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    Garden Cafe

    4.5 (663 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 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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    B.L.T.A., where's the bacon?

    Came here in a Sunday with my daughter. I had the Chorizo Hash, it was as expected. Good but nothing to write home about. My daughter order a B.L.T.A. that was lacking on the bacon. You'd expect more for a $21 BLT (w/ sweet potato fries). It was mostly everything but the B. Service was good, I wouldn't go out of my way for the food. Outdoor seating is nice but faced the Safeway parking lot which made for interesting people watching.

    House Chilaquiles Eggs, Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
    Kimberly A.

    Loved having my birthday breakfast here ! Such great food and even greater people ! Compliments to the chefs they need their ass ate !! And my waiter Franklin such a great guy deserves to get eaten as well ! He knows how to make a conversation going and constantly offering us refills ! He deserves a big round of applause and maybe a pancake or two ! Love it here

    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.

    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.

    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!

    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!

    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.

    Chorizo Benedict

    8/10. Usually benedict dishes are smaller but they absolutely packed the chorizo on there which was nice. Tasted great honestly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside has a lot of plants so I like the atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    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).

    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!!!!

    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. [[HIGHLIGHT]]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.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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 ;-)

    Side of Sweet Potato Fries

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    23 days ago

    Great breakfast, reasonably priced, great service, easy to Walt to from almost anywhere downtown.

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    1 month ago

    Just had an xlnt salmon Caesar salad! My friend had the sun valley chicken sandwich. Both sooooo good. Love this place.

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    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
    (175 reviews)
    6.7 mi
    $$

    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!

    I was craving frozen yogurt so I thought I would give active culture a whirl. It's on my way home…read moreand convenient. The cashier was friendly and the place was clean-both pluses. I was shocked when he said that would be $12.01 for a cup of yogurt, but like I said I was in the mood so I acquiesced. Once I got home and had two bites much to my surprise the entire middle core was yogurtless and you could see the bottom of a clean cup. Whether they were trained to fill it like this or it was inadvertent- either way is unacceptable. Ordinarily I wouldn't leave a Yelp review over this, but with the entire middle part of my yogurt missing and for $12 it was a rip off.

    Photos
    Interior of AC
    Interior of AC
    Moonlight Mint Shake and   Bountiful Bowl
    Moonlight Mint Shake and Bountiful Bowl
    Frozen yogurt menu at Active Culture in Novato.

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    Frozen yogurt menu at Active Culture in Novato.
    Lou's Takeaway

    Lou's Takeaway

    4.8
    (325 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
    (209 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
    (115 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
    Working on my wrap!

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    Working on my wrap!
    sweetgreen - Healthy Salads, Wraps, and Bowls

    sweetgreen - Healthy Salads, Wraps, and Bowls

    3.1
    (112 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
    $$

    This is my favorite restaurant in Marin county! My only complaint is the San Rafael location is so…read moresmall, if you go during their busy hours good luck finding a spot to sit at! They do have a to-go area where you can place order and pick it up, rather than going into the actual restaurant. My go to dish is the bistec sandwich, paired with their house special hot sauce, it is soooo good!!!! They also sell bottles of their hot sauce and salad dressing which is amazing. I recently tried their plantain burrito and it was also very delicious. My go to drink is their ponche which is super refreshing, especially during their summer months. I always forget to take photos of the food before I eat here because I am so excited to always dig in! I'll aim to come back soon to take photos and update my review. I love that they also have a mill valley location as well as Petaluma!

    If you are craving delicious Puerto Rican food, this is the place to go! They have a few locations…read morebut the one in San Rafael seems to be the largest of the bunch. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you. Food comes out fast and hot. I really like the bistec encebollado combo, as well as the spicy creole prawns. The sandwiches are all pretty good as well. I love that they have Pique (the vinegary sauce) at every table. It's soooo good! This place does get pretty packed and there is usually a line but it's worth it!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Bistec Sandwich
    Bistec Sandwich
    Chicken, rice, beans. Plantains and salad

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    Chicken, rice, beans. Plantains and salad
    Laos Kitchen

    Laos Kitchen

    4.6
    (372 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Love it love it love it!!!…read more Love the layout and decoration not to mention how friendly the staff were. Food wise, omg to die for! We got a combination of BBQ pork with papaya salad and black sticky rice and we asked if I could add one more Lao style papaya salad into it and she said 'yes!!' Also Nam Kao Tod and beef jerky were so tasty!! Would totally recommend this place!

    The food at Laos Kitchen is amazing! Everything was light and fresh and the three of us devoured…read moreall of it! We ordered the Pun Khao Poon platter (lettuce wraps) with pork springrolls, pad thai with chicken, and the mango salad. The portions were very generous. The mango salad was the highlight of the meal, followed by the lettuce wraps. The dressing in the mango salad had just the right combination of sweet and tangy. We loved the addition of mint for the wraps, but I personally don't care for perilla leaves. The fish sauce accompanying the wraps was delicious and was also great over the pad thai, which was a bit on the bland side without it. Service was a bit less than perfect. When one diner asked for water, only her glass was refilled when another glass was obviously in need also; minor overlook, though. The one thing that was a bit disturbing was the noise level. It was extremely loud, so it was really difficult to hear each other talk. It didn't help that the party at the next table had a woman who cackled loudly when she laughed. It was a relief to step outside after we ate. Not sure what can be done to help with this, but it did make dining there not as pleasant as it could be. Even with this, I'd definitely return if I was in the area.

    Photos
    Wine display
    Wine display
    Calamari Tod - 3/5
    Calamari Tod - 3/5
    Lao Style Papaya Salad

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    Lao Style Papaya Salad

    Garden Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated August 2026

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