Great place to eat! Was recommended by many to try this place. Been here many times and so far it doesn't disappoint. Our most recent visit the service was awesome. Of course there will be times that waiting can be long but that's expected at the busiest of times throughout the day. Didn't take long at all for our waitress to take our orders. The food was serviced quickly which is great since our stomachs couldn't wait any longer. Our waitress checked on us occasionally and offered more water as expected. Didn't wait long to get our check to pay for us to be on our way. Menu doesn't have a lot of variety to choose from but from what I heard from others the menu changes occasionally. Great to know that they use local ingredients. As for the food, I ordered the Korean Pork and Poached Egg and my wife ordered the Fish Tacos. The presentation on both dishes were amazing and did not disappoint. The pork was cooked thorough and the knife cut through it like butter. Fish Tacos were great. Great amount of fish and was not dry. Overall, food and staff were great! I definitely recommend this place! read more

The Cafe - Korean Pork and Poached Egg - Bakeries Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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I'm an East Coaster who travels to the Midwest regularly for business. Typically when I'm in Iowa (outside of Des Moines) I don't look forward to mealtime. The heartland is lovely but usually I'm trapped in chain restaurant land. Not to sound pretentious but I come from a city with fabulous food and with more choices than I could ever try in a lifetime. I've become kind of a food snob so Thursday night dinner at Chili's really doesn't do it for me. That said I can say with certainty, and a bit apologetically, that the café in Ames has changed my tune dramatically. This is good food people. In fact this is fabulous food. Five star quality food and any major metropolitan city. Not just good for Iowa or good for the Midwest, but really freakin fantastic. I am sorry I didn't take photos but I was too busy snuffling the food on my plate with coworkers. We had our jaws on the table at the presentation and once we got our first taste there was nothing else you could focus on besides enjoying every bit. The roasted brussels sprouts and a hearth baked bread with balsamic vinegar and oil dipping sauce were a tremendous start. Seriously those brussels sprouts were probably the best I've ever eaten. Anywhere. My coworkers had homemade veggie burger which they raved about and I had the butter not squash Alfredo pasta and vegetables. Just simply perfect dishes. I took a piece of Keylime pie back to my hotel and it was one of the best I've ever eaten. The food was fresh, well thought out, creative and simply delicious. Next time I come to Des Moines I will make the 40 minute drive to Ames to eat here again. It's seriously that good. read more

So happy they re-opened during COVID! I have done drive up a few times and the food and service have been excellent!! Thank you!! read more

A very well done, seasonal menu. Fantastic atmosphere and execution. I especially appreciate restaurants that focus on quality of ingredients and follow seasonality, so this was perfect. read more

Great for breakfast! The bacon was amazing. Everything else was good too! We came around 10am on a Saturday and got seated right away.

Wow! Awesome place for brunch or breakfast. The shrimp and grits is recommended. Sneak back to the bar for a quick seat (locals secret) and skip the hour wait. read more

This is hand down my favorite place in Ames. The food is amazing. They have a rotating menu based on what is fresh and in season. Don't forget to save room for dessert- the carrot cake is probably the best I've ever had. read more

The Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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Wouldn't recommend as a place for dinner. Bakery items were great and seems like a good place for breakfast but not dinner.

Perfect hollandaise! The perfect lemon and consistency. The collard greens with the hash Benedict wasn't a good fit. The eggs were a bit overdone, with only drops of runny yolk. The salad was ok, but unusual. The 1/4"x2 1/2" slices of melon and pineapple were perfectly ripe, but too small. See pics. The tall male waiter wasn't friendly at all. I love the decor here, but the music is too loud and the genre is all over the place. 80s pop to jazzy blues to what not. Marcydiner tantrum scale of 3/5-no screaming kids, but that music is too loud to hear members of your party. Clean place. Prices are high for Ames. One of the most expensive in the city. I did walk away full today, but in the past have left hungry from this place. They also have outdoor seating. See pics. And a dessert area with separate seating. About a half hour or so after I got home, my stomach wasn't the best. I'm wondering if it's some seasoning they use? Street parking. read more

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Great staff, good food, nice atmosphere, clean. Great place to meet with friends and familywe had a lovely time.

This is my favorite place to grab brunch on a Sunday. My brother and I make the drive to Ames from Webster City almost every weekend. The menu is limited but the quality is outstanding and changes every month or so. The service is great and the atmosphere is cozy and relaxing. read more

It's been three years since my last review, and I wanted to upgrade my rating. During my most recent visit (August 2017), our server was super sweet and knowledgeable about the menu. Each of the friends I was dining with had food sensitivities and the server knew the menu and ingredients inside and out and was able to point everyone to appropriate choices. Food absolutely shines. Everything at our table was fresh, well-portioned, and flavors were perfectly balanced. read more

I found The Cafe for lunch and had the Kale and Quinoa salad with chicken. I had it for leftovers that evening. I got it without the chicken for lent the next day and had the Brussels sprouts as well. All amazing. I didn't want my last dinner to be awful, so I got their spinach and feta pizza. I'm picky about the crust and it was acceptable, but not my favorite ever. The taste was fantastic though. Currently eating the chocolate raspberry pot de creme and watching the olympics! So glad I found The Cafe. read more

The Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Absolutely amazing pastries. I've only had dinner there once but that was also outstanding. Highly recommend

I had lunch at "The Cafe" yesterday. I chose the Kale and Quinoa Salad. It was served with a piece of garlic toast and I had Strawberry Lemonade with the salad. I'm pretty sure they almost didn't need to clean the plate. LOL. I also stopped to take in there very tempting desserts on my way out and purchased a Peanutbutter Cookie. It also was delicious. read more

This is one of my favorite places to dine in the entire state. I've always heard that larger menus mean that the food being served is not fresh and if that's true, this place has very fresh food because their menu is fairly small. I usually order their hamburger, but sometimes I opt for a seasonal item. It's a very cozy sort of place, but leans dangerously close to being "too dark." Sometimes I have a hard time reading the menu and I'm not even thirty!!! That being said: great food, intimate vibes, and their coffee across the hall in the "coffee shop" area is a great treat for post-dinner conversation. read more

I try something new every time I go and haven't been disappointed yet. The breakfast menu is particularly great. Don't forget to check the desserts. read more

Tried this place out with my family and it definitely did not disappoint. We did have a bit of a wait time and there wasn't really a sitting area to wait in which was a little annoying, but we just made our way to the bar (although it is kind of hidden). The menu was limited but I love that all the ingredients are fresh and locally provided. The only downfall is that they do change the menu every 3-4 weeks so an item you love might not be on there the next time you go so I definitely recommend checking their Facebook page before going. Our waitress was super nice, helpful, and attentive and made our visit pleasant. Our food came out relatively quickly for how busy it was and we all greatly enjoyed our meals. I ordered the side salad with a cup of the corn bisque and both were amazing. My dad got the salmon and it was DELICIOUS! My mom and boyfriend got the vegetable beef soup and really enjoyed it as well although it was a little salty. This restaurant definitely has a more upscale vibe so it is a little more on the expensive side but perfect for date nights or special occasions in my opinion. We will definitely be back! read more

The kitchen ended breakfast at 10:30. We arrived at 10:20. They told us they couldn't seat us even though there were plenty of open tables and that we had to wait until 11 to be seated when lunch could be served. read more

My heart always sings when their mac and cheese is back on the menu. It's golden-brown on top and slightly toasted - not too crunchy but just enough so that when you combine it with the tender noodles and cheese baked inside the dish, it creates a harmony of smoky and creamy flavors. You always wish you have more of the tasty bread that comes with it. Their side salad is always perfectly seasoned with the vinaigrette, cheese, and candied walnuts. Overall, it's always a very special meal to have because I have never had a bad experience here and the food and service is always outstanding. And that's only the beginning! You want to check out this place's brunch menu as well. Since their menus are seasonal, you may miss a delicious dish and have to wait for the next season to try it, but I know I have had a Monte Cristo here once and it was a real treat. Their desserts are fantastic. They have a huge case of them that you have to go over and observe for a few minutes before you decide because they're as fun to look at as they are to eat. Their crème brulee is excellent--a hard caramel-colored shell with a creamy and warm vanilla pudding underneath. Their chocolate cakes and cheesecakes have never disappointed me so if you want a sure-fire delicious end to your meal, get one of those. Their berry cakes, while tasty, pale in comparison to their chocolate dishes. I do sorely wish The Café was closer to Des Moines but maybe that occasional excursion to Ames makes the meal that much more delicious. read more

Where to start....I like everything about this place! The rotating menu never disappoints, the wine selection is perfect, the drinks are great, and the atmosphere here should be the foundation on which every restaurant is based. Folks I don't care if you have to fly, drive, run, or crawl here, just come and eat here. This is a true gem in the heart of Iowa. If I was going to die today, this is where I would go for my last meal. Oh and did I mention that this place won't break the bank? Yah', that's right, it's affordable! My suggestion: Show up at 7:30, have dinner at the bar in the back, start with a baguette and wine, talk with the locals, revel in the glory. read more

I am not a huge breakfast lover, many times I order lunch in a breakfast spot. But this restaurant seduced me into ordering breakfast and am I ever glad I did. The restaurant was fairly large and when we came, about 9:00 on a Sunday morning, there was no line. We were only in town for the weekend so we relied on the Yelp reviews when choosing where to eat. Delicious juice, great choices for kids, oustanding serfice, deeply dark and satisfying coffee plus 5 entree choices that all called my name. My husband and I split pancakes and the pot roast special eggs. Both were devoured quickly and everyone left happy. If this place was not 4 hours from my house, I'd be a regular. As it is, I'm tempted! read more

So I am at Iowa State for work and my supplier and I decide to go out to dinner. He chose The Cafe after reading reviews - locally sourced natural foods. Sounds good to me! Upon entering the restaurant we were told that there would be a 20 minute wait. Contrary to other reviews, our wait was about 15 minutes, less than the time quoted (of course it was a Wednesday night). I perused the dessert cabinet while waiting (everything looked fabulous) and the drink menu. I also looked at the decor - clean lines and modern. I also enjoyed the view into the kitchen - flows with the restaurant character. OK - now the food. We started off with the simply named olives and almonds. The olives were good (I ate quite a few, for someone who is not a fan). The almonds were phenomenal!!! Lightly salted, roasted and so so fresh. Absolutely an unexpected pleasure. For my entree, I had the cafe burger. THE.BEST.BURGER. EVER. - so flavorful (the meat itself - it was simply seasoned), so moist - the medium that I ordered was more like medium rare, but soooo good, the fresh bread and pickled onions topped this spectacular sandwich. Also, the homemade chips was a great compliment. I was full, but after looking at the dessert counter I had to order the carrot cake. Eating it later, it was really, really, really good - moist, not sugary sweet, good spice flavor and rich frosting. The Cafe was a great dining experience. If you are in Ames (I guess the reason would primarily be if you are at Iowa State), definitely visit this restaurant! read more

This place is nowhere near as good as it was last time we visited there. I was there in April of this year and things have gone downhill over the summer. We came back because we were blown away with the service and the food, but I think it's safe to say that our last experience will probably be our last. The main problem this time around was the wait staff and the prices. They've risen drastically since last time we were there and the portion sizes were smaller. Last time I was there, I had biscuits and gravy and they served a huge portion for $9.99. When I was there this past weekend, I ordered the same thing and it's now $11.99 and the portion is smaller. The quality wasn't nearly as good either. Plus, they messed up the egg on my plate. There's a difference between over easy and raw. Fortunately, they did fix the mistake but weren't willing to comp the ticket. That's a first for me. Also, we witnessed one of the waitresses treat an individual very disrespectfully. There was another patron waiting to be seated and they'd been there for close to 45 minutes. They asked if they were any closer to seating them and the hostess snapped back at them and told them "if you don't want to wait any longer than just go somewhere else." I hope this is an isolated incident, but if that's any indication of the kind of service they provide now I'm not going back. People deserve to be treated better, especially after waiting for that long. I realize it was busy, but that doesn't give staff the right to be rude to them. I guess this place, which was once a great place to gather for breakfast, brunch or lunch (never have eaten dinner there and now probably never will) is now concerned about the bottom line rather than making sure the customer is properly cared for. I guess the next time I come to Ames I'll just eat somewhere else that will treat me and the other diners better. read more

Yes, it's the most cherished restaurant in town and for good reason. I'll spare you reading through a review like every other and leave you with just a few tips. 1. Leave room for dessert. The Cafe serves the best bread pudding, tarts, and cakes, especially carrot, in town. My favorite is the blackberry sour cream bread pudding. 2. Waits can be very long. I'd wait 30-45 minutes but not more than that. There are other restaurants in the area that are also quite good. To avoid a long wait, go at off-peak times like right at 5pm. read more

We arrived before the church crowd on a Sunday as we had an 83 year old lady with us. Although we were far from the last to arrive, we WERE the last to be seated. NO order of seating as arrived, just worked through the people as they walked in and stood near the hostess... and then they finally came to us as we waited near the bathrooms where we were told there was a chair for our friend. We were happy to be seated, but the service was absolutely horrible. Our server was a nice young guy who, when we'd ask if he could take our order after being ignored, we said "sorry to bother you" he'd say "oh, no bother". ha! The food was OK, but not what we'd driven FAR out of our way for. Our food took forever and came out separately (there was only three of us). The server never returned until he asked if we were ready for our check. We were celebrating a special occasion, so we asked for a desert menu, but he only read off a few items and we had to choose. He mentioned maybe four items. We ordered two deserts and one alcoholic coffee drink. The deserts arrived, but the coffee drink took over 20 minutes. The server never blinked and dropped off the drink and the check. He was so happy to drop off a $9 coffee drink without apology for being so long after we were finished eating the other items. Amazing. The server didn't have a name on him or on the check. When we walked out, we saw some amazing looking deserts in the desert case that were not "available" to us apparently. I would not recommend it to anyone unless they know the staff so they'd be seated AND be offered the full menu and service. Sorry, just terribly disappointed after hearing some good things. There are plenty of good local options that offer much more. read more

The food is WAY too salty and definitely overpriced. I once ordered a burger that I only ate a quarter of because there was too much salt. I left with my pockets and stomach still empty. If you want better food for less money, go to Stomping Grounds. I enjoy their cafe mac & cheese in the winter, but actually like the salad that comes with it even more. My husband and I usually get the daily bread for an appetizer and are delighted that they sell baguettes at their carryout/dessert/coffee counter. Their desserts are always amazing and I keep meaning to go just for dessert and a nightcap, but cannot justify awkwardly waiting an hour or more for it. They try for the fine dining feel, but don't take reservations (WTF?) and absolutely refuse to seat you until your entire party is there...probably because they don't take reservations (again, WTF?). It's a vicious negative feedback loop that could be solved by taking reservations. Even if you decide to wait the 45 minutes-hour for dinner (most days)/weekend brunch, there is absolutely no place to sit and you have to stand awkwardly in the way of the wait staff and close to fellow hungry patrons. Low blood-sugar and long wait times do not mix well and I am always seated with weak knees in a very angry mood. Summertime offers some outdoor relief to this conundrum, but having lots of loiterers definitely detracts from the "high end" feel they're going for. There are so much better places for food and ambiance in Ames, go somewhere else. read more

This only gets 2 starts because the breakfasts & lunch are decent... we went here for dinner and it was a complete disaster. They should just not server dinner items - they are bad. read more

A+ atmosphere and booths. While here, I consumed the most delightful polenta. Hard to describe but a must order for sure.

A pleasant surprise awaits you if you're wondering whether or not to go to the Cafe when you pass through Ames. The Cafe rivals restaurants I've eaten in all over the country in value, flavor, variety, and service. Their coffee is what got me to start drinking my coffee black. It's so good that I don't want to change the flavor at all. Bottomless coffee once you order it. Brunch is amazing here - the menu changes weekly/seasonally so there are always new options. The same is true for the lunch and dinner menu. Food is fresh and planned around what is locally available. For brunch - I usually shoot for the skillets / omelets / savory options. I have yet to be disappointed in anything I've ordered. If you're more of a plain jane - their pancakes / eggs are good. They also serve a mean burger. Nothing too fancy, but delicious. Presentation on dinner entrees and salads are gorgeous. The bakery items are fun. I JUST LOVE THIS PLACE. Desserts are a little pricey, but most of the portion sizes on them merit the cost. Pick a few for the table and share. read more

This place is OK. It's one of the very limited fine dining choices in Ames and pretty much the only game in town. For the price and crowd they shoot for, they really aren't doing anything special. Like most mid grade fine diners, their entrees tend to be very salty. Stay away from their stone oven pizza. It was sooo salty I could not finish it (it was an 8"). If you want Italian pizza done right, go to Vesuvius. The other foods are ok, especially the breakfast and the desserts. The waiting staff is friendly but not knowledgable about the food or drinks - to be expected in a college town with high turnovers - though it IS supposed to be fine dining, but whatever. The most irritating thing about this place is that they will not sit you until your entire party is there. I understand the reason for doing this, because they don't want you to sit forever without ordering. But it's dumb when I told them that I'd be ordering for my wife before she got there cos we were in a rush (which means we will be fast and won't sit there forever), and they still refused to sit me. Inflexible service is what separates a restaurant warranting repeat business and one that does not. read more

This place is great. I'm from out of town and was looking for a nice dinner and drink. I came across The Cafe on yelp and decided to give it a try. It was packed - the first sign of a great restaurant. I made my way to the bar and decided to order a drink and eat there. They had a great selection of craft beers as well as a yummy cocktail list - all VERY reasonably priced. After I ordered my Goose Island 312, I decided to start with the green salad. This not JUST a green salad. It's fresh greens, balsamic dressing and feta topped with candied walnuts. It was very refreshing and a great size for under $5. So large, in fact, that I was able to eat all of my meal. Ahh, my meal... let's talk about my meal. I ordered the Hangar Steak for $18.95. It was worth every penny. It's a perfectly grilled flank steak on top of wilted winter greens, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted baby portabellos. OMG and I can't forget about the demiglace on top. Even though the mushrooms were buried throughout, they still had that perfect "pop" when you bit into them. The mashed potatoes were definitely not from a box and I could tell they were hand-mashed; they were the perfect consistency. I wasn't a huge fan of the greens, but I'm not a huge fan of greens in general. But for greens, they were delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly to a medium rare and was SO juicy and tender. On top of the delicious food, the service was really great. For sitting at an extremely busy bar, I always had a full water glass and was asked many times if I needed anything. I definitely recommend The Cafe to anyone that visits Ames, IA! read more

Best place in north Ames for quality food and good service. There is often a wait if you arrive after 6 pm. Save room for the carrot cake. All food is fresh and delicious. read more

I think the Café got a LOT of hype from many of my friends, and after trying it once and having a horrible meal, followed by giving it a SECOND chance, and having a pretty good meal, I am somewhat considering going here one last time to see if the first time was just a fluke. My main complaint would be the prices, which are a little on the high side, but if they truly use local fresh ingredients, that is probably why. My first time there was a Wednesday night over spring break, so not many students were in town and it wasn't busy at all. I ordered the salmon, which was so undercooked in the middle that it looked like raw tuna I have eaten in sushi, which you expect to be raw, but this was unexpected and NOT okay with me. Had our waitress come and checked on us before I had finished my meal, I would have expressed my concern, but she never came and checked up on us until I was more than ready for the check. My pineapple rice that came as the side didn't make up for it either, it was crunchy and a very weird texture I just couldn't get over. My roomie liked it though. The second meal I had was on a Friday night, there was a big Iowa State basketball game on TV so no other bars or restaurants in Somerset had a single table open, and since the Café doesn't have TV's all around, they had plenty of tables open for us. I had a really good burger and amazing chips and dip as an appetizer. I really loved everything about the second meal there. It was a little pricey but like I said, worth it for the local, fresh ingredients. read more

When the Cafe first opened, I used to visit it very frequently. The food is generally good, though, with the price increases they have done, a bit poor on value. The menu is generally solid but very short. If you're a vegetarian, expect one or two options at best. Also, the menu changes very frequently, so you'll never know quite what to expect. Unfortunately, though, the Cafe has not gracefully handled the level of business that it is seeing. Dining options in north Ames are scant, and the Cafe is ridiculously busy. Despite this, they haven't expanded the dining area or set up any waiting area, so you'll be stuck elbow-to-elbow with other guests for 30 minutes or more as waitresses push past you from the kitchen. This would be forgivable if they would begin taking reservations, but so far they haven't. As such, we've had to find other venues that are more reliable - trying to get in the Cafe with more than 4 people is nearly impossible, as is trying to get in for Sunday brunch. If you're trying to plan a get-together, forget it! We've had to abandon the Cafe more times than we've been able to dine there, so we no longer bother to try. read more

We are traveling here from out of town decided to try this place! It was fantastic. We asked our waitress, Lexi, for recommendations and she was kind enough to walk us through the whole menu. We settled upon Parmesan baked eggs and OMG...we loved it! Thank you Lexi! We will be back next time we visit! read more

The Cream of Asparagus soup was really good. Had it with a side of green salad. The salad was great too - I can taste the freshness of the greens. Tried the Italian sub. It was good, but the bread was a tad hard for me. read more

This is a classy cafe serving good food at reasonable prices. Go and enjoy! My wife loved her salad and I had a very good sandwich on a pretzel bun. read more

Dropped by here on a lazy Saturday afternoon around 3 and had only a few minutes of wait, which is apparently a rarity. The brunch options looked amazing, but we wound up going savory - mac and cheese and burger. The mac and cheese had great garlicky flavor (and a delicious side salad and toast - honestly, the toast might have been the best part, it was soooo good). The burger was perfectly done and a great blend of flavors - don't skip the pickled onions even if that isn't usually your thing. At a friend's recommendation, we grabbed a side of the chipotle mayo for the chips, and that took it from good to excellent. My only gripe, and why this isn't 5 stars, is that the server gave us the wrong bill (for a table whose bill was higher than ours) at the end of the meal. When we pointed out the bill wasn't for what we had ordered, the server argued with us before disappearing for several minutes. He finally admitted his mistake. The whole debacle took way too long to resolve and we never got a sufficient apology for the hassle and the server clearly wasn't sure how to undo his mistake. read more

This is one the best restaurants in Ames! Every item that I have ordered off the menu have been delicious. My favorite meals have been their pizzas! The pizzas are full of flavor and each have a unique taste! I also love their desserts. My favorite dessert is their chocolate and salted carmel cake. If you are looking for a place to eat in Ames, look no further! read more

The Cafe - Half of my pizza!!!! - Bakeries Near Me - Ames, Iowa