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    Lula Cafe

    4.3 (2.5k reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Lula Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    LULA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Lula Cafe

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    Justin N.

    To be around for nearly 30 years and still have this much hype is saying something. I stayed in an Airbnb a few blocks away from Lula for like a month last year, and every time I wandered by, there was a wait. Fast forward to last week, and I finally made it in. Cheers for me, guys. And now that I've been, I just want to come back. That food is good. So, so very good.... Vegan options galore, and not just some bullshit afterthoughts. The sweet potato soup with garlic was a great starter, especially with that perfectly thick bread. The "Tineka," a spicy peanut butter sandwich with all kinds of fresh veg, was another hit. Fresh, salty, beautifully toasted. Even the side of slaw was elevated beyond the norm. But the one I'll be dreaming of is the Chickpea & Fennel Tagine. Green harissa, golden raisins, preserved lemon, arugula, and more of that amazing grilled bread. My god. Tagine is a slow-cooked African dish that jams pounds of flavor into each bite, and this bowl was through the roof. The apertif menu? Bonus points for that one. It's cute, it's trendy, the staff knows their menu inside and out, and they have been bringing the culinary heat for nearly three decades. Keep doing your thing, Lula.

    Kylie B.

    the breakfast burrito is a must - this truly may be one of the best breakfast burritos I have ever had in my life. The scrambled eggs were soft fluffy and sweet, the avacado was perfectly ripe, potatos were seasoned so well - and despite having no meat it was very filling. I also loved that the hot sauce had a sweet tang to it, and the green sauce was a classic. This is a very popular spot so be prepared to wait (we waited about 1.5 hours on early saturday morning). Ambiance is vibrant, staff is nice but certainly busy!!

    Pasta Yiayia, Chickpea and Fennel Tagine, ramps and wild rice
    Anh L.

    We had a reservation on a Saturday night, and it was my first time at Lula Cafe! I absolutely loved the casual and beautiful space as well as the lovely outdoor patio. The ambiance was perfect with background salsa and cha cha playing for a perfect upbeat mood. We ordered some focaccia, clams, and the Vichyssoise for smaller items and had the pasta yia yia, ramps & wild rice, and the chickpea and fennel tagine. Everything was spectacular, and the favorite dishes of the group were the clams, the super unique pasta yia yia, and ramps & wild rice. Each dish had such unique flavors and complemented each other very well. For dessert, we all got a scoop of the London fog straciatella, which may now be my favorite ice cream flavor of all time. The service was on point as well and very attentive! Definitely make Lula Cafe a destination when in the area.

    Menu
    Jordan L.

    We've talked about going here for the longest time and finally a couple of weeks ago we stood in that long line that forms before every Sunday opening. Once the doors opened the line moved swiftly as parties were greeted and seated by an equally long line of servers. On a nice day, the patio fills up quickly but there are quite a few tables. The inside is actually much more spacious than I expected. We ended up on the patio as the weather was splendid. It was great for people watching all of the farmers market patrons. We started with their baked feta. A truly magical dish with delicious sourdough that acts as the perfect vessel to sop up the oils that coat the pan. We each ordered the pancakes and a side of sausage. We could have easily shared an order as they were super filling. I'm glad we finally made it here. Also their Hugo Spritz were so refreshing.

    Pastry
    Megan H.

    Food is always great here, they don't do reservations so get there at least 30 minutes early to get on the waitlist. If you're going there on Sundays, you can always go to the farmers market before if they're open before! The only negative thing is not all of the waiters are very helpful. There was one waiter that I asked for hot sauce and it took so long that we ended up getting the check right after she brought the sauce.

    The royale breakfast sandwich
    Sarah B.

    The service was great, and the food was so good. I got the royale breakfast sandwich which was delicious but doesn't compare to the hot spot breakfast sandwiches in the city. The addition of a caper type sauce, lettuce, and tomato on the bun feels more like a burger than an egg based sandwich, but still great nonetheless. I can imagine that they have a great dinner menu as well. Would love to come back and try.

    Receipt
    Tabitha W.

    Returned for a second visit and was in line before opening. Secured one of the last available tables after they opened their doors. The food is decent here, but I wouldn't say anything blew me away. My coffee order got delayed, and even though it was one of the first things we requested, my drink didn't come out till we were halfway through our entrees.

    David N.

    Most of our meals were of the run-and-gun type, so we figured we should make time for at least one classic brunch. We'd heard good things about Lula Cafe, so we decided to pop over on a Saturday morning. It was just after 9:00 but the place was already hopping. After a short wait, we were shown to bar-type seating near the back of the restaurant. It was perfect. I can never say no to a breakfast burrito, so we decided to share their Classic Lula Breakfast Burrito ("avocado, tomato, potato, cheddar, green chile soffritto, and soft scrambled eggs") and holy moly was it ever good. Every ingredient was above average and placed with care, and I was impressed by the perfectly-cooked eggs. (There was nothing bouncy about these eggs, that's for sure.) Because we're pigs, we decided to also share the Lox Toast ("house cured organic salmon, gribiche, lula seeded rye") and it too was very, very good. Finally, we each got the Fruit Cup and somehow it was also amazing. The fruits were cut really well and there wasn't a bad bite to be had. Yeah, I can see why Lula Cafe is doing so well. It's a really cool place.

    Chilled Spicy Peanut Noodles
    Kim L.

    Surprised it took me so long to try this place. Maybe it was too hyped up in my head but it was just ok. Vibe is cool and good people watching at the bar with the giant mirror. Went with the chilled spicy sesame noodle and wish it came with chopsticks instead of a fork. Really good flavors but was a little on the salty side. Bar service was fine and quicker than the 30 mins wait for a table during the weekday after lunch rush.

    Menu 1
    Joni R.

    We went to Lula Cafe for brunch at the recommendation of a local friend. We arrived at around 11 on a rainy Saturday and the wait was estimated at an hour but was actually like 45 minutes. You can make reservations if you plan ahead. While we were waiting, we had seen the breakfast burritos come out, so I had to try them. They were a little egg heavy but still good. They're served with two salsas and sour cream and are probably the biggest portion there. Hubby got the Royale breakfast sandwich. He said it was exactly what it said but underwhelming. I had one bite and thought the bread was a little dry. That's all I remember about it. Daughter got the spring crepe, and it was the highlight of the meal. It's a yellow cornmeal crepe with lavender whipped ricotta, green strawberries, rhubarb and candied almonds. It was so good. Only wish there was more. There's an art installation on the walls featuring punny ball caps. Staff is really friendly.

    Royale & seasonal latte

    The food was really good and they have a cute little outdoor area. However, the server I had wasn't nice or friendly. I said hi with a smile when she approached the table and she didn't say anything and poured water and walked away. She came back a minute later and asked if i was ready to order with zero friendliness, hospitality, or even a crack of a smile. Honestly, not to pull this card but i work in the service industry too and i could never imagine being so monotone and robotic to guests. I was happy they have the auto grat on but i don't think it's fair for guests to possibly have the experience that server was providing and be forced to pay that. with that said, i do plan on returning because there were other staff members that were very nice and friendly to me during my visit. I didn't say anything or act disappointed while i was there because i know that the service industry can be taxing at times and maybe she was having a bad day but that also isn't fair to me as a guest. The person that closed my tab out for me was so incredibly nice and honestly one of the reasons i will be coming back to try other things on their menu.

    Sam C.

    What an amazing meal. The flavor combinations were so unique they made me think, "Why didn't I think of that?" We walked in without a reservation and grabbed seats at the bar. The snap peas, garbanzo beans, and Pasta Yaya were all incredibly fresh and bursting with flavor. The atmosphere was simple, tasteful, and welcoming, and the staff was friendly and helpful throughout. Just an all-around great dining experience. I'll definitely be back.

    Sydney H.

    I went during restaurant week and was soooo sad to find out they weren't offering their full menu. We were able to move to bar seating for a few more options, but overall most things I wanted to try I wasn't able to get. Everything we got ended up being good, but I was expecting to be more blown away after how hard it was to get a reservation. My favorite was the pasta yaya - definitely order this when you go!!! Our service was good too & the drinks were petty affordable! I can't wait to go back to try more things once I can order off their regular menu

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    Lula Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Lula Cafe

    Are they doing outdoor dining again?

    Yes they are!

    Are they open?

    Yes, they are open now! I went in the other day for breakfast.

    Are dogs allowed?

    They are allowed outside but I'm not sure about inside

    Is this place lively or cozy? How is the lightning inside and noise levels here?

    This place has been pretty lively the two times I was in there and it drove the noise level up a bit. The food is good and so is the service.

    I'll be arriving here between 2-3 pm which menus will I get, I'd like to order both breakfast and from their cafe menu ? It's a bit confusing

    I think you'll be ok. They serve breakfast until 230 pm get the potato pancake thing. #thehaveners

    Does the place have bottomless mimosas?

    No

    Is the brunch menu only for a certain time frame?

    Yes, only until 3pm.

    View All 9 Questions

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