I want to start by saying I would not want this review to deter anyone from enjoying a wonderful meal at Leaf. I've been here many times in a variety of ways--sat at the bar, at tables with friends and by myself, both inside and outside, and even experienced the large farm table prix fixe menu, which was fantastic. My experiences have consistently been great--the food, service, and atmosphere have always been top-notch. Tonight, however, was my first disappointing visit. I ordered the root vegetable bruschetta, which was very good. I also ordered the butternut squash penne pasta, a dish I've had before and really enjoyed. Unfortunately, this time it was extremely spicy. I'm not sure if the recipe has changed or if it was just a heavy hand in the kitchen, but it was not something I could eat. I mentioned it to the waiter, who didn't have an answer, so I simply asked for a to-go container. Since I couldn't eat it, I later gave the container to a homeless woman sitting nearby with her grocery cart. On my way out, I spoke with someone at the door who brought over the manager. The manager asked if he could see the dish, so I opened the container for him. He then asked if he could taste it and reached in, picked up a noodle, and tried it, saying he didn't notice anything unusual. He also wasn't aware of any changes to the recipe. I suggested that if the dish is now spicy, it might be helpful to note that on the menu so guests know what to expect. What left me disappointed wasn't just the dish itself, but how the situation was handled. There wasn't an offer to replace the meal or provide an alternative, which would have gone a long way. As someone who is only about six months into living in Colorado and a new business owner in the area, I often refer places I believe in. Tonight left me questioning whether I will continue to recommend Leaf based on how this was handled, though I'm hopeful that by tomorrow morning I may feel differently. That said, based on my many past positive experiences, I still believe Leaf is a great restaurant. I just hope this was an off night and that a little more attention is given to both consistency in the kitchen and how concerns are handled moving forward. read more

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

We've been visiting Leaf since they opened, and usually love the ambiance and service, but our last visit was a little underwhelming. We'd already had dinner at home and stopped in for a drink and dessert. I mentioned this to the server, and from that point on the experience went downhill. I ordered a Happy Hour Cabernet Sauvignon, which was clearly about half the size of a regular glass. My husband ordered a ginger beer, but it tasted like sparkling water with syrup settled at the bottom, which he didn't notice until the end of the glass. My son's dessert was also priced $2 higher than what was listed on the menu. The service overall was incredibly lackluster. It was a disappointing experience at what has long been one of our favorite restaurants in Boulder. read more

The food was a good idea poorly executed. The orange cauliflower would have been great, but the kitchen peppered the heck out of it and ruined it. The sesame tofu dish had a nice crunchy crust, but someone in the kitchen poured some sort of vinegar on it and it reeked to high heaven. Ultimately a big disappointment. read more

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant - Sesame crusted tofu - Vegetarian Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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We flew from San Diego and this place was highly recommended for vegan spots in the city. We had an excellent experience here! Great ambiance, food and service. The Lapsang Souchong BBQ was our favorite!! Slaw was so flavorful and creamy! read more

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I love Leaf as a plant-based fixture in Boulder. Well situated on Pearl, they have a lovely happy hour with deals on many of the best appetizers. My favorite is the oyster mushroom dish (sizable) and the Yaki Onigiri (8 bites). The buffalo tacos are good but definitely have a kick! I like to order a cup of soup as well. They are always great to have with house bread. With a charming ambiance, attentive service, and delicious food, I would highly recommend coming here and enjoying the ambiance of Pearl. read more

I typically do not frequent pure vegetarian restaurants, as I am a carnivore from way back...! A business meal brought me here and I had one of the most memorable all vegetarian meals I've ever had! They boast using all natural ingredients that come from the harvest of their own farm and have an exceptional array of wonderful choices. I don't think you can go wrong here and am sure I will maybe consider vegetarian restaurants in the future on my travels! The service was great and the interior was decorated in a pleasant way with a combination of soft greens and whites with high ceilings. Lots of live plants keep the air fresh and provide a nice relaxing touch. read more

The food here is absolutely amazing! Everything we've tried has been delicious. My favorite dish is the cauliflower tacos -- they're to die for! I highly recommend subbing the blue cheese for the aioli; it's perfection. My husband loves the ramen, and the orange cauliflower is another must-try. If you visit in the evening, they serve complimentary focaccia bread, which is so fresh and flavorful. Nearly any dish can be made vegan, and they do an incredible job with the substitutions. This is definitely one of the nicest upscale vegan-friendly restaurants around. Our server, Elizabeth, was incredible -- so attentive, kind, and genuinely friendly. She made our experience even better. We'll definitely be back! Also, the restaurant is super cute! read more

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I'm so glad we ate at Leaf while in town! Everything we ate was amazing. The Executive Chef Lauren definitely has talent and loves what she does - and it shows in the food. We tried a lot of things on the menu and liked each dish. But our absolute favorites were the kimchi sweet potato fries (this was a crowd favorite dish and we're still dreaming about it), ginger chili potstickers (so good!), and the hot fudge cake with ice cream for dessert (melt in your mouth warm chocolate cake with ice cream, it was 10 out of 10). We also enjoyed the butternut penne, everything crunch salad, and butternut squash arancini which were all delicious. Also, the bread deserves its own shout out - very soft and warm, and still rich in flavor. Easily the best bread I've had in a long time. Service was great with a friendly and attentive staff. Ambiance was warm, inviting, cozy and sophisticated. Would definitely recommend stopping here to anyone!! read more

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My mother and I went yesterday for happy hour, it was delightful. Such a unique atmosphere and food offerings. The meal was delicious and their drinks (espresso martini and blackberry lemonade) were fantastic. Kind, knowledgeable waitstaff and great overall service. read more

Fresh food, inviting and open atmosphere, great indoor outdoor spot with a unique all vegetarian menu. They source all their food from their local farm. Loved the presentation as well and the menu rotates regularly inviting a new selection of flavorful dishes. I especially love the decor and how it opens up to the outside creating a relaxing atmosphere. read more

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Ambience was good and it's a nice find in Colorado. The serveurs are nice, warm and welcoming. It's a good date place for people who want to have a good time. Food wise it's okay. Knowing it's a vegetarian restaurant I had hoped for more fresh ingredients and recipes. Most items were premade. Good luck catering to dietary restrictions like sensitive stomach. Jain food is also a miss here. Settled with a salad and vegan desserts read more

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant - Large Farm Summer Salad - Vegetarian Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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A disappointment. The dishes tasted retro vegetarian, reminding me of plain vegetarian fare I tried a few decades ago. SERVICE: 2.5. The waiter was reasonably efficient, lacking both a smile and warmth. He seemed irritated. The person who seated us was friendly. AMBIANCE: 3.0. Would have been helpful to have shades on the windows to block the afternoon sun. FOOD: 3.0. Retro vegetarian plain dishes. - Calamari Style Oyster Mushrooms (appetizer): 5.0. Excellent. - Thai Green Curry: 2.0. Plain and dissappointing. - Jamaican Jerk Tempeh: 2.0. Plain and dissappointing. We noticed that the couple dining next to us didn't even finish half their main dishes before departing. read more

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant - Thai Green Curry. A disappointment, reminding me of plain vegetarian fare I tried decades ago. - Vegetarian Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Big space inside and outdoor patio that allows dogs. Happy hour have limited menu for food. Service was fast. Mocktails are great. Spicy thai - 5/5 Mocktail gin and ginger - 4.5/5 Oyster dish - 4/5 - lacks little seasoning ow very creative Leaf plate - 3/5- liked pita and hummus. the rest of the dish was not that great Mushroom and crab sliders - 4.5/5 - really enjoyed them. good bite size. Jackfruit nachos - 4/5 - nacho chips were not good at first. So they prepared again the same dish for us which was good. read more

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I eat here whenever I'm in Boulder and the food is always delicious. My favorite time is brunch, the menu has almost too many choices but it's always a hit. read more

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant - Brunch burger - Vegetarian Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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A really cute spot to grab a healthy and meat free meal without being obvious that there isn't any meat. I got the vegan crab cake, and while it didn't taste much like crab cake, it was still delicious and so filling. The bread was soft and hit the spot, there was a good amount of sauce, and the meat substitute (I think it was tempeh) was so savory and delicious. And I love that it comes with a salad. My friends got the harvest bowl and they weren't as happy with their choice. I think Leaf would have been better off labeling this as a salad rather than a bowl, because my friends expected it to be warm but everything was cold. But salad would also usually require some sort of dressing and there wasn't really any sauce or flavoring. read more

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant - Vegan crab cake sandwich - Vegetarian Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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I ordered the peanut salad and I wanted to add tofu for 3.50$, when I received the salad after 45 minutes I counted literally 4 pieces of tofu in it. Service was also bad, we got water refilled once the entire time and never checked in with us about food, waiting time, etc. it seemed as though they had forgotten about us. My boyfriend's bibimbap also didn't taste great. Wouldn't recommend read more

Finding creative vegetarian restaurants is one of the joys of traveling. Although our food was perhaps a little overly seasoned, we thoroughly enjoyed the creativity that went into every dish. The "calamari" appetizer was delicious and the mushroom brochettes and lions mane steak were quite tasty. The chocolate desert was an added treat. We all left quite sated. read more

Another 5 star lunch at Leaf! Amazing vegetarian options and Kombucha. The sweet potato fries were AMAZING! Salty, crispy goodness. I eat here every time I'm in the Boulder area and it's always spot-on! read more

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This is a good place to go as a vegetarian or vegan in Boulder but maybe not gluten free. I came here on a Saturday afternoon and there was no wait. I have tried to come previously on a weekend night and they had a 45 minute wait so their busyness is quite varied. I am gluten free and vegetarian and they had quite a few options for me. Me and my partner ended up splitting the caprese sandwich with gf bread and their huevos rancheros. The caprese had good fillings and they use strawberry instead of tomato which I loved. The gluten free bread though was pretty terrible. I have had a wide swath of gf bread and this one really didn't hold its own. It was dry, crumbly, and lacked flavor. The fries were good and so was the ketchup which is saying something as I usually hate ketchup. The huevos rancheros was similarly good but not great. They served the tortillas within the pile of beans and pico and eggs/tofu. This meant it was more like eating a veggie burrito bowl with bites of corn tortilla in it which wasn't my favorite, and isn't what I expect for huevos rancheros. The tea is exceptional though, no notes. The server was very nice and attentive, the decor was great, and the ambiance was nice. read more

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This place always feels wonderful to visit. The staff is welcoming and friendly, and the ambiance just feels right. All this, and their food is simply delicious! I'm vegetarian, and have brought many skeptical non-vegetarians here, and they've always left quite surprised and satiated. read more

Based on one visit only, I wouldn't go back because the food was mediocre and the service even worse. The service was so so bad. Comically bad. For one, our server completely forgot to put in my appetizer (a soup), and then it took her so long to come check on us that I had almost finished my entree. She didn't even apologize, just said, "Oh I thought I put that in!" in a ditzy voice. Observing the other tables, she seemed to regularly forget things that people asked for, and she would disappear for so long that we wondered if she had gone on break at one point. We gave up on dessert because we sat long enough to change our minds twice. The restaurant was not especially busy, and she wasn't the only server, so I am not sure of the issue. The food was ok, but nothing to write home about. I ordered biscuits and gravy from the brunch menu, and they were too salty and also lukewarm on arrival, making them cold in a short time. My friend had a kale salad, which was fine but at least didn't need to be warmed. I can't speak to appetizers or desserts because our server ensured we didn't have either! read more

Leaf was the first restaurant my partner and I visited in Boulder upon our move to Denver. Overall it was a very pleasant experience! We arrived at 5pm, happy hour timeframe, on a Saturday evening and were happy to find plenty of space in the restaurant. We were quickly seated to a comfortable table with comforting decor all around. To get started, we ordered multiple cauliflower tacos and the Leaf Plate from the happy hour menu. The leaf plate was a selection of some vegetarian classics (hummus, babaganoush, and chutney) all in the same dish. It was quite well-done and I was impressed by the restaurant's variety of vegetarian spreads. The cauliflower taco was good, but I will admit that we both expected a few more toppings or a more complex flavor profile. As an entree, I ordered the Jamaican Jerk Tempeh. I was impressed by the dish because it included plantain sauce, a red rice/tempeh cake, and fruit salsa, and each of these three elements appeared to be time-intensive to prepare. It was also tasty, although I did struggle to finish since I can't handle spicy food very well. For spicy food lovers, this dish is for you! read more

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Leaf is a well-located vegetarian restaurant located right off Pearl Street Mall. The restaurant has a great ambiance, decent service, and a small menu with mostly plant-based choices. I am not a vegetarian but an omnivore who likes the occasional vegan or vegetarian meal -- so keep that in mind during this review. My party started with Jackfruit Adobada Nachos, Calamari Style Oyster Mushroom, and Bruschetta. These appetizers were delicious, especially the mushroom calamari. It was honestly surprising how tasty these vegetarian small plates could be! We also were offered a complimentary bread basket, which was just as yummy. Things changed however once we got to the main courses. As a group, we ordered the mushroom burger, tofu bibimbap, and Jamaican jerk tempeh. The main dishes just did not live up to the expectations left by the small plates. The food was fine, it was edible but nothing special. These tasted like what you would expect for vegetarian options. For those who strictly abide by a vegetarian diet, these dishes may offer variety and novelty. But for those who eat meat like myself, these main courses were a poor imitation of meaty meals. Overall, this is a great spot for appetizers and drinks, located in an even better location. However, this just leads to expensive plates of veggies that leave you wanting a little more -- that's Boulder for you. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, I'd highly recommend this restaurant. For meat eaters like myself, this probably won't be on my radar any time soon, but I am glad I tried it. read more

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Omg omg , I'm not vegan but this was the best breakfast. The best French toast ever and my 2 eggs O/E were cooked to perfection. The espresso martini with coconut tequila !!! Fantastic! Sampled the chilaquiles , again awesome . Treat yourself to brunch ! You deserve this ! read more

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Leaf is a cute vegetarian restaurant located in downtown Boulder. It offers an all vegetarian menu with additional vegan options, cocktails, beer, and wine. The decor is very inviting with a chic, boho feel and lots of plants! We had a reservation for 6:30PM but showed up about 30 minutes early and the restaurant was able to accommodate us right away. The menu offers a wide variety of vegetarian options including small plates, entrees, and desserts. I ordered the orange cauliflower - lightly battered cauliflower tossed in an orange sauce and served over a rice medley with carrots and broccoli. It was very tasty with a slight floral aftertaste, and it was actually quite filling with a substantial serving size. Also, the free focaccia bread was insane! We liked it so much that we made my brother-in-law ask for another basket. Our server was a little standoffish. He did answer all of our questions about the menu, he just didn't seem happy to be doing it. All in all, I would definitely recommend Leaf and will return on my next trip to Boulder. Note: If you don't want to pay for parking, you can park behind the restaurant on residential streets. read more

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We eat at vegetarian restaurants regularly and love finding new places and tasty dishes. We were so disappointed in Leaf. Menu read well. But the food was just bland and done poorly. They were able to create a terrible harvest salad, which IMHO is a difficult task to accomplish - it included chunks of dried, chewy apricots and only beets for a root vegetable (same exact ones as on our bruschetta) and was soaked in dressing. My daughter is vegetarian and was excited about her Thai peanut salad, which had no flavor and very little toppings. My entree was giant semi-cooked (still raw and crunchy) cauliflower bulbs in a red hominy sauce with slightly grilled tomatoes. No taste. No spices. Just tomato. The only plus, bread served at the table was lovely and our take-home chocolate cake was fantastic. I'm amazed this place was so busy. My daughter called it a "try hard" restaurant - too busy building a creative menu and missed the solid tasty vegetarian food aspect. read more

What a wonderful spot for some flavorful and unique vegetarian food! So many great choices and everyone in our party loved what they ordered. Also great NA drink options. The service was great and it's a pretty spacious place. We came during the week for lunch and it wasn't very busy. Highly recommend! read more

We had heard that there was a change of chef and some staffing issues last year but that did not deter us from going to Leaf recently for a quick lunch. Considering how busy it was on the day we visited (and there only being one server working) our menu selections (fried Avocado 'B.L.T.' and the Mushroom 'Burger') were prepared rapidly, with great quality and taste. Special shout out to our lovely server Sherrie Lee, who did a great job balancing waiting on all of the guests that were seated. Will definitely go back next time we are in Boulder and wanting veggie based choices. read more

[Note: I only post reviews if the business earns 5 stars or 1 star.] On a 4-day weekend in Boulder, the food, service, and ambience were so enjoyable that we ate here 4 times. We tried a variety of appetizers, entrées, and desserts, all of which were fantastic (bruschetta, risotto, orange cauliflower, mango crème broulee, cheesecake...). The blueberry lavender fizz drinks are so good the 4 of us ordered 12 on our last night (ask Autumn to make them). And we ate so many calamari mushrooms over the four days (8 plates) that they ran out. Autumn and Elizabeth waited on us a total of three times and were friendly, informative and fun without a hint of kissing up to get a large tip. They were both gems who made us feel like locals. And kudos to the chefs for their exceptional flavors and presentation with delicious dishes that leave you healthy and immensely satisfied. read more

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant - Half of the Blueberry Lavender Fizz we ordered for 4. - Vegetarian Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

The best vegan food I've ever had. I'm not a vegan but I've gone to several vegan restaurants. This was so flavorful that I can't imagine anyone not enjoying their dinner. The service was excellent and atmosphere was very bright and nice. My only issue was the heat through the windows was cooking the side of my face. It made staying longer unbearable. My tip is to get reservations away from the window. read more

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Vibe - 5/5. Service - 4/5. Menu/food concepts - 5/5. Food/taste - 3/5. Overall a 3 1/2 stars. I had really high hopes for this restaurant, I love vegetarian food and everything on the menu sounded awesome. Came in on a Thursday evening and the place was pretty full. We had a reservation and were seated right away. Love the plant vibes. Server came over right away and poured us waters, took our drink orders and also told us dessert would be free since it was my sister's birthday. We each got a glass of wine which came out right away. We got the mushroom calamari appetizer which was recommended as a house favorite. We thought it could have come out a little hotter (in temperature, but maybe that was on purpose), the sauce was really good, but overall the dish was a little bland. My sister got the ube mash and tofu which again we had super high expectations for. Both were good, but didn't really live up to our expectations, perhaps under seasoned again? I got the glass noodles which also sounded really good, but just didn't live up to how good they sounded on the menu. We chose the banana tart as our free dessert, and I really hate to talk bad about something that was offered to us for free but since it's on the menu I feel like I do need to mention that neither of us really liked it. Honestly, I hope we just had a one off because I love the idea of this restaurant and others seem to really enjoy it. read more

The calamari-style mushrooms really are as good as they say they are. This place gets the details right.

We came into town for a quick stop and wanted something healthy to sip on while we walked the town shops. Leaf for the bull. The matcha lemonade was great. Made fresh while we waited and was reasonably priced as well. Although I'm not vegetarian (and even struggle to eat my veggies!) the menu looked enticing and I will check it out when back in the area for a meal read more

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Hands down one of the best vegetarian/vegan friendly restaurants in Boulder. It has a very creative menu, not the same things that you find at pretty much all vegan restaurants. It's has a very cozy and chic ambience. The staff is quite friendly and nice. This restaurant can get busy during peak season and peak hours, so plan or reserve in advance. I highly recommend the dessert. Everything we tried here was delicious, I particularly enjoyed the Reuben sandwich. read more

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This might be just be one of my favorite restaurants now!! The vegetable forward menu hit the spot. Everything is so fresh and delicious, amazing flavors! The service was extremely friendly, helpful and efficient. The decor is very cozy and comforting. The Leaf plate was just awesome. I really want to get back here soon, on the list for sure the next time I'm in Boulder. They also have tons of gluten free options which worked very well for my wife. read more

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It's Tuesday 7pm, and you desperately need a designated person clearing tables. It's just unfair to your waitstaff to burden them with multiple jobs, when 4 parties are waiting at the door to be seated, because about 6 tables need to be bussed. Unnecessary stress. Just trying to support the overworked waitstaff here. All you need is one additional person as a busser/host. The food, plus all the women working tonight are great! read more

One of my favorites, and probably one of the best restaurants in Boulder, vegetarian or otherwise.

Awesome brunch spot in vibey Boulder. Stopped here for brunch after a hike. The ambiance is refreshing and calming with all the plant decor. Its an all vegetarian restaurant. I tried the vegan pastry of the day - Apple pie crumble. It was perfect pastry! Not too sweet, melts in the mouth. This was my favorite. Also tried the biscuits & gravy, Banh min sandwich, Omelette , Quinoa bowl and Mushroom burger. The mushroom burger was really good ! The portion size is big and filling. The staff are friendly, professional and quick. read more

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Flavors are there, presentation is nice, service is great, but this dish was way too spicy without any mention of it. read more

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant - Samosa cakes very spicy - Vegetarian Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Every time I go to Leaf, it's enjoyable. I went to dinner with a friend and we sat outside. Their patio is cute with nice lights and it's a quiet enough part of Pearl that it's perfect to have a relaxing dinner. Our server was super nice and even though we were there on the late side, he didn't rush us at all which continued the chill vibe. The food was awesome, it always is and they flavor combos are fantastic. Really you can't go wrong. The first thing we tried to order, they were out of, but our server was apologetic and I already wanted to try so many things that it wasn't even disappointing to have to choose a "backup". We had the tempura mushrooms which were fantastic. The Jamaican jerk was also good, but probably not something I'll get again (there's so many other things to try). The orange cauliflower was super good!! I'll definitely back...and back again! read more