Leaf & Ladle — Restaurant in Bellingham

I was visiting a friend in Bellingham and they recommended I try this restaurant for lunch.

It is actually easy to miss from the outside. It is positioned between two shop fronts that also have quite a bit of personality, and is a small shop on its own.

Once inside, it is very much a hipster diner. All the staff are my age, the menu has lots of vegan and vegetarian options and variations, so almost any dish can be altered to fit your dietary restrictions. I have some food allergies, and the staff were knowledgeable and accommodating. There were also homemade meals to go and locally sourced options for drinks or to go desserts. The main options are salads, wraps, and salads.

The staff were also very friendly and patient with me.

The food prep area is also at the front of the building, so you can see as staff prep and serve your food. I always find comfort in seeing the conditions my food is made, and this was some of the most transparent food prep I’ve seen. There was a dishwashing and refrigerator in the car back, but it was kept in another room.

The store is longer than it is wide and built inside of a vintage storefront, so you walk in deeper past the counter and food prep area to get to dining. Staff also informed us that if we are over 21, you can even take your meals next door and sit at the neighboring bar and order drinks. We chose to sit inside the restaurant. It was very intimate and has modest decor. There was quite a lot of variety in the other customers- from families, to young adults hanging out, to elderly couples.

The food is also VERY large. I ordered the BBQ pork wrap and it was HUGE. It honestly took work to finish it. Not a lot of places known for burritos even offer food that large. My friend ordered a salad and a few sides, but the salad was so large that it took up the entire 8.5”x11.5” metal tray it came on and they couldn’t finish it. I very much felt that I got my bang for my buck here.

This restaurant is definitely a modern and hipster take on a local sandwich deli, and I would definitely recommend it if you need something quick...

I visited this fine establishment by complete chance. My buddy and I take a yearly guys trip to the PNW and we have been making Bellingham a regular visit in our week long trip that has evolved over the years to new cities along the coast. We have slowly grown our eatery list every year. I’d like to say we’ve gotten very good at finding some real gems over the years of visiting Bellingham. With that being said, I am so glad we stopped here.

This is a review of my first visit to Leaf and Ladle. I would have to say the service here matched the quality of the food. From the high quality ingredients to the elaborate and methodical prep work that is required to make such an exceptional soup and salad menu come alive. I had the Cubano sandwich with the Thai coconut vegetable soup. Both were exceptional and I would highly recommend them. From the fresh ingredients to the melody of crashing flavors and textures creating a symphony of flavor in your mouth. It’s rare to find an eatery that excels on all levels. The best way to describe this place is it feels like you’re eating at a best friend’s restaurant and they just happen to have the best soup and salads that money can buy. Please give them a try and I promise you will be an instant regular. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t’ mention to please bus your own table at the end of your meal. This isn’t an enforceable policy by any means. There is a bus station in the opposite corner of the entrance. Do your part and allow staff here to focus on other tasks instead of cleaning up your dirty dishes. Thanks...

Im so sad to be making this review because I use to love this business, I’ve eaten here before. But especially the girls working there are sweethearts and I run by the business in the evenings all the time. Today I went on a morning run, fell and on my way back was severely dehydrated. I believe it was the owner, an older woman with blonde hair who had the door open and next to her was a pitcher of water with cups. Due to my experience with the business I thought she was a safe person to ask for water, trust me if I could have waited to go elsewhere I would’ve. I’m not an entitled person I promise. Despite this she said they weren’t open yet and I kept it moving. This review is on the character of the owner, and I feel like it’s basic kindness to provide a basic human need of water to someone who was in desperate need of it.

Also don’t order the vegan chorizo, it’s never going to compare to mexican chorizo not even close, save your money. lol. This review is for those who care about the character of people and this was my own personal experience with the...