After reading the reviews I was so scared that I had precooked their afternoon tea, but wow, what a treat! The table scape was beautiful, sandwiches were delicious, and just a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon! You don't necessarily have a dedicated server which is nice since you can ask anyone for refills. We went for Cherry Blossom tea and it was perfectly seasonal! We will be back in the fall for sure for that themed tea! Definitely one of the best and most beautiful (but not fancy) teas I've done! Do note, you DO need to purchase admission to Hillwood for entry. Luckily one of us is a member, but this should be better laid out when booking! read more

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Really good lunch the other day in this busy, busy museum cafe. We had a reservation (a good idea!) and got right in - even though we were 30mins early. We shared a Waldorf chicken salad sandwich. The curry was great; the croissant buttery and good. It was fairly small, so we were happy not to over-eat. I got a hot apple cider and my friend the hot chocolate. Both were flavorful. A nice lunch, even though our server was really rushed off her feet (she seemed pretty new). We'll be back! read more

Merriweather Cafe - My 1/2 of our chicken salad sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A beautiful setting for lunch after a tour of the Hillwood mansion. I had the BEST quiche and I was so surprised to learn there was no cheese in it. It was so light and smooth - just eggs and cream with squash and a bit of seasoning - a real delight. The side salad was awesome as well. The waitstaff was very attentive. It made for a great experience for our meal. read more

Merriweather Cafe - Under the tent dining. - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Wow !! After an expensive and disappointing high tea at the four seasons... I was skeptical to try this but want to support the museum... and I was impressed!! The made me a small gluten free tray- and it was delicious. Fresh and flavorsome, the mini scones and sandwiches hit the spot. It is a teabag but for $40 a person- it's a STEAL. The pastries were delicate and charming. Bottle of bubbly for $45 was reasonable and even their lunch menu items were tasty and fresh! We'll be back! read more

Merriweather Cafe - Mini gluten free tray and regular tray - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

You don't have to ask me twice whether I want to have afternoon tea at a historic estate, so some friends and I set a date and got together to enjoy it! Our group of 9 was quickly admitted to the cafe area. We were seated at a long table with banquette seats on one side and chairs on the other. A couple of 3-tray servers were already on the table based on our RSVPs. Once the server took our orders, she left to bring us our tea (we opted for the jasmine pearl and cherry blossom teas from Harney & Sons) and the plates containing a variety of mini sandwiches (the egg salad was the standout), cherry scones, and some adorable mini desserts. They were visually appealing and also tasted quite good. For how beautiful the property is, and based on what we know of the former owner's wealth and elegance, I was surprised that the cafe setup for tea wasn't ... nicer. For example, the tables and chairs seemed to be old and worn. The cafe area itself was dated. There were no tablecloths on the tables. It looked like a lot of corners had been cut. We were also disappointed that they brought out a bill, then charged my credit card another amount, which was $80 more. The server explained that the first bill did not include tax and gratuity. So, fine, but why bring it out to begin with then? This was just odd. My friends and I had already divided the bill and Venmo'd for the amounts we were supposed to based on that bill. The additional $80 was just an unwelcomed surprise that caused unnecessary math and an additional Venmo. Why do this to people? Why end an otherwise pleasant tea like this? Located in a quiet residential area, you have to keep your eyes open to find it, but once you do, you won't want to leave. There is ample parking through the guard gate. read more

Merriweather Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Delightful cafe to be enjoyed on a gorgeous day! They have outdoor seating as well as cute indoor tables! Nice service by the staff, prepare for a slower pace like a French cafe. My friend and I split the prosciutto flatbread which was tasty but could use a bit of pesto sauce or a tomato or some honey. We truly enjoyed the flavors of the artichokes. The lemon and sauce worked beautifully together. For dessert we had the cheesecake which simply lovely with fresh strawberries slices! "Yummm" was what my friend wanted to add about it! :) Want to come back and try other items on the menu! read more

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VERDICT: Great food, a bit slow. Small but reasonable portions (reasonable minds may disagree). ------------------------------------------ FOOD: All of the food was great. Fresh and tasty. Roast Beef Dip ($20) Salmon Tartare ($16) Garden Deviled Eggs ($9) Pan-Seared Rockfish with snap peas and potato purée ($27). I love salmon sashimi and avocados so the tartare was a hit for me. But the roast beef dip was stellar. For drinks, my mom got a Cappuccino ($5) and my dad a (pink?) lemonade. The cappuccino was small but just the right size for her. The lemonade was ok. SERVICE: We were seated promptly according to our reservation. The staff seemed polite and nice. But I do wonder if they were understaffed. It took a bit before they were able to give bread and then a while before orders were were taken and then a while before came. Then an item was forgotten. The cafe did seem full, but my recommendation is -- expect to wait. Do not go if you need to be out in 1.5 hours or something. AMBIANCE: Lovely. Exactly what you might imagine for an estate-museum-garden cafe. Lively crowd seated, but not quite boisterous. No music played when we were there. Good lighting, though it was a rainy day. read more

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A lovely little cafe in one of the coolest museums and estates in DC! If you are checking out the Hillwood, definitely treat yourself to the very tasty and quaint little restaurant on campus as well. Open daily for lunch, this restaurant has some great (and slightly pricy) options that fit in perfectly with the elegant surroundings. The apple Brie crostini was a great opener, with delicious crispy fried sage on top. The salad with salmon and the polenta were both very tasty as well! The portions are a little small for the price, but the flavor is good. We ended our meal with a chocolate pot de crème, which came highly recommended by the very kind waitress. It was a treat! What a perfect way to end the meal. The restaurant has great indoor and tented seating areas as well. Give it a try! read more

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The afternoon tea is an utter bummer. You need to leave your credit card at the time of reservation, so they can charge a fee if you do not show up. You need to pay for the museum entrance (USD 18), in order to get to the Cafe. They serve you 5 small pieces of food for USD 40 (plus tip and tax) and a small jug of tea per person. Again, there is no refill for the food. Ridiculous. A ripped-off. No atmosphere either: it is a small cafeteria, contrasting with the state's beauty surrounding the restaurant. The service is bland and uncaring, like machines. Skip it. read more

They graciously accommodated the reservation that I booked for 3 but expanded to 5+ including: 3 year old, 4 month old, double stroller, and 3 adults. We finished a lovely lunch with a short walk through flowers to rest near a colorful cabin. read more

I had a pretty bad experience at Merriweather Café when I was visited Hillwood Museum and Gardens a month or so ago. We were seated (the host who seated us wasn't very friendly, put some menus on a table and left), but then ... nothing. No one came back. We were really hungry and eventually just got up and left and got snacks from the food stand outside. It was a very frustrating experience. read more

After touring the Hillwood estate, my sister, and I decided to stop in and order lunch. What a quaint little café on the estate grounds . The food was delicious and the service was great. read more

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After a brief walk through the grounds, my group decided to stop for an early lunch at the cafe, which has an indoor as well as tented outdoor space. It was not very busy just before noon. Shannon, our waitress, was a great amount of attentive and upbeat. Menu is short but sweet. The lox and chicken salad sandwiches were good and came with nice side salad. My friend's Greek salad was a little lame, with a huge head of iceberg and not a lot of the other stuff that make Greek salads good. It seems like every potential customer was confused on where to check in with the host. While there are signs, it's a little confusing because the host is beyond where all the coveted outdoor seating is. There's an express window, too, which is a good option if you want to get food and sit somewhere on the grounds. read more

Merriweather Cafe - Lunch menu - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

After taking a casual stroll through the gardens and a lengthy tour of the museum and grounds, I came to the café for a bite. While it was a bit unclear how to find the host stand when I first entered, the place was a peaceful retreat (although the gardens themselves are also peaceful). I had the curry chicken salad sandwich, which was nice. I honestly wasn't expecting it to even taste like curry since I was at a museum (no shade) but it was pretty good. I also enjoyed the garden side salad. They had outdoor seating, although I was seated inside, and there was relaxing music playing in the background. This place boasts very reasonable prices, particularly for a museum cafe, and they have a small wine menu in addition to lemonade, etc. A nice stop during a beautiful museum visit day! read more

The worst dining experience (using the word "dining" loosely) I have had in quite some time. To say that the service was indifferent does not does not give the very bad service that we received its due. Several missteps on their part -- and not one apology or acknowledgement that perhaps they could have done better. Will definitely not return. Should also mention that the food was edible but not really more than that. read more

Hostess was incredibly rude. I asked to be seated around 1pm. I asked if I could sit outside (I walked past at least 10 empty tables). Rather than check and see if anything was available the hostess goes "NO. You can only sit there if you have a reservation" She proceeded to say this to several other people. Then another host took over for a short while and happily sat people outside, literally 15 minutes after I had asked. Food is alright, I had the tuna Niçoise salad and the the soup of the day. Would have been better if I had been treated more respectfully. read more

Very convenient cafe if you are visiting Hillwood. You can bring your own picnic to the garden, but the cafe is more convenient and has nice offerings. Not a huge menu, but everything I've had has been nice. Quick walk up order window for sandwiches or more formal seating area with larger menu. read more