Green Leaf

I’m going to echo what you’ve read in most of the reviews. First, the ambiance is on point. You want to feel fresh and eat fresh? Green Leaf is the place. With the poppin’ greens while you pop greens, you will feel plenty healthy. You can sit up in the front where the sun is usually shining, or venture back into the venue and find a cozy little leisure spot.
The menu is expansive and accommodating to all sorts of vegan delights. This is probably Green Leaf’s highlight and downfall. It aspires to give you a lot of choice but sacrifices a bit on the variety of quality. Basically, they offer you a lot of simply good dishes where some places can give you a few amazing plates at a lower price-​point.
If you’re feeling like something light and fresh, check out Green Leaf. The vegan and vegetarian menu will surprise you in how inviting and adventurous it can be.

A random trip to Louisville to see the holiday display, «Lights Under Louisville» ended with a stop for dinner at Green Leaf. I was very excited looking over the menu as there were sooo many vegetarian options to choose from. I ended up going with the Veg. Cocktail Sausage Skewer and the Veg. Tuna Sandwich. I also had a Pomegranate Smoothie. Service was a little slow, and our food filtered out one plate at a time. I shared a Gyoza appetizer, and that was pretty tasty. Finally, my tuna sandwich came out after my partner had been munching on his stir-​fry for a while. It was a bit dry but otherwise okay. The waitress then informed me that they were out of the Sausage Skewers, so we went with the Veg. Shrimp Ball Skewers instead. I thought the shrimp balls were kind of weird, but I’m not really sure how to describe them. I was really full at this point, so that might have skewed my judgment.
It was a bright restaurant on what seemed to be a fairly busy street. We were lucky to find parking right outside. I’ve had better vegetarian food, but the prices here were reasonable, everything was freshly prepared, and they offered a diverse selection of dishes.

House noodles and fresh fruit smoothie were reasonably priced and delivered quickly on my recent visit. I wouldn’t travel from out of the neighborhood for this but it’s a decent addition to the Old Louisville/​University of Louisville vegetarian palate.

I am Asian so I know my rice :) This is one of the few places that makes it right, not dry but soft and fluffy.
I had the golden tofu with shiatake mushroom, asparagus, snowpeas and peppers. I appreciate that the veggies are not cooked into mush and doused in sauce. Its still crunchy and retains its vegieness. I wish the flavoring is more inventive instead of just oyster sauce (almost like a thick soy sauce). So basically salty veggies, I liked it because I love veggies cooked any way.
Very large selection of dishes to choose from.

I like that this place exists. When I’m in the mood for something light for lunch, it’s a short drive down the road to pick it up… and it is SCRUMPTIOUS. I find it to be really pricey for the amount of food I get, though. Something more like 6 – 7 bucks would be more reasonable for the regular tofu/​rice/​veggie combos. I’m glad the menu is displayed with nutrition info and ingredients, but the gluten free options should be pointed out. If you’re going for this kind of customer base, cover all the bases!

I am usually not a big fan of «mock» (i.e. fake meat) dishes, but I tried their sesame chicken entrée and it was so good that it made me rethink my whole perspective on mock vegetarian/​vegan food.
The place looks like a campus fast food joint but it is apparent once you try their food that every dish gets personal, skilled attention. Don’t let the super-​casual store-​front atmosphere and walk-​up service fool you, this is a gem for vegetarians in the Louisville area. The vegetables were fresh and well prepared, the (white) rice was very good and most importantly the sauce was excellent. Others thought their dishes were equally excellent.
Be aware that It is in an urban/​campus area and parking can be a challenge. We were lucky to find this place for lunch during a recent road trip, thanks to smart phones and the internet!
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I was super delightfully surprised by the Green Leaf. First and foremost, the staff was really concerned with how everyone enjoyed their meal and I just thought that was nice. Secondly, it seems odd to say that I had a really delicious salad. Aren’t all salads pretty much the same? Apparently not! This salad was delicious; a great selection of vegetables, tasty shrimp, and a dressing I need to have the recipe for! I will be back.

The food here is so good, that it sometimes makes me forget how slow it is.
Everything I’ve tried has been awesome, from the honey seared or ginger caramel «chicken,» to the lemongrass «pork,» to my favorite, crispy sesame «chicken.» The spring rolls are also solid and an easy add for just over $ 1. For the food and location only, it’s 5 stars.
The only downside is the wait. Everything is cooked to order, one at a time, which is great for the freshness, but is a bummer when you’re with a group and everyone gets their meals at a different time. The last time we went was the worst, when we were getting carry-​out for 5 people, and it took almost 30 minutes until all 5 orders were finished. Next time we’ll try to call in our order to pick up.

A must for a vegetarian. This place served up some of the meatiest anti-​meat dishes I’ve ever had.
This place certainly has a hipster vibe going on… especially being on a college campus. It has a fast-​casual feel like a Qdoba or Noodles And Co, but with a more local flavor. By that, I mean it doesn’t feel like everything rolled of an assembly line.
Oh… the food! The taste didn’t blow me away, though it was very good. What blew me away was how meaty everything was. I would have sworn I was eating beef. Again, if you are vegetarian, you have to try this place. If you are not vegetarian, then it is likely you will still like it.
I have not tried the teas as of this writing. I did notice that they has a nice «tea lounge» in the back… a small arrangement of comfy chairs and a table.
Service was very friendly on my visit. It felt like one of my friends was on the other side of the counter taking my order.
Looking forward to returning.

After much anticipation, my foodie friend and I made our maiden voyage to Green Leaf on Saturday afternoon, and needless to say we were more than impressed! The overall look of the restaurant is very clean and simple. It offers a variety of warm, cozy and quiet spots to enjoy their delicious food. I ordered the Lemongrass Pork and she ordered the Caramel Ginger Chicken. I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years and have been subjected to every sort of soy, tofu, tvp, veggie concoction known to man, but their soy meat was by far superior to anything I have ever had at a restaurant. The pork was tender and juicy and upon taking the first bite, I almost didn’t believe that it was made out of soy. The smell, taste and texture were all that of real pork and the same can be said for the chicken. The vegetables were cooked perfectly, left with just a hint of crispiness and my entire plate was balanced with a delicious helping of brown rice. I was excited to finally see a restaurant serving brown rice! I am also a Type 2 Diabetic, so my only complaint is that they did not have any sweetener for the unsweetened iced tea.
Overall the meal and the food were extraordinary and the low cost will definitely keep me coming back! Even if you aren’t a vegetarian I would suggest giving Green Leaf a try, you will be more than surprised!

I was a bit surprised by how inexpensive it was for healthy food here. I got the sesame «chicken» with rice, a side of edamame, along with a bubble tea (about $ 4) for about $ 12. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the bubble tea (almond milk + mango bubbles), but mine tasted a bit like cherry cough syrup for some reason. Not a fan. The food was good though, not sure if I’ll make a special trip, but we’ll see…
I also wish this restaurant along with others in this center would take the UofL meal plan. :(

The first time I went there I was satisfied with the food and the low price. Not much of a real ”Bistro” as other upscale restaurants with high price, this small restaurant offers counter service without waiters. The food tasted even more delicious than some fancy Bistros. Although it was small, the decoration was very clean and refreshing. The second time I went there I was surprised with the improvements they’ve made during the past a few weeks. The taste of food was even better and they’ve got more choices on the menu as well. The look of the food was very much improved. The former foam plates were substitute with eco-​friendly paper plates. The staff, however, are still very friendly and the most important, the price did not go up! They told me they are a new local restaurant so they appreciate any suggestions from the customers to help them grow better. I was very much pleased to know that. Oh by the way, their Bubble tea and Smoothies are DELICIOUS! I think that is the best Bubble tea and Smoothie I have ever had in Louisville! Anyway, I’ll go there again, definitely.