An absolute must when you want a little more elegance in your Thai Food. Absolutely love Roots & Heart & Soy. Employee's are so helpful...if you want a recommendation they'll spend as much time with you as you need. read more

The service was great, restaurant was clean and staff was kind. The food was awful. Very bland, watered down, no flavor at all. Very disappointing. However, the experience did reaffirm my choice to avoid "healthy" vegan food. read more

Got my order to go and, as always, it was perfect! Brought it home and it's warm, it's well packed, and it's very generous in serving size. As I always say, if you haven't been, you need to go and if you haven't been lately, go back! read more

The service was prompt and quick. The ambiance is quiet and relaxing. Tastes great and smells good! read more

Roots - Pho and Hue - Vegetarian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Roots is one of my favorite dining establishments in Louisville because: - exquisite attention to flavor - thoughtfully plant-based - attractive presentation - excellent service - wide menu variety - comfortable seating - local cuisine at its best During a recent visit I was recovering from a recent GI illness and the mushroom miso soup and brown rice contributed significantly to my healing. Other, more exciting options I have previously had the pleasure of enjoying include: pho, crispy rolls, fried tofu, Vietnamese crepe, steamed banana leaf, fresh green bean and tofu, and steamed rice rolls. Truly everything I've tried has been spectacular. One can either dine sitting in a traditional chair at a traditional table, OR in one of the sunken dining areas (my current preference). Regardless of whether one's bottom rests upon a chair or a cushion, Roots consistently exceeds all expectations. read more

Roots - Miso Mushroom Soup and side of brown rice - comfort food at its best - Vegetarian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

We've been coming here since they opened and have always had amazing food and service. Whether you order several appetizers and soups or a meal, it's all good. Our favorites every time we go are the butternut squash and green curry soups, tomato avocado rolls, white bean chickpea dip with truffle oil and almonds, and we also like to order the white cannellini beans, orange tofu, and sizzling rice plate. The flavors are insanely good according to these tastebuds! Sipping on some tea or boba just rounds out the experience. Roots love read more

I came here with my family for a large group dinner. They have two adjoining restaurants, one sit-down, and next door is the grab-n-go fast casual format. The menu is entirely vegetarian and was on par, if not better than the vegetarian Asian food choices in California. Our group of vegetarians and non-vegetarians all loved the food. The vegetables were fresh, and the food was flavorful and had a home-cooked feel. The space is quite large and also has a few recessed dining tables in the floor that could be fun with kids. Parking is available on the street in the adjacent neighborhoods. Notable items include the potato nest and the udon and ramen soups. read more

Ate here many times. Great restaurant for vegetarians & vegans. The food is flavorful. Wide selection to choose from. The service has always been good & attentive. 2 different sides to the restaurant. The ambiance is different on each side. Roots is a little more "elegant"; Heart & Soy side is casual. read more

I loved this experience so much! I had to order several things because I couldn't decide & everything was amazing. Definitely will return.

Ate here twice while recently visiting family in Louisville. The food is so delicious and love that it is all vegetarian. The service is super nice, and they handled our party of 12 very smoothly. Some of the items are a little bland, but I definitely recommend the potstickers and the Vietnamese sandwich. The prices are decent, but you'll need to order 3-4 items for a group of 2 people. read more

This place was wonderful! I really wish we had something like this where I lived, I can't wait to go back! As a vegetarian it's crazy hard to order certain places, and I'm just exhausted of trying to hack menus to make things vegetarian, it's tiring and annoying. Roots (and their sister restaurant next to/attached) is fully vegetarian and there were a million things on there to order, all of which sounded interesting, and the ones I ordered tasted amazing! I wish my stomach was bigger, there were like ten more things we wanted to try! The woman who took our order and brought our food was the owner I believe, she memorized everything we ordered without writing anything down, and was so so sweet and nice! The tea room we sat in was so pretty, with the super cool sunken tables, it was such a fun experience! Can't wait to go back! Run, don't walk, to Roots! read more

See all

A true staple in Louisville! Excellent fresh food. Very friendly service. Lots of room to eat in. Easy to carry out as well. I get something new every time we go and I am never disappointed. The kids love the Boba tea and it is excellent there! read more

This place is amazing it doesn't look like much at all but boy when you get in there and see the menu and all they have to offer you WILL NOT be disappointed! The tables and chairs are super clean and the space was super inviting! The service was just as pleasant, I asked them to make suggestions and I went with that. He suggested the Korean rice bowl, the rice cake and fried tofu appetizers. All three were served super hot and fresh with amazing flavors and textures. My tongue was definitely doing a happy dance. This kind of food really brings life to your body and your soul! The prices are great too! read more

See all

Our 3rd time to Roots and we will be back many times! The food is so delicious and the vegan / vegetarian options are just what we like. Honestly you can't even tell the the meat is missing! Great decor and they even have traditional seating in the floor. Roots is just GREAT!! read more

Roots - Forbidden Rice Risotto, Spicy Tofu Ramen, Cucumber Roll, Sizzling Rice and Vegetables, Osprey Gunpowder Tea, Thai Tea - Vegetarian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I am a Pho lover, and the Pho here has a very delicious and distinct flavor, definitely authentic! I had the Pho (small) and the Root Vegetables, and asked for both to be made gluten-free. Both were delicious, simple and uncomplicated dishes. The Pho offers more vegetables than most restaurants and I love that. I love the fact that their menu lists the items which can be made Vegan and which can be Gluten-free, many dishes can be made to both specifications. I will be returning here to try more yummy dishes! read more

I was recently visiting Louisville for my first time thanks to a fabulous work trip with my Yelp buddy Emily H. She knew I was a vegetarian and so sweetly scheduled our dinner plans at Roots. It was a first time for both us so we went all in, exploring different items off the menu. Everything here is meat free so it was like my dream come true. I started with my first every bubble tea. I got a taro root bubble tea and it was amazing. I can't believe I've gone this long without ever having one. The flavor I got was unique, slightly sweet but subtle. If I had to relate it something more familiar, I would probably compare it to vanilla. It was so creamy and I sucked it down. It was hard not to! In regards to the starters, we ordered the pan-seared ravioli and the summer rolls. The pan-seared ravioli was not my favorite. They were too crispy and hard for me to eat. The summer rolls however, were really good. They came with sautéed vegetables, tofu, veggie ham, mint, Thai basil, and an excellent tamarind sauce. They were very light and refreshing and I took the left overs home for a late night snack. I loved the fresh mint and Thai basil. It was a wonderful touch. For my main meal I ordered the pho. It was a cold dreary day (snow in April, whhhhattt??) so it was a perfect pick. The noodles were thicker Vietnamese style noodles and it came with veggie ham, tofu, mushrooms, and green onion. Do note that the fixings that typically come with pho were different here at Roots. Instead of the giant basil leaves, bean sprouts, jalapeno, and lime, I got almost like a small salad. It same with raw carrots, cabbage, a lime, and lettuce. This caught me off guard a bit but otherwise it was great. The broth was flavorful which is the most important and probably difficult thing to achieve when making vegetarian broth. It's hard to pack in a lot of flavor without meat products. Overall, my friend and I had a great time. Our waitress (not sure if it was the owner or not) was a sweetheart and seemed excited to have us there. If I'm ever in the neighborhood again, you know where to find me! read more

See all

When my coworker, who was visiting me in town, told me that she's vegetarian and a fan of pho, I knew exactly where to take her. And happily, this meant that I got to check out Roots finally as well. I started with a mango bubble tea. I am a huge fan of bubble tea, and Roots' boba is full of flavor and not chalky, which some other bubble teas I've had elsewhere have been. We were off to a good start. And for my meal, I got the wonton soup. After checking out several of the pics of Roots' food on their Yelp page, this jumped out to me, and I'm happy I ordered it. This bowl contained noodles, large pieces of five-spice tofu, scallions and fluffy, large, stuffed wontons. The wontons in this soup were great, but I was most impressed with the broth. Don't let its clearness fool you -- this was surprisingly full of flavor. My coworker and I shared the summer rolls, which are filled with sautéed vegetables, tofu, mint and Thai basil, among other things. These rolls were large and delicious. I especially liked the sauce to dip them in. We also got pan-seared ravioli to share. We were taken in by the description of bleu cheese, Boursin cheese, baby spinach, white truffle oil, mushroom soy demi and micro greens. But our expectations on this dish didn't quite live up to reality. Under the mushrooms, the ravioli was mushy and fell apart. There are a lot of powerful flavors in the ingredients, and they seemed to compete with each other, rather than work together. Oh well, I'll be sure to try another dish instead when I go back. And there will be a return trip for sure. A day later, that wonton soup is still on my mind. read more

I had the green papaya salad and the sticky rice veggie stir fry and I cannot wait to go back. Everything was so scrumptious. I want to try everything on the menu. Such nice folks, too. Lovely, quiet atmosphere. read more

What an amazing place. The scenery very welcoming and relaxing. Host greeted with just the perfect smile and mannerism. The place was empty so our food did not take long to come out. Had the Summer rolls which had tofu ,and a bunch of good veggies inside with a great tasting dipping sauce. Very pretty and satisfying. read more

Roots - Summer Rolls - Vegetarian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

See all

A quiet Monday night when we met a friendly couple sitting next to us and traded dining favs in both Chicago and Louisville :) Started with Green Curry Soup (not spicy, solid flavor), then Steamed Rice Rolls (fantastic sauce but rolls fell apart after your 1st bite), Pan-fried rice noodles (another sauce we could not get enough of and tasty chunks of noodles about the size of a pita chip). Still a little hungry, we ordered the sizzling rice plate as a final entree. For dessert, we were very pleased with the vegan carrot cake and chocolate peanut butter pie. read more

Stopped here for a late lunch while traveling. Having not eaten breakfast, I splurged a bit to try several things and everything was amazing. My favorite was the Vietnamese hot coffee and the sizzling sticky rice dish with tofu. I also got the crispy spring rolls (good, larger than anticipated)) and the potstickers (clearly homemade!) Highly recommend! read more

See all

We went to Roots tonight and it was delicious. They got the best summer rolls or fresh rolls in Louisville. I got the pho which was good. I hope everybody knows this is a vegetarian restaurant. My wife got the summer squash soup and she liked it. We got the pan fried noodles and they were also good. They don't give military discount which I wish they did but it was good and we enjoyed it. read more

See all

Pleasantly surprised! My husband and I were traveling and needed to find something to eat for lunch. So we googled "vegan vegetarian restaurant" and "Roots" was one of the choices. The restaurant is located in Louisville, KY near the downtown district. Since I'm unfamiliar with Louisville, I can't expound on the location but I will say there were many small shops and eateries. Parking is street side but we didn't have any issues finding a close spot. The restaurant itself is connected to another restaurant (same owner) called "Heart & Soy" where they make their own tofu. Seating at "Roots" is interesting! There are regular tables and chairs but in the back are what I'd call "floor seating." It has an Asian/nature flare with beautiful pillows placed on the floor around tables BUT the floor is cut out, so even though you're sitting on the floor, you still have leg room under the table (you don't have to sit in the Japanese seiza position). The food is AMAZING! Very clean and filling - cooked to order. Service was extremely friendly, fast and courteous. There are NO alcoholic beverages as the owner is a strict Buddhist. The restaurant is quiet and relaxing. We enjoyed our meals and definitely plan to return. Go check them out! You won't be disappointed. read more

See all

This place is incredible. Vegetarian or not - you are sure to enjoy your dish. The food is so fresh and delicious and the staff is very friendly. They have a wide selection of delicious teas as well. I highly recommend the orange tofu, crispy shiitake mushrooms and crispy rolls. read more

Tried Roots today and it was so delicious. Everything was fresh, flavorful and I can't wait to try more menu options next time. If you love Asian and want to eat healthfully, Roots has so many options. The only disappointment was I didn't eat here sooner :) read more

See all

Best vegan pad Thai. Their tofu is amazing. The Vietnamese iced coffee and boba are wonderful

This review is for the service since we never got an opportunity to eat any of the food. We were super excited to try the restaurant after seeing the other yelp reviews. We got there at 12:30, thinking we were missing the lunch rush. The restaurant wasn't filled and there were plenty of available tables. The sign says "please wait to be seated", but a server wandered over and said "sit wherever". We picked a table and waited...and waited...And waited. A server looking frantic, dropped of a to go box at one table a check at the other and menus at our table. When she dropped off the check, the guy was already ready to go and had his credit card out and she gave him a sour look and rolled her eyes. So again, we waited. No one ever came back to get our drink orders. After 30 minutes, we left. Clearly, there is some staffing issues going on. HIRE SOME MORE HELP!!! I do hope the food is better than the service, but I will never know. read more

See all

I'm new to the vegan world and found the perfect place to begin my journey. I am now obsessed with the Fried Oyster Mushrooms, they have to be one of the best things I've ever tasted I also had the Fajita which was so delicious, I couldn't even tell the meat was missing I can wait to come back to try something new. Highly recommended to anyone, even if you aren't vegan. read more

Roots - Vegetarian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

See all

I'll start off this review by saying that I'm not vegan or vegetarian, I love my meats. I just love good food & this place knows how to make meals that make you forget you're a meat eater. I'm not from Louisville but every time I visit, I try to come here. The waitress is so kind; it feels like I'm visiting my viet auntie whenever I stop by. Amazing vegan & vegetarian options. The service is great, place is clean & beautiful, & food is delicious. We ordered the fresh udon soup with extra spice on the side to add in. This is my all time favorite dish. It made me fall in love with this place. The broth is unbelievably flavorful & has a great kick. The ONLY things I'd change about this dish is to add more mushrooms & make larger portions. I'm a pretty petite woman & the large is a perfect size for me - not so much for my bf It was our first time getting the sizzling sticky rice & omg this was better than what I expected. The sauce is what makes it. & the crispy rice is a perfect balance to the sautéed veggies. If I knew how to make this meal, I'd be eating vegan every day. read more

Roots - Sizzling Sticky Rice - Vegetarian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

See all

Not only am I not a vegetarian - I am heavily biased against restaurants that don't offer dishes with meat. I am hopelessly carnivorous. That said, Roots impressed me. The pricing was very reasonable and their menu offers a nice selection of items. My pear salad sounded delicious in the write-up on the menu... but it was far too small and uninteresting. The summer rolls were hearty and excellent. Roots does a good job melding food-textures together to provide a satisfying balance between saucy, crunchy, and chewy, if that makes sense. The cucumber rolls were decent. My fiance ordered the tofu with egg roll and noodles; I didn't expect to like it, but it was quite good. The egg roll especially was the crown jewel here. Service was neither negligent nor noteworthy. I deliberated between giving Roots a three or four star review, and one item in particular put them over the edge to four: their bubble tea was exceptional. We ordered one avocado and one coconut, and both were delicious. Mind you, their version differs from traditional bubble tea in that the tea we received had a whipped, frozen consistency. The coconut bubble tea was basically a milkier, alcohol-free pina colada. For me, that's not a bad thing. I thought it was refreshing, and not too sweet. When we inevitably return for more bubble tea in the future, I'd like to give the Pad Thai a shot. read more

Roots toots ma goots! Where have you been all of my life? Why has meatless Monday never occurred with you by my side until tonight? I just don't know!? But I do know I will never go without this adorable Asian fusion whipping up health conscious meals that will be sure to leave you wanting MORE! The amount of dishes my sister, stepmother, and I just shared for the price we paid was ridiculously inexpensive! And it's safe to say that we all left with our button and zippers down. Sexy, right? We ordered the tempura vegetables with zucchini, sweet potatoes, and asparagus fried to perfection with the most incredible wasabi aioli. The truffle hummus with fried pita bread was filled with flavor and extremely savory! As for the dumplings, enough said. Who doesn't love a thick juicy dumpling in their mouth??? My sister and stepmother shared the rice noodles and egg roll, which was prepared all together! I ended with the eggplant curry that was by golly geee filled with glee! And we cannot forget about the birthday peanut butter and chocolate cake my sister MADE ME ORDER. THANKS KELL BELL! The only thing I would have done differently is sit in the back area. I was dying to sit back there but my family was interested in a booth and who am I to oppose? It just gives me another reason on top of twenty five others to go back! Soon! Very soon. Like, two minutes ago. Roots, your kind wait staff were delightful and a breath of fresh air. Thank you for a beautiful belated birthday dinner! read more

See all

I am a bit spoiled as a Vegetarian living in Orlando because we have so many great, delicious options here. So when I went to visit my sister in Louisville, she (also Vegetarian) was super excited to show off this great spot on my favorite street. The menu is quite extensive and there were many options for the Gluten intolerant! I had the potato basket, my sister a wrap and I have to say that my choice was spot on, they did make a white sauce (GF) that was very good and clean tasting, we had some fantastic tea and it was a great meal. The trip got crazy so we had not had a chance to come back but are definitely looking forward to doing so next time I visit! read more

I came in for lunch on Sunday and had a lovely time. I met a friend. We each got two items and shared with each other. She also got a bubble tea....which I did not like. But it was the first time I had ever tried bubble tea, so now I know. I got the Vietnamese Crepe and the the Pan Seared Ravioli. Both were very tasty (the crepe was a little flopsy to try and eat....but it was tasty). She shared her tofu clay pot with me. It had a lot more food than you think it would... And prices weren't terrible. But I think I would always have to get at least 2 dishes as they are on the smaller side and not as filling as you might want them to be. And many thanks for having calories listed! read more

Roots - Veitnamese crepe, caprese salad, pan-seared ravioli, and tofu clay pot. - Vegetarian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

See all

dined 12/14/13 All vegetarian which was just what we needed after dining out for so many nights. Portions were generous, while the flavors were abundant. Service was friendly, but unprofessional and wanting. Prices were very reasonable, as we walked out, for $35, including one dessert. Note: No alcohol served, and you CANNOT bring it in, as it is against the wishes of the owner. read more

Roots - Chocolate peanut butter pie - Vegetarian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Delicious and healthy food, with friendly service! We tried the cucumber roll, edamame, potstickers, ramen, white beans and lemongrass tofu. Everything was flavorful without being greasy or salty. Wish we had a Roots in our hometown! read more

[TL;DR] Food was absolutely amazing and it was very nice to be able to eat anything on the menu with minimal to no changes! The staff had some of the best personability and overall service. And, the environment in the building is very relaxing and refreshing. It's a tiny bit pricey, but considering the quality of the meal, experience, and being able to take home leftovers it feels like a steal! This is the first place I've ever been to where I could eat everything on the menu and that was so, so wonderful, refreshing, and exciting! I had the hardest time choosing what to get because for once I had more than just 3 options. The food was some of the most delicious and visually appetizing dishes I've ever encountered. Everything tasted absurdly fresh and you could tell the cooks care about their job and Art! On top of it all, the environment is so relaxing and clean and the service is exceptional! Our waitress was quick, unintruisive, very polite, sweet, and patient. She was also quite humorous and personable. I went here today with my girlfriend to celebrate or first day off from work together in months. My girlfriend got the Fried Oyseter Mushrooms and Taro Root Boba, she let me try both and they were so delicious. I previously thought I hated boba, but Heart and Soy/Roots made me change my mind! The mushrooms have some of the best breading and sauce I've ever eaten. My own order was the Miso Mushroom Soup and the Crispy Potato Nest. This was my first experience with Miso Soup and it's officially my favorite of all time. The Crispy Potato Nest was so intriguing to look at, albeit a little difficult to dig into. In the future I'll get it without bokchoy but that's just my preference! It's incredibly well done and fun! After our meal, my girlfriend and I agreed to try to come here as often as possible. We originally said every month but it's fairly pricey so as often as possible is good enough for us! read more

See all

Not gonna beat around the bush - I am SO hungover today and really needed a comforting soup. I've been wanting to try Roots for awhile, and my dear husband offered to pick up some carry out, so I could stay in bed. I am not vegetarian but this meal definitely did not leave me wanting. Such robust and fresh flavors across the board. I had Summer Rolls and Fresh Udon Noodle soup and both were just perfect. Lots of spice in the soup with delicious bits of vegetarian ham, mushroom, tofu, and perfectly cooked Udon that provided a toothsome bite. The Summer Rolls were so fresh and delicious - and very large. The order was definitely enough for two people. I'm thrilled that I got to try this today and can't wait to eat in person to taste some of their expansive selections of hot tea. read more

After just one visit Roots absolutely has me begging for more, and I will be back. Somehow I had never heard of this treasure, but the morning I read about it on yelp I decided I needed to get in there asap. Later that afternoon my boyfriend and I enjoyed a marvelous meal there. The atmosphere was stunning of course, but the sense of home combined with an elevated style made it a place you could find yourself hanging out at for hours. To put it simply I wanted to move in. The food here is strongly Vietnamese inspired, everything is vegetarian, and easily made vegan upon request. The tea menu is just as extensive as the food menu with both of them offering something for everyone. We started off with the crispy rolls, which came served on a churchy lettuce wrap, and garnished with pickled vegtables. We rolled it all up together and dipped the whole thing in the tangy Vietnamese sauce, and it was absolutely delish! I loved the combination of cold and hot after wrapping it up in the lettuce and the pickled veggies really gave it a unique bite. I ordered the Steamed Banana Leaf, which at first didn't look as appetizing due to the color pallett. After pouring the sauce all over the perfectly cooked rice and lotus seeds while incorporating the pickled vegetables into every bite the dish was well balanced and full of yummy flavor. I finished the entire dish, and didn't even feel guilty for doing so. My boyfriend ordered the Sizzling Sticky Rice, which was full of color and flavor. This dish was huge, incorporating many different vegetables and generously sized rice cakes. Those rice cakes were palatable on their own, but the sweet and tangy BBQ style sauce on the bottom was irresistible. Being a vegetarian I have eaten A LOT of tofu in my short lifetime. Without a double the tofu that day was prepared better than I've ever seen. It wasn't spongy or too soft and melted in my mouth. I'm telling you this was the filet of tofu. All and all I am shocked that there isn't more hype surrounding this place. I would recommend it to just about anybody! read more

See all

Across the breezeway from Heart and Soy lies a place called Roots. I really don't understand the concept of these two restaurants having similar menus and it not being all one restaurant...but that is not my cup of tea to sip. I went to dinner here last month with my family. This is my sissy and bil favorite restaurant (along with H&S). We had a party of 10 people and we had great service! Water glasses stayed full, plates were cleared when needed. We ordered many dishes and everything was amazing. A special standout for me were the fresh soft handrolls. The typical "peanut sauce" normally served with this item did not taste typical! I'm pretty sure the sauce had tamarind in it. It's super yummy. I think I ordered the Vermicelli Rice Noodle dish, I ate it very quickly so I guess it was on point! I posted all my photos but I truly believe you will not come across a bad dish here. After trying a variety...there is something here for everyone! read more

See all

I can not say enough good things about Roots. My husband and I have recently started eating a lot more healthy.. so I got him to agree to drop in for a day date. We set in the back.. which is lovely! I ordered the cucumber rolls $6.50 and a mango boba tea $4. My hubby ordered the glass noodles $6.50 with the green lotus tea $3.25. THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES WE HAVE EVER EATEN IN LOUISVILLE!! The cucumber roll was amazing. The veggie ham.... where has it been all my life? The sauce... I just want to swim in it. The tea.... sooooo good. My husband didnt want his glass noodles to end. We sat there and enjoyed every morsel of food. It was light, yet satisfying. We still felt good enough to take a walk after eating. If you have this place on your list... you MUST try it. The food, location, atmosphere, staff, every part of it was wonderful. We will be making this a regular place. read more

Roots - Cozy seating - Vegetarian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky