Café Violette — Restaurant in Blowing Rock

I have been so excited to visit Café Violette ever since it opened after hearing about the fabulous French-Mediterranean cuisine. I was not disappointed! Our meals started with a wonderfuly concocted cocktail that demonstrated the passion for flavor combinations the owners have. Our waitress then recommended a delicious appetizer that would compliment the main courses we were planning on. After devouring our appetizer, we were told there was a new small plate of short ribs we absolutely had to try. Of course we did, and were in flavor heaven with the melt in your mouth meat that fell right off the bone. Our other entreé of duck was astounding, and my husband said it's the best he's ever had.

I could go on and on about how delicious the rest of the food and dessert we ate were, but I want to speak a bit about the kindness we were shown by the wait staff as well as the safety we felt while dining in the midst of a pandemic.

When we arrived, we were greated by the host who appeared truly happy to see us dining with them. Our waitress was more than happy to explain everything on the menu to us and recommend her favorite options. Additionally, the restaurant managers came out to ask us how everything was and to thank us for dining with them.

I felt more safe at this restaurant than I have at any others during the pandemic. Plastic dividers were placed between us and the entrance which allowed us to eat and drink without worrying about people entering the restaurant. Patrons and staff were fully compliant with mask wearing when not actively eating or drinking which was fabulous as there have been many times I have felt unsafe in public places due to incorrect mask wearing.

All in all I can not recommend Café Violette highly enough for anyone who is looking for a safe place to have a delicious meal for a date night or a nice dinner. The owners truly want you to enjoy your evening, and they will make sure you are safe the entire time you are dining. Please go and enjoy this wonderful restuarant that will remind you of trips you've taken to Europe or will prepare you for your dream trip...

A Cozy, Festive Dining Experience at Café Violette

The holidays are an excellent time to visit Blowing Rock, North Carolina—this charming town transforms into a festive haven filled with warmth and delight. One of the highlights of my recent trip was dinner at Café Violette, a cozy spot that perfectly complemented the holiday spirit.

While waiting for friends delayed by winter weather, my daughter and I enjoyed two appetizers: Escargot & Gougères (Burgundy snails, garlic cream, Brussels leaves, Gruyère cheese choux puffs) and Octopus (pumpkin romesco, sautéed kale, niçoise olives). The escargot was unlike any I’d had before, and the Gruyère choux puffs were an indulgent and delightful pairing. It was also my daughter’s first time trying escargot, and the dish was a perfect introduction! The octopus was good but not exceptional; the flavor combinations didn’t quite meet my expectations, though the dish was still enjoyable.

Once our friends arrived, cold but eager, we ordered drinks. I opted for a Wardroom, a Prohibition-era cocktail that many places struggle to get right. Here, the bartender nailed it—it was perfectly crafted.

For the main course, I chose the Duck Breast (Farm & Sparrow farro piccolo, red cabbage, apples, parsnip purée). The duck was exceptional—moist, flavorful, and easily one of the best I’ve had. My daughter ordered the Chicken Cordon Bleu (Jambon de Paris and Gruyère, fried F&S polenta, roasted broccolini, mushroom Dijon sauce suprême). While it was enjoyable, it didn’t stand out as much as the duck.

The overall experience was fantastic. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, the service was attentive, and the food (with a few minor exceptions) was memorable. Whether you’re in Blowing Rock for pleasure or business, I highly recommend giving Café Violette a try—it’s a gem that adds to the...

First of all, I almost never do reviews based on a one-time visit- but given the high expectations based on reviews and friends’ recommendations, I felt that I needed to give some feedback.

First of all, service, ambience, and drinks were great. The two-stars reflect the food- after all, in a French restaurant, food should be king!

I ordered vichyssoise and escargot with pastries in garlic cream sauce. My wife ordered the chicken cordon bleu, with prosciutto, gruyere, assorted vegetables in a Dijon cream sauce.

The vichyssoise was very good, silky and well-seasoned. The escargot was tender, which is a plus (I’ve had some rubbery snails in my time!), the pastries were very good- but the “garlic cream” was so under-seasoned, I could not tell that it had garlic in it! I actually had to add salt to it, which shouldn’t ever have to happen to escargot.

The worst (and unfortunately, the most expensive) was the Chicken Cordon Bleu. The chicken was tough and WAY overcooked- that by itself should have kept it from making it to our table. On top of that, there was no discernible prosciutto or gruyere presence, nor was there a Dijon cream sauce. Dried, overcooked, underflavored chicken breast for $32? I don’t think so! I’m writing this review not to badmouth the restaurant, but to give some feedback on our, again, one-time experience. This restaurant has great potential- we just didn’t see it on this visit.

Update: I received a call from management at the restaurant. After talking with them, I realized I did them a disservice by not making our server aware of the issues we encountered, instead of posting a public review. I appreciate their follow-up and will definitely give them a...