Roots

One of the best restaurants I have ever been too. Delicious, fresh food with so many options.

I have now visited twice, and both times exceeded expectations. All of the teas I have tried there are quite delightful, plus you get a full pot for a minimal price! Also, during my second visit I found out that any of their teas can also be made iced tea which was perfect and tasty for the hot evening.
The service is always up to par with an extremely friendly staff. Although I have been a little hesitant of a few of the menu items because they may not sound the most appealing, I have always loved those items the most. Definitely recommend for vegetarians and even non-​vegetarians alike! My boyfriend loves this place while he is basically a carnivore :) Great for sharing! It is definitely fun to go here with a couple of people and share many of the menu items.

Nice place, I was excited to visit Louisville and see a place that caters to vegans. Too bad it took 20 minutes to get our water glasses filled even on a slow Sunday afternoon. We never got to order. Walked out after 30 minutes.

I was not expecting much of a vegan restaurant — but my first experience was overwhelming! Everything we ordered was excellent — very fresh, beautifully plated, not too salty, excellent flavors. We tried 6 different dishes and I would order all of it again. In fact, the next time I’m craving Asian food, I’m going back to Roots. Who needs the meat anyway?

During my brief time in Louisville, this is without a doubt the best restaurant I visited.
The pan fried rice noodles were absolutely heavenly. The star of the show was really the fresh seasonal vegetables, which were cooked to perfection and drizzled in the best brown sauce I think I’ve ever had. The noodles themselves were tender underneath and crispy up top. I don’t know what kind of oil they were fried in, but it was unique and lender a nice umami flavor to the dish. The dish was amazing, a wonderful combination of flavors and textures, and also very satisfying, I couldn’t even finish the plate. I was surprised it wasn’t more expensive, honestly.
Service was friendly, helpful, and prompt. My tea was served along with a timer to ensure I steeped the proper amount of time.
My partner thoroughly enjoyed his ravioli, but was still a bit hungry after finishing them, so he ate the rest if my food and we were both happy.

Sign at door said wait to be seated, then the employee told us to sit wherever. Every table was dirty. Had to sit at a table with water filled glasses, food crumbs and circles from the last costumers plates still on table. Waited 10 minutes for someone to great us and no one came. Decided to leave. Will not go back because of this experience alone

Very nice place. I believe it’s family run — they were very kind and humble. Great food — I had the Miso Soup, Veggie Rolls, and a Veggie wrap with pickled veggies… A chai tea, as well. The seeping timer was a nice touch. It just goes to show the care that they put into everything. I’ll definitely visit again!

If you are a tea lover, the roots boast a broad array of choices. No alcohol on the menu, but Bubble Tea available. I had a lovely rich Chai Rooibos with honey. The Green Curry soup is a MUST. Full of flavor with a light kick while still remaining brothy, and not heavy. Get a BOWL! Also had the steamed rice rolls. Loads of crunchy fresh veggies! Like an Asian market in my mouth. Best if you pour the Vietnamese sauce over the whole plate for the best flavor. Happy rooting!

The food is perfection. Fresh and quick, excellent service. The fact that there isn’t meat on the menu wins me over. Coming from a picky vegan this place is reasonably priced and beautifully decorated, and has a comfortable atmosphere. It’s definitely my go to for laid back dinners or meeting with clients. My best friend and I are addicted to this place simply for the convenience it gives vegetarians and vegans. The options are limitless and they’re more than happy to accommodate your needs

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!

It might be strange to review a meal that wasn’t something I ordered and which I could hypothetically have gotten for free if I’d wanted to take advantage, but I was so impressed with the experience that I must share. We happened here on the night before Thanksgiving while my vegan family was in town. We were seated in the back at these amazing recessed tables, so that you sit level with the floor and your feet hang down. A little awkward to get in and out of to be sure (and I felt bad for the guy who had to refill our glasses) but with the aqua recycled glass slab table, it gave the effect of somehow being underwater.
Things seemed a little chaotic, and I noticed that one of the people working kept taking pictures of the over-​full restaurant. After we’d been sitting for a while with just our waters, we flagged someone down to ask for a menu. Which is when we were told «Everything is free tonight. No menus.» The guy explained to us that the proprietor closes to regular business every year at each of her establishments, and has volunteers work as waiters, taking only donations, and providing a free Thanksgiving meal. The donations go to charity. My disappointment that I wouldn’t get to try something from the menu didn’t last long when I heard this. What an awesome business to support.
The meal we were served was relatively simple, but excellent. It started with a pumpkin/​tomato soup that was really great. Then the main course included tofu, rice, a really tasty spring roll, and these sautéed/​blackened green beans with strips of tofu that were out of this world. They were actually the best green beans I’ve ever had.
I will absolutely be back to sample more of their fare. I found the owner to be so gracious that I plan on heading to the place next door and Four Sisters too. That’s someone I want to give my money to.

The food on my last visit was perfect. Fellow Unilocal Elite Kathy V. and I shared the steamed rice rolls and they had the best flavor and texture! I got the crispy shitake mushroom with rice for my entrée and she had the butternut squash soup. We both really loved the entrees.
The service was not great on this visit. Kathy got there before me on a Friday night and they brought out two waters. I got there at 6:30 and no one came to take our order for about 20 minutes. We were having fun chatting and we had waters, but it was weird that they didn’t even ask if we were ready. There were only 3 other tables in the restaurant so it wasn’t like they were slammed.
I love trying new veggie dishes and Roots knows how to impress with their food so I will be back. Hopefully with faster service next time!

Slowest service in town, very small servings, not organic pricey for quality. Servers change frequently because owner is cold to both customer and employee. They are rarely even half full and only remain in business because they currently have no competition that they don’t own. Least compassionate business owner I have encountered yet professes a compassionate business won’t ever eat here again

Roots is my go-​to when I’m in the mood for something Asian as well as healthy. Everything is always super fresh and delicious. And if I remember correctly, I think they make all their tofu in-​house. Amazing!
I almost always order their wonton noodle soup. The broth and the egg noodles are so satisfying. I also really like their tofu clay pot and bubble teas. And I feel like for the amount of food you get and the quality, the price is definitely a good deal.
My only complaint is that the service can sometimes be a bit slow. But that’s okay – when I’m in a hurry, I just pop over to Hearts & Soy next door to get an order to go. I love that I can order from either menu at both locations!

The first time I went here with some friends who are [mostly] vegan. I’m not a big fan of Asian food, but I didn’t have much of a choice.
Alright, I was wrong. This place is awesome. So, so awesome, and so, so amazing.
The majority of their offerings are small plates, so it’s great for trying a few things and sharing with a group of people. Their menu is quite expansive, so don’t be afraid of trying something new if you feel like you haven’t made a decision yet. I feel pretty confident in saying it will be delicious.
I’ve tried the following, and love them all: red grapefruit salad; fried tofu squares; Vietnamese crêpe; vermicelli rice noodles; forbidden rice risotto (ESPECIALLY delicious); crispy rolls; and summer rolls.
This place is pretty low key and their wealth of tea offerings I feel just emphasizes that even more. Entrees are affordable, but again, they’re small plates, so you might want to order a couple on your own or order several and share. They’re pretty filling though, so go with an empty stomach and enjoy!

I am a loyal customer at heart & soy, so I have been itching to try roots for a long time. I came during lunch with my best friend and there was no one there– I mean literally no one. Our server was outside talking to someone and a woman that worked at heart & soy came over and told us to sit wherever we would like. That is the only thing I would deduct a star for. It was very odd coming in and not being greeted by anyone. However, I will say that the place has a great ambiance. I love the Japanese style seating towards the back of the restaurant. There are Vietnamese watercolor paintings on the walls and a wide selection of any kind of tea you could think of. Many of the menu items are already on the menu next door at heart & soy, but at roots you are paying a little more for a dining experience– which I do not mind. And not only do they offer American dining utensils, but they also offer chopsticks for you to eat with.
The food was simply awesome! The wait time was short and we were regularly checked on by our friendly server and given more ice water to drink. For appetizers we got the pan fried potstickers and the crispy egg rolls. Both were hot, fresh, and delicious. For entrees, my boyfriend got Hue and I got the sizzling crispy rice with bbq tofu. Both were filling yet light. The bill wasn’t too bad, either! For two appetizers and two entrees, we paid around $ 30 (not including a tip). Overall, it was an awesome experience and I would eat there again :)

YUMMY.
The meat eater in me was not at all deprived by the food here. You forget it’s vegetarian because it’s so darn tasty! I ordered the Vietnamese crêpe, which is essentially a savory omelette with sprouts. The lettuce wraps were also very tasty — especially the filling.
I would definitely recommend. The food is also very light, so you don’t feel bloated afterwards!

Wow! I came to this restaurant with a couple of friends after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and was pleasantly surprised. I’m not one to usually choose a healthy/​vegetarian restaurant so I did not know what to expect. As we walked in, I loved how quiet, calm and peaceful the space felt.
We got to choose where to sit and were promptly brought our menus and drinks. I went with the edamame and sizzling rice and they were delicious. I had never tasted anything like that rice before! Prices were very decent, you can have a soup or salad, entrée and drink for less than $ 20.
I highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely return!

My girlfriend and I are in love with Roots. If you’re with a friend or partner, it’s easy to fill up on delicious orders for a decent price. Tonight, we each had tea and a dish, and shared an order of tempura fried veggies — all for about $ 35! Not bad for two hungry eaters.
The food is delicious. I’m not a vegan or a vegetarian, but I do enjoy healthy eating so all the dishes I’ve tried have been light, but filling and flavorful. When I mentioned earlier it wasn’t too expensive, I really mean it’s a great bargain. I left in a food coma. Plus the service is fantastic. The servers have always been very attentive, friendly, and exceedingly polite. Since there’s no meat involved, dishes come out relatively quickly. Another perk is that you get to listen to smooth jazz… well maybe that’s not a perk but I won’t count that against them. It’s usually so chill in there that I don’t even notice the music.

This was my 2^nd time at Roots, and both times I’ve liked it.
One thing about Roots both times I have been… I don’t leave feeling full. I am a big fan of «get lots of things to try and share» we got 4 dishes (very tasty ones) but honestly, I wanted a snack when I got home. I will admit this may be because I am a raging carnivore…
Green Curry Soup– Delish.
Potstickers– Yum
Ravioli– Seemed a little overcooked but great flavor.
Cherry and Goat Cheese Risotto– Divine. (I could have eaten two more helpings of this dish. Perfection.)