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Ripplewood Cafe

4.3 (180 reviews)
Closed • 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

Ripplewood Cafe Photos

RIPPLEWOOD CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - Ripplewood Cafe

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Veggie scramble with sourdough, hash browns on the side.
Lauren T.

We came to this adorable cafe 3 times for breakfast while camping at Pfieffer in the rain. Every time was great. The salsa in the Juevos Rancheros was fantastic, my husband asked to have some for his scramble. The pancakes are super fluffy, and the veggie scramble was great. Perfect fruit and avocado. The waitresses are super friendly. Highly recommend!

Vy N.

Stopped for breakfast on our way out, lovely little cafe with an attached store and the kindest people.

Eggs Benedict with Potato Gratin
Mia K.

SO GOOD. Get the potato gratin, it was delicious. We went here for breakfast and there was only one server during this time and he was very friendly and patient. The other waitress was helping with drinks and water. I had the eggs Benedict and my hubby had an omelette and it was huge. The food is really delicious and high quality.

Benedict
Monty H.

Beautiful, comfy loft ambience and possibly the best Benedict I've ever had. The avocados and sautéed mushrooms were a nice touch, portion was pretty large, and the gratin is super special! Coffee was solid. Everything came out fast and servers were so friendly to everyone. I might have to come here more often.

Incredible potatoes gratin, pancakes and sausage -- plus their Harris Ranch bacon cheeseburger with salad
Charles W.

Rolled in here after a backpacking trip at the recommendation of a ranger up the road. Ripplewood did not disappoint: delicious food, generous portions, and super fast service. The rustic cafe (with a real sample of ripplewood, in case you're curious what that is) and resort there is a plus, too, making me want to come back for a weekend, The redwood timbers and cabin like feel of this cozy restaurant are super cool. In terms of food, it is really delicious. Be sure to try their potatoes gratin if you get a chance - they are amazing! Our meal was pricey, just like eating out everywhere that is good is today, Ripplewood Cafe delivered. We would gladly come back!

James S.

Ripplewood Cafe is a gem in Big Sur! The cozy, rustic atmosphere makes it the perfect stop along Highway 1. The food was fresh, flavorful, and exactly what we needed after a long drive. The staff were welcoming and laid-back, adding to the relaxed Big Sur vibe. Whether you're grabbing breakfast before hiking or winding down after exploring, this spot is a must-visit. First one to open if you're looking for an early AM grub

Omi E.

Stopped by on a weekend around 1230 pm. Place wasn't crowded. Seating available inside and outside. Parking might be hard to find when crowded. Food tasted good.

Eggs Benedict
Chris A.

One of the best roadside breakfast stops for a hearty meal! I stopped in and loved how comforting the inside/outside looked. The menu was full of many comfort food choices. Based on the reviews, I tried the excellent Eggs Benedict. You can choose home fries or their signature potato au gratin. You definitely should try the potato au gratin , so creamy, tasty and served a delightful golden crisp. The restaurant is so laid back. I just loved it here!

Claire B.

Very cute place and really friendly staff. Quick service and yummy food, but was a little overpriced. There was a moth and a few little bugs inside (ant in my water) which didn't bother us really (added to the woodsy ambiance!) but could be an issue for some.

Veggie Enchiladas with beans, avocado, and rice

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5 months ago

The perfect cappuccino for a gorgeous drive along the coast. Service was speedy and friendly. Wish I could have stayed for breakfast!

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7 months ago

Fair... all around and easily accessible from the highway. There is a very nice outdoor patio. A good place to take a crowd for breakfast.

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2 years ago

I really loved this place. My boyfriend and I went here when we drove up the coast and this was our favorite breakfast spot.

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Big Sur Deli

Big Sur Deli

4.1(134 reviews)
2.6 mi
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Found this gem on Yelp while traveling through Big Sur and holy moly! So glad we stopped!…read more We were driving an RV, which made the stop a bit tricky, but luckily we were able to park at the far end of the lot since no cars were using it. We made sure to be quick since a worker outside said, "'make it snappy!" We ordered the chicken strips and fries, pastrami sandwich and a custom sandwich with turkey, cheese and veggies. All were very good! I didn't get photos of the chicken because my kids devoured it. There were also some Big Sur souvenirs and other items for sale in the store. You could tell it was a local spot, which made it feel like you were from the area when talking to others in the store. It was a nostalgic kind of ambiance! If traveling in the area or you're a local who hasn't visited yet, I highly tell ed you do so soon! We went in a weekday so it wasn't too busy, but I can see the lot filling up very quickly in the weekends.

Rating: 3.5/5 If…read moreyou're looking for a quick bite, this spot offers a variety of custom-made sandwiches, breakfast burritos, baked goods, as well as souvenirs and more! My husband and I shared the Big Sur Hipster sandwich which was meaty and fulfilling. We got one of the premade ones and it was hefty and perfect for sharing. Overall, it was a solid sandwich but it would've been better if the bread was toasted/warm but nonetheless it was still good cold. I also tried their choco chip banana bread crumb top coffee cake with espresso glaze, but as good as it sounds it was underwhelming and wasn't as moist as I would've liked. Overall, it's a convenient stop when in Big Sur for a quick bite, drink, or souvenirs!

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Big Sur Deli
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Cafe Kevah - French Toast

Cafe Kevah

4.1(279 reviews)
3.8 mi
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The view is absolutely beautiful in the morning and definitely adds to the experience. We ordered…read morethe breakfast burrito, the Reuben, and the kid's quesadilla. The food is a little pricey, but I thought the breakfast burrito was well worth it. It was a generous portion, tasted delicious, and paired with the incredible view, it made for a great breakfast. My husband also really enjoyed the Reuben. The only thing we probably wouldn't order again is the kid's quesadilla. It's just cheese in a tortilla, and there isn't an option to add any protein. Next time, I'd probably just share my breakfast burrito with my little one instead. Overall, I'd highly recommend checking this spot out if you get the chance. Great food, beautiful scenery, and a perfect place to enjoy a relaxing morning meal.

If you are driving the Big Sur highway (?)m Hwy One along the California coast you will experience…read morewide stretches of just beautiful views of ocean and hills. Not a lot of commercial stuff. One of the most popular and well-known eatery is Nepenthe, always crowded and murderous, skimpy parking. A challenge for sure parking and also getting seated. Come early or late, but at prime time your best bet is to walk down the hill to Cafe Kevah, just below the main bar and restaurant. Excellent ocean-side viewing and a decent menu. If you are traveling along the highway, see if you can call ahead for reservations. Kevah serves, meals, pastries and drinks. Put your figurative seat belt on as the prices are California and touristy. Breakfast, granola at $18.50 up to their eggs benedict at $36.50. Until noon. Order at their central counter. Salads from $20.75 - $28.75, Sandwiches serve with mixed greens from $17.75 - $24.50. Kids can get a PB&J or Quesadilla for $9 each. More limited than the full bar and menu uphill at Nepenthe but easy to get seated/not too long of wait for table, less crowded and OK, but not cheap food. It is worth a stop here. If going further south there is another place called Ragged Point, depending on traffic, may be 2 hours more south. Enjoy.

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Cafe Kevah - View of cashier from aisle

View of cashier from aisle

Cafe Kevah - Cobb Salad

Cobb Salad

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Big Sur River Inn - Bedroom

Big Sur River Inn

3.0(557 reviews)
0.6 mi
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First off, the general store had amazing tacos. Al pastor and barbacoa were so good. We bought food…read morethere and some drinks then walked down to the river near the restaurant to enjoy our lunch. Yes it gets crowded so you may have to wait for an Adirondack chair or two.. but once you sit IN the river.. it's amazing. So peaceful and such a unique experience to be partially in the water. Highly recommend checking out this place, especially after a drive through Big Sur and some hiking at Point Lobos. Only negative is some people hoard chairs and may move them for their large group. Otherwise, it's chill.

This place is one of the prettiest places I have stayed overnight. If you are looking for peace and…read moretranquility, this is the spot. Getting up in the morning and walking down to the shallow river with your complimentary room coffee is Heaven. Then sitting on the provided river chairs and listening to the running creek is so relaxing. The staff is nice. Most of the staff have been working here for many years. I have read some negative comments about the cost of the rooms. Yes, the rooms at a little over $800 a night may be high, but remember this Motel is in a unique location of #Big Sur and I don't know of any other motels in Big Sur that can offer a river view just steps away from the water. So for me this was worth every penny. If you are wanting to explore the Big Sur area and spend time away from this Motel resort than you may want to use a budget motel. This motel was designed for rest and relaxation. The pool on site is a plus. The rooms don't have a microwave, fridge, or kitchen, so you will have to pack sandwiches and snacks in a cooler. Otherwise, the restaurant food is good and the general store next to it also sells deli style food, pizzas, hot sandwiches, and wraps. Oh, and the burritos are big enough to feed two. I highly recommend this place for a special occasion or for a wonderful memory to look back on.

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Big Sur River Inn
Big Sur River Inn - Interior living room

Interior living room

Big Sur River Inn - View from porch

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View from porch

Nepenthe - Chicken chicken breast served on a French Roll

Nepenthe

3.7(2.9k reviews)
3.8 mi
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A cool restaurant with great views all around. Right off of Highway 1 great seating areas all…read morearound outside which we decided to go for. There is seating inside but wanted to enjoy the outside area as it was a beautiful day. Heard that you had to make reservations but we decided to just give it a go and check it out. The place was busy with a decent wait time but that was OK we didn't mind as we were seated pretty fast once we arrived. You have a cool little walk up some stairs to get to restaurant from parking lot so be aware of that. There is a cool store right on premise just below the restaurant. Which you can check out after eating or while you wait to be seated. Some cool stuff in there. Food was great we ordered some burgers and fries which were delis with a nice selection of beers. Would definitely come back again the staff was nice and friendly and just a cool overall restaurant.

Our first visit to Nepenthe in Big Sur was an enjoyable experience overall, primarily because of…read morethe incredible location and atmosphere. This is a very casual restaurant perched along the beautiful Big Sur coastline, with spectacular ocean views and a lively energy created by visitors coming from all over the country. From a food perspective, however, I would describe our experience as good rather than exceptional. My wife and son shared the 12-ounce ribeye steak, which was approximately $77. They requested it medium-plus to medium-well, but unfortunately it initially arrived considerably undercooked, almost blue. To their credit, the staff immediately addressed the issue, and once corrected, the steak tasted good. The quality of the beef was decent, but at $77 for a relatively small 12-ounce steak, my expectations were considerably higher. At that price point, you're approaching what established steakhouses such as Mastro's charge for premium cuts, and I didn't feel the quality or preparation was quite at that level. I ordered the famous Ambrosia Burger. The flavor was fine, but the presentation wasn't personally appealing to me. Essentially, the beef and French-style roll arrived with much of the lettuce, tomato, onion, and other accompaniments presented separately on the plate. When I order a burger at a restaurant, I prefer the kitchen to properly assemble and present it according to my request rather than having to construct it myself at the table. For my burger and its presentation, I would give about three stars. For the ribeye, once properly cooked, approximately four stars. Overall, I would rate Nepenthe around four stars, perhaps a four-minus. The spectacular setting and atmosphere are unquestionably the stars of the experience. The food was decent and the staff responded appropriately when there was an issue, but considering the pricing, I would like to see greater attention to preparation, presentation, and overall value. Certainly worth experiencing at least once while visiting Big Sur, particularly for the views and atmosphere. With a little more attention to detail in the kitchen, the food experience could better match this extraordinary location.

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Nepenthe - Grilled Chicken Breast and Salad

Grilled Chicken Breast and Salad

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Lafayette Bakery & Cafe - Blueberry Brioche

Lafayette Bakery & Cafe

4.2(673 reviews)
20.0 mi
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I stopped by Lafayette Bakery on Memorial Day morning and there were only a few people in line. The…read moreselection of pastries and breakfast items made it so hard to choose because everything looked amazing! I ended up getting the ham and bacon quiche and it did not disappoint. It was flaky, light, and had the perfect crunch. I paired it with a vanilla latte with almond milk, and as a barista myself, I have to say the latte was a 10/10. You can tell it was crafted with care. I enjoyed my breakfast in the patio where they had outside seating, it was clean and very spacious! The service was also great! The barista who took my order was super friendly and made sure I got my items once they were ready. I'll definitely be coming back to try one of their sweet pastries next time!

Uniqueness: Their pastries are well done! Wait Time:…read more [x][x][x][x][x] Food Quality: [x][x][x][x][x] Service: [x][x][x][x][x] Setting: [x][x][x][x][ ] Cost: [x][x][x][x][ ] Recommendation? Definitely stick with their pastries as their other savory foods looked alright (perhaps one day I'll try and see how they taste). Yelp told me about this bakery in the older Carmel Plaza here that's not in the main Ocean Ave. The plaza was sadly mostly empty but was still curious to see how this bakery is. The inside was also pretty sparse at the time of my visit and there were a decent amount of pastries still on display and first impression of their sandwich & other savory goods was a bit of a miss by the looks of it. Still I ordered a lime tart, tiramisu, and a guava raspberry tart with no coffee, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how good they all were! Not too overly sweet, and it didn't feel like any other generic tart/tiramisu so I would definitely be curious to try some more. Staff were also friendly and the overall price per pastry was slightly on the pricier side but then again, this is Carmel. Perhaps another plus if anything about this place is you definitely won't have to worry about tourist crowds or long lines! Would I come back here? Maybe I will give their savory food a try next time as well but truth be told regardless, I'll check them out again for more pastries as they did a good job. Worth the visit!

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Ripplewood Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated October 2026

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