Veggie restaurant offering a variety of contemporary cuisine and a full bar of drinks, wines, spirits, organic teas and coffees. Lunch and weekend brunch prices moderate, dinner more. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-3:00pm, Mon-Thu 5:00pm-9:00pm, Fri 5:00pm-10:00pm, Sat 10:00am-10:00pm, Sun 10:00am-3:00pm.
Category: Vegan-friendly, Lacto, Ovo, Organic, Beer/Wine
Reviews (43)
First Review by PuppyGirl
Contributions +18
Classy and unique vegan food - Edit
This place was amazing! Mostly everything on their menu was vegan and they had a variety of meals to choose from, including Southern-Fried Trumpet Mushrooms w/mac n cheese and black eyed pea salad, Jackfruit Carnitas Enchiladas, Vegan Crab Cakes, Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos, Udon noodles, and much more. The food tasted fresh and was well-prepared with beautiful presentations. It was expensive, but worth the price for good atmosphere and creative vegan food.
Contributions +45
Yummy lunch, a bit expensive - Edit
I stopped in for a small lunch, and was happy with the variety of options on the menu that looked delicious. I sat at the bar to be served quickly, and was promptly served. I ate a very good avocado "tartare" appetizer, but needed a bit more to eat. I then ordered an AMAZING mushroom soup, Seriously, if I could have a constant supply of this soup I would be so happy. It was filling and hearty, with a lovely earthy mushroomy flavor and just the right amount of pepper. I will definitely eat here again the next time I am in Boulder. Only downside is it is a little to expensive to be a regular dining spot for my student budget.
Pros: Awesome food, Relaxing decor, Kind staff
Cons: Expensive
Contributions +91
Excellent lunch - Edit
I had the vegan crab cake with the quinoa and lentil chili; excellent lunch for the first snowstorm of the season. Great service too. Definitely will return when I am next in Boulder.
Pros: Food, Service
Contributions +160
Awesome happy hour! - Edit
I went here three times in two weeks for their awesome happy hour (3p-6p every day, and 8p-close Sunday-Thursday.)
I can't really speak to the rest of the (significantly more expensive) menu, but the happy hour is fantastic! Most things are between $3 and $6, and sharing four or five of them with a friend was more than enough food for both of us.
We especially loved the buffalo cauliflower tacos and the "crab" cake slider, but really, everything was delicious. Being able to add a side of fries, sweet potato, regular, or mixed, to the slider for $1 was a really nice touch.
They're very friendly, and wide open for seating in a beautiful space during happy hour. I'll definitely go back when I'm in town!
Pros: awesome happy hour, delicious food, all vegan!
Contributions +27
Awesome lunch! - Edit
We read previous reviews and ordered the recommended crab sandwich and jerk tempeh and both were worth the recommendations. The place had a nice vibe and servers were friendly. They were out of grapefruit for my fresh squeezed juice order but the minted lemonade was good and not too sweet.
Contributions +269
great local food - Edit
Nice atmosphere and really good food. We were happy that most items were vegan. Prices were high but food was well-prepared.
Contributions +58
Delicious - Edit
Leaf Restaurant was attached to another restaurant. My friends were happy as they could order from a different menu! I had the tapa menu and had delicious sliders and a tofu dish.
It was lovely to have a huge choice of vegan dishes.
The restaurant itself was very nice and it filled up quickly.
Contributions +64
great place - Edit
Really just drove through Boulder but ate here twice!
Contributions +18
I never wanted to Leaf! - Edit
Leaf has a delicious and creative menu at a reasonable price. Excellent vegan, raw, and gluten-free options, all clearly labeled on the menu. The atmosphere is welcoming and the servers are very helpful and friendly. Leaf is bright, clean, modern, and the tall ceilings and green plants bring about a feeling of serenity. Try the "Sushi" Salad and seasonal shrubs- fruit sweetened vinegar based cocktails.
Contributions +1014
Pretty good lunch - Edit
Reviews seem mixed but we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch here. My partner and I shared the buffalo cauliflower, 1/2 kale salad, the vegan crab cake sandwich, and the Jamaican jerk tempeh. Everything was tasty. The tempeh dish was almost too beautiful to dig into. The sandwich was surprisingly good as well. Hearty tempeh-wakame cakes on a warm, crusty baguette with a tangy tartar sauce and a side of freshly made sweet potato fries, what's not to like? Would have been even better if the fries were thicker-cut, but that's just me. To round out our meal, we also had a slice of carrot cake, which was absolutely scrumptious. Overall portions were just right, not too big nor too small. Prices were reasonable, except for the cauliflower dish where we paid $6.5 for five tiny pieces. That we felt was a bit stingy. Décor is nice and clean and has a pleasing natural theme. No idea how dinner service is, but our lunch was a solid 4.
Pros: good food, nice décor
Cons: overpriced small plates
Contributions +2193
Great food, great presentation, great service - Edit
We've eaten at Leaf twice on different visits to Boulder. Both times we've brought groups with mixed diets (omnivore, mostly-veg, and vegan) and all were very impressed. We've sampled almost every vegan item on the menu, including appetizers, soups, and desserts, and all were imaginative, flavorful, and well presented.
Leaf is lacto-ovo but very vegan-friendly. There are enough tempting vegan-as-is items on the menu (marked as such) that we didn't feel the need to special-order veganized versions of normally lacto/ovo dishes, but it was nice to see on the menu that they are willing to do so when possible. If there were more vegan dishes, we might eat here more often.
The menu offers a sensible balance of fresh, steamed, and not-too-oily fried food, as well as one completely raw dish (the Pad Thai salad, which is super-tasty). Most of the items we tried managed to be satisfying while also being light enough that even after feasting we felt full of energy (not heavy or sleepy). The Jerk Tempeh and the starter rolls were especially tasty, and the vegan chocolate peanut butter tart is absolutely heavenly!
This is a fine dining establishment, so it isn't cheap, but considering the quality of the food and service, we felt the prices were fair and we were happy to pay them. One in our party had food allergies and our server cheerfully checked with the chef about ingredients, just to be sure.
The atmosphere is pleasant, and the location is convenient. One potential drawback for those arriving by car: finding free parking in this popular area can take time. Thankfully, the meters are priced fairly reasonably.
Updated from previous review on Sunday August 22, 2010
Pros: Delicious and inventive cuisine, Helpful servers, Food not too heavy
Cons: Not 100% vegan, Expensive (though justifiably so), Parking can be a challenge
Contributions +21
Amazing Food and Atmosphere - Edit
My family and I had dinner at Leaf while visiting Colorado. Our food was delicious and our server was friendly. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and filled natural plants and lighting. The cuisine was fresh, colorful, and creative. Their ingredients are locally sourced, and they even serve vegan deserts. Well worth a visit if you are in Boulder.
Pros: Delicious food, Welcoming atmosphere, Locally sourced ingredients
Contributions +17
Expensive, but a nice treat - Edit
I come here sometimes when in the mood for more gourmet vegetarian food. I'm a frustrated vegetarian tired of the token vegetarian options in meat-serving restaurants that taste of afterthought and lack of understanding that vegans eat more than tofu and spinach, while a few leaves of lettuce (hold the meat but still charge $12 salad) is not an acceptable dinner option.
Here dishes are well thought out and satisfying. Also, you know that they won't by mistake put gelatin in your salad dressing, fry your food in the same oil as chicken, or otherwise contaminate your food with meat. I really appreciate having a more upscale vegetarian restaurant nearby.
Pros: Gourmet food, Good value, Peace of mind
Cons: Atmosphere
Contributions +20
Decent Food - Edit
I've just visited and stopped by this restaurant. I got the vegan biscuits and gravy. The gravy wasn't anything impressive, but I enjoyed everything else. Really nice atmosphere I'm sure to stop by again if I'm back in Boulder again.
Pros: Nice atmosphere, Decent Food, No delay in service
Cons: Gravy on the Biscuits, Room temperature water, Place can get crowded
Contributions +32
Overpriced and Lacking flavor - Edit
I recently went to Leaf and I was excited to try it based on the positive reviews. We came during the Happy Hour special so we could sample multiple items. I had the Poppers, Burger Slider with Sweet Potatoe Fries, Raw Kale Salad and a Peach crip for desert. The Poppers and salad were okay but nothing to rave about. The slider had potential but there was way more bun than "burger" so it's flavor was overwhelmed by the bread. The crips was just nasty. It was dry and flavorless even though I had a scoop of ice cream on it. There was virtually no peach flavor to it; just lots of very dry oats. The price for my samples was rather high especially the dreadful crisp which I wouldn't have ordered if I'd known they would charge me $8.50 for a small bowl with one dollop of ice cream on it. The wait staff was very nice but the food was poor; I don't see how they could be so highly rated.
Pros: Friendly Staff
Cons: Poor Food - Lacks Flavor, Seriously overpriced, Dumb site won't let me give it 1 Star!
Contributions +342
wonderful food and atmosphere! - Edit
This was at the top of my list for Boulder eating and it completely lived up to my expectations- I had the beet pierogis, which were flavorful and topped with a delicious sour cream, and the "crab cake" sandwich, which was served on a warm baguette and was just perfectly flavored. The restaurant itself was lovely, calm and airy and with lots of natural light, and the wait staff was very nice. The portions were actually larger than I expected too! My only regret is that I was only able to eat here once- I will definitely be back if I'm in the Boulder area!
Pros: delicious food, creative menu, beautiful space
Contributions +58
perfect spot for date - Edit
Loved the selection of vegan food. Beautifully presented, amazingly flavorful with unique options and service was exceptional. Will definitely be back.
Contributions +182
DELICIOUS - Edit
My boyfriend (non-veg) and I absolutely loved this place. The food was delicious, gourmet, and tasty. I ordered the egg croissant with the fake sausage and it was probably the best egg dish I have ever eaten. My boyfriend couldn't stop mmmming! Also great atmosphere.
Pros: Delicious food, Friendly staff
Cons: Bit pricey
Contributions +78
Well-presented food, nice setting, a little pricey - Edit
This is a good restaurant for a vegan date-night! The restaurant has a pleasant ambience, classy decor, good wine list and (usually) friendly & courteous staff. The chef can be heavy-on-the-salt sometimes so if you like to taste the ingredients, ask them to go easy on the salt! The portions are smaller/well presented so you are paying more for less. However, there are enough good vegan options to keep your taste buds tickled and you WILL have room for dessert. Just hope that someone else is picking up the check!
Pros: Truly vegan options, great ambience, lovely wine list
Cons: expensive, can be too salty
Contributions +107
Lots of options, but kind of pricey - Edit
We go here when we want a nicer vegan meal. We've been a few times and always enjoy it. The stuffed tofu is really good.
Contributions +114
Nice casual place to grab a bite - Edit
I spent an afternoon in Boulder and wanted to try Leaf. I thought the restaurant was cute. The service was pretty good. I enjoyed my food. I have a few other places in Boulder I want to try, so that said I am not chomping at the bit to come here again. I am not saying it wasn't good, but there was nothing so compelling drawing me back again until I have tried some of the other places reviewed on Happy Cow.
Pros: Outdoor seating, Good food
Contributions +26
Good Food, So, So Service - Edit
We had a very pleasant dinner at the Leaf last night. The food was good but you do have to make sure they know you want the vegan option since they make some entrees both ways.
The Raw Raviolio was quite good as an appetizer. The Roast Beet and Squash Pad Thai were very tasty and presentation was nice. We would go back again for a special evening. The wine list wasn't bad, either.
The downside was staff attentiveness. We were early and it wasn't busy but we still felt a bit ignored. Pricing about what you would expect.
Pros: Excellent food, Pleasant ambience
Cons: inattentive staff, a bit too dark - parts of menu weren't
Contributions +25
Great stop in Boulder - Edit
Had dinner here and the menu was interesting. The service was great. I would come back for the tempura avocado - it was the highlight of our meal. The spinach gnocchi was good, too. The Jamaican jerk tempeh looked very appetizing although it was a little too spicy for my taste. The flourless chocolate cake was delicious.
Pros: creative dishes, friendly staff
Contributions +14
Eggs everywhere! - Edit
This restaurant has a strange menu. Most dishes had eggs in them. As a vegan all I could find to order was a portabella mushroom burger, which turned out to be very finely ground mushroom served on a tough french bread like roll that was very chewy and hard to eat with the burger falling out and squishing everywhere. It was served dry...with yellowish single piece of iceberg. After half done with burger i corraled waitress and asked if they had mustard....and she asked if i wanted yellow mustard, yes i said, they brought out an inedible house concoction of horse radish and mustard..by the time I got ahold of waitress For some plain mustard i was done eating the dry burger and was told that the so called mustard is what the chef serves....fine ,but that is not what the customer wants. They were not busy...Actually the place was deserted at 11:30 am, a bad sign at any restaurant. They were out of iced tea but they brewed up some iced tea (earl grey-ick) and gave me glass of ice to chill it. Had to ask and wait for lemon.... Never got more ice..... Ordered black-eyed pea veg soup... Came out warm... Just warm! Not hot.... A big bowl had about 10 peas in it, I kid you not, one chunk of celery and 2 cubes of carrot... And lots of canned tomatoes.....it was basically water......
Waitresses were nice and tried but lacked basic skills... As did the chef. To top it off the meal was $40 for three people, I left hungry.
Cons: High price, Poor menu, Eggs everywhere
Contributions +342
Excellent food - Edit
I've been here twice with my girlfriend, once for lunch, once for dinner. Lunch we got the vegan french toast which was AMAZINGLY good. The bread there is fantastic. We each got a vegan dish...the jerk tofu and the enchiladas...both were very good. Get a side of fries (really good) and ask for seconds of bread (it's sooooo goood).
Contributions +61
Go for Lunch, Not Dinner - Edit
My wife and I were looking for a quick bite during an evening out with friends and we'd heard about Leaf so we decided to stop in for a late dinner. I had the Vegan Enchiladas plate and my wife had some type of salad and raw ravioli. The raw ravioli was quite good, but at $6 for two pieces, not really worth it at all. The salad was made with some bitter greens and seaweed, and had a bit of a slimy texture, which may have been the point but wasn't really what we were expecting. More disappointing was the enchilada plate, which was more a collection of sauces and rice than actual enchilada, and overall bland, even with the multiple sauces.
After a significantly disappointing dinner, I was about to post my review when I noticed that a number of people had raved about the sandwiches at lunch. Feeling that maybe I'd given them an unfair shake, we opted to go back the next day for lunch and see if this was true. My wife had the Beer Battered tofu sandwich, and I went with the Philly Cheese seitan, with a daiya substitute. I don't like to hyperbolize, so I will just say it was probably one of the better phiilly seitans I've had in a long time. The bread was just toasted enough, they didn't overdo it on the Daiya (I do get sick of it sometimes) and there was just the right ratio of mushrooms and onions with the seitan to make it a perfect quick lunch. The Beer Battered tofu with tartar sauce had a good fish sandwich flavor to it as well. We walked away from lunch much more satisfied than we did at dinner the previous night.
Otherwise, service was friendly and helpful. Water was plentiful, and the restaurant itself had a clean, nice feel to it. If you're looking for a great lunch spot, get there before three. Skip dinner for the time being, though, unless they've changed the menu.
Pros: Great Lunch, Helpful Staff, Nice Atmosphere
Cons: Mediocre Dinner, Eggs in a Seitan Dish, Incompatible flavors
Contributions +61
So-so - Edit
I came here by myself for an early dinner. I found the staff to be very friendly but felt a little ignored. I ended up waiting quite a long time between courses and the place wasn't that busy. The restaurant space is very nice but also very echoey and loud.
The food I had was very light and easy on the stomach, as in, not greasy! I had the raw pad thai salad, which was delicious and my favorite dish. I had a flat bread pizza with cashew ricotta replacing the cheese. I found the pizza to be okay it needed more of the sauce, not really worth how much I paid. The cashew ricotta was the best part of the pizza. I took home a slice of the vegan chocolate peanut butter tart, but it was nothing special. It was a very large slice and it's flavor was very one note and bland.
If I end up moving to Boulder I may try them again.
Updated from previous review on Sunday September 04, 2011
Pros: Light food
Cons: Noisy, Annoying Cutlery
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