Ladle & Leaf

The Ahi Tuna Miso salad was great. And the soups smelled amazing… I didn’t try any, but they looked promising. They also have REALLY good oatmeal raisin cookies. Staff is pleasant, space was clean. I’d return again.

Located where Soup Company used to be in FiDi. I’ve tried them a couple of times now (only for salads). Salads are decent (trying to replicate Mixt Greens), while also offering soup and sandwich options.
One thing to consider… if you ask for a steak/​chicken salad to be made without meat, they will still charge you full price. (for example, no break if you want the Thai Peanut Chicken Salad without Chicken)
Service is good and friendly, even with the long lines.
Would rate them 3.5 stars overall. Can’t give 4 because there are many better lunch options in the area.

The truth is I have never been into a Ladle & Leaf before.
I liked the large choice of healthy food. Interior is also nice, fresh and clean. So I went for the Korean Chicken Salad out of curiosity. Luckily I came after the rush hour because my salad took a long time to be prepared. Obviously the man didn’t knew which ingredients composed my salad and had to regularly check his notes. For the rest everything went fine. The salad was fresh and tasty, I had a Bai pomegranate infusion as drink.
For a first time with Ladle & Leaf, I can say I was happy with the experience and will be returning if I’m in a mood for a salad or a soup.

Great selection for salad. I made my own salad and they made it in less than 3 minutes. I already kinda knew what I wanted in the salad. What I like more about ladle n leaf over mixtd greens is that they have corn available for your salad. Honestly, that was a big plus.

This place is great to grab a quick bite. With my hectic work schedule I usually go here 2 or 3 times a week. I really like their cabo chicken salad and when I want to mix it up I usually go for one of their sandwiches. The chicken banh mi is pretty good and the chicken egg chorizo burrito is pretty tasty. On cold days I go with the soup of the day or the chowder. The service is always fast and friendly.

I understand that the place is new therefore the staff is probably new as well, so I didn’t get upset when I asked about my order and they forgot to start making it. However, after 15min seeing people in and out and I’m standing there, don’t come to me with my little sandwich giving me an attitude because I had an impatience face.

I wasn’t sure what I would get when I read the reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised with the food when we came in for lunch. Service was prompt and they were pleasant.
There were four of us, and everybody was happy and liked what they got — Grilled Kimchi Steak, Chipotle Chicken Sandwich, Cabo chicken lime salad, and the Roast Beef and Blue cheese salad. The fact that it’s organic and grass fed is a plus too.
Breakfast looked interesting — and will have to come back and try it.
It’s a no brainer for downtown lunch.

I didn’t experience any overlords or persecuted employees when I came in today. However, I have to say the filling and bread ratio is inadequate. My pesto turkey sandwich was very flat. Would it kill someone to double the veggie and meat? Also, sandwiches don’t come toasted. Get with the program people. Everyone else in FiDi offers toasted sammies.
Meh, I’ve had better.

Ladle and Leaf is a new restaurant serving FiDi, previously The Soup Company. So I guess it was no surprise that I prefer Progresso clam chowder. Their miso broth tastes like TJs box miso broth and that’s not a good thing.
The lines are chaotic and confusing and moves slowly.
Perhaps the salads and sandwiches are better?

the ownership recently closed the former sf soup company and rebranded the store and introduced a new concept. what’s new besides the name: more breakfast items, equator coffee, made to order salads /​sandwiches and more variety of portion sizes. i like the half portion option and have had both a sandwich and salad in this size, which is just right. you can also pair an item with soup, salad or sandwich. quality of the ingredients is fresh and made as you wish.
the issue i have with the repackaging is the uninviting, awkward environment i’ve encountered the four times i’ve visited. each occasion there are guys in street clothes (consultants or ownership staff) who hover over the service staff, micro-​managing their every move. for example, last week, i ordered a chicken caesar salad and while the employee was about to place the chicken into the container, a management person yelled out, «one scoop only!» completely uncomfortable for me and the employee. this morning, i go in for coffee and a bagel, stand in line behind some guy who i think is waiting to pay, who is eagle eyeing the cashier. she looks beyond him, then at me and asks «can i help you?» this dude turns around, give me a dead look, steps aside and then walks behind the counter and starts talking to the staff near the salad prep area. turns out he’s another food czar — another very uneasy moment.
beyond the management issues, the food has been consistent (i’ve been 4x since they reopened). there are a few employees who are holdovers from the sfsc days and they just seem like they are on pins and needles, very unlike their demeanor from previous days.
i work in the building a had been a customer of sfsc for many years (see my previous review). i hope management works out their management/​trust issue so they no longer feel the need to intercede with the customer experience.
come for the food, stay (or leave) for the service