The Blue Palmetto Café at Bok Tower was a solid stop during our visit. At Bok Yower. We kept it simple -- regular fries, sweet potato fries, an iced coffee, and a tomato and cheese salad -- but everything was fresh and well prepared. Sorry we forgot to get photos... we just dug in, that's how good it was. The fries were hot and crispy, the sweet potato fries had great flavor, and the iced coffee hit the spot after walking the gardens. The tomato and cheese salad was light and refreshing, perfect for the Florida weather. It's not a huge menu, but it works. The setting makes it even better -- being able to sit, relax, and recharge surrounded by the beauty of the gardens adds to the experience. Simple food done well in a peaceful setting. It complemented the day perfectly. read more

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We chose to have lunch at this café in the Bok Tower Gardens Visitors Center while visiting Bok Tower Gardens. It is a small café with both inside and outside open seating. The menu is somewhat limited. It features mostly salads and sandwiches. They offer a small selection of draft beers. Customers order at a counter and receive a stanchion to place on their table. Staff delivers food to the table once it is prepared. We shared a Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich with a Mozzarella Caprese Salad. The sandwich was served on toasted panini bread with a scoop of chickpea salad, lettuce, and tomato. They were busy with an after bell tower concert crowd, but the service was efficient and timely. I enjoyed the meal and recommend it to visitors. read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Chickpea salad sandwich and Mozzarella Caprese Salad - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

The Blue Palmetto Cafe is located at the front of the Bok Tower gardens, there is plenty of seating both inside and outside, it is ADA compliant with exterior restrooms. The menu has a variety of food options to suit just about anyone from salads, sandwiches and baskets (chicken strips, grouper) and more. There are desserts as well as hard packed ice cream and coffee options including lattes and such. Bok Tower membership gives you a 10% discount and tipping is optional. Staff were very efficient and friendly and the dining area was clean. Beverage options included bottled drinks as well as fountain drinks. We were a group of 4 with a walker and a wheelchair, there was no real extra space for mobility devices but since most people were seated outside and we were indoors we were able to park the devices at the table next to us out of the way. I had the Avocado and Tuna salad (minus tomatoes) it comes with a nice vinaigrette, it was fresh and tasty with a nice portion of tuna salad atop the greens. The rest of my family had grouper bite basket with fries, smoked turkey and Gouda sandwich with chips, and the ham and Gruyère sandwich with upgrade to fries ( the sandwich was pressed panini style). Everyone enjoyed the choices and were satisfied with the portions. Most menu items seemed to be in the $15 range, our bill including 2 fountain drinks after discount and tip was just shy of $80. To go boxes are available if needed and they have disposable utensils. All and all a lovely meal. read more

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Love love eating at the cafe! The food is very fresh and flavorful! Also great portions for the price! Lots of healthy options. There are many areas to eat as well, either inside or outside. Kid friendly meals as well. read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Loaded tater tots! - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

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The food here was great and the service super friendly. They have store made sides and entrees. The nice cream wast tasty and they had some unique flavors. The seating inside was comfortable- especially on a warm day- but they also have outdoor seating available. Worth stopping in if you are visiting the gardens or a member in the area. read more

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The food here is much better than expected! Delicious chicken salad (with craisins) on a croissant , grilled cheese, and caprese salad. You can dine indoors where it's cool or at an outdoor table--your choice of shady or sunny! The orange blossom pilsner was very good also! read more

Great food and friendly service. This is my favorite museum/botanical garden restaurant. I usually get the chicken salad salad - with fresh greens, blueberries and chicken salad. Today I branched out to the fried flounder sandwich and it was very moist and came with a fresh tomato, lettuce, and Ken's tartar sauce on a warm ciabatta roll with chips on the side. We went back later for a latte and ice cream. read more

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We went to Bok Tower Gardens and enjoyed a delish lunch outside in the gardens. The chicken salad was light and tasty and the ham and cheese was yummy. Perfect fuel before enjoying the day at the gardens. read more

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We were going to meet my wife's nephew and his wife at Harry's place Harry's old place and this place was about 12 miles away so rather than sit around and wait to go late in the day we decided to go see what this was about the back tower and we stopped at this Palmetto Café for lunch. I ordered a club sandwich with salmon and bacon and they informed me they were out of salmon so I switched it to chicken and they made it on sourdough bread with lettuce tomato I said no mayonnaise and I asked them to burn the bacon. My wife had their blueberry salad which came with chicken and goat cheese on it and a walnut dressing strawberry walnut. Both meals were terrific and the service was OK. You ordered a counter and then they bring it to your table. I topped it off with a small ice cream and I hid the coffee with the chocolate chips. It was good so this is an easy five star. read more

We visited the beautiful Bok Tower Gardens and wanted to grab a quick bite before getting back on the road. We had no idea how much we would like the Blue Palmetto Cafe! You order at the counter and they bring you your food. There was plenty of seating and there were interesting photos of the gardens through the space. I wasn't feeling adventurous so I just got a grilled cheese sandwich and it was so good! The bread was toasty and the cheese was super melty. It also came with a bag of chips and it was a very reasonable price. I'm glad we stopped! read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Chips - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

Had lunch here while visiting Bok Tower. Had the chilled salmon salad and blueberry chicken salad, both were very good. You order at the counter and then they bring the food to you. It was quite busy, but service was good. Seating is indoor or outdoor. Outdoor seating was relaxing and beautiful scenery. Indoor was clean. read more

First and foremost, Blue Palmetto Cafe isn't a restaurant that is generally open to the public. It is exclusive to patrons of Bok Tower Gardens. Ergo, only those who paid for admission to enter can actually enjoy what this restaurant has to offer. Think of it on the same lines as certain restaurants in theme parks that can only be enjoyed by park patrons. Located in the area of the main entrance, Blue Palmetto Cafe is a decent-sized restaurant that offers a simple ambiance with minute details of rustic Florida from the late 1800s, the time when Mr. Bok was alive. Since Bok Tower Gardens is considered a "gem in the midst of Central Florida," it is often a tourist attraction for Floridians and out-of-state visitors alike. Ergo, the noise level is just above the average most of the time. Restrooms are not located in the restaurant but a there are some outdoor restrooms near the outdoor seating area, in between Blue Palmetto Cafe and the gift shop, and on the south side of the entrance area in the visitor's center. As for food, there is quite an array of of salads, hot and cold sandwiches, pastas, and finger foods. My stepdad got the roast beef sandwich and chicken fingers. Both were very delicious for what they were but the price can add up if you order more than one thing. Most of the foods are between $10 to $20. There is also a basic beverage menu and a beer and wine menu too but we didn't order any of that. Overall, Blue Palmetto Cafe is a-okay. Probably not the best of the best but good enough to wet one's appetite after walking the grounds of Bok Tower Gardens. However, if you really want to save some money, Bok Tower Gardens allows coolers to be brought in so stock up on your favorite beverages, snacks, and meals. read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Roast beef sandwich. - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

We had a good experience at this location today. It's just been refurbished and is a much better atmosphere, clean, and very busy. My wife had the chicken Mediterranean salad, which was good and I had the chicken fingers which were also good. I would recommend eating outside as the inside gets quite busy with unsupervised children and just a lot of activity and tight seating. Although it may be a little bit warmer outside with the temperatures these days, it'll be quiet and peaceful, and a much better experience. The standing menu at the entrance of the Blue Palmetto Café is good, but the more current menus that her hand held on the inside give you the most current daily options. Check those out when you enter. read more

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When visiting Bok Tower Gardens, you'll find yourself craving some food after your hour or so walk around. Blue Palmetto Cafe is a light, refreshing, tasty place for a convenient lunch. My wife and I had just finished walking around Bok Tower Gardens. Our next stop was lunch. We initially wanted to venture out somewhere different since we aren't in Polk that often. With not too many options in Lake Wales, we decided to check out the cafe on site. The Blue Palmetto Cafe is located in the main entrance area of Bok Tower Gardens. This easy going cafe has plenty of seating, inside and outside. The place was busy around noon. The menu is pretty eclectic. The offer 6 different salads and 17 different handhelds, some hot and cold. They offer up breakfast, wine, beer and some desserts. Basically, anyone could find something they like here. My wife went with the Buffalo Chicken Wrap and I did the turkey and smoked gouda sandwich. The food was up quick. My turkey and smoked gouda hit the spot. There was a decent amount of turkey and veggies on the fresh and soft multigrain bread. The sandwich was cut in half but decently sized. I was full afterward. There are options for a half sandwich with a soup or salad side. I just ordered the simple chips and pickle spear it comes with. My wife said her buffalo chicken wrap was good as well. It had buffalo ranch, provolone and veggies in a tomato basil wrap. It was hot temperature wise. Overall, it was a good experience. You order at the counter and bring a number to your table and the food is delivered out. A simple, quiet, tasty, filling lunch without having to drive across town or search for something nearby. If you're at Bok Tower Gardens and considering the cafe, just know you can't go wrong with it. read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Buffalo chicken wrap - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

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A good food option on property at Bok Tower. It was very busy and it did take a minute to get through it, but staff was very nice at the register. They had a variety of options for both meals and snacks, depending on what you are interested in. The seating area is busy and you may need to wait for a spot if it's a weekend prime time. The outside area is mostly covered which is a nice break from a sunny day. Overall: A Solid food option in the Bok Tower Gardens. It can get busy, so be ready for a wait if it's peak time. read more

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Cute little cafe at Bok Tower Gardens! A nice spot to start or stop or just take a break out. They have water and ice to refill your water bottle with. Plenty of outdoor and indoor seating. A wide variety of menu options too! I ordered the Avocado BLT. It comes with chips. It was delicious! Very fresh and great presentation! I ordered the sour cream and chive chips. So good! It even comes with a pickle! read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Avocado BLT - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

Such a great simple place to eat while enjoying Bok Tower and Gardens. We needed something light. I had the breakfast bagel (oh, I like my bagel toasted crispy) - just right. My daughter enjoyed her avocado blt - good bacon, lots of avocado. We sat outside, so calm and lovely. read more

I had their brown ale that was a locally brewed. I was not expecting them to have beer so that was a nice surprise. The beer was good. The staff were very nice. They seemed genuine like they enjoy working there. They helped me pick a good beer for walking around the park so that was awesome. The outdoor dining area is well placed at the entrance of the park and has a peaceful vibe while you chill before you walk in the park. You can grab a beer or something to eat and circle back for more. Love that part. I was a little disappointed they did not have matcha available for my boyfriend though but I understand. He had the chai latte which he liked as a replacement. They have so many things they are doing. Ice cream, beer, wine, coffee and food so it makes sense adding that to their workflow would probably be a little much. The best advice I could provide would get more cup sizes for traditional cappuccino that is 6-8oz based on who you ask and cortado sizes 4-5oz. They start at 16oz cups which is fine for some people but I really like less liquid so you have a better balance of espresso to milk, oat or almond. I honestly think you cant call it a cappuccino it goes over 8 ounces but I am a coffee snob lol. Overall not bad at all for a park cafe. Convenient and really enjoyed the beer while walking around the beautiful park. read more

Cold brew coffee! Yes! It tasted like chocolate milk! My wife and I got 1 to share. It came in a disposable pack that we poured into 2 cups. We were practically fighting over it because it was so good! Great treat to enjoy in the hot summer! read more

We visited Bok Tower on a Sunday when all of downtown Lake Wales is shut down. This was the only option for food in the area and we really needed a place to eat. Thankfully Blue Palmetto Cafe exceeded expectations. The building that houses the café opened in 1996. A café existed before that with fewer offerings at the Olmsted building. Bok Tower was actually going to shutter the restaurant citing a lack of profitability but instead decided to hire a chef to turn things around. Chef Matthew Fulwood was hired as the sous chef under the first chef hired and now he commands the kitchen. He was instrumental in developing the menu and insists that all ingredients are fresh. He also develops the menu for the outdoor kitchen events. Since he has taken over the cafe has grown and is Bok Tower's number one source of revenue. You order at the counter and then they bring the food to your table. On the menu you will find made to order salads, wraps, and sandwiches. One of the most popular items is the blueberry chicken salad. Everything looked so good. We couldn't decide what to order so we decided to share the chicken salad on a croissant and the roast beef sandwich on artisan bread with onion jam, provolone cheese, lettuce, and tomato. All sandwiches come with chips and a pickle. We also added on the mozzarella capers salad with heirloom tomatoes and drizzled in balsamic vinegar. This was not your ordinary museum food. If you have room for dessert they also sell ice cream. While you dine you can admire the garden from inside or outside on the patio seating. I am so glad Bok Tower Gardens did not do away with their food. This cafe was an unexpectedly delightful find. They have transformed a place where you may have had to eat into one where you want to eat. The cafe combined with the historic mansion, gardens, and tower makes this a wonderful attraction worth visiting. read more

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While enjoying the historical gardens of Bok Tower we began our hike knowing we would have lunch at the Award Winning Blue Palmetto Cafe, which is located on the grounds of the gardens. Acclaimed Chef Matt Fulton runs the show in the kitchen. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. If you choose to sit outside you may just hear the carillon being played from the singing tower. It's a nice relaxing atmosphere. You may also take lunch to one of the picnic tables that are placed through out I was starving and only wanted to nourish my body after hiking for 3 hours in the heat and often rugged terrain. I was thrilled to see a lengthy creative menu of hand helds and salads, Breakfast is served too. Everything looked fantastic. Hmmm what to order ? I went with a salmon salad loaded with field greens, pepito's, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes , feta cheese , pickled onions and a moist generous portion of salmon. Wow ! Definitely a reorder. Everyone raved about their lunches. I would suggest ordering your lunch online. They say they will have it ready at the time you request. The only downside is I did notice the online menu was not updated. If they are going to offer this service it should be updated. The online ordering is found on the Bok Tower site. Lines were long . Food is prepared fresh to order. It took 30 minutes for our food to arrive that's after having waited in line for 20 minutes. Like I mentioned, I was famished and getting cranky. That's why I'm giving them 4 stars. The best museum food I've ever had. read more

Charming museum cafe with excellent food. My husband loved his toasted ham and cheese sandwich, and my Mediterranean salad was delicious, with super fresh greens, cucumbers and grape tomatoes, chunks of roast chicken, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, chickpeas and an herby Greek style dressing. We'll be back. read more

For a museum cafe, this was knock your socks off good. The cashier was engaged, knowledgeable and gave great advice. When have you seen that before? I had the blueberry chicken salad and enjoyed it. Definitely worth a try. It was very good except the two pieces of naan (flat bread). They came from an institutional cafeteria and should have been omitted. Definitely worth trying out if you need a meal while at Bok Tower. read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Great blueberry, chicken salad. Don't even try the naan, though. - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

Pretty delicious for park food located on the same site as Bok Tower. We ordered the ham and gruyere panini and the half sandwich and soup. He got the turkey and Gouda sandwich with the beef vegetable soup. We have them four out of five since technically he ordered the chili not the vegetable soup. Overall not bad experience and tasty. read more

It's a counter service eatery located inside the Bok Gardens Towers. The food is made fresh and it's served promptly. I ordered a turkey sandwich and a navy bean soup. I really enjoyed the soup and I wanted seconds. The sandwich was also quite good. I was pleasantly surprised. I do feel like they need more outdoor seating. But, I did notice that many people took their meals to go and had a picnic at the gardens. That seems like a good idea. The prices are reasonable. They won't overcharge like other attractions. read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

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A) I rarely order daily specials. B) I'm not a huge fan of pulled pork sandwiches. But now...I'm a believer! After walking around Bok Tower for a while, I was ready to leave and go get lunch. But I felt myself pulled towards the Blue Palmetto Cafe - a spacious cafe with indoor and outdoor seating following safety and social distancing protocols in this time of COVID. I was going for either the Black Bean Veggie Burger, but then I noticed the Pineapple Pulled Pork sandwich on Luau Bread with coleslaw, chips, etc. ALWAYS ask the staff on-site what they recommend. The wonderful cashier said whenever this pork sandwich is available, he gets it. He salivates over it. One bite, people, and OMG! Amazing flavor. I'm absolutely coming back. I will also note I was impressed by how quickly my order was served. Great service. Pepsi products are available for purchase. You can also get the legendary Luzianne tea here. See you soon, Blue, and THANK YOU! read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Pineapple pulled pork sandwich...EPIC! - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

Had a great day exploring the gardens, etc. Went to the cafe afterwards and were treated rudely by a guy who works there. We ordered two beers that both were delivered 2/3 full. My husband politely asked to have them topped off (as they were $6 each) and he responded with "if you want to pay two extra dollars each, I'll top them off for you." It was ridiculous. If you don't have the capability of pouring a full beer, then stop serving beer. It was absurd. Food was good, the guy was a jerk. read more

This cafe is at Bok Tower Gardens. They have a good selection of salads and sandwiches. Nothing fancy but considering this is inside a tourist destination it's a good lunch stop. There is a generous amount of seating. The line to order was long but went quickly. The food arrived in a reasonable length of time. If you want to remain at the Gardens, you really don't have a choice but I don't think you can go wrong here. read more

Love it here the waitress are always so kind and nice. Good always fresh and everything is always clean. I come to Bok towers often and I look forward to always getting lunch at the Blue Palmetto Cafe read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Chicken BLT - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

Great staff , clean place and quality food ! Quiet environment. A nice spot here at Lake Wales.

Located inside the Bok Tower Garden is this lovely Cafe. To be honest, I didn't expect to find good food here but I was happily surprised. The menu features basic baked goods, sandwiches and salad. Nothing fancy just healthy menu choices, simple food and fresh ingredients. Everything was made to order. It was not fast food but worth the wait. My grouper fingers sandwich came out crispy and moist. The vegan fruit salad was beautiful and well seasoned. Just like the Bok Tower Gardens, this cafe is a hidden gem. Forget about packing your picnic lunch on your next visit. Just grab some food here and you won't be disappointed. read more

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My Thai Shrimp Noodle salad was delightful - could eat that every day! This is not fast food, or necessarily fast serve. But after a delightful walk through the gardens, this was the perfect place to relax and enjoy an excellent lunch. read more

Very rude staff (Shannon T #7) working the cash register. Not at all a people person. She should work in the kitchen. Food was good... but not great. I had to clean my table top and chair. Cleanliness is not really a strong point here after the initial wipe down prior to the lunch crowd arriving. read more

Blue Palmetto Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Lake Wales, Florida

While visiting Bok Tower, I was pleased to find that the restaurant onsite offered such fresh and healthy menu items. The prices were reasonable and it seemed like just about everything was made to order. I enjoyed the Tropical Salad, and they had no issues making a handful of substitutions (swapping cheeses, etc.) In addition to salads, they offered sandwiches, ice cream, coffee (including cold brew) and tea that you can customize yourself (their condiment/drink station had a number of Monin syrups), and even edible cookie dough. I think it is safe to say that there's something for everyone visiting. The restaurant itself was very clean and the employees were helpful and friendly. When we return to the gardens, I would have no issue eating here again. read more

This is a charming cafe tucked at the entrance to Bok Tower Gardens. We stopped here on our way out for a scoop of ice cream but then saw they had chicken salad sandwiches on a croissant and I couldn't pass that up. I the sandwich was surprisingly delicious and fresh. It was the perfect bite after a beautiful afternoon stroll through the gardens. The ice cream was also good and the chocolate chunk cookies were mouthwatering. read more

This cafe is a good idea of a pick-me-up after walking around the gardens. Excellent service and nice cashier. However, the food was not what we were expecting. We ordered the Chinese Noodles, the chicken was white with no color and fake grill marks. The noodles were over sauced and not very appetizing. The rest of the food was okay, but nothing special. I recommend you pack your own lunch while visiting the gardens. read more

We just had a delicious lunch in a lovely al fresco setting! I enjoyed the buffalo chicken soup with orzo along with a classic grilled cheese sandwich. All sandwiches come with a pickle spear and choice of bagged chips. My wife loved her chicken blueberry salad. This place is very much a bargain in an ideal garden setting. read more

Stopped in today to get a nice walk through the garden. Decided to try the Cafe for lunch. We where pleasantly surprised! I had the avocado tuna wrap and my husband had the Turkey and smoked Gouda sandwich. Both where very fresh and delicious! The patio seating is lovely! If your in the area I highly recommend! read more

It's the only game in town, so to speak, so if you're at Bok Tower and you're hungry, this is it -- unless you packed a picnic in the back of your minivan. Order up at the counter and your food will be brought out to you. Items offered are those things that can be made with a minimal kitchen and a SYSCO truck -- sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, canned chili, etc. I certainly don't fault them for any of that, because they aren't out to blow you away. They're there to provide food to hungry visitors at minimal cost to the park. It's easier than putting together that picnic cooler, and the seating outside is very nice when the weather is cooperating. It's sad, however, that everything is served on paper plates with plastic utensils and plastic cups. I would have preferred to see reusable stuff instead, especially in a park like this. Sure, the cups claim to be compostable in specific circumstances, but I wonder if it applies here: "...100% compostable in actively managed municipal or industrial facilities, which may not be available in your area. Not suitable for backyard composting." This review may be lacking in excitement and overused superlatives, but the cafe doesn't really warrant that. If you're going to be here at Bok Tower Gardens and you feel hungry, then this is where you should go to eat. read more

Reviewed menu on-line; great presentation. We looked forward to lunch. The reality was to wait in line for 20 minutes to place order. Unfortunately, by 12:20, they were out of the "soup of the day" not to mention several other menu items! So we ordered what they had left. There was no place to sit so we waited anxiously for our order to be delivered! Thank God it took so long that we were able to sit at a dirty table. The sandwich was dry on stale bread with bag of potato chips. Not good considering the on-line menu. Staff was unfriendly, slow and bored. Food was very disappointing, the place was filthy with uncontrolled crowd. read more