Peacock cafe? Eh? Do they serve peacock here or something? Oh the horrors! No simply...instead of being surrounded by sparrows looking for food...its peacocks! They stick round the cafe and the brave ones actually come up pretty darn close if you start feeding them.
Located in the Arboretum, this cafe is the only place that you can get drinks and food. First thing I notice? The peacocks of course. They are all around the building, sitting in trees next to the building, and even on the roof of the building! They say these are wild peacocks, but they are pretty used to people anyhow. Definitely the coolest part about eating here. Where else can you eat with a peacock standing next to you?
The cafe itself is located in the center of the Arboretum near the entrance/exit. Sandwiches, soup and salads place, some indoor seating but mostly outdoor seating. The building had a wide extended roof that generates more shade for weary people who have trekked all over the gardens, and also encompasses other facilities for the Arboretum. It's a order, pay (cash only), grab a number and wait for your food to arrive. By no means is it gourmet fare, but works well enough for a simple lunch.
I ordered the grilled veggie sandwich to fuel my upcoming exploration. Decent enough, plenty of grilled veggies with a piece of melted cheese, lettuce, sliced tomato, all in a sub bun. The bun itself was slightly toasted which was nice. veggies has good flavor but the overall sandwich was pretty tasteless. They don't add any sauce, but there are mayo and mustard packets that you can grab. 6 dollars for that and then a bottle of water to wash it all down.
The outside area is has plenty of seating. Green metal ornate chairs under shady trees. Pink flowers are all over the trees and occasionally fall down on you as you eat. Not a very comfortable place to lounge around as your butt starts to hurt, but I'm not here to sit around for a long time, just enough time for a quick bite.
While not a great cafe, it satisfies you enough and gives you enough fuel to keep going in the Arboretum. Of course the best part is the peacocks. They can be quite loud though as one cries out and several others join in. It all adds to the ambience. read more