks, but it is still pricey for coffee and/or tea. That being said, you get what you pay for. The food is very good, and nutritionally, it is made with high quality ingredients, so it is worth it to a certain extent.
(4)Bernard G.
I'm only rating the quality of the cooking, and that. of course, is subjective. However, in fairness, the whole place has been dramatically expanded in size and scope in the last few months, so that you could easily take a small group of up to 7 and be comfortable. I think it's pretty kid-friendly, and I'm no fan of kids in eating establishments. What I do object to is paying their prices for essentially no service whatsoever. You select your food, go to the weigh-and-pay cashier, and you are on your own. Get your own utensils, condiments, napkins. By the time you've done the whole self-serve dance, there is a good chance you'll need to go to one of the microwaves to reheat your food. Then you eat. And the next dance begins as you redistribute everything into the various ecologically appropriate receptacles ("Green Glass With Silk-screened White Logos Only, Please") (OK, slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean) which can take about as long as it took to eat. I mean, I'm no fan of sending anything to the land-fill that doesn't belong there, but surely at their prices they could pay someone who needs a job to clear tables and sort the refuse. A final note regarding price. I'm generally tempted to eat too much in full-service restaurants. Prices at Penguins actually make portion-control attractive. Despite the price rating I gave, I can easily get out of there for $5-$7 if I remember not to buy one of their $3 soft drinks in the green glass bottle with the white silk-screened logo. :-)
(3)William J.
Penguins is a cafe that's more than just attached to Whole Foods. Rather, it is part of Whole Foods in much the way that a male angler fish is part of the female (you heard me, look it up). The food is actually really good for the most part. They had a great variety, everything from sushi to sweet beets, and drinks from coffee to milkshakes are available. Most of the food is really high quality, although the sushi isn't the best I've had locally. You're going to want to come here any time that you feel the need to eat normal things in combinations you've never heard of. Unfortunately it suffers the pricing crunch that Whole Foods itself does, especially for the surprisingly small portions that you get.
(3)Jake S.
Admittedly much of what is offered at Whole Foods is well out of my price range. Though tantalizing, I'm not yet in the tax bracket where I can grocery shop there. However, I wandered over to Penguin's Cafe on one trip in hopes that I might be able to at least afford a quick lunch. Much the same as the rest of the store, what I found was priced at much more than I'd hoped to spend. Penguin's offers a very nice variety of food from around the world, and even traditional favorites with fun spins. And if there's anything I'll splurge on, it's food. However, I've found everything that I've tried there to be average at best, and very overpriced. This spot is convenient for hungry shoppers, and it does provide the same yuppie/hippie sort of atmosphere that I know draws many to the enclosed grocery. For me the cafe lacks the punch of the rest of the store, and hurts the wallet a bit more than it helps the stomach.
(3)Sam T.
Penguins is the restaurant/cafe/buffet that is attached (in) Whole Foods and still goes with the whole environmental flair. The food is usually decent if it is hot - lots of worldy choices, tons of stuff for vegetarians, good soup, lots of vegetables. The cafe eating area is pretty minimal, metal tables and some artwork. Eating outside is nice but the tables are small. Penguins would get 4 stars if not for their outrageous pricing. The serve yourself buffet is a flat $7 a pound I think, or something in that range. It makes you not want to get the (quite good) mac and cheese or mashed potatoes because you know it is simply not worth $7 a pound. Usually a full plate with soup will end up to $12-$14, which I think is much too high.
(3)