"excellent"   My Rating
1 saluki	Posted on: Monday, November 09, 2009
	Review: My partner and I recently ate at Zest. Neither of us speak German, but the staff were very friendly and helpful (despite us being a little late for our reservation due to a bit of confusion on the tram). They weren't sure if our english debit card would work, but were happy for us to eat first then go to a cash machine if necessary-it's hard to believe some of the reviews here can be accurate as this seems to go beyond good service. The food was also exceptional-very high quality ingredients, cooked with an obvious understanding of flavours and texture which is often missing in vegan and vegetarian restaurants. Although not cheap, you wouldn't expect such a high quality meal to be. Also the food was very filling-we couldn't manage pudding, and other diners were taking doggy bags home. My only complaint would be the no dogs sign.   Pros: excellent food * friendly staff * attractive decor Cons: not dog friendly * *
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"As delicious as can get!"   My Rating
23 wildfang	Posted on: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
	Review: Every time I'm in Leipzig a visit to Zest is due! The staff is always very friendly and relaxed, as is the whole place. It's just really laid-back. I've tried so many new dishes there I can't think of them all anymore but the D.I.Y. burgers were always fantastic (no real burgers though but better for made with real bread). Then there's a monthly changing menu with international dishes. 99% of the menu is vegan. Even most of the deserts. Once I had an incredible warm chocolate fudge cake there.. The prices are not low but for quality food as this it's worth every penny. They also have a good selection of wines. If you want to come on a Friday or Saturday evening you should make a reservation.   Pros: delicious food * relaxed atmosphere * good location Cons: * *
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"One of the best!"   My Rating
1 ScotVeg	Posted on: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
	Review: Had a superb meal there in September 2009 while visiting British expat friends. The restaurant staff and chef didn't put a foot wrong all evening; the food really was terrific. Their cocktails are delicious too. I can't recommend Zest highly enough!   Pros: Great food * Lovely staff * Nice wine Cons: You're not in Elgin! * *
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"Standing out"   My Rating
7 lysi	Posted on: Saturday, June 06, 2009
	Review: Initially introduced to Zest's chocolate cake when attending a wedding, we made the trip to this relatively small restaurant twice having enjoyed the cake so much. The menu is varied and not just featuring the average kind of fare and makes a visit when you're in Leipzig an absolute must. Although the space is limited and tables appear to be booked solidly on a Friday/Saturday afternoon, one is not rushed to make it through the meal and make space for the next customers. Not only are dishes innovative and delicious, portions are also generous. Nevertheless, we managed to make room for dessert - beware of the size of the ice cream scoops :)   Pros: Innovative menu * Good value for money * Simple but nice decor Cons: Often fully booked * *
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"Great"   My Rating
9 cdrk	Posted on: Wednesday, March 25, 2009
	Review: Simply great food, the deserts are some of the best I ever got.   Pros: vegan * tasty * friendly staff Cons: * *
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"One of the world's best....."   My Rating
85 Petesternz	Posted on: Sunday, August 31, 2008
	Review: This place is an absolute oasis, especially in a country not known for its vegan cuisine. We recently went out of our way to visit, and it was worth the detour. Zest is phenomenal. Fully vegan (though cheese is served with a few dishes - and specifically marked) everything is made on site, including bread, ice creams (soy) and spreads. The food was top-notch. We both enjoyed great tempeh burgers. The smoothies are also sublime (banana-expresso) was delicious. The menu is almost overwhelming, as there are just so many great things to choose from. While not \"cheap\", this place was hardly expensive by European standards, especially for lunch, which was reasonable. The hardest part here is making choices of what to eat! The sides were all great. The curly fries are light and home-made; the potato salad was also great. We also enjoyed a delicious brownie for dessert, though fitting it in was a challenge. As for the waitress, I totally understand the comments of the previous review. My first impression of the waitress was the same, but I did feel she softened up a bit once we engaged her, and I was of the opinion at the end of our visit that it was more shyness than hostility, as we ended up having a spirited discussion about vegan restaurants in Germany, so she was clearly interested in her own job. I actually had the impression that she had a stake in Zest.... but that's just guessing on my part. In any event, even if the service is not the highlight of your visit, you must not miss a trip to Zest. It is, for my money, one of the best vegan restaurants in the world, and certainly one of the most innovative.   Pros: outstanding cuisine * innovative menu * all homemade Cons: * *
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"best Veg food, just hold the attitude"   My Rating
14 Raydoggy	Posted on: Friday, July 25, 2008
	Review: What a shame we still have to rely on humans to serve the food as well as cook it. Zest has some of the best veg food I have tasted so far on my world travels, (23 cities), what let it down was the attitude of the totally unfriendly waitress who seemed to be afraid to smile in case her face cracked open. It was like some kind of Monty Python "rude waiter" parody sketch. Would someone please tell the people of Leipzig that punk is well and truly dead, that it stinks and no one is impressed by it except themselves, no one even thinks it's cute or funny anymore, it's just a pathetic excuse for being too lazy to be civil to people. I think the best way to experience Zest is to get your food to go, rather than have your gastro experience destroyed by someone who would much rather be at a funeral than to be in the terrible predicament of having to serve people food of the gods. Food = 5 stars, absolutely excellent. Service by the short haired blonde with the Madonna gap in her teeth (looks pretty, but...) = minus 2. I couldn't possibly imagine that anyone would leave her a tip. It bugs me how people employ others to do jobs that are totally wrong for them. As the woman next to me said, "Why would she bother coming to work if she hates people so much". It's a shame that all the effort that has been put into Zest's menu could be undone by such a %$#^&^@ rude %^&&^ Don't miss the food, it's worth writing home about. Actually,maybe get a taxi to pick it up for you.   Pros: Great food * Rich but delicate flavours * Good ocation Cons: No W-Lan (WiFi) * Waitress * Unnecessary dairy on menu
0 of 2 visitors found the above review beneficial  Responses(3) | Contact Member | Was this review useful?  • Wow! Harsh words for a waitress who a) is simply not American, and will therefore behave differently, and b) is simply shy, maybe especially so when speaking a language that isn't her mother tongue. True, she doesn't smile a lot. She is quiet, shy, efficient. That alone doesn't make her unfriendly in my book. Unfriendly is the above review, if I may say so.. response by aprilday • Agreed. After being served by the same waitress, I hardly found that it ruined my experience. While I share the view that service is an important part of the overall experience, this waitress was hardly inept. Service was competent, if cold, and as I said in my own review, I felt she warmed up with some effort. In any event, with food like this, I'd sit through incompetent service as well.... response by Petesternz • The people who run this place went through a lot unhappy times until they finally opened this place. They had to work hard to get a fine reputition and still don't earn as much as they should for all their strain to run a decent restaurant different from the average!!! You shouldn't bring down the whole thing just because you happened once beeing served by a moody waitress. And by the way who cares about your opinion on punk anyways??? I was always served decently and have the deepest respect for them holding on to their believes, even though it's much more work then they probably expected!. response by Merciless666 - report abuse -

"love it or leave it...."   My Rating
38 Merciless6 66	Posted on: Thursday, June 05, 2008
	Review: this is my all time favourite!!! i just happened to travel about 2 hours only for the dinner at zest. though it's not for low bugdet freaks it has the most delicate dishes i'd ever experienced at a veggie restaurant. they have some vegetarian dishes, but basically i would consider it a vegan restaurant with exellent coffee options. check out their hot juices and the spinach salad! you don't know leipzig, if you don't know the zest! highly recommended by Merciless526   Pros: EVERYTHING! * * Cons: NOTHING! * *
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"Best in Leipzig"   My Rating
4 gmfielden	Posted on: Tuesday, May 08, 2007
	Review: Fancy place, not for the faint of wallet, but oh my is it worth it. Original creations on a monthly rotating menu. Founded by an ex-pat who has put hard work into meticulous detail. Essentially a vegan restaurant; a few dishes have cheese but this is clearly marked on their bilingual menus. Reservations all but necessary weekend evenings and even some weeknights as well. Outdoor seating during the warm weather months. A necessary part of any vegetarian visit to Leipzig.   Pros: Vegan-friendly * Great cocktails * Always surprising Cons: Allows smoking * *
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"Excellent!"   My Rating
34 button	Posted on: Thursday, March 01, 2007
	Review: I very hip little restaurant with a modern, yet warm decor. The food was interesting and delicious! I had a curry soup with fried tofu strips and oyster mushrooms and a bean and veggie loaf with stewed nectarines (I think) and rosemary purple potatoes. It all seemed very meticulously prepared. I have to disagree with Merciless526 in that I ordered a soy latte and found it disappointing, but everything else was of the highest quality. The staff was super friendly (they were happy to re-make my latte, but it was still bland watery) and spoke great english. The food menu has english translation too. It took about 15 minutes on the 11 train (heading south) from the central train station in Liepzig. The train will turn down Bornaische Straße, get off at Pfeffingerstraße and continue down Bornaische Straße about 2 blocks.   Pros: Maticlously prepared food * Excellent staff * Great decor Cons: Coffee disappointing * *
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