Cafe Wisteria — Restaurant in Menlo Park

We go here whenever we want to eat lunch in a lovely garden setting on a beautiful day next to a gurgling fountain. Our table had an umbrella so we were perfectly shaded. My medium cooked hamburger on a brioche bun and wedges of potato fries were so good I ate it all even though I'm supposedly keto and don't eat carbs typically. The desserts are beautiful and good but the best dessert by far was the ginger creme brulee with a delicate texture (not thick and pasty) and it wasn't too sweet at all despite having a turbinado or demerara sugar sprinkling in addition to the usual caramelized sugar coating. The custard wasn't sweetened it seemed so the balance was perfect. I ordered an English breakfast tea to go with it and the teapot that it came in was lovely and added to the garden ambience. Perfect for an early Mother's Day lunch which we were having.

I don't think we would order the bread pudding again though. It was fine but on the dense side and was the only dish we didn't feel good enough to finish but the other two desserts were completely devoured. The third dessert was the molten chocolate cake. It was not the best molten chocolate cake but it was the most beautifully plated with enough ice cream and we very much enjoyed it.

There's indoor seating but I can't imagine going to this restaurant and not making the most of the beautiful outdoor seating in a garden setting.

Don't forget to shop at the little shops next to the cafe before and after lunch such as the gift shop which benefits the Stanford children's hospital and is 100% volunteer run so be sweet to the volunteers in there. It's always nice to wander all the cute boutiques there as well as the art gallery. One of the artists is always there at the desk and their work will be outside the gallery...

After at least my fourth meal here, I'm convinced that the food is solidly mediocre and that, absent the beautiful outdoor dining area, reviews would not be nearly as high as they are. My opinion/observation is that this restaurant caters to an older clientele, which would be more likely to give a pass on the food to be able to enjoy the beautiful gardens. My friend and I had lunch on a Tuesday. He had the salmon salad. "Salad" being a pile of arugula. Actually, checking the menu, it's the salmon nicoise. I don't remember the nicoise-y part, just the arugula. I remember, too, the smell of not-that-fresh salmon wafting over to my side of the table. Tuesday. Last week's salmon? I had the crab avocado eggs Benedict. I was sitting there wondering what THAT smell was. Turned out, it was the not-so-fresh crab, which I pushed to the side. Should I have given the kitchen a chance to make it right? Had I been hosting and paying, absolutely. But I was being taken out by an elderly friend, and I didn't want to make him feel bad.

One item on the menu stood out...the Grown Up Grilled Cheese and Tomato Bisque. Brie and cheddar. Cheddar, sure. Brie? Not sure what makes it "grown up." The old school tomato bisque? Cream soup, cheese, butter, maybe mayo. Lots and lots of fat.

The setting, of course, is beautiful. Inside? ...

My teenage son was fine without his phone for a two hour meal at this establishment and a post lunch stroll through the rose garden reading off the different rose varietals to his mom. If that is not enough said, please read on. Cafe Wisteria pairs perfectly with the beautiful fairytale surroundings of the Allied Arts Guild. The wide range of delicious all natural and seasonal fares makes every visit refreshingly delightful. Yesterday we ordered crab benedict, spicy shrimp street tacos, and chicken pot pie. All were stellar. I'm already looking forward to our next visit with their turkey cranberry brie panini and butternut squash cream soup. Whether you're seated in the outdoor patio amongst the lush gardens or staying cozy indoors blanketed by its rustic charm, Cafe Wisteria excels in delivering an exceptional experience each...