Life Alive

I came in here again after the negative experience I had the first time kept me away for a while. While I was waiting in line, a few dishes went up on to the counter to be served. They looked and smelled tasty. Then the waitress came up and reviewed to whom each was going, and grabbed some forks. One of the forks fell on the floor by the feet of those of us waiting in line, and was picked up after a few moments by one of the other customers waiting and handed back to the waitress… who proceeded to put the fork right into one of the soon-​to-​be-​served meals without so much as a courtesy wipe with a towel. Now I understand this is an earthy-​crunchy kind of place, but are we including actual earth and/​or Central Square sidewalk-​crunch into the definition of «earthy-​crunchy?»
The reality is that this may not happen all the time, but the fact that the two only times I have come to this place in a 3 year period (and for just a few minutes each time) saw questionable health code stuff assures that it’s going to take more than a few years before I’d consider returning. Perhaps if eating overpriced food directly off the floor ever comes into style…

Food is really really good. If they got the operations part down they could open 10 of these in greater Boston and all would have lines. But they don’t seem to have a clue about operations. And service is bad. The nice people that work there are beyond clueless about… service. Slow and inefficient don’t even begin to tell the story. A wrap and soup place cannot get away with making you wait 15 minutes from ordering at lunch time unless something is wrong. And at peak times a 30 minute line and then 30 minute wait for food would be normal here.

Wow OK this place is perfect in every way. The food, décor, and overall general vibe is lovely. I got the Swami and it reminded me of sweet Moroccan couscous and was delish. Also got the fire shot which I feel actually could have been more fiery. Cayenne pepper would have been a good addition

I love this place! I always make sure to stop by when I am home in Boston. The food is always delicious and fresh. Even though I am not vegan or vegetarian, I feel as if I could eat this food every day if I lived close enough. The line can be pretty long at times, but it is definitely worth the wait. They also have a cozy area to eat downstairs.
I usually get the Adventurer in a bowl. Their smoothies are also amazing. You really can’t go wrong with this place!

I can’t stop thinking about how good this place was. When my friend first suggested this place, I will admit that my initial thought was «hmm, vegetarian?» but hey, at least I was willing to try it.
Like all the other reviews say, the sauce is amazing. I got the adventurer and it was sooo good. I also got the coconut smoothie (forget the actual name) and it was delicious. Can’t wait to go back and bring some more vegetarian newbs.

This place is fantastic. A real bright spot in an otherwise dismal central sq.
If you haven’t already tried vegan food in some capacity, this is the spot I would personally take you to. I’ve brought a bunch of meat eater friends here and have yet to hear any complaints.
I recommend the green goddess with beans and legumes, tons of avocado and the dressing is delicious.
The smoothies and juices are great, lots of delicious options to choose from.
The service is great, lots of really friendly people. They bring your food and drinks right to your table which is pretty neat.
The downstairs area provides a nice environment for lunch and comfortable conversation.

Life Alive is my go to healthy spot when visiting Cambridge. For some reason my sister in law still hasn’t checked this place out and she’s the one that lives around the corner.
All of their grain based meals are available in 3 ways. Either as a bowl, wrap, or half portion.
My favorite wrap is «The Romantic» ($ 9.45): broccoli, cheddar, avocado, garlic, nutritional flakes & braggs, on a whole-​wheat tortilla. It’s full of flavor, satisfying, and healthy.
Favorite bowl is «The Lover»: shiitake mushrooms, carrots, beets, broccoli, kale, ginger nama shoyu sauce, over brown rice.
This place makes phenomenal smoothies. Order a Coconut Alive smoothie ($ 6.25) and you’ll thank me later. This is probably one of the most addicting smoothies I’ve ever had.
Life Alive isn’t cheap;and after ordering a wrap and a smoothie you’re paying about $ 15. When you really sit and think about how much you’re paying for some veggies in a bowl, it’s a bit depressing. This doesn’t stop me from coming here and judging by the line out the door during lunch time, it’s not stopping anyone else either.

Wow what a place! The line is INSANELY long around dinner time, and I’m definitely not going to wait again during that time.
However, the food is delicious, and very filling. After coming here with a friend, we decided to go on a 10 day vegetarian cleanse. This place really is an inspiration for more vegetarian places! But– as delicious as this place is, the salads are a bit too oily and heavy. Tastes great, but the aftertaste eventually settles in, and it’s not so good anymore.
Cute place to come to right off of the red line, easy to find seats as people are moving in and out at all times, and in general, worth checking out.

Great smoothies!
Golden sunrise alive– thick and mangoey but another flavor too (can’t find the words for it)
Spring alive– sweet and mild, love it!
Vibrance alive– a splash of ginger in your face!
We also had the Demi adventurer and the innocent and both were SCRUMPTIOUS
the breakfast granola was SUPERB ugh! So good!

Life Alive is amazing! I was apprehensive about trying Life Alive when I lived in the Boston area because I’m not vegetarian or vegan, but now that I’ve tried it, whenever I go back I can’t wait to stop for lunch.
My favorites are the Green Goddess and Adventurer bowls. I usually get the full bowl with sprouted legumes (tofu is not my favorite, although I like it better here than at most places). The filling-​bowl portion is large, and I usually have some leftover for later. Both bowls are the most filling and flavorful vegetarian meals I’ve ever had.
Lines can be really long, but you can order ahead on the phone and pick up your meal to go at the front of the line.

I love Life Alive! The food is delicious and I seriously think they put something addictive in their sauce because I can’t get enough of it.
I usually order a demi-​bowl of the green goddess, with both tofu and legumes. A demi bowl is a good serving size, and I’d only get a full bowl if I wanted to save half for later. Pricing is very reasonable. I also credit Life Alive to introducing me to hijiki! I love when a restaurant has unique ingredients I’ve never seen before. It’s very easy to be gluten and dairy free here (just note some of the dishes do have cheddar, but they can sub it out).
Be aware of rush hour/​meal times, or you may end up standing in a long line. You can order on the phone in advance, but it’s hit or miss if they will actually pick up the phone.
They do have a good selection of smoothies and drinks but I have never tried those. I have tried several of the dishes though, and they are always on point.
The only concern I have is some slight hygiene issues. I’ve never seen a mouse or found a hair in my food; for me, it has more to do with the service. I know, it makes me sound like an uptight old fogey, but I would like the waitress’ shorts to completely cover her buttcheeks as she brings plates of food around. Or to ensure that hairnets are consistently used. Since this is very much a hippy spot, my complaints on dress code probably fall on deaf ears.

I love this place!
Delicious food, excellent smoothies and shakes, all organic and I think a lot of it fair trade as well? Atmosphere is hippie and artsy, very colorful and in-​your-​face, so I can see that not being for everyone, but I like it. Prices are quite reasonable, but not cheap, and their juices/​smoothies are surprisingly expensive relative to the cost of a meal. Still delicious if you choose to try them. Free wifi is also nice, and they have plenty of cozy nooks to hang out and use it for a while. (Free runs out after 2 hours each day, I think, and you’d have to purchase more. But that’s plenty of time for most purposes.)
Downsides: Well, I don’t think I could ever really become a regular at this place because so much of their food follows the same standard preparation with smaller variations. Variety would get tiresome over time, but is still great for an occasional visit. Also, the lines are often quite long.

If you happen to walk in wearing a plaid flannel, looking remotely Portland, you’ll have instant credibility here. Strangers may even be inclined to turn to you for recommendations, unable to resist the enticement of whatever you’re having. The bowls here, however, really sell themselves. Their vibrant colors and fresh ingredients afford them an inherent allure that you’re better off giving in to.
As someone who loves the taste of meat, who can’t imagine ever giving it up, I have to admit that I’d consider converting if I could have Life Alive every day, no ragrets. My favorite bowl is the Adventurer, with its variety of textures and slight sweetness, it’s simply perfect.
In terms of smoothies, I’d advise against getting a smoothie with dried fruits in it. The pieces in my Island Alive were so obstructive that many became lodged in the straw, and I felt like I’d become a chain smoker by the time I was finished with my drink.
Life Alive is great; rewards card, even better.

Stopped by here for a Sunday brunch and had The Adventurer with the Love Alive smoothie.
Even at demi-​size, The Adventurer bowl was decently filling. In addition, all of the ingredients mixed so well together and the sauce was delicious and flavorful. The smoothie was blended well and was very delicious and refreshing. I’ll definitely be back!

Best place for vegetarians and healthy eaters! The food is all around flavorful and filling and affordable.
For food, try the Swami in a hearty bowl. I love the mix of sweet and savory in this dish with the curry and raisins. Since I’m Indian, this dish also gives me the little Indian spice I need.
For smoothies, I like the Carrot Alive and Island Alive. The Carrot Alive tastes just like carrot cake, so it’s not your typical carrot smoothie. Only get it if you really want something sweet. The Island Alive is a nice tropical burst and is filling because of the dairy bases.
If you want a lighter refreshment, get juice instead. I like the ginger crush when I feel like I need to cleanse myself or have something that’s not sweet.

I am in love. We need more restaurants like this WORLDWIDE. Amazing food, amazing service, amazing atmosphere. So here’s the sitch. I’m a «pescetarian» meaning I eat seafood but no red meat or poultry. When I stepped inside, I was a little nervous to see there wasn’t any seafood because I usually don’t eat vegan often. Alas! There is a wrap called The Romantic… with cheese. Winning. So I got it along with an Island Alive smoothie. Superb! I’m going back here soon to try all the other items :) just make sure to go before the line starts! Earlier the better.

I had a goddess bowl and I thought it was pretty enjoyable dish. There’s a good variety of flavors associated with all the complex list of ingredients. I was surprised by how much of the dish was grain though. There seemed to be an almost sad amount of kale.
The add ons are a nice selection but at least the egg or avocado are not worth their price. Although the food was nice, I like if my salads contribute a few more vegetable servings, so I probably won’t be returning.

Pretty solid food and it doesn’t leave me feeling gross and fatty as many other food options would. I love the smoothies but can’t justify really justify the high price tag. Come on now, $ 7 for a smoothie? If it were cheaper, I would probably eat here much more often.
Overall, cute little area with nice downstairs seating. There’s always a long line out the door during peak hours, but it moves pretty fast.
If you call in to order, you can bypass the line and just go to the register on the left.

This place drives me crazy. There’s always a line out the door. It’s overpriced. Look, the food is delicious but really, more people should open these kinds of restaurants. There’s obviously a demand so that could be why they charge so much for everything, because they’re the only ones out there like it? No competition?
I usually get a bowl, which I replicate for much less at home. The dressings they use are really incredible and I like that they have different sauces and water in mason jars.
So yes, the food is great but when you think about it: you’re paying $ 10 for carrots, broccoli, kale, corn, rice, maybe almonds or tofu (which is in what’s more of their bowls). You can make that at home for half the price. And yes, you’re paying for the convenience of it, I get that but I’m just sort of annoyed. Sometimes just not worth the hassle of waiting on line and for your food…

Yum! Why can’t we have a Live Alive in San Diego?! The green goddess bowl is everything I ever wanted that didn’t know existed ha!
The bowl comes with warm quinoa, topped with lots of broccoli, kale and other greens, carrots, beets, tofu and is topped by their amazing ginger sauce and fresh avocado slices.
The amazing thing about the bowl is that half the portion is more than enough for you it’s so full with nutrients that you get very full.
I’m not a vegetarian but went here bc my friend is. This bowl is so amazing I could be converted.
I also tried their ginger kombucha which they had on tab and it was amazing.
I highly recommend checking Live Alive if you ever find yourself in Cambridge.