Casual cafe offering healthy vegetarian food, smoothies and fresh juices for eat-in or takeaway. Order at the counter from a menu of warm bowls, salad bowls, and grilled wraps plus the day's soup and some small snacks. Egg or dairy may be removed or replaced - ask. Sells a small selection of health products to take home. This is the first of several outlets, est. since the mid-2000s and is situated opposite the Quilt Museum. Open Mon-Fri 10:00am-9:00pm, Sat 10:00am-8:00pm, Sun 10:00am-9:00pm.
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194 Middle St, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA, 01852
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Last update on 22 Feb 2021 by Guest
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44 Reviews
First Review by myboyfriendisdead
Suz
Points +359
Funky Fare in Lowell!! - Edit
We haven't lived in New England for nearly 20 yrs. Hubs and i were visiting for family reasons Oct 2013. My octogenarian father and some of his younger church friends wanted to treat us to a Friday night meal out that they thought *we'd* enjoy. Turned out none of them were veg*n or anything remotely like that.(They didn't even know what Braggs' Aminos were --> my first clue!) So naturally, they didn't know about HappyCow. Somehow they found this place and all wanted to check it out!
Read moreI ordered a yummy lentil soup (very tiny bowl) and got served pretty fast. Everyone else had to wait a good long while and we were all pretty hungry. Local musicians played non-stop *loud* '60s live music. *I* loved it!! Perfectly fit the fun mood of the place, tho we couldn't talk, so didn't get to know each other very well.
I don't believe anyone but me enjoyed their meal. And we were ALL still hungry when we left. This is NO criticism of Life Alive!!
I would say this cafe serves pretty hardcore fare... VERY healthy and VERY green... but not a great choice for a bunch of Friday night hungry meat-eaters or even veggie newbies or wannabes who really have NO experience eating this way at all.(Or those of us out-of-town vegans who hadn't eaten all day...)
That said... Hubs and i would likely frequent the place if we lived up there... sans the rest of that crew. Life Alive was comfy and funky and everyone working there smiled and seemed pleased with what they were contributing. Everything was top-notch (if pricey) and the feeling that the entire staff was on a delightful *mission* to make and serve the very healthiest dishes in Lowell simply permeated the atmosphere!
Now, i hadn't been in Lowell for a very long time, but this really WAS an urban oasis to me!! What a delight to find this place ... even if it wasn't the best experience for the rest of the gang! (Maybe we can *ease* them into it a little when we go back?) ;D
Thanks for a really entertaining evening on sooo many levels, Life Alive Cafe!! Will be back next visit for sure!
Pros: VERY healthy fare!!, Fun and funky atmosphere!, Nice vibes from staff!!
Cons: Not for newbies or wannabes!!, Somewhat pricey for the portions
Guest
AttyDave
Points +38
Great in Lowell - Edit
Have even here many times. Always excellent. Lots of vegan choices!
Read moreGuest
dmj
Points +65
Excellent Food - Edit
I chose Rainbow Harvest. Excellent!
Read moreGuest
RavishingRavenous
Points +2457
Cute cafe, tons of vegan options - Edit
Came here with my non-vegan mom and we both love our dishes. Many items can be made vegan and the staff was very attentive to my cashew allergy.
Read moreGuest
tinkerbuck
Points +30
Beautiful atmosphere! - Edit
I've heard that this location of Life Alive was the first of the chain that opened, and I agree that it's the most visually inspired location as well. The food is brilliant too, I can't wait to come back and try more!
Read morePros: Excellent service!, Delicious smoothies!, Beautiful sit-in dining!
Guest
KeithTharp
Points +964
Long time first time! - Edit
I’ve been visiting here since the first date with my wife. 11 years ago. Every time we come through or near Lowell I look forward to stopping by.
Read moreToday I got the Rainbow Harvest and it was as delicious as ever.
I’ve wondered around the menu and always been happy. There have been a couple of times where the bowl seemed to be very garlicky, but that may just be a preference thing for me.
Staff is always super nice, greeting me when I arrive, remarkably fast even during the busiest of moments.
I’m so happy that they have continued to stick to their original business model. If they took that one more step to being 100% vegan it would be near perfection!
Pros: Great menu
Kate9791
Showing your age with that title 😜
Read moreGuest
Kate9791
Points +1377
Great for Healthy GF Vegans - Edit
I’ve been coming here since probably 2010. Amazing. Even after the Panera buyout. All whole foods- no fake meats; and superbly flavorful. There have been some changes over the years, but quality and service have always been consistently top notch. They aren’t 100% vegan but very accommodating and knowledgeable on ingredients for those with sensitivities. A bit on the oily side, but the flavor makes up for it.
Read morePros: Ambiance, GF options, Fun bathroom
Cons: Not locally owned anymore, Not vegan
Guest
JimPorter
Points +35
Green in a Brown City - Edit
We got the Rainbow bowl with hot ginger tea, Minestrone soup and the Avocado Chocolate Mousse. Wow, the bowl with Kale, broccoli, and beets was so good, the sauce was perfect. The soup was a good start and he chocolate mousse was amazing. The nibs added the perfect finish. Eat here!
Read morePros: Plant Based, Organic, greens and beets, Amazing flavor combo, Fun atmosphere
Guest
pretzels
Points +72
So good! - Edit
I love Life Alive! I've been here so many times and I always enjoy it. I love the green goddess bowl, the innocent bowl, and the rainbow nori wrap but I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong. They also have a lot of fun smoothies and drinks!
Read morePros: so many options, fresh, nice atmosphere
Guest
watasiblah
Points +128
Good overall - Edit
Very chill and friendly
Read morePros: Friendly, Fast, Healthy
Cons: Expensive, Not enough protein
Guest
veronicajones
Points +313
Delicious! - Edit
We stopped enroute to Maine, not expecting such deliciousness! We had the rainbow bowl and the fool — udon noodles, tofu, fresh veg, very flavorful, yum! Cute arty cafe vibes. Will definitely be back!
Read moreGuest
KipME
Points +55
Great vegan food! - Edit
Delicious rainbow 🌈 harvest bowl. Will definitely be coming back!
Read morePros: Delicious food
Cons: Parking is difficult
Guest
Aashruti
Points +91
Favorite - Edit
My go to vegan spot. First place that comes to my mind when I want to eat at a vegan restaurant. Swami Bowl has always been my favorite. Nice whole hearty meals. They have bowls, wraps, smoothies and juices.
Read moreGuest
DianaGoFish
Points +218
Yum! Lots of variety, speedy, and outdoor seating. - Edit
Delicious! I had only been to the Cambridge location location but this Lowell location is awesome. Nice indoor seating in a funky environment plus a few tables outside for a beautiful day.
Read morePros: Lots of options , Speedy, Outdoor seating
Guest
atlascoughed
Points +63
Excellent! - Edit
Took the fam to Life Alive for lunch last weekend and the food was delicious! I had the Thai wrap, youngster had udon noodles, mom had Açaí bowl. Everything was delicious, almost went for another Açaí bowl! The udon noodles really stuck out with an awesome sauce. Lots of veggies and great flavors. Highly recommend!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Interesting items, flavors and drinks, Interesting bathroom
Cons: Indoor seating limited
Guest
cmanda05
Points +42
So many dishes - Edit
I love Life Alive warm dishes
Read moreGuest
generallyplanted
Points +28
Comforting food - Edit
I’ve been a customer for almost 10 years and I love the adventurer bowl and Elvis alive for a quick pick me up
Read moreGuest
zaphod46
Points +409
Great healthy food - Edit
There is a strong emphasis on multicolored vegetables in all the dishes. We got a couple bowls and a wrap, which were all delicious and filling without relying on any faux anything. The atmosphere is relaxed and the staff friendly, but not super efficient.
Read morePros: Tasty, Healthy, Lots of vegan options
Cons: Kinda slow
Guest
veganaf4ever
Points +91
wonderful gem - Edit
we both got the bahn mi salad- very delicious and filling. wait staff was super nice and rad. i loved all the art inside, books, and general ambiance. kind of expensive- but worth it for fresh, organic food. we are from georgia and wish we had a place like this!
Read morePros: great ambiance, wonderful food
Cons: the juice was not cold- maybe ask for it with ice
Guest
CarolR
Points +123
The Green Goddess - Edit
My favorite restaurant but I cannot get past the Green Goddess, I order it every time. I have tasted my friends bowl, the adventurer, which was Yum, but nothing beats that broccoli and kale in the yummy garlicky dressing. I always have a juice to start and they have a huge variety of tea for after. They make their own almond milk if you want in your coffee. This is the best restaurant in New England by far!!!
Read moreGuest
mszucker
Points +64
The vegan food is absolutely delicious and the vibe is awesome! - Edit
We stop here on our way to Maine from New York and back again (son goes to college there) several times a year. We plan our trip around it, the food is that good!
Read morePros: Tons of delicious vegan food , Wraps and bowls are amazing
Cons: They do have dairy cheddar; must request Daiya
Guest
Tray-C
Points +539
Best smoothies ever. - Edit
Their Elvis Alive is the greatest smoothie in the world. I’ve been here a million times and the food is always fresh and delicious. My fav dish is the green goddess bowl with tofu. Definitely worth the trip!
Read morePros: Great food, Nice atmosphere , Decent prices
Cons: Parking can be tough sometimes , It’s always busy so sometimes there’s a wait
Guest
charding17
Points +20
Great Food, A Little Pricey, Sometimes Slow - Edit
The food here is always great - delicious and nutritious. Great bowls/wraps, salads and smoothies. Not everything is vegan, but I believe everything can be made vegan, so just be to check or ask. It's a little expensive, but not out of the ordinary for good quality vegetarian food. My favorites and recommendations include the green goddess bowl, the goddess bowl (add avocado), the swami bowl or wrap, the sufi poet salad (possibly the best salad I've ever had), and the love alive smoothie.
Read morePros: very tasty, nutritious food; relaxed, friendly and
Cons: parking in Lowell can sometimes be tough and the c
Guest
Mangolover
Points +30
My home away from home - Edit
I could possibly have a nervous breakdown if this place were ever to close down. It's pretty simple food but what I love is they don't use oil in the food. The seed based dressings are so creamy and delicious, you won't miss the extra calories and fat from added oil. I also love the fresh juices. There are times when I don't want to spend the time to juice my produce, so I just stop here and get a fresh pressed green juice. Love this local gem!
Read morePros: Wonderful ambiance, Clean light vegan food
Cons: It can be difficult to find seating
Guest
johng34
Points +16
Awesome - Edit
This is our favorite vegan restaurant. Reasonably priced, food exceptionally fresh and delicious. Haven't been disappointed no matter what I order. Highly recommend.
Read moreCons: Frequently out a main ingred for a specific dish
Guest
MorganM
Points +80
Bad Service - Edit
The service at this location is always very slow and there has been multiple occasions where I have had to ask for my food more than once. The two other locations do however have good service. There are not very many gluten free options. The menu has some good salads and smoothies but hasn't changed since I've been going there several years ago.
Read morePros: Lots of healthy salad and smoothie options.
Cons: Very slow service., Not fully vegan. , Menu never changes.
Guest
Ashley729
Points +103
Nothing like it in the area, great food! - Edit
I'm torn writing this review because I love the food and the vibe here, but honestly every time I come here, they mess something up! I have had CHEESE put on my order before when I specified no cheese, I've had them forget parts of a larger order, I've had orders mixed up, you name it. The only reason I keep coming back is for the delicious food that you can't get anywhere else in this area. I still recommend giving it a try, but just be warned about busy times and make sure you check your takeout order before leaving!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2017-04-04
Pros: Delicious vibrant food, everything can be made vegan, enjoyable quirky atmosphere
Cons: service is slow, orders frequently messed up, tough to find parking
Guest
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