Like many people, I find that Asian cuisine satisfies my desire for vegetarian-friendly meals. Zen Garden came highly recommended to me as a place to check out.
I ordered carry-out recently and was a happy customer. The service was prompt, the meal was savory, and the price was reasonable. The restaurant itself is located in bustling Clifton in an old house. Inside it is simply decorated. Parking is ample.
Returning from a road trip to Mammoth Cave we lucked upon Zen Garden. Leaving I-65, it was a few twisty, hilly Louisville miles. The restaurant has been making home style vegetarian Asian cuisine for 14 years. Consistent good food explains their success. We enjoyed a green curry vegetable soup, nicely spiced, with chunks of seasonal veggies, yum. My partner is a mushroom fanatic and was very happy with the crispy shiitake entree. She even ordered extra crispy mushrooms to go. We shared the daily special Orange Tofu that included soup, decent egg rolls, rice and the nicely prepared entree. The sweet and sour soup was ok, next time I'd like to try the tomato dill soup. Many wonderful menu items to explore. A few locals stopped in to pick up carryout orders, a good sign. You won't be disappointed.
Zen Garden is on my list for favorite places to eat. Their Roasted Rice veggie soup is the best soup ever!! Love the Pad Thai, Sweet and Sour Tofu, salads, veggie sushi, veggie soup and more! The sweet and sour tofu is too sweet for me but you can ask them to put then sauce on the side. The service is always wonderful and they are super fast. Thank you Zen Garden for an amazing place to eat!
I have been Louisville around 2011.I saw this place reviewed here on Happy Cows and went for lunch with my family on our vacation. I had meant to write review sooner but just got so busy. This is a awesome place in a victorian style home. The service was very good and the food just awesome. My wife does not like Tofu, but the way they cooked it in a veg fried rice, she became a huge fan. very small cube sized tofu with all spices nicely marinated. This also became my son's (around 8yrs) favorite food and now he compares every restaurant food to this one. This place is 5 stars in his opinion(so does my family) and he started rating every place to this one. Whenever he eats chinese he now says it is good, but not like Zen Garden. I love chinese, but not so my wife and son. This place won them over. Do not miss this place if you are in Louisville.
The food is SO fresh and amazing! We had the stir fry vegetables, the dish had 3-4 different types of veggie meats (beef, pork, chicken...) The brown sauce was delicious! We also had the Undon soup WOW! Best soup full of vegetables and super fat noodles! This is now one of my favorite restaurants I cannot wait to go back! Oh! The chocolate peanut butter pie is insanely good!!
The Curry Vegetable Soup was absolutely a great mixture of flavor and heat. The Vietnamese Crepe was as good. It had a combination of vegetables and tofu perfectly cooked while maintaining the integrity of delightful flavor. The waiter was attentive without being overbearing. All around great service.
Probably the first all-vegetarian restaurant in Louisville, honestly. Great food; semi-typical Chinese/Asian/fusion fair with lots of tofu and soy options. Not too pricey and they also had some vegan desserts when I was there last weekend. I don't go here too often, though ethically this place is top-notch. If you're into veggie cuisine, particularly with a Chinese-lean, this is the place to be!
The food is fantastic. I had the Crispy Egg Rolls, which are to die for. I also had the Veggie Sandwich and it had the best avocado I've ever tasted. While I live about two hours from Louisville, I am super excited to go back. The Crispy Tofu and Vegetable and Bean Curd Soup have definitely caught my eye for next time.
Amazing food in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Zen Garden is an all-vegetarian Asian restaurant, and all profits go to charitable causes. Service was very friendly and quick.
My wife and I shared the sweet & sour soup, spring rolls, and the Zen garden (sushi) roll. The soup was thicker than what you usually get at Chinese restaurants, but the flavors were balanced perfectly. The spring rolls were fresh and delicious, but pretty standard - although the peanut sauce they came with was delicious and almost caramel-like in texture. The garden roll was outstanding, with the white radish providing just a little bite of sharper flavor to contrast the cucumber and creamy avocado.
I had the Orange Tofu, as many reviews indicated it as a favorite entree. It's as good as everyone says - the texture of the tofu is perfect, with a lightly crispy outside and a creamy interior. The sauce is excellent, providing just a hint of sourness to go with the bright citrus. My wife's Sesame Soy had the same amazing texture, with a lightly spicy brown sauce that delicately clung to the tofu and broccoli.
Don't forget the tea - both the green tea and jasmine tea were excellent, too.
Being from New York, my husband and I only go to Louisville sometimes to visit family, but whenever we go, we always stop by Zen Garden. If we lived closer we would definitely eat there every week. I used to live in Japan, and so I often miss that type of food. The menu at Zen Garden is Asian Fusion: a mix of Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese.
Everything is so fresh, healthy, and flavorful. My favorite entrees are the Orange Tofu and the Crispy Shiitake Mushroom Stir-fry, but everything on the menu is wonderful! Everyone loves the spring rolls and pot stickers too. My parents who are not vegetarian also love eating at Zen Garden.
Zen Garden is 100% vegetarian, has beautiful Japanese-style interior design, and very friendly wait staff. The owner Coco Tran is such a talented chef and a sweet person too! I heard she recently opened a new Japanese tea house called "Zen Tea House." I'm so jealous that Louisville now has its own tea house, and now I'm really looking forward to my next visit to Louisville.
P.S. Their website is http://www.zengardenrestaurant.org
This is BY FAR my favorite restaurant in Kentucky. It is fabulous, and I make an effort to eat there at LEAST once per day every time I'm in Louisville. The food is amazing, and most of the items on the menu are vegan. I have never tried a dish at Zen Garden that I was disappointed with. The food is extremely flavorful, they serve nice full portions, and I'm always left excited about my next visit!
Been eating at Zen Garden for years now. Always have a wonderful experience there and the lady who owns the place is great. I do believe her profit off of this place is charity. I know she runs another Vietnamese restaurant in town and so this one is non profit. I read it somewhere so don't quote me but I'm sure you could Google it.
Food is AWESOME but we don't eat there as often as I'd like because we have a large family and it gets pricey after everyone adds Pot Stickers and Spring Rolls! I love the Pot Stickers and Fried Rice!
This place is also about 98% vegan and 100% vegetarian. I was told the only non vegan items were one dish with noodles that contained eggs and the fortune cookies are not vegan either. The Plantain with coconut sauce is a wonderful dessert!
14 Reviews
First Review by etherealviolet
duchessonadime
Points +59
Solid Chinese Food - Edit
Like many people, I find that Asian cuisine satisfies my desire for vegetarian-friendly meals. Zen Garden came highly recommended to me as a place to check out.
Read moreI ordered carry-out recently and was a happy customer. The service was prompt, the meal was savory, and the price was reasonable. The restaurant itself is located in bustling Clifton in an old house. Inside it is simply decorated. Parking is ample.
Overall, a tasty place to grab food from!
Pros: location, parking
Guest
kengmick
Points +23
Vegan Signature Dishes - Edit
Returning from a road trip to Mammoth Cave we lucked upon Zen Garden. Leaving I-65, it was a few twisty, hilly Louisville miles. The restaurant has been making home style vegetarian Asian cuisine for 14 years. Consistent good food explains their success. We enjoyed a green curry vegetable soup, nicely spiced, with chunks of seasonal veggies, yum. My partner is a mushroom fanatic and was very happy with the crispy shiitake entree. She even ordered extra crispy mushrooms to go. We shared the daily special Orange Tofu that included soup, decent egg rolls, rice and the nicely prepared entree. The sweet and sour soup was ok, next time I'd like to try the tomato dill soup. Many wonderful menu items to explore. A few locals stopped in to pick up carryout orders, a good sign. You won't be disappointed.
Read morePros: Well prepared home style Asian Cuisine, Generous portions, reasonable value, Warm, comfy atmosphere, good service
Cons: Pot of tea is pricey, but large
Guest
sarahburnsy
Points +161
Love Love Love - Edit
Zen Garden is on my list for favorite places to eat. Their Roasted Rice veggie soup is the best soup ever!! Love the Pad Thai, Sweet and Sour Tofu, salads, veggie sushi, veggie soup and more! The sweet and sour tofu is too sweet for me but you can ask them to put then sauce on the side. The service is always wonderful and they are super fast. Thank you Zen Garden for an amazing place to eat!
Read morePros: Very Tasty, Large menu, Open early
Guest
prasannarv
Points +41
Awesome Food and Service - Edit
I have been Louisville around 2011.I saw this place reviewed here on Happy Cows and went for lunch with my family on our vacation. I had meant to write review sooner but just got so busy. This is a awesome place in a victorian style home. The service was very good and the food just awesome. My wife does not like Tofu, but the way they cooked it in a veg fried rice, she became a huge fan. very small cube sized tofu with all spices nicely marinated. This also became my son's (around 8yrs) favorite food and now he compares every restaurant food to this one. This place is 5 stars in his opinion(so does my family) and he started rating every place to this one. Whenever he eats chinese he now says it is good, but not like Zen Garden. I love chinese, but not so my wife and son. This place won them over. Do not miss this place if you are in Louisville.
Read morePros: Service, Excellent Food, Homely atmosphere
Cons: Pricey
Guest
andreafbe
Points +341
Enjoyed my meal here - Edit
Ate a late lunch here one day and was pleased with my meal. My husband was so-so on his meal but he ate the whole thing so it wasn't too bad!
Read morePros: All veg menu
Guest
Tracymarie83
Points +25
One of the best resturaunts veg or not!! - Edit
The food is SO fresh and amazing! We had the stir fry vegetables, the dish had 3-4 different types of veggie meats (beef, pork, chicken...) The brown sauce was delicious! We also had the Undon soup WOW! Best soup full of vegetables and super fat noodles! This is now one of my favorite restaurants I cannot wait to go back! Oh! The chocolate peanut butter pie is insanely good!!
Read morePros: Amazing food, Cool atmosphere , Awesome desert!
Guest
phoray
Points +107
Gone here more than once - Edit
What everyone else said. Nothing to disappoint. ^_^
Read morePros: food, staff, price
Guest
camftru2self
Points +20
Perfectly Balanced - Edit
The Curry Vegetable Soup was absolutely a great mixture of flavor and heat. The Vietnamese Crepe was as good. It had a combination of vegetables and tofu perfectly cooked while maintaining the integrity of delightful flavor. The waiter was attentive without being overbearing. All around great service.
Read morePros: Attentive staff, Great portions, Great Vegan options
Cons: slightly costly for lunch
Guest
xsamx
Points +422
One of Louisville's great vegetarian gems - Edit
Probably the first all-vegetarian restaurant in Louisville, honestly. Great food; semi-typical Chinese/Asian/fusion fair with lots of tofu and soy options. Not too pricey and they also had some vegan desserts when I was there last weekend. I don't go here too often, though ethically this place is top-notch. If you're into veggie cuisine, particularly with a Chinese-lean, this is the place to be!
Read moreGuest
lovintheveg
Points +81
Soo good - Edit
The food is fantastic. I had the Crispy Egg Rolls, which are to die for. I also had the Veggie Sandwich and it had the best avocado I've ever tasted. While I live about two hours from Louisville, I am super excited to go back. The Crispy Tofu and Vegetable and Bean Curd Soup have definitely caught my eye for next time.
Read morePros: great food, quaint setting
Cons: a bit expensive
Guest
briank
Points +28
It really does live up to its reputation - Edit
Amazing food in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Zen Garden is an all-vegetarian Asian restaurant, and all profits go to charitable causes. Service was very friendly and quick.
Read moreMy wife and I shared the sweet & sour soup, spring rolls, and the Zen garden (sushi) roll. The soup was thicker than what you usually get at Chinese restaurants, but the flavors were balanced perfectly. The spring rolls were fresh and delicious, but pretty standard - although the peanut sauce they came with was delicious and almost caramel-like in texture. The garden roll was outstanding, with the white radish providing just a little bite of sharper flavor to contrast the cucumber and creamy avocado.
I had the Orange Tofu, as many reviews indicated it as a favorite entree. It's as good as everyone says - the texture of the tofu is perfect, with a lightly crispy outside and a creamy interior. The sauce is excellent, providing just a hint of sourness to go with the bright citrus. My wife's Sesame Soy had the same amazing texture, with a lightly spicy brown sauce that delicately clung to the tofu and broccoli.
Don't forget the tea - both the green tea and jasmine tea were excellent, too.
Pros: All vegetarian, Good service, Amazing food
Guest
Rebekah
Points +23
Best Asian Food in the USA (honestly)! - Edit
Being from New York, my husband and I only go to Louisville sometimes to visit family, but whenever we go, we always stop by Zen Garden. If we lived closer we would definitely eat there every week. I used to live in Japan, and so I often miss that type of food. The menu at Zen Garden is Asian Fusion: a mix of Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese.
Read moreEverything is so fresh, healthy, and flavorful. My favorite entrees are the Orange Tofu and the Crispy Shiitake Mushroom Stir-fry, but everything on the menu is wonderful! Everyone loves the spring rolls and pot stickers too. My parents who are not vegetarian also love eating at Zen Garden.
Zen Garden is 100% vegetarian, has beautiful Japanese-style interior design, and very friendly wait staff. The owner Coco Tran is such a talented chef and a sweet person too! I heard she recently opened a new Japanese tea house called "Zen Tea House." I'm so jealous that Louisville now has its own tea house, and now I'm really looking forward to my next visit to Louisville.
P.S. Their website is http://www.zengardenrestaurant.org
Pros: Fresh, Healthy, Absolutely Delicious
Cons: Wish it was located closer to my home!
Guest
Saramste
Points +323
I LOVE this place! - Edit
This is BY FAR my favorite restaurant in Kentucky. It is fabulous, and I make an effort to eat there at LEAST once per day every time I'm in Louisville. The food is amazing, and most of the items on the menu are vegan. I have never tried a dish at Zen Garden that I was disappointed with. The food is extremely flavorful, they serve nice full portions, and I'm always left excited about my next visit!
Read morePros: Vegan!, Delicious!
Cons: None!
Guest
etherealviolet
Points +31
Wonderful Place! - Edit
Been eating at Zen Garden for years now. Always have a wonderful experience there and the lady who owns the place is great. I do believe her profit off of this place is charity. I know she runs another Vietnamese restaurant in town and so this one is non profit. I read it somewhere so don't quote me but I'm sure you could Google it.
Read moreFood is AWESOME but we don't eat there as often as I'd like because we have a large family and it gets pricey after everyone adds Pot Stickers and Spring Rolls! I love the Pot Stickers and Fried Rice!
This place is also about 98% vegan and 100% vegetarian. I was told the only non vegan items were one dish with noodles that contained eggs and the fortune cookies are not vegan either. The Plantain with coconut sauce is a wonderful dessert!
Pros: Great food, 100% vegetarian/98% vegan, Calm/soothing atmosphere
Cons: A little pricey
Guest
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