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    Garden Cafe

    4.5 (656 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Order Garden Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Garden Cafe Photos

    GARDEN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Garden Cafe

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    5 Hour Robert's Corned Beef with eggs over easy
    Chandra H.

    Food was really good and fresh. The 5 Hour Robert's corned beef special was really good. I had it with eggs over easy. The dish comes with O'Brien potatoes. Definitely a hearty breakfast. The restaurant is in a sketchy area and parking can be a challenge.

    Michelada
    Michell H.

    Absolutely loved our visit! We had a bomb breakfast here -- the crab cake Benedict was rich and perfectly cooked, and the breakfast tacos were packed with flavor. We washed it all down with Micheladas, which were on point, and the lemon water was incredibly fresh and refreshing. Portions were huge, so come hungry! The real highlight, though besides the excellent service, was the garden seating -- super cute, cozy, and such a relaxing place to sit and enjoy a meal. Amazing food, great drinks, generous portions, and a beautiful atmosphere. Can't wait to come back!

    Fish tacos they must try
    Calvin N.

    This spot is an absolute must-visit. The breakfast alone is worth the trip--massive portions and incredible flavor. Do yourself a favor and order the cinnamon roll pancake. No syrup needed; it's perfectly sweet all on its own. The salmon burger is another standout. It's a real salmon fillet, grilled just right and served on a soft, delicious bun. Total yum. Don't skip the fish tacos, either. Honestly, this menu has it all--from hearty breakfasts to filling lunches. Great sandwiches, tasty omelettes, flavorful tacos... whatever you're craving, you'll find something you love here. You won't be disappointed. This place absolutely belongs on your San Rafael restaurant bucket list.

    Melissa E.

    Like being in your own kitchen only we have servers. Staff is friendly, sweet kind and absolutely attentive. Love this place and you will fall in-love with it too.

    Wake Up Scram
    Mark B.

    Had a delicious brunch on Saturday at 12:30. 17 minute wait but worth it. I had Wake-up Scram and GF had Chilliquilies. Amazing sauce and flavors. Strong coffee and amazing smoothie. Had to wait for sourdough toast but they were super-busy. Will be back to try other food options. Everything we saw looked fantastic. 5 star!

    Banana Pancakes
    Carole B.

    The motto on the sandwich board says "Come Hungry and Leave Happy!" No lies detected. Came here for breakfast when I needed to break my fast after a medical procedure that required I abstain from food for over 24 hours. What a fortuitous find! The banana pancakes were fluffy and moist with a lovely whipped cream to top it off along with a decorative orchid. We also shared the garden omelette which is just a twist on the scramble. It was chock full of delicious asparagus, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes and myriad other delights along with feta cheese. The service was friendly and fast, and the decor of the patio was sweet and homey. The only less than perfect menu item was the biscuit that was a bit dry. Also, a few more strategically placed heaters out on the patio would have been nice. Minor quibbles for such a great place -- my new go-to for breakfast in San Rafael!

    Cinnamon Roll Pancakes - soooo fluffy and amazingly delicious. Comes with cinnamon roll frosting on top and maple syrup on the side
    Ariana I.

    Came here for a holiday work brunch and we were seated in their covered, heater filled, patio. The patio even had a water fountain. Super cute. The menu is huge and reasonably priced (about $15-$23 an entree) from several different types of Benedict's, pancakes, French toast, and lots of other specials. They had it all! The portions were also generous so I totally understand why this place is so popular. The service was friendly and efficient too. Parking can be a bit tough but you can snag a spot in the Safeway lot or do street parking (2 hour max on the meter tho).

    Lovely colors
    Elizabeth H.

    Garden Cafe sits on the alleyway next to Safeway in San Rafael. We lucked out and found a parking spot in the alley. There is a small parking lot, but its has signs saying that the parking is for another restaurant. On a previous visit I was amazed at how roomy the place is, because from the outside it looks as if it might be tiny. There are tables outside under umbrellas, but there is also a large indoor dining area, in addition to the popular outdoor patio seating. I remembered that I had enjoyed myself the first time so, I brought my husband. Service is warm and friendly. We were seated immediately, coffee and water came quickly, and there was not a long wait for the food to arrive. One of the dishes that everyone loves here are the Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. But I ordered a bacon, spinach, mushroom, and cheese omelet. It was ok, but the eggs could have used a little more flavor. It seemed as though the bacon, cheese, mushrooms, and spinach were prepared separately from the eggs and then assembled. My rye toast was overdone with a blob of unspread butter on one half of the slices. My husband did say he liked the potatoes. All of that being said, my experience was not unpleasant it just didn't convince me to abandon my usual breakfast spot. I would still like to try the Crab Benedict and the Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, so I'll probably go back ;-)

    Leslie M.

    The food and service were amazing. The smoothies and juices are super refreshing. The fries were freshly made and super crispy but tender on the inside. The sandwich was well seasoned and the veggies were crisp and fresh. The potatoes were super tender and the chorizo was nice and crunchy. It's a brunch spot so lots of chatter but it's lively and the employees are all super helpful and attentive. We are from out of town and found this place and they offer indoor seating or outdoor or patio! They even have a furry friend menu. Super cute!!!!

    Side of Sweet Potato Fries
    Dara W.

    We loved this place so much that we came back again and brought the family. They were super accommodating and set up a two tables for our large group. Once again the service was phenomenal. We were greeted with a big welcome back, hugs, and smiles. The staff were extremely nice. Everyone loved the food and the service. One family member even said it's the best breakfast he's had in a really long time. We even got a nice plate of churros to share with the table. Delicious. Again, if you want great food and excellent service then check this place out. When we visit the area again I'll be sure to come back here. Many thanks to the owner and the team here at Garden Cafe. Top notch!

    COFFEE

    i eat here atleast 2xs a week the blackstone benedict is my fav, the reat r all great but their eggs benedicts r the best i've ever had, & their coffees & oj r really good also !!!! the week-ends it's packed, weekdays plenty of room !!!!

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    2 months ago

    Excellent food, authentic Mexican and good service. Hard to find. Go to Safeway parking lot and look north.

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    Garden Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Garden Cafe

    I stopped by to have breakfast and the restaurant is closed. It's under construction, anyone know when they plan to reopen?

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    Active Culture

    Active Culture

    4.4
    (173 reviews)
    6.7 mi
    $$
    Healthy dining
    Vegetarian friendly

    This quickly became my favorite place in town once I discovered it. It's hard to find fresh,…read morehealthy food in Novato (especially in South Novato) and this checks all the boxes. Great options for vegetarians and carnivores alike! The Acai bowls are yummy (some of the better ones in Marin) but I personally love their Bay Bowl (pictured here) because it's the perfect balance of sweet and savory. I order it almost once a week. I was also hooked on their smoothies while I was pregnant! The staff is super friendly and the food is ready quickly. They also offer curbside pickup through the app!! It's a great spot to hang outside when the weather is nice. We bring many friends and visitors here, and they are always impressed. Truly something for everyone on the menu. They offer local deals a few times a month through their newsletter or text!

    Loveeee Active Culture! I work down the street and love to…read morego here for a filling, healthy lunch. Their salads and food are so fresh, are made with quality ingredients, and are served in large portions as well! The Eastern Trade Winds salad is my absolute favorite - the dates in this salad add the perfect amount of sweetness! Staff is always kind and attentive. Definitely recommend trying their salads and soft serve! Only downside is that it's kind of pricey (average salad is about $20 and shake is $13ish), but worth it once or twice a week!

    Photos
    Active Culture
    Quinoa-Lentil Bowl
    Quinoa-Lentil Bowl
    Big Salad and Chocoate Bliss Shake

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    Big Salad and Chocoate Bliss Shake
    Lou's Takeaway

    Lou's Takeaway

    4.8
    (324 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    I had been meaning to try Lou's for years and finally got around to doing it after being reminded…read moreby the SF Chronicle's Bay Area's Best Restaurant list. Embarrassingly for Marin, only two restaurants made the list--including Lou's. It definitely lives up to its reputation. First, yes, it takes calling often! I called on a Thursday and it literally took calling over 50 times to get past the busy signal. Once I got through, ordering was really easy. I was even able to pick my pickup time. If you can't get through, don't despair. At 6:15 when I picked up my order, people were still able to walk up and order, although only a few entree choices were left. Everything we had was just so flavorful. The fried chicken was the favorite, rhen the beef birria. But the fried shrimp (which was pretty spicy!) and herby roast chicken was also delicious.

    Home Run! The food here is exceptional. They don't do quantity, they do quality. Some of the most…read morediverse flavors I've had recently. You should probably plan ahead and order before you get there, even though there is a possibility of showing up and ordering if they have plates still available. Better to know you have the food you want to order. They only do lunch and dinner and the menu is listed each day with times to call and place your pre-orders. See website for times. The place is mostly take out, although there is a small out door first come seating area. Service is exceptional and the food is incredible. Never had a bad meal here. In fact everytime I order I am amazed at the quality of the produce, ingredients and flavors. The chef has an amazing ability to satisfy even the toughest food critic in your family. If you are looking for a great food experience that compiles exceptional food with top notch customer service from people who truly love what they do, look no further!

    Photos
    Walk up counter/front
    Walk up counter/front
    360 -wINDmill dUNK--hAPPy crY-over a "FLyOver fRIED cHICKEN SandwiCH"
    360 -wINDmill dUNK--hAPPy crY-over a "FLyOver fRIED cHICKEN SandwiCH"
    Braised pork with salad and rice

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    Braised pork with salad and rice
    Blue Barn

    Blue Barn

    3.8
    (208 reviews)
    9.6 mi
    $$

    I love the salads. The chicken dorados tacos, with the hot habenero vinaigrette sauce with them is…read moresoo good. Today I had the Waldorff salad, and shared tacos, with my fiance who also had the Tea Leaf salad added tofu. We both loved our meal. So tasty. Last time I had the Blue barn burger and an order of tater tots. Best Burger in town. The staff is so nice, and always accommodating. We sat outside on the patio. It was peaceful.

    My family had lunch today at Blue Barn. This is such a great place! We have been a bunch of of…read moretimes to their Corte Madera location, but I love the seating area here both inside and on their huge back patio. This is a counter service place and the line can sometimes can take a lot during busy days. They have a lot of great options here for food and a good size kids menu! My wife and I opted for salads on this visit. The cost feels a bit high, but the salads are huge and feel well worth the cost. I had the Thai Chicken salad. I love the dressing on the salad and the crunch from the peanuts and crispy wontons is so good! The chili lime chicken has a nice tangy flavor and the veggies all give a nice, herby flavor. My wife had the Tostada salad, which has a delicious, smoky and sweet flavored dressing. My daughter had their chicken tenders and fries, which she enjoyed. This is a great place for larger groups, and its location on Grant Ave is brings a lot of excitement to this downtown Novato neighborhood.

    Photos
    Inside view
    Inside view
    Blue Barn
    Outside seating

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    Outside seating
    Wrap N Kabob

    Wrap N Kabob

    4.5
    (114 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Wrap N Kabob is an absolute gem! From the moment you walk in, you can tell this place takes pride…read morein both their food and customer service. Keivan, the owner, is incredibly welcoming and clearly passionate about making sure every guest has a great experience. The steak wraps were outstanding--packed with flavor, perfectly cooked, and incredibly satisfying. Every bite was fresh and delicious. You can really taste the quality and care that goes into the food here. After trying the steak wraps, I already know I'll be back because now I want to try all the other dishes on the menu. If they're anything like what I had, this place is a winner across the board. Highly recommend Wrap N Kabob to anyone looking for amazing food and friendly service! I forgot to take a picture of the steak wraps but I'll repost when I go back to try all the other items.

    I had a really frustrating experience at Wraps & Kebabs…read more I placed my order at the counter, but instead of putting it in right away, the employee helped two other customers and set my ticket aside. I ended up waiting about 10 minutes before I realized my order hadn't even been sent to the kitchen. After I moved seats, the employee noticed me and then finally handed my order to the cook. From there, I waited another 10+ minutes while the two customers who ordered after me got their food and left. When I asked about my order, I was told it would be another 5 minutes--at that point I had already been waiting close to 30 minutes for a simple meal. To make things worse, the staff started talking in Spanish assuming I wouldn't understand, saying I should've been told it would take 20 minutes. One of them even claimed he told me that--which was completely untrue. Long wait times happen, but poor communication and ignoring a customer's order is unacceptable. If it was going to take 20+ minutes, just say that upfront. Don't skip my order and then pretend I was informed. Definitely not a good experience, and I wouldn't come back.

    Photos
    Wrap N Kabob
    Wrap N Kabob
    Wrap N Kabob

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    sweetgreen - Healthy Salads, Wraps, and Bowls

    sweetgreen - Healthy Salads, Wraps, and Bowls

    3.1
    (110 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    I have never ate inside here but it is very clean inside this establishment. I've order take out…read morethe food is amazingly healthy and very fulfilling. I have never had to wait long when ordering inside because the service was pretty fast. It has a lunch line way of ordering your food if you want to build your meal like Chipotle or you can order off their amazing menu. This place is amazing plz go.

    Really disappointed in them lately. The other week I ordered for pick up and received minimal…read morechicken and a stale end nub of bread that was about the size of their dressing container lid. I received credit online for the disappointing food and placed another order on Friday for pick up. It was placed at 1:54pm after the normal lunch rush with an estimated ready time of 2:15. I left my office at 2:15 to pick it up since it hadn't updated on the app. Usually it's always ready by the time I get there so I got to the restaurant about 10-15minutes later. It was empty, no other food on the shelf expect my order. I went to pick it up and everything was checked off on the receipt. The sticker and bread were covering most of it so I didn't open the sealed lid to check. Once I got to my office I opened the container and saw that there was no chicken even though it was ordered and the receipt shows it was checked off. I was hungry and really disappointed that the main part of the meal was missing. No notes about it. Then at 3:37pm I get an email that it's ready to be picked up.... If I had waited until then that means my food would have been sitting out at room temp for almost an 1.5hrs which is unacceptable. If they were waiting to cook more chicken I don't think it would take 1.5hrs and they definitely shouldn't have had the food sitting out. There should be some communication if there are issues or if they are out of something. It shouldn't be checked off if it isn't in the container. On the app they offered me the same $10 credit I received for the other order with very small portions, but I feel that I can't trust them anymore to fulfill the order. I used to order from them often and haven't had any issues until this month.

    Photos
    Serving Counter
    Serving Counter
    sweetgreen - Healthy Salads, Wraps, and Bowls
    sweetgreen - Healthy Salads, Wraps, and Bowls

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    Sol Food

    Sol Food

    4.2
    (5.9k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    One of the best dining experiences we've had in the area…read more There's almost always a line when we visit, but it moves surprisingly fast and never feels frustrating. The restaurant uses community-style seating with shared tables, which adds to the lively and welcoming atmosphere. The staff is consistently friendly and helpful. The ordering process is simple--you place your order at the counter when you enter, find a seat, and the food is brought out shortly after. Despite how busy the restaurant can get, the food arrived quickly. On this visit, we ordered the Mariquitas, Tostones con Mojo, Camarones a la Diabla, and the Sándwich de Pollo. Every dish was excellent. The portions were generous, the ingredients tasted fresh, and everything was packed with flavor. The Camarones a la Diabla had just the right amount of spice, while the sides and appetizers were equally enjoyable. What stands out most about Sol Food is the consistency. Great food, friendly service, reasonable wait times, and excellent value for the quality and portion sizes. This has become one of our favorite spots, and it's a place we make sure to visit whenever we're in town. Highly recommended.

    Finally made it and I'm glad we did! A friend told me about this place. Very busy on a Sunday night…read morewith a short wait as guests did keep rolling in. They ran out of the Rotisserie chicken (which must have been very popular) but we tried other dishes. Next time I wanna the Cuban sandwich Bustling inside, Puerto Rican music filled the room and loud chatter was in the air. Loved the bright green colored building and colorful decor inside! If you go to the Bodega next door, you can see how many people are busting their tails in the kitchen, wow!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Bistec Sandwich
    Bistec Sandwich
    Spicy shrimp with side of fry's  Hard for me to pronounce the name sorry

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    Spicy shrimp with side of fry's Hard for me to pronounce the name sorry

    Garden Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated July 2026

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