Clover Food Lab - HSQ
| Address: | 1326 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA |
| Phone: | +1 617-395-0240 |
| Site: | cloverfoodlab.com |
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Working: | 7AM–12AM 7AM–12AM 7AM–12AM 7AM–12AM 7AM–12AM 7AM–12AM 9AM–10PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 9
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Robert
I recently stopped by at the Harvard Square location and it was towards closing. I was still lucky to get in. I have a concern, though, about food portions. I asked for a kale salad, and I had about 1 Tbs of it. Then, my paper plate also had 2 slices of fried eggplant and about 2 Tbs of hummus with lots of oil on top. I asked for no oil. My cranberry juice/tea was first promised to me and then, they switched me to tea because someone mistakenly dumped the last bit of cranberry juice/tea down the drain. I had no gluten-free crackers to go with the hummus, so I had to stop by at Whole Foods to get some. I also had a side of french fries, which were very tiny and made maybe from 1 tiny potato. I never eat fried food, because its not healthy, but I had no choice to eat healthy so late, and I was heading home to the airport.The weight of my food could not have been more than the size of 2 small fuji apples from Trader Joes. I think you know, which apples I am talking about; they are bagged and come really tiny because they are organic. While the food and replacement tea tasted good, I wasnt sure why I paid $17 for a tiny plate of food that looked like it was meant for a baby or a toddler. There was no menu, but the one on the wall and most of the items on the wall menu were gone! So, they made me something, which was nice, but I feel I overpaid greatly! And my meal was not complete without crackers! And I really wanted the cranberry tea to feel merry. I expected more from Clover, because I am vegan and Clover is supposed to be a healthy green leaf. I was mostly disappointed.
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Angela Chen
I think Im one of clovers biggest fans. Their new(ish) location here is clean and bright but far smaller than the one across the street. The staff are all super helpful - probably to a fault- sometimes I find that the line can be a little slow which is frustrating. Despite this I clearly keep coming back so I do find the food worth it. The wait times on the menu are a nice touch albeit iffy on accuracy. I really enjoy trying the different sides theyll have - like that African peanut soup. Great. Classic favorites are the Rosemary fries and chickpea fritter. I usually try to do one of the rotating sandwiches since they feel like a scarce resource - favs have been the Enzo, panelle, carrot, Brussels sprout, golden and blue oyster mushrooms. I think there was also a Japanese sweet potato one I liked a while back. I tried out their order ahead beta at a different location and it worked really well so Im eager to test it out at Harv too since thatll help with the wait. I also wish they offered another way for you to know the descriptions of the sandwiches (instead of from the orderer/cashier). Regardless Clover is great and I have many other friends (veg and omni) who frequent this location!
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Dawn Regan Kedzuch
Ive eaten at Clover 3 times and though I wasnt impressed, the first 2 times Ive finally reached the point of saying I really dont think it is good this time. I ordered the Chickpea Fritter Platter, Rosemary Fries, & a Hibiscus tea. The platter was just gross in my opinion. I didnt like any of the salads it came with, and Im not a picky eater. The tea tasted a lot like watered down grape juice that had gone bad. It had a very questionable fermented fizz that an iced tea should not give off. The chickpea fritters were okay, but mainly just fried dough. Even the hummus was less than impressive, which is hard, especially for me who LOVES almost all hummus. So my dinner consisted of french fries, which were good. That is the last time I give in to the Clover hype. Good concept, but not my flavor.
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Steve Sonderegger
Great concept, want it to succeed. That said, visited cambridge st store on a sunday evening... two guys working, two customers... empty when I walked in a minute behind another guy. Friendly staff, but cashier didnt really know anything about the food... I asked about one of the salads, "is it mostly greens", he said "yes"... there were 0 greens in the salad. It was a good salad but we need some training here. The stools and tables were scattered all over the place, again, the place was empty when we walked in... the thought that maybe we should tidy the place up apparently didnt occur to anyone. Anyways, Ill continue to give them my business because I think its a good concept, just needs more attention from management.
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John Hansen
Clover is on the cusp of being something special, but its not quite there. I eat here regularly, and I recommend it as a place to eat in Harvard Square, but I always want to be more excited about eating here than I actually am. I love that they serve good coffee and typically have a decent microbrew on tap for a great price. The chickpea sandwich is reliably good. I love their philosophy. But the "seasonal" options tend to disappoint and their overall menu could be better. They should spend some time with one of Deborah Madisons or Heidi Swansons cookbooks. This place could be so much more than it is.
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Simona Miller
Ive been meaning to try Clover for quite some time and finally got the pleasure to today! As a new vegetarian and someone recovering from an ED, this place was absolutely perfect. I felt so good after eating here. I got the BBQ Seitan Platter with potato salad on the side and my mother got the classic Chic Pea Fritter sandwich - both of which were delicious! The food tasted so fresh and nutritious and the atmosphere was lovely as well. Definitely recommend for anyone whos a veggie lover (and for you carnivores too who want to break out of your comfort zone). I was not let down at all.
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Adina Lundy
If you can cook, know where to get sprouted bread, free range eggs, and vegan spreads..this place is not that great. I was unimpressed. The egg breakfast sandwich tasted like my really smart Bichon Poo made it for me. Anyone who is above ten years old can prepare better tasting and better plated food. The presentation is underwhelming and the coffee mediocre at best so much so that I gave my order to a homeless man and went to a real restaurant for breakfast. The fact that I am a former chef is irrelevant.
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A Private User
Just got some rosemary fries from here and they were hard as a rock. Did the recipe change? Those used to be so delicious!!! Now they are like potato sticks. So sad. But not to worry. Clover to the rescue. I told them about it and they replaced them at no charge. The new batch was delicious and chewable. The wait is usually 5-10 minutes. The barbecue seitan pita is a hit. It really hits the spot if you crave barbecue but dont want the meat. Also the agua fresca is delciosa.
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L. Brent Gilmore
Vegans be cautious and ask questions before eating. The food is vegetarian and management considers non-segregated oil to be vegan. They DO fry dairy items in the same oil as the chickpea fritters and french fries (currently it is a mushroom sandwich breaded with buttermilk). They didnt hide their practice if asked about it but they do not offer it up as they believe non-segregated oil to be vegan. If you are a vegetarian this can easily be a daily spot if you are vegan though....
